Liverpool Need Stars like Virgil van Dijk at the Front Line

DBasia.news –  Virgil van Dijk is the answer to Liverpool’s need for a strong leader and defender at the back.

Liverpool have a long problem with the back line. The hole is often blamed as a barrier to the pace of the Reds. However, the problem subsided with the entry of Van Dijk. Evidently, Liverpool cash is different.

Even former Liverpool and Manchester United, Paul Ince once compared Van Dijk with Eric Cantona, whose presence at Man Utd was immediately a successful starting point for the Red Devils.

But over time, it turns out there are still other pieces needed by Liverpool. Yes, Liverpool still need a figure like Van Dijk, on the front lines.

Liverpool do have a sharp trio, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah. However, to be successful in the Premier League and Champions League, Liverpool need more.

The need was seen when the Reds smothered Barcelona 0-3 in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at Camp Nou. A crushing defeat that deserves to be regretted considering Liverpool look very neat.

As the manager said, Jurgen Klopp, losing at the Camp Nou was natural but failure to make an away goal made the situation very difficult.

At Camp Nou, Liverpool had the opportunity, several times instead, to make a goal. But, they failed to convert opportunities into goals.

Liverpool need an option in the attack sector. That’s what was seen in the match at Camp Nou. With Firmino reserved for not being fit, Klopp surprisingly plays Gini Wijnaldum.

Even though Wijnaldum can play well, he is not Firmino who occupies the attacker’s position every day. At the Camp Nou, Liverpool lost Firmino’s figure. Similar to Salah and Mane, Firmino’s role in Klopp’s system is irreplaceable.

Liverpool is very dependent on their death trident. In addition to the Camp Nou, the match in last season’s Champions League final can also be an example. Liverpool suddenly lost their spurs when Salah had to leave due to injury.

In the final in Kiev, Salah was replaced by Adam Lallana. At Camp Nou, Firmino was filled by Wijnaldum. Lallana and Wijnaldum are not arbitrary players, but they are not Salah and Firmino.

Liverpool didn’t have another attacker. Last season there were Dominic Solanke and Daniel Sturridge. This season there are Sturridge, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Divock Origi or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Right. But this is certainly a question, why does Klopp prefer Lallana and Wijnaldum rather than existing attackers?

The most possible answer is that Klopp doesn’t believe in the coating attackers. Klopp is willing to slightly change the game system rather than forcing players he doesn’t believe in.

In the midst of tight domestic and European competition, it is rather difficult if Liverpool continue to rely on three main attackers. They need additional attackers that can be rotated without reducing quality. Almost all European strong clubs do it.

If you want to compete with teams like Man City in domestic competition and Barcelona on the European scene, it makes perfect sense for Liverpool to invest by bringing in at least one trio caliber attacker.

Liverpool need one player who can be a missing piece, like Van Dijk, but this time on the front line.