The Liverpool Center Back Crisis: 3 Potential Solutions
By Taylor Smith
Let the Captain do a Job (Shorter Term)
The solution to the center back crisis could lie in the shape of another midfielder, namely Jordan Henderson. The captain himself likely won’t relish the task, but being the consummate captain he is, he would no doubt step up to fill the role.
He has played at center back before during Klopp’s tenure. Henderson slotted in the defense two seasons ago during the semifinal fixture against Monterrey in the Reds’ run at the Club World Cup.
After that match, the captain told BBC Sport, “It was different! But I just tried to do my best in that position, I had great people around me – Robbo and Joe were talking to me all the time.” The Reds won that game and eventually the Club World Cup, so we know that Klopp sees Henderson as a viable option.
Luckily, Liverpool have the options in midfield to cope if the skipper is drafted into the defense. Gini Wijnaldum is almost certain to start against West Ham, given that he started on the bench in the Champions League on Tuesday.
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Thiago is back in training and might be in contention for a place at the weekend, while Curtis Jones has come on as of late to give Klopp more options in midfield as well. James Milner and Nay Keita could both fill in as well, so the midfield could be sorted without a significant drop in quality.