Since the end of the season, all the talk has been of marquee signings that will allegedly show the club’s ability to go toe to toe with our rivals in transfer market. And while players like Salah and Keita (if we do indeed sign them) will no doubt add skill and much-needed depth to the squad, there’s one old school characteristic of the football player that no one is talking about; steel.
Now that’s not to say that we start the search for the next Razor or even Julian Dicks, but you can’t deny that since Gerrard left the club, the team has lacked that type of player that instils a bit of fear in our opponents. And while there’s no doubt that defenders are wary of our potent attack, very few central midfielders or strikers come to Anfield with the sense of foreboding that teams of the 70s, 80s, and, to a lesser extent, the 90s did.
Another striker (Lacazette) and a winger (Salah) and we’re as good in attack as we’ve been in years but while the goals are what make the headlines (and massive transfer fees) it’s the enforcer in midfield and the rock at the back that win matches and ultimately, leagues.
It’s an old footballing cliché, but it rings true nonetheless; we need a solid spine of steel that we can build the team around. A tough, no-nonsense midfielder in the mould of Mascherano or Xabi and at least one defender with the composure and solidity of Hyypiä, could be the difference between league champions and also-rans.
It’s a pity the whole Van Dijk thing went south as he looks a solid player and himself and Matip could have forged an incredible partnership, but was he worth the reported £50 million fee? Probably not, but then was Pogba worth the ridiculous money paid for him? The transfer market has gone haywire, so the chances are we’ll have to spend big to get any of our targets, and Southampton looking for a record fee is likely indicative of how our business will go this summer.
If we do resurrect a deal for the Dutchman, then doubtless he’ll be a good signing regardless of the fee, but if not then we should give serious consideration to adding another Roma player to our shopping list. 26-year-old Greece international Kostas Manolas. He’s a talented, uncompromising centre-half that has added discipline to his game in recent years but he still has that mean streak we lack in defence. He’s good with the ball at his feet, isn’t afraid to tackle, and wins pretty much all of his aerial duels. And at £26 million he’s a much cheaper alternative to Van Dijk.
So what about midfield? There’s no doubt that until his injury, Henderson was having one of his best seasons in a red shirt, but he’s been a hot and cold player for us ever since he arrived. And with Lucas leaving (legend but not the enforcer we want) we definitely have a need for a defensively minded central midfielder. Our reported interest in Naby Keita has excited many fans but surely putting a tank (with passing skills) in the middle of the park that would complement our attacking players would be a better option.
Tiemoue Bakayoko of Monaco fits the bill perfectly, and regardless of what the papers say about him and Chelsea, we should break the bank for him. He’s a no-nonsense midfielder who covers the back four majestically and knows how to spot a pass. If a bid for him fails, then we should turn our attentions to William Carvalho. His hard-hitting style of play is exactly what we have been missing in midfield, and although it’ll cost £34m to get him out of his contract, in the current farcical transfer market, he’s worth it.
Bring in Manolas and one of Bakayoko or Carvalho, and we’re adding the steel and edge to our game that has been seriously lacking in recent years which makes our lack of interest in such players all the more puzzling. But then every year fans, journalists, and pundits alike talk about the final piece of a league-winning puzzle and in their clamour to sign players that will win games they fail to realise that we already have enough of those. What we need are players that can stop us from losing games which not only requires skill and an ability to read the game but also a ruthlessness in the tackle. What we need are fearless players.
Currently, BetStars have us at 14/1 to win the league, and while many will point out that this is most likely due to the whole 27 years thing, you can’t help but feel that a Mascherano or Hyypiä in our team would shorten those odds drastically.
If we want to be in the running come next May, then it’s time to build a spine that would put the Terminator to shame. Make it so, Jurgen.
