Liverpool beat Everton in the Merseyside derby. While the victories and achievements loom, Moises Caicedo’s failed campaign will be remembered. Liverpool are certain to sign number six in the summer transfer window.
Fabinho’s transfer was unexpected by the club, so it seems that this position was not planned ahead of time. But once the sale was approved, a concerted effort was made to recruit someone to fill the role. That intention was announced in dramatic fashion when Liverpool signed Moises Caicedo. It got to the point where Jurgen Klopp confirmed the offer had been accepted before Chelsea upped the ante and completed the deal.
The shame of that incident is long gone as Liverpool pipped all contenders to the top of the Premier League. Chelsea, who won the 2019/20 season, have dropped as many points as manager Klopp’s side and are eight points behind. However, the feeling remains that Liverpool are rethinking their defensive midfield position.
After missing out on Caicedo, Klopp immediately signed Wataru Endo, but from the start he had all the hallmarks of a relatively short-term deal. The four-year contract belies that, but the way Endo has been used in the first few weeks seems at first glance to be further evidence that he is not an alternative to Caicedo. Klopp had little appeal for the Japan captain, preferring to deploy Alexis McAllister at the bottom of midfield.
Caicedo’s former Brighton team-mate will fill the role until a true specialist arrives, while McAllister is believed to be “released” into a more advanced position. But the World Cup winning team may remain the same. This is partly due to its performance. Mac Allister did his job well but came under scrutiny even after returning to Brighton. He is one of Liverpool’s leaders in tackles and success rate. Even if Klopp wants this figure to be higher.
And most importantly, he offers more than Fabinho has.Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0 seems to be moving towards a more possession-oriented game. The manager wants all midfielders to be comfortable on the ball and able to provide sharp moments of penetration.
