He had a couple of his issues first season, but he only missed about 4 games last season through injury. And the one he’s just come back from was a freak accident that really shouldn’t be bucketed in the sort that qualifies someone as injury prone. But even with the most rosy perspective on his availability there is still a good argument to look at the defense as there are question marks over every single member of the group, even if only contractual. I wonder if a Hincapie type who can play as a ball playing LB or CB would be back on the agenda to give us more options?
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Injury prone or not, Konate has still failed to get to feature more than he did, both in his Liverpool and his entire career. His average per season at Liverpool is around 30ish games per season. He wasn’t always first choice at Leipzig and Liverpool, but you’d like to see better availability from a physical CB in his most potent years, which is the majority of his Liverpool chapter so far.
Absolutely the right choice to agree a new contract with him, but there is definitely room to add more competition at CB as well. Next summer, it will be 4 years since we last signed a “proper” defender, Konate himself. So it’s time to inject more quality again, even regardless whether Trent stays or goes.
As for a player like Hincapie, a few years ago I think it would’ve made more sense (when we needed a backup/competition for Robbo and also someone who would feature when Virgil is not there, even if rarely). But now, it’s not only backup roles in question anymore, rather is it time for a new first choice LB. And Hincapie might not be the type Slot wants from his first LB option.
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There is worse though, Matip’s average games per season in was 25.1 across 8 years (20 in his last 5 years). Good and successful player for us (there was obviously rotation and different players starting at different times), but that is basically being out for half a season every season.
I feel like I’m missing something, he’s 25, having joined us when he was 22?
I know. I’m not talking about footballing peak, which can be different for anyone, but 22 is not really young player anymore and if he signs a new deal, he will have spent his best years, especially physically, at Liverpool.
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Ah I think it’s because I misunderstood that. The original phrasing which I quoted makes it sound as though you mean that his most potent years (and the most potent years of a centre-back) were the ones that he’s already spent at Liverpool.
All this time I always thought it was widely considered that footballers peak physically in their late 20s…
I dunno about that. Last season was his best injury wise. Season before that was 29 games missed. One before that was 24. Before that was 38.
I get that includes time at a different club and whilst being much younger and possibly dealing with some of those muscle injuries we often see in young players, but that’s still a lot of games.
This season he’s up to 9 already. And whilst the nature of that injury wasn’t down to his body, it’s still another absence. And perhaps one that should have been a little longer as he played like a man rushed back into the pitch than one that was match fit.
He’s no Matip but he’s no van Dijk either.