Winston Reid Link Is Endorsement of Liverpool's Ongoing Defensive Problems

As Brendan Rodgers enters his third season at the Liverpool helm, the Reds' defensive problems don't show any signs of abating: A series of errors have cost them points in a slow start to the 2014/15 season.

This comes on the back of a summer spending spree at Anfield that welcomed the big-money arrivals of Dejan Lovren and Alberto Moreno, as well as the loan signing of Javi Manquillo.

Mamadou Sakho's storming out of Anfield after having been left out of Rodgers' squad for the Merseyside derby in September grabbed the headlines, per Dominic King of the Mail Online, but the reality is that Rodgers still has a lot to do to address his problems at the back.

And the latest news this Friday, that West Ham United defender Winston Reid has been linked to Liverpool, per Anthony Chapman of the Daily Express (via Metro), only serves as a ringing endorsement of their ongoing defensive troubles.

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A Potential Bargain for the Reds

Before we go into the context of the rumor and why it should only serve to strengthen the frustrations of Reds supporters, we must first acknowledge that Reid could be a potential bargain signing for Liverpool.

Having gotten over a rough first season at Upton Park after an impressive 2010 World Cup campaign with New Zealand, Reid has blossomed into a quick, strong and composed defender with an eye for goal.

Whether he would join as a first-choice or a squad player, Reid brings a wealth of experience in English football—he has made 100 league appearances for the Hammers—and a burgeoning reputation as one of the Premier League's best centre-backs.

Add the fact that his contract will be expiring next summer, per Transfermarkt, and the prospect of either acquiring his services on a free transfer or for a relatively lower amount in the January transfer window, and Reid ticks many boxes as a potential signing for Liverpool.

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A Case of Deja Vu at Anfield

Yet from the perspective of Liverpool fans, surely yet another reported defensive signing should be troubling, as it shows that they have yet to resolve their issues at the back.

Worse, their defence seems to have deteriorated, with Simon Mignolet showing worrying signs of shakiness, Sakho unable to replicate his stellar form for France and Lovren looking a defensive liability since arriving from Southampton.

Two summers ago, Rodgers spent £17 million on Sakho, a left-sided centre-back, and this summer, he splashed £20 million on Lovren, yet another left-sided centre-back. In Martin Skrtel's absence, his experiment with Lovren as a right-sided defender didn't end as well as Reds fans had hoped it would on paper.

And Reid's standard starting position at West Ham? Left-sided centre-back, alongside James Tomkins. After four transfer windows, Rodgers appears to still be looking for the right player there—and that hasn't begun to address Skrtel's own deficiencies.

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Could a Fellow Hammer Provide a Better Answer?

Where Liverpool's defence and midfield are concerned, comparisons have frequently been made between Sakho's club and country form, as well as Steven Gerrard's similarity (or lack thereof) in playing style with Andrea Pirlo.

Yet on international level, Sakho's regular partner is the precocious Raphael Varane, while he has a formidable defensive midfield in front of him. The same goes with Pirlo, who is ably supported by an excellent group of complete midfielders both with Juventus and with Italy.

We've previously discussed the role of the midfield in Liverpool's defensive demise, and with Rodgers seemingly starting to experiment with Gerrard in a more attacking role last weekend against West Bromwich Albion, he may put more focus into recruiting a specialist midfield enforcer to help plug the defensive gap.

As such, the latest rumor, per Chisanga Malata of the Daily Star, linking the Reds with a move for Alex Song, who has impressed on loan also at West Ham, should be a welcome link, and the Barcelona man could be another ideal target—as would Newcastle United's Cheick Tiote, linked by the Daily Express' Chapman.

That isn't to say that Reid wouldn't be a decent signing, but he alone is far from the answer and would only represent Rodgers' latest attempt to solve a longstanding problem.

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