3 Reasons Why Liverpool Should Not Sign This Jordi Alba Backup

Liverpool’s left back problems are well documented this season-  they have been without the services of their first choice Jose Enrique for much of the season due to a recurring knee problem that required surgery while loan signing Aly Cissokho has been so unimpressive that youngster Jon Flanagan has moved up in the pecking order ahead of him.

So, it comes as no surprise that Liverpool have been linked with a host of left backs , a position that is definitely going to be a priority in the summer. Latest in the list of names is Barcelona left back Adriano, but here are three reasons why Liverpool should steer clear of the Brazilian.

1. Defensive Stability

Adriano was known as a versatile player before he moved to Camp Nou, but since his arrival, he has been converted into a left back through the sheer lack of other options at the Catalan side. Since the arrival of Jordi Alba, he has found his role limited to substitute appearances of providing cover for Alba.

Adriano is not a natural at left back and that shows at times when he is put under pressure by opposing teams. Given the amount of possession that Barca hog, the opposition teams get very few opportunities and as a result, his defensive failings are not exposed as often. However, at Liverpool he would be far more exposed as Liverpool do not rely on possession as defensive tactic.

Liverpool have found out to their detriment this season that La Liga fullbacks don’t find life easy in the Premier League with Cissokho, and like him, Adriano may be found out just like the Frenchman. His one on one defending isn’t great and at times, his positioning lets him down, which could prove to be his undoing in the Premier League.

2. Creativity

At Liverpool, the team plays without any natural wide options and as a result, the full backs have the added responsibility of going forward and creating chances for the team. This is where Glen Johnson has been so important to the team, with the England defender having created 18 chances in his 19 appearances.

Adriano, despite playing in an excellent Barcelona team, has created very few chances (9 in 17 appearances). Barcelona also require on their fullbacks to provide the width as their attacking midfielders also have tendency to drift infield, and Adriano, for all the flair going forward, creates too little. Taking the comparatively poor defenses in the La Liga, and the numbers look even poorer- in fact even Cissokho has a better track record in terms creating chances than Adriano (8 in 13 appearances), and that is saying something.

3. Age

Liverpool’s current transfer policy stresses on young players with potentially high resale value, and in this regards, the signings of Joe Allen, Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Mamadou Sakho all make sense. While Kolo Toure was an exception to the rule, he came in on a free transfer meaning it was a risk worth taking for the Reds.

However, Toure’s failure to provide consistent performances every week may mean that the Liverpool transfer committee will have second thoughts on spending part of a limited transfer budget on an ageing player with little potential resale value and a high risk of failure. Hence, with younger options like Luke Shaw and Alberto Moreno available in the market, it is highly unlikely that Liverpool will go for Adriano.