Search icon

Football

26th Jan 2016

A Liverpool legend thinks that Ryan Shawcross is the answer to Jurgen Klopp’s defensive crisis

Old fashioned centre-half

Darragh Murphy

The neutrals don’t want a defensively sound Liverpool, they want more 5-4s.

But, of course, the back four will be a cause for concern for Jurgen Klopp, with the Reds having conceded seven goals in their last three Premier League games.

And former Liverpool player and caretaker manager Phil Thompson believes that there is one man who would shore up Klopp’s leaky defence and he’s captaining the Reds’ Capital One Cup semi-final opponents, Stoke.

Stoke City v Leicester City - Premier League

Thompson told Sky Sports: “When Liverpool evaluate at the end of the season and look at the sort of goals they conceded, I wouldn’t be averse to see them looking towards Shawcross as a solution.

“In fact I think he would be absolutely ideal and he’s been one of the most underrated centre-backs over the last five seasons. You just have to look at Stoke’s stats with and without him.”

Fair point, Thommo.

 

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10