End of season player ratings: Goalkeepers and defenders
After a rollercoaster ride in 2016-17, Liverpool’s season ended on a high, with a convincing 3-0 defeat of Middlesbrough cementing their chance to join Europe’s elite in the Champions League next season.
One playing department, in particular, enjoyed more ups and downs than most was the defence.
Although the season started with an exciting 4-3 victory over Arsenal, conceding three goals was an inauspicious start for a defence comprising Simon Mignolet, Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Alberto Moreno. This start continued as the introduction of Ragnar Klavan and James Milner didn’t prevent Burnley scoring twice in the next game.
The flux continued throughout the season, and whilst Clyne and Milner cemented themselves down the flanks; Jurgen Klopp’s preferred centre-back pairing of Lovren and Matip was only available for just over half the season, with the likes of Klavan and even converted midfielder Lucas stepping in with unconvincing results.
Until the second half of the season even the goalkeeper position was uncertain; as several Mignolet errors led to the introduction of new signing Loris Karius who himself failed to convince, giving Mignolet a second chance which he grabbed with both hands, crucially returning clean sheets in all of the Reds’ last four games.
Here are my season player ratings for Liverpool’s goalkeepers and defenders:
Simon Mignolet – 8
Mignolet proved this season that not only can leopards change their spots, they can occasionally morph into tigers! His Liverpool career seemed over in October as he lost his spot to youngster Loris Karius, but after a sometimes-rocky return late in 2016, the Belgian was exceptional over the last months of the season and played a crucial role in Liverpool securing a top-four place.
Can he maintain this level next season? Only time will tell.
Loris Karius – 5
Unlucky to break a bone not long after signing, meaning he missed most of the pre-season and the first few weeks of the Premier League. However, when he did finally get his chance, he failed to shine, lacking conviction at times and looking vulnerable to high balls, leading to the re-introduction of Mignolet.
His presence undoubtedly helped elevate his rival’s performance to previously unseen levels, and hopefully, the experiences of this season will enable Karius to mount a serious challenge for the number one shirt in coming seasons.
Nathaniel Clyne – 6
The England right-back enjoyed a solid start to the season, excelling defensively and even contributing a couple of assists. However, while he remained sound in Liverpool’s own half for most of the season, offensively his limitations were regularly exposed as opposing teams would regroup and allow an uncertain and hesitant Clyne time on the ball, safe in the knowledge he offered little threat.
Clyne will experience his own threat next season as, with a full season under his belt, youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold pushes for a starting place.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6
TAA is definitely one to watch next season. The talented youngster looked a class above his peers at under-23 level this term, and showed flashes of promise in his handful of appearances for the seniors too.
Defensively he still has some learning to do, but offensively he offers a dynamism incumbent Clyne cannot match, and it won’t be too long before the temptation to make more use of the 18-year-old is too much for Klopp to resist.
Joel Matip – 7
Assured and composed rather than especially dominant in his first year in the Premier League, the hope around Anfield will be that Matip kicks on next year and becomes the cornerstone of the Liverpool defence for the next five years he has the potential to be.
It’s easily forgotten he actually cost the Reds nothing, and despite overall performing well against the league’s top strikers he occasionally looked vulnerable to counter-attacks. Needs to show more durability in his second season too, as several minor injuries forced him to miss games and unsettled the defence.
Dejan Lovren – 5
Embodied Liverpool’s rollercoaster defensive season. When good he was very good; when bad he was awful. Oddly for such an experienced player, Lovren regularly suffers moments of panic and lapses of judgement, and is prone to rushing out of position at inopportune times.
Signed a new £100k a week deal, but he will know that if Klopp strengthens at centre back this summer, his place will come under serious threat. Has to step up a level and be more consistent if he wants to feature long-term for the Reds.
Ragnar Klavan – 6
Possibly attracted an unfair amount of criticism in his first season at Anfield, given the 31-year-old was thrust into duty far more than would have been expected, and was only signed as a third/fourth centre back in the first place. The banishment of Mamadou Sakho and several injuries to Lovren and Matip forced the Estonian into 25 appearances in his debut year, and whilst he looked solid and capable enough at times, like many of his counterparts he also made several high-profile errors.
Klavan will be retained next season as a backup, but both Klopp and Reds fans will hope he is not required anywhere near as much next term.
James Milner – 7
Milner was a revelation in his new left back role at first, offering boundless energy, a threat in opponents’ halves, and a deadly ability on penalty duty. However, like several of his team-mates, he experienced a mid-season slump and looked leggy and one-footed at times over the closing months. He even missed a penalty!
Overall more positive than negative this season, but is not a long-term option and left back will surely be a position Klopp addresses as a priority this summer. Milner may have to be content with a more limited role next season, but would still be an excellent asset to the squad, at multiple positions.
Alberto Moreno – 4
Klopp (and many Liverpool fans) must at times not have known whether he wanted to put an arm around, or throttle the erratic Moreno this season. Physically gifted, he has pace and energy to burn; unfortunately, the mental side of his game has shown no improvement since he was signed.
Defensively he can be a liability, and even going forward he still takes the wrong decision far too often for a footballer at the top level – a case in point being a horrendous open goal miss in a late cameo against West Brom, when snatched at a shot despite having plenty of time and numerous teammates offering alternatives.
Moreno’s future is undoubtedly away from Anfield, but at least the Reds should get most of their money back for the talented, but frustrating, Spaniard.
Joe Gomez – 5
A disappointing season for the youngster, who showed so much promise under former boss Brendan Rodgers, but due to injury and indifferent form only featured three times, all in the FA Cup this season.
Having only signed a new long-term deal in January, Gomez undoubtedly has a future at the club, but both Klopp and Reds fans will be hoping for more from the 20-year-old if interest from the likes of Bournemouth and Southampton is resisted this summer.