10 months ago
167 Steve Nicol has shared what really frustrated him about watching Joe Gomez as Liverpool edged the first-leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Fulham on Wednesday.
Joe Gomez is enjoying a much-needed run in the Liverpool side right now. Unfortunately for the 26-year-old, that run has come at left-back with both Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas injured for the time-being.
Gomez has been excellent for Liverpool in recent weeks, when you consider that he is not playing in his favoured position. However, it would appear that not everyone has been impressed by the England international.
Steve Nicol criticises Joe Gomez after Liverpool win
Liverpool have the slight advantage after the first-leg of their semi-final against Marco Silva’s side. The Reds came from behind to win 2-1. But once again, Jurgen Klopp’s side needed their substitutes to help them step their game up in the second-half.
Nicol was incredibly critical of Ryan Gravenberch. And speaking on ESPN, the pundit also felt that Gomez needs to adapt his game if he is going to continue at left-back.
“I understand that he prefers to be on the right-hand side. But there’s no excuse for not taking it and opening up on your right foot,” he said.
“You don’t have to be picture perfect and open up on your left peg, you can do it on your right peg. And all you’re doing is slowing everything down. Every single time you take a step that way, the opposition are saying thank you very much. And then we step forward, so yeah, that was frustrating. Really frustrating.”
Reds defender deserves credit for form in left-back role
It does seem unfair to criticise Gomez for not being entirely comfortable at left-back. He would not have expected to have this run in the side in this position. And he has done very little wrong since coming into the team.
There were moments when he was prepared to use his left foot. And that is important as it creates an element of doubt in the full-back’s mind as to which runs Gomez could make.
Unfortunately, the quality was not always there when Gomez did use his left foot. That is not always that crucial because Liverpool usually have Trent Alexander-Arnold on the other side producing the most outrageous moments on the ball.
But with Alexander-Arnold becoming the latest full-back on the sidelines, perhaps Gomez’s contribution will come under the microscope a little more.
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