Player Focus: Gomez Adjusting to Premier League Football with Relative Ease
As Liverpool continued their big money recruitment drive over the summer, securing the services of Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke for well over £50m, the signing of young Joe Gomez flew somewhat under the radar. The teenage defender showed glimpses of his potential for Charlton Athletic last season, enough for the Reds to make a move for the 18-year-old, but none expected him to secure a first team spot as quickly as he has.
Upon his arrival back in June, reports suggested that Gomez would be shipped back to the Addicks on loan in order for the London-born defender to continue his development. However, a stroke of luck meant the youngster featured at left-back in pre-season under Brendan Rodgers. Alberto Moreno was struggling for fitness and, as a result, Gomez was included in Liverpool’s travelling squad for their pre-season tour of Asia and Australia.
Fortune has allowed Gomez to be considered first choice left-back for the Merseyside outfit. His performances in the position meant Liverpool did not need to firm up their interest in Lucas Digne, who had been made available by PSG. While the Frenchman will make for a solid capture by Serie A side Roma, his arrival would only have stunted Gomez’s growth as a player. The Liverpool defender, meanwhile, has not looked back, taking to the Premier League like a duck to water. His WhoScored rating (7.20) is the second best of players under the age of 21 to feature in both Premier League games this term and the sixth best of all Liverpool players in a side that is one of four teams to maintain a 100% start to the current campaign.
Rodgers’ side are also one of three teams yet to concede a goal this term and despite Moreno’s return to first team action in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth on Monday night, the former Sevilla star is unlikely to usurp Gomez in the Liverpool starting XI for now. Full-backs are tasked with providing a further offensive outlet for their respective team, but Gomez is required to help solidify the backline. Fellow summer arrival Nathaniel Clyne is renowned for his attacking ability from deep and - quell surprise - has offered another dimension for his new side on the right flank.
It’s little shock to see that Liverpool attacked down the right more against Stoke (51%) and Bournemouth (41%), than the left, where the respective figures were 18% and 31%. In the first game of the season, Stoke clearly tried to exploit Gomez's inexperience, with a majority of their attacks (43%) coming down their right side. The teenager, though, dealt with the threat with relative ease. Only James Milner (4) made more tackles of Liverpool players than Gomez (3) in the 1-0 win at the Britanna Stadium, while only Lovren (12) made more clearances than the summer signing (7). Try as they might, the Potters just could not break down the staunch Reds defence, with Gomez playing a key role.
Attacking isn’t Gomez’s strongest asset, tipped to onvert back to centre-back in the future, so instead Rodgers has asked he sit deeper and assist centre-backs Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel when Clyne bursts forward. Part of the reason for Liverpool’s leaky defence last term was the lack of defensive discipline offered to the centre-backs by Glen Johnson and Moreno, and is also why Rodgers flirted with a three-man defensive system for 18 of the Reds’ 38 league games in order to lessen the burden on the underwhelming duo.
In Gomez, though, Rodgers has himself a defender whose ability exceeds his young age. While there is still more to come from the youngster, his early season form suggests he boasts the potential to shine on Merseyside. What could be key to this is his versatility in defence. Full-backs are expected to shift across to cover for their teammates when a side attacks down the opposite flank - unless the team in question is pressing for a goal - which Gomez does to a high standard, owing to his time with Charlton last season. 7 of his 16 league starts came at the heart of the defence, so moving across the backline is not an alien demand for the highly rated starlet.
While he may not carry a potent offensive threat akin to teammate Clyne, Gomez has strengthened Liverpool’s defence at this early stage, of that there is no doubt. There is still some time to go before he can be considered the finished product, but early indications suggest he has the potential to establish himself as a first team regular for Liverpool. Much of the focus this summer came on the signings of Benteke, Firmino and Clyne, but the Reds’ addition of Gomez should not be underestimated among their impressive business this summer.
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