Liverpool’s season so far
It has been a season of two halves for Liverpool. The Reds began the ongoing campaign on a rampant note, destroying team after team with their high-intensity gegenpressing football. When they defeated Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City on New Year’s Eve, Jurgen Klopp’s men had established themselves as one of the main contenders for the Premier League title.
However, after a reversal of fortunes come the New Year, Liverpool began 2017 with a disappointing 2-2 draw against Sunderland and never really recovered from there. A hard-fought draw at Old Trafford aside, Liverpool endured a disappointing month that saw them crash out of two cup competitions and taste defeat at the hands of a struggling Swansea City. A loss to another relegation side Hull City followed thereafter, before they registered their first league win of the year, beating Tottenham Hotspur at home.
When everybody believed that Liverpool were back, they were handed a humiliating 3-1 defeat by a manager-less Leicester City side, who hadn’t scored a single goal since the start of the year and were embroiled in the fight to avoid the drop. But the Reds bounced back again, thrashing top-four rivals Arsenal 3-1 at home, indicating that they are not finished yet.
It is a season that has been marred by inconsistencies of late for Liverpool, but they still stand a very good chance to hold on to their Champions League qualification spot come May. But, there will be plenty of improvement needed in the summer if Klopp and his team are to go into next season as a serious title threat.
The Transfer Window awaits Liverpool
Planning and strategizing for the summer transfer window will be very well underway at Anfield, with Klopp preferring to get the business done early in the window and allowing the new arrivals some time to settle in. One key position that would have been discussed heavily during those meetings will be that of the striker.
Liverpool have scored heavily this season and are the leading team in the league in terms of goals scored so far. But when taking a look at their squad, they don’t have a natural striker in their ranks. Of course, Roberto Firmino has led the line admirably, but he isn’t a striker by nature and has more often than not operated as false-nine for the Reds. Daniel Sturridge and his tryst with injuries seem never-ending while Divock Origi has struggled to find a place in the line-up regularly. Throwing the perennially injured Danny Ings in, it wouldn’t be too hard to believe that Liverpool will target a move for a striker come summer.
Is Defoe the answer?
A certain Jermain Defoe was linked with Liverpool in 2015. He is the man who was responsible for Liverpool’s disastrous start to 2017. The 34-year old veteran striker has been scoring for fun this season for Sunderland. The former Tottenham Hotspur man has netted a total of 14 strikes from 27 league appearances, and is one of the top goalscorers this season.
Despite his advancing age, Defoe has been scoring consistently for the Black Cats and has been their only bright spot under David Moyes. An experienced operator, Defoe has been around for a long time and has seen it all. The fact that he is among the Top 10 goalscorers despite playing for the bottom-placed club in the league speaks volumes about his know-how and his natural goal-scoring ability. With Defoe in the team, goals are guaranteed.
However, it is a far cry away from Liverpool’s transfer policy and is hardly a signing for the long-term. But signing Defoe in the summer could help Reds in many ways. Klopp can stick to his preferred personnel in Firmino, Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho week in week out. But having the veteran forward up front will provide him with an option to bring him on from the bench and have an immediate impact. It is something which Origi and Sturridge have failed to do and which Defoe is very much capable of.
How would it work?
The 34-year old can operate as a Plan B for Klopp, against the lesser teams that Liverpool have struggled to get the better of this season. Having someone of the calibre and experience of Defoe among the ranks, will provide the likes of Origi and Ings the opportunity to learn from one of the best in England.
Age might be a factor that could concern Liverpool, but the fact that Defoe has played every single game for Sunderland this season should be enough to prove his amazing fitness levels and his willingness to keep performing. They don’t have to look farther than bitter rivals Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimović to see the effect of having such a striker in the ranks.
The Verdict
Any side that wants to challenge for the title needs to have a prolific goalscorer in their team. They would need someone who can give them 15-20 goals over the course of the season and Defoe could prove to be that man for Liverpool. With Sunderland heading for the drop, it wouldn’t be difficult to convince the player to move as well. He may be getting old; he may not be a long-term solution, but Defoe could provide Liverpool with something that they have lacked since the departure of Luis Suarez.