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Publication date: Monday May 4, 2020 12:23
Liverpool could replace Joel Matip with Kalidou Koulibaly or change Dejan Lovren. Joe Gomez is used to being forgotten or ignored …
It is an inaccurate science, though entirely founded on an accepted but undervalued truth: look for the name of Joe Gomez in Who scored and where the weaknesses of any player are generally listed, the field is left blank.
It is blessed with rhythm. Andy Robertson recognized “obvious contenders” Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, but opted for his fellow defender when he discussed the most banal football content tropes 18 months ago: which of his teammates would win a 100m sprint.
He is imbued with strength, both physically and mentally. The body of evidence is considerable for the former, but the latter is even clearer from his determined reaction to two separate long-term injuries at the age of 21. And it’s easy to forget that Gómez was booed in his own national stadium Almost six months ago, that has been his impeccable and dignified response ever since.
Also consider positioning, anticipation, timing, awareness, passing ability, and the ability to dribble – even the versatility of a player who was signed by Charlton as a teenage right back, only to become one of the best centers. juveniles. -halves in Europe. Virgil van Dijk has helped Gomez, but his dominant shadow has also hidden him.
He is not an ordinary player and his progression has not been more normal. Signed by Brendan Rodgers in the summer of 2015, the season started on the left side, but he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that October playing for England’s U21 from Gareth Southgate. He didn’t play his first game for Jurgen Klopp until January 2017, and teamed up with Lucas Leiva in central defense to keep a clean sheet against Plymouth in the third round of the FA Cup.
“He did well, he’s an exceptional talent, no doubt,” said his worship manager. “It was a real job, a few physical fights and then a complete change from a big strong boy and the fast little boy entered the field,” added Klopp, alluding to the aforementioned virtues of having a true faceted defender, a chameleon. able to adapt to any situation.
Perhaps the only thing Gomez lacks is fortune. His combined total minutes in the last two appearances in the Champions League final were one. The dominant performance in the Club World Cup final against Flamengo last December can only partially fill that gap. It has been crucial to his success, but often cruelly absent from the decisive moments.
That has fueled speculation around Liverpool’s search for Kalidou Koulibaly, rumors that ignore Van Dijk’s royal preferred partner in favor of fabricating some sort of transfer frenzy. The suggestion is that Liverpool offer Dejan Lovren in exchange or sign Koulibaly to replace Joel Matip. The truth is that Gómez is ahead of both in the hierarchical order.
It doesn’t make sense, of course. The aforementioned rates are outrageous in the current climate and it has already been stated that Liverpool is budgeting for another summer without further signings. The gossip of the football transfer exists in a bubble that can never burst, a fantasy world that has always ignored harsh reality. It looks even more ridiculous now.
Liverpool have not failed to win a Premier League game in which Gomez has participated since November 2018. The loss to Watford only improved the reputation of a player who, unsurprisingly, was sidelined with injury. There could even be an argument that, six years younger, he is more important to the larger picture in Anfield than Van Dijk.
Spurious rumors will never recognize him; Gomez does not yet have the same aura or public persona, and his development has been quietly impressive rather than cheeky, loud, or forced. He is what John Stones should have been.
It’s also the unobtrusive obstacle both on and off the field: why would Liverpool sign a world-class half center when they already have two?
Matt Stead
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