Ibrahima Konate’s Liverpool career hasn’t taken off as he probably hoped this season.In the 18 games the Reds have played this season, the centre-back has featured just four times.
Those at the club will point to the fact that Konate signed for five years when he put pen to paper on a contract over the summer, and the 22-year-old’s lack of involvement is no bad thing in the grand scheme for Klopp.Joel Matip is enjoying one of most productive, injury-free periods in a Liverpool shirt since his comeback, while Virgil van Dijk has not broken down since his own return from ligament surgery last year. Van Dijk and Matip showed decent partnership at the center with less than goal conceded at average this season. “”You have to keep working and working because I’ve achieved relatively nothing so far.”, noted Konate reflecting on his time at Liverpool so far.
Klopp would be happy to not have the repeat of the last season’s defense problems due to injuries in the center. At one point there was only one fit center-back in the whole roster and Fabinho was forced to fill the role for months. Exactly at that time late December to early March the Reds suffered eight of their nine defeats and fell of the title race.
In a more positive news, Dirk Kuyt has praised the impact of Kopps’s high press in the 4-0 win over Arsenal, claiming the reaction it provokes from the crowd is like “having an extra man on the pitch”. Known for his tireless work ethic during his six-year spell with the Reds between 2006 and 2012,
Kuyt is pleased to see that this a trend being upheld years later by current manager Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool faces Porto this week in Champions League in a game without pressure for the Reds as they are already secured the spot in the Knockout phase.
