Reaffirming His Value vs. Arne Slot’s Dilemma

Joe Gomez bought a uncommon and unplanned evening at centre-back for Liverpool, together with his efficiency underlining his worth but additionally the dilemma Arne Slot has to handle.

After solely two begins in Liverpool’s first 19 video games of the season, Gomez has been within the beginning lineup in six of the newest 13 video games as Slot managed accidents at right-back.

He has settled into the position of being the utility cowl participant, which was the case in opposition to Marseille after Ibrahima Konate, sadly, had private issues to take care of in France.

Ever the skilled, Gomez carried out admirably and, as per FotMob, completed with a 100% move completion (39/39) and the second-most defensive contributions (10) behind Virgil van Dijk (12).

It earned him unprompted reward from Slot in his post-match press convention, with the top coach saying: “The one I wish to take out is Joe Gomez, as a result of he hasn’t performed lots within the final one-and-a-half years.

“He suffered generally from accidents, generally I didn’t play him when he was match. Just a few instances when he performed have been moments in [the] League Cup and FA Cup.

“Tonight he had an impressive efficiency with an necessary position in our 3-0.”

Joe Gomez has advantage to be thought of a first-choice starter

The journey to Marseille was solely the second time this season that Gomez and Van Dijk have began collectively because the centre-back pairing, with Konate’s clear invoice of well being making him available.

The duo function one of many few remaining hyperlinks to the 2020 title winners, and when paired collectively they haven’t misplaced in 9 video games because the 5-2 defeat to Actual Madrid in February 2023.

It stays to be seen if Gomez will probably be wanted once more in opposition to Bournemouth, with the membership, rightly, to give attention to providing Konate any assist and time he wants.

But when Gomez is required, Liverpool have an in-form and skilled defender able to working seamlessly alongside Van Dijk, together with his worth to the crew underlined as soon as extra.

When in a settled outfit, Gomez is calm and possesses the power to string passes to the benefit of his midfielders and attackers, which is among the qualities Liverpool chased Marc Guehi for.

Gomez has the power to be a first-choice starter for Liverpool as an alternative of appearing because the back-up and rotation possibility, however his damage file has frequently reared its ugly head on the most inopportune time.

The 28-year-old has missed three video games with a hamstring damage this season, a problem that plagued him all through the final marketing campaign and noticed him miss a complete 24 video games.

And that will probably be weighing on Slot’s thoughts, with Gomez serving because the insurance coverage coverage at centre-back and right-back now that Conor Bradley is out for the season.

Why Arne Slot needs to be cautious together with his use of Joe Gomez

There will probably be no scarcity of Liverpool supporters calling for Gomez to begin forward of Konate extra readily, particularly after the win at Marseille, but it surely, sadly, won’t be that easy.

With Bradley sidelined for the remainder of the season, Jeremie Frimpong is now the first-choice and computerized starter at right-back, with Gomez then providing depth as and when wanted.

Past Frimpong and the England worldwide, Slot would want to show to his midfielders, together with Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones, having all however dominated a line by way of Calvin Ramsay‘s possibilities.

“He’s with us, however I nonetheless assume I’ve higher choices to play,” Slot bluntly mentioned of the younger Scot’s possibilities at right-back earlier this month.

The stance underlines how Slot would moderately play key midfield gamers out of place over a specialist right-back, including to the worth of retaining Gomez match to assist forestall that.

If Gomez was to play persistently at centre-back, beneath the proviso Konate is match, Slot could be operating the danger of dropping a participant who can cowl two positions as a result of his torrid file with accidents.

The 28-year-old is the emergency name line at centre-back and right-back as a result of nature of Giovanni Leoni and Bradley’s accidents, to not point out the membership’s incapacity and reluctance so as to add additional depth.

Slot has proven he isn’t too opposed to danger as he began all three of his high remaining right-back choices in opposition to League One’s Barnsley (Frimpong, Gomez and Szoboszlai) and Marseille.

There will probably be instances when it can’t be helped, however every time Slot will certainly be crossing his fingers all of them depart the pitch damage free, lest be compelled to compromise his crew choice.

It leaves Liverpool with an enormous stress level in defence relating to retaining Gomez and Konate match, in addition to Frimpong after his 12-game absence with a hamstring damage.

Liverpool’s No. 2 is, subsequently, a giant variable for Slot in his defensive planning and stability, which might not be as important a problem if the membership addressed their wants in January.

With Guehi becoming a member of Man Metropolis, there’s little to no expectation that cowl will arrive within the winter window, leaving Gomez best-suited to be the fastidiously managed emergency participant, regardless of the newest instance of him underlining his worth.