Has Liverpool defender identified the possible reason for his side’s poor defensive showing this season?
Liverpool defender Joel Matip believes that his side’s defensive difficulties this season have been due to Liverpool’s style of play against, what the Cameroon international calls, the ‘bulls’ of the Premier League.
Matip, who joined Liverpool on a free-transfer from Schalke last summer, has experienced somewhat of an inconsistent start to his Anfield career – as the 25-year-old has struggled with injuries and consequent inconsistencies in his debut season in England.
Indeed, whilst fellow summer signing Sadio Mane has thrived amongst the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino as part of Liverpool’s talented forward line, Matip has seemingly been unable to establish himself alongside any regular central defensive partner.
The earlier rotations of goalkeepers Simon Mignolet and another Bundesliga import Loris Karius, in addition to Matip’s transient pairings with Dejan Lovren – who has experienced his own injury absences this campaign – Lucas Leiva and summer arrival Ragnar Klavan, have all proved relatively unsuccessful.
The fact is that Liverpool, with the exception of Watford, have conceded the highest number of goals of the Premier League’s top ten and currently have a worse defensive record than relegation threatened Middlesbrough in 19th.
Speaking to Germany’s Sport BILD, and as reported by the Mirror, Matip has added reason to why Liverpool may have struggled to prevent the concession of goals with any sort of consistency this season. The 25-year-old explained how he has found it ‘more physical in Premier League, especially [against] those teams from the bottom third where real ‘bulls’ are flying into the box’.
Whilst the specifics of who Matip may be referring to when mentioning the ‘bulls’ of the Premier League is unclear, it may be worth noting that Liverpool have suffered defeats to Hull City, Bournemouth, Swansea City, Burnley and Leicester City this season; with struggles against the likes of Sam Vokes, Steve Cook, Fernando Llorente and Oumar Niasse – who have all scored against Jurgen Klopp’s side this campaign.
When discussing the physicality of England’s top flight, the defender added, ‘I have the impression some teams design their match around it. And it’s a real fight in the box because of it’.
Further, Matip has also expressed his belief that Liverpool’s style of play is better catered to succeed against the higher echelons of the division, whilst simultaneously seeming to discredit the technical attributes of those towards the bottom of the league, by adding, ‘It’s different with the top teams where the key aspect is footballing skills’.
Liverpool are currently third in the Premier League standings and face Crystal Palace – complete with former Red Christian Benteke leading the line for the Eagles – at Anfield this weekend, as Klopp’s side aim to secure a top four finish from their remaining fixtures.
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