Former Premier League Golden Boot winner Kevin Phillips has criticised Liverpool‘s hesitancy during the January transfer window to sign much-needed defensive reinforcements.
After a seeming glaringly obvious need for Jurgen Klopp to add defensive depth, the Reds waited until deadline day to sign Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies.
Phillips told Football Insider that Liverpool’s 11th-hour approach will ultimately cost them dearly this season, saying:
Liverpool are nowhere near the side they were last year. Defensively they are conceding a lot of goals and sloppy goals at that. They will keep going but most of the damage has been done already.
Klopp needs to integrate those centre-halves as quickly as possible. They will certainly get game time from now until the end of the season.
Having started the season as champions, Liverpool sit fourth in the Premier League following Sunday’s humbling home defeat at the hands of league leaders and main protagonists to the throne Manchester City.
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It’s hard to disagree with Phillips. Everyone could see the requirement to sign defenders and the wait for a dual arrival rightfully raised plenty of eyebrows. Had the pair been signed earlier in the window, they would have been fully integrated now and perhaps starting together at the back.
Instead, they are awaiting their chance whilst Klopp proceeds with picking key midfielders at the heart of the defence, which is having an adverse effect on the team’s performance as a whole.
Liverpool may now need to reset their expectations and concentrate on finishing the season in a strong fashion, more befitting of their recent escapades.
