The big talking point ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Marseille in the Champions League was the return of Mo Salah.
The Egyptian was making his first start for the Reds since a 4-1 loss to PSV Eindhoven at the end of November. Arne Slot switched up Liverpool team up after the heavy defeat, naming Salah on his bench for the next four games.
Upon his return, Slot made the big decision to put Salah back into the team for the trip to France. However, he wasn’t the only player gatecrashing the starting XI.
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In this article, we’ll cover:
Joe Gomez’s unlikely start
Joe Gomez also got the nod with Ibrahima Konate ruled out. His last start for the Reds arrived in the FA Cup against Barnsley and it wasn’t his finest showing. The Englishman picked up a booking against the League One side.
But, Gomez played a key role in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Roberto De Zerbi’s side. He rolled back the years to form a formidable partnership with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of Liverpool’s defence.
Gomez made seven clearances, made one tackle and won two of his three aerial duels as he repelled an exciting attack.
Defensively, Gomez was robust and resilient. On the ball, he was brilliant. And that side of his game is what mattered in the Stade Velodrome. Liverpool needed to progress play in central areas to make the most of their new shape on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s new shape
Slot decided to play with split strikers, with Hugo Ekitike on the left and Salah on the right. Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai lined up behind the attacking duo. There was also a midfield pivot in there made up of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister. With so many bodies in central areas, Liverpool needed the ball in that area of the pitch.
Gomez’s ball-playing ability allowed that to happen. It’s likely why Slot singled him out for praise in the aftermath, saying: “The one I want to take out [and highlight] is Joe Gomez because he hasn’t played a lot in the last one and a half years.
“He suffered sometimes from injuries, sometimes I didn’t play him when he was fit. A few times when he played were moments in League Cup and FA Cup. Tonight he had an outstanding performance with an important role in our 3-0.”
Gomez completed 100% of his attempted passes against Marseille. A number of them came from the defensive third into the middle third. He was getting the ball into the feet of the imporatnt players, giving Liverpool a platform on which to build.
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An important change
Konate has improved on the ball over the years, and he can be a progressive player. But he usually prefers a longer pass, or one funnelled via the wide areas. He isn’t necessarily someone who will try to thread one between the lines unless it’s an obvious pass. And this can limit Liverpool’s ability to build out from the back.
By no means is Konate bad on the ball. He’s just not as incisive as Gomez.
With Gomez in the starting XI, Liverpool’s ability to play out from the back in transformed. And that isn’t an exaggeration either.
Following the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold during the summer transfer window and Liverpool’s failed pursuit of Martin Zubimendi in 2024, the Reds do lack someone within their team to act as a first-phase passer. They have Van Dijk who can ping passes around like a quarter-back. They have Gravenberch who can beat a press with a slaloming run. Conor Bradley, Andrew Robertson, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong are all, generally, fine on the ball and can pass too. But Slot doesn’t possess a line-breaker who can play through the thirds from those deeper areas.
Gomez does that. It was one of his key strengths when he was part of Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI. Along with Van Dijk, he was half of one of the most complete centre-back pairings in the league. People focused on his recovery pace at the time but what he brought to the team was tied to what he did in possession.
A huge problem for Liverpool this season has been their inability to build out from the back in a controlled and balanced manner. It’s sometimes a little too loose. Sometimes things are sped up when you need composure. Sometimes you need someone to back themselves to play a pass that will take out four opponents. Gomez does that. And it’s why, if he’s able to stay fit, he might usurp Konate as a starter.
Slot values possession and control. Konate probably has everything else on Gomez but the Englishman is superior on the ball. If this is a sign of things to come with the shape, the former Charlton youngster could be the key to unlocking it.