Football News: Liverpool Right Back Strength Review

Image from: zimbio.com

Liverpool Right Back Strength Review

First Team:
Nathaniel Clyne
Jon Flanagan
Connor Randall

Reserves/Youth
Ryan McLaughlin
Kristof Polgar
Corey Whelan
Trent Arnold
Kane Lewis

Out on loan is:
Andre Wisdom

Options for cover in times of need:
Joe Gomez
Emre Can
Kevin Stewart
Jordan Henderson
James Milner
Jordon Ibe

Emergency cover:
Martin Skrtel
Tiago Ilori
Kolo Toure

I have only included first team players as cover options, as I mean players that can be used at right back during a match, due to injury, sendings off or just tactical necessity.

Looking at the options available, it seems like the first team is well catered for, with Jon Flanagan, at his best, being good enough to be the long term first choice right back for the club. The Scouse Cafu was instrumental in Liverpool's last title challenge, and it is only injuries that have held him back. Keep him fit and he is an excellent first choice.
Clyne is a decent back up, quick and strong, though not, in my opinion, good enough to be first choice.

Randall has shown enough to know he can be decent cover, not top class, but good enough to cover injuries.
Of the reserves and youth, only McLaughlin is probably past the point of making it, due to injuries, which have hindered him greatly and stopped his progress. The rest just need chances to play.

Andre Wisdom looks likely to leave, with Flanagan, Clyne and Randall in situ, he is unlikely to take a place in the side. Much as I like him, his aerial ability is the best of all our full backs, which can help in set piece situations, but he has missed out on virtually two seasons now, due to terrible loan moves arranged by the club. He needs to be somewhere he is first choice and plays every week.

Joe Gomez has shown he is comfortable, though not ideal, in the full back role, which means we can afford to pare down the full backs, and allow him to provide the cover. That really does suggest McLaughlin and Wisdom would be best served, for their own sake, to move on.

The other options provide a lot of cover within the squad mean that we are well covered in this position, though none are players you would want to rely on for the long term, they are very useful to alter things during matches when needed. The return of Flanagan makes this position safe, with a need to pare down a few of the youth players that are not going to make it.

With Flanagan as first choice, Clyne then becomes an excellent back up right back, leaving this as one part of the team that can be left alone, so that the club can concentrate on other pieces that are in need of strengthening.

Written by Tris Burke February 16 2016 03:54:32