Defensive Frailities

Problem

As we all know, Liverpool's defense this season looks even worse than it did last season despite the new additions. The 0-0 draw with Hull on Saturday was only our second clean sheet in 18 games. Every week I see at least one article in which Rodgers has said that he will 'continue to work' on the issues regarding the defense. But as each game comes Liverpool continue to concede goals and it needs to stop now if we are going to stand any chance of reaching the top 4 come the end of the season.

Skrtel has been recorded saying that the blame for the amount of goals the team concedes doesn't just lay with just the defenders. His performances this season have been far from perfect but he does have a point, the whole team need to defend not just the defenders. Carragher pointed out during the half time discussion at the Real Madrid game, that Balotelli, Sterling and Coutinho failed to get back and help the team on more than one occasion. This may have been the difference that led to the clean sheet against Hull but the attacking players obviously need to be further up the pitch to aid the counter attacks.

Solution

So this is when I realised the solution to the problem which is the defending of the team and it is that the team is lacking a top quality defensive midfielder. Gerrard is being deployed in that role this season and he is an all round quality midfielder but he was used as a box to box attacking midfielder for years; expecting him to change his entire mindset to play as a defensive midfielder is costing us. Nemanja Matic is a prime example of a top quality defensive midfielder that helps the team so much, yet is so under rated.

Despite the Serbian only recording a single goal and a single assist so far this season he plays a pivotal role in the unbeaten Chelsea side. If you watch him play he rarely ever loses the ball, he is always passing the ball forward and he is the brick wall that protects the defense. That is the type of player that Liverpool are missing desperately, there is nobody in the side that can do what Matic does and keep the defense protected.

Targets

1. This first potential target is one that is very ambitious and that is the reported Man United target Arturo Vidal. He is integral to a Juventus side that has claimed several Serie A titles during his time at the club. He can be tempted away from the club reportedly for around £30-40m which seems quite extravagant, however unlike Matic; Vidal can score a lot more consistently. 

You need to be spending this amount of money to secure the top talent, securing his signature will be more possible if we are still in the Champions League. But Man United did show this transfer window that every player has there price and it is time that Liverpool start spending the money. The only problem with this signing would be the fact that we are under investigation regarding the clubs finances and are running the risk of disobeying FFP (Financial Fair Play) rules.

2. The second target that I have identified is one that Liverpool were reportedly trying to sign and the club would have to wait until the end of the season to sign him, West Ham loanee Alex Song. Song has had loads of Champions League experience at Arsenal and Barcelona and is one of the key players in West Ham's impressive form so far this season. 

There is a reason Barcelona let him leave the club on loan, he is on the fringes of the club and could be picked up for around £7-10m. This is a great price for a player that can benefit the team drastically and help improve the defensive frailities, there is also a chance that we could lodge the bid in January and get his loan move cut short. This is a player that Arsenal have been missing since they let him go and their loss could be our gain if we act quickly.

3. This final target is another who is on the fringes of their club and that is Real Madrid's Sami Khedira. The big German was linked with Arsenal last summer and has been left out of the starting line up for Madrid this season, following the acquisitions of James Rodriquez and Toni Kroos. Khedira can be picked up for around £8-12m according to reports and this is also another affordable top quality player.

If we can beat Arsenal to his signature he can be an important player for Liverpool in the second half of the season and thus lead to less goals being conceded.