Liverpool’s defensive problems continued over the weekend when manager Arne Slot took center-back Ibrahima Konate off after 56 minutes in the 2-1 Premier League loss at Stamford Bridge. Slot confirmed he made the early switch because of a quad problem and will further examine Konate to establish the extent of the injury.
Konate Injury Details
Slot revealed in his post-match press conference:
“I don’t know if it’s a serious injury, but I saw him limp a little, and when I asked, he said he felt some discomfort in his quad. Then, for me, all alarm bells go off because in another sprint you never know if that is going to go good.”
“It was also already a substitution I had in mind, maybe for a few minutes or a little bit later, because the right centre-back had a lot of ball possession and we needed to create from that position. We all know Ryan Gravenberch is quite good in that.
“It might be fine that he went off early, but I clearly had to take him off because he was limping.”
The timing of the change clouds Liverpool’s defensive strategy; Joe Gomez now stands as the only fully fit senior centre-back, with other options either injured or transferred.
What This Means for Liverpool
Konate’s premature departure contributes to Liverpool’s defensive woes. With Joe Gomez the sole fully fit senior centre-back on hand and other possibilities such as Jarell Quansah and Giovanni Leoni not considered, the Reds may have a nightmare spell in defense with certain important games ahead following the international break.
Author’s Opinion
This is a concerning time for Liverpool. Though no one knows how long Konate will be out, the Reds cannot afford to take another blow to their defense. Arne Slot needs to solve the problem in a hurry, or future games might expose the defense even more. Squad depth and tactical versatility will come under the test in the weeks to come.
