Mature Joe Gomez Points to Bright Future in Liverpool Win over Brisbane Roar
Liverpool defeated A-League outfit Brisbane Roar in the second game of their pre-season tour of the Far East and Australia on Friday, making it two for two so far for the Reds as they warm up for the 2015/16 season, and it was the performance of young defender Joe Gomez that caught the eye at the Suncorp Stadium.
Goals from Adam Lallana and James Milner cancelled out Dimitri Petratos' 17th-minute strike to seal a 2-1 victory for Brendan Rodgers' side in Queensland.
Milner, the Reds' new No. 7, starred in a performance full of endeavour and finely crafted quality—but that was to be expected from the former Manchester City man.
Gomez, however, will have caught many by surprise with his mature performance.
The 18-year-old could prove to be a real bargain signing for Liverpool, after joining from Charlton Athletic in a £3.5 million deal earlier this summer.
Liverpool's Left-Back Situation
Rodgers has headed into a busy pre-season schedule looking a little light in terms of left-back options—on paper at least.
With the abysmal Jose Enrique left behind to train at Melwood along with surplus strikers Fabio Borini and Mario Balotelli, Rodgers' only natural left-back options were last summer's £12 million signing Alberto Moreno, 23, and academy talent Joe Maguire, 19.
With the Express' Paul Joyce suggesting the Reds are "unlikely to make any more incoming signings" this summer, this could be a worrying situation for Liverpool supporters.
Moreno, who showed signs of quality in 2014/15, still looks a little green when it comes to defensive situations—with his concentration levels particularly poor in his first season on Merseyside—while Maguire is yet to turn out for the first team.
Furthermore, as Rodgers confirmed to the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce after the game, Moreno has suffered with injury throughout pre-season so far and has only just returned to full training.
This has seen the manager experiment in the first two games of Liverpool's warm-up schedule.
Against the True Thai All Stars, this saw Andre Wisdom deputise on the left defensive flank for the first half, with Maguire taking over to produce an assured performance after the break. In Brisbane, Rodgers chose to utilise the versatile Gomez in this role.
Happily, the natural centre-back excelled at the Suncorp.
Joe Gomez vs. Brisbane Roar
Starting in defence alongside Nathaniel Clyne, Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho, Gomez looked poised to be the least effective in an otherwise experienced back line.
From the first whistle, however, the former Charlton man was Rodgers' most impressive defender.
Surging forward with consistency, Gomez provided a regular outlet for left-sided attacker Lallana, and his overlapping runs gave Roar right-back James Donachie a lot of work to do in the opening 45 minutes; the 18-year-old, playing only his second game for the Reds, was full of confidence as he troubled his senior counterpart.
As Gomez continued to probe, he supplied a handful of dangerous crosses, with fellow new signing Danny Ings the beneficiary.
Gomez showcased a delivery that outshone that of Clyne on the opposite flank, with the former Southampton man relatively muted as he was pinned down by a hard-working Brisbane left side.
When he wasn't able to create, Gomez recycled possession well, too. Much like fellow plucked-from-the-Championship defensive prodigy John Stones, the Englishman exudes composure on the ball, and he linked up well with the likes of Milner and Jordan Henderson as the Reds looked to build from midfield.
In defensive situations, Gomez remained resolute, utilising his pace to recover and thwart any Roar advances.
Alongside Sakho on the Reds' left defensive flank, Gomez contributed to a stubborn display at the back.
Withdrawn on 61 minutes, with Maguire taking his place, Gomez was received warmly by Reds supporters, pointing to a bright future for Liverpool's £3.5 million man.
After the game, Rodgers told Pearce that Gomez would not be spending the 2015/16 season on loan—as would have been expected prior to his pre-season performances—with the manager saying: "He will stay here and compete for a place."
With Moreno set to return later in pre-season, many will now be suggesting that Gomez has a first-team role in Rodgers' back line secured.
However, while he has impressed, Liverpool supporters need to approach the situation with a measure of realism.
Realism Required?
Gomez made 21 appearances for Charlton in last season's Championship relegation battle.
Five of these games came as a substitute, with seven each as a centre-back and a right-back, and the remaining two appearances came at left-back. He was something of a revelation during a troubled season for the Addicks.
But while his performances were largely impressive, he is still a raw talent.
As should be the caveat attached throughout Liverpool's pre-season tour, the opposition that the Reds are facing up against are not of the standard of high-level Premier League sides such as Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal.
Gomez may be excelling here, but he is yet to line up against a talent of the magnitude of Eden Hazard, Raheem Sterling or Alexis Sanchez.
While his performance in Brisbane was hugely impressive, he is still a developing player: He was restricted to his right foot despite performing on the left side, and he did run into defensive cul-de-sacs on occasion.
Liverpool's strongest back line should still read as Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho and Moreno as Rodgers selects his side for their first Premier League clash of the season away to Stoke City.
Gomez is a fine young talent, but he must be treated with caution.
Rodgers should take his cues from Everton manager Roberto Martinez, who has nurtured the immense potential of Stones to perfection at Goodison Park. After a season-and-a-half of squad rotation and deputising at right-back, Stones is now ready to succeed the departed Sylvain Distin at the heart of defence.
Gomez should be earmarked as Skrtel's successor, and performances such as this one in Brisbane—out of position at left-back—will help him hone his all-round game as he works toward this.
The £3.5 million spent on Gomez this summer is already looking like great business for Liverpool, but supporters would be wise not to expect too much from the 18-year-old in his first season on Merseyside.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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