Is Brad Smith the Long-Term Future of Liverpool's Left-Back Slot?

With first-choice left-back Alberto Moreno having suffered a dip in form for much of 2016 so far, there have been calls for the Spaniard to be dropped from Jurgen Klopp's starting lineup—but does his backup, Brad Smith, represent the solution for the Reds in the long term?

Former Liverpool centre-back Mark Lawrenson led the criticism of Moreno at the beginning of February as he lamented Klopp's side's struggle for consistency in defence in his column for the Liverpool Echo:

"

I've no doubt Klopp knew just a month into his tenure what needs to be done, and that won't have altered one iota given subsequent performances.

The bottom line is this: we aren't good enough defensively. We struggle to hold on to leads. It has happened so many times.

We have players like Alberto Moreno who is good going forward but just cannot defend properly.

It's not just the Spaniard, though. The whole defence keeps on making individual mistakes. And that only points to one thing—they aren't good enough.

"

With Klopp already moving to strengthen his defence ahead of the 2016/17 campaign with the signing of Joel Matip on a free transfer from Schalke, it is likely that, as Lawrenson attests, the German has acknowledged his side's weakness in defence.

Liverpool have conceded more goals (36) than any other side in the Premier League's top half, with only ninth-placed Watford (plus-one) and 10th-placed Stoke City (minus-five) registering worse goal differences than the Reds' plus-two.

Smith has emerged as a surprise success story under Klopp this season and has impressed in his seven appearances for the club so far in 2015/16, so should he replace Moreno as Liverpool's first-choice left-back?

Dan Mullan/Getty Images

Smith's journey back from the brink on Merseyside is a remarkable one, with the Australian rejoining the club in November after a summer spent in footballing purgatory—searching for a new club following the expiry of his previous contract with the Reds.

Shortly after Klopp's arrival as manager in October, Smith signed a new deal, as reported by the Telegraph's Chris Bascombe, with the timing suggesting Klopp's influence played a major role.

The 21-year-old immediately joined first-team training alongside the likes of Moreno, Nathaniel Clyne and fellow academy hopeful Connor Randall, as Klopp looked to navigate a troubling injury crisis, with his defensive ranks riddled with long-term absentees.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

On his first appearance of the season, as a second-half substitute in Liverpool's 6-1 League Cup win over Southampton, Smith made an immediate impact.

Charging forward on the left flank, Smith delivered an inch-perfect cross for the onrushing Divock Origi, with the Belgian heading home his hat-trick goal, the Reds' sixth of the night.

Smith was handed his full debut weeks later in the 0-0 draw away to FC Sion in the UEFA Europa League, performing well in an encounter marred by the Stade Tourbillon's half-frozen pitch.

With Klopp utilising a youthful selection for Liverpool's ill-fated FA Cup run, Smith took up the left-back role in each of the club's four outings, scoring his first goal in the 2-2 third-round draw away to Exeter City before helping his side to a comfortable 3-0 victory in the resulting replay, assisting Joe Allen's opener. 

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

Smith's attacking exploits have earned much praise from Liverpool supporters, and it is in going forward that many of the former Swindon Town loanee's strengths lie.

Blessed with considerable pace and a bullish physique, Smith is near unstoppable when making forays into the final third, and his strong reflexes and one-touch passing prowess allow him to combine effectively on the overlap.

As seen against Southampton, Smith's crossing ability is of a similarly high calibre. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo earlier in February, Liverpool's under-21s manager, Michael Beale, highlighted Smith's creativity as a key positive:

"

Brad has been fantastic. His crossing has had a huge impact, as well as his speed and aggression.

Training at Melwood every day has certainly helped him. He knows he has the backing of the manager.

One big thing Jurgen did was that he took four or five youngsters to Melwood and kept them there. They have grown as a result.

...

It’s always been Brad’s dream to play for Liverpool and now he’s living that.

"

Klopp has played a big role in the development of Smith's delivery, as the left-back told Fox Sports’ Daniel Garb in an interview conducted in January: "He’s been helping me with my timing of when to cross and when the people are in the box. It’s a big help for me."

Boris Streubel/Getty Images

With the former Borussia Dortmund manager having enjoyed considerable success at the Westfalenstadion by placing emphasis on width and variety in the attack, this should come as no surprise.

At Dortmund, Klopp typically deployed academy product Marcel Schmelzer at left-back, and while the 28-year-old is a reasonable attacking presence, what is most striking about his efficient style at full-back is his defensive strength and diligent approach to pressing the opposition off the ball.

Schmelzer provided Dortmund with balance in defence, with his team-mate on the opposite flank, Lukasz Piszczek, renowned for his pace and dynamism in attack, having been converted from a right-winger into a right-back.

James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images

This is something that, at this stage, Smith and—though Lawrenson will protest otherwise, to a lesser extent—Moreno both lack.

Both left-backs have showcased a shortage of fine-tuned positional sense when deployed by Klopp so far this season, with both caught out of position on the counter-attack after rampaging forward.

James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images

This has presented Liverpool's defensive line with a major concern under Klopp, with the German's left-sided centre-back—typically Mamadou Sakho—often drawn out of position toward the touchline and consequently outnumbered.

If Klopp is to address the position of left-back when he adds to the signing of Matip this summer, he could well seek a full-back of similar defensive prowess to Schmelzer.

But if he keeps his faith with Smith and Moreno—with poor positional sense a flaw that can be ironed out over time—the latter remains his best hope for the long term.

While Lawrenson lambasted Moreno's defensive efforts, the former Sevilla man has shown signs of developing into a strong, aggressive presence in his own half, while his ability to track back with pace and determination to make recovery challenges is seemingly overlooked by the ex-Liverpool defender.

Stepping out of defence to make timely interventions and quell harmful attacking moves, is another of Moreno's strengths, with the 23-year-old having averaged more interceptions per 90 minutes in the league this season (2.2) than all but one Liverpool player (Martin Skrtel, 2.3) to have made 10 or more appearances.

With Clyne offering a diligent, defensive presence on the opposite flank, Klopp should cherish the front-footed, attack-minded option of Moreno.

Calls for Moreno to be replaced in the long term have seemingly stemmed from a poor run of form since the turn of the year.

But while Smith has shown promise under Klopp so far, the Australian is not the long-term future at left-back for Liverpool; Moreno is.

Statistics via Transfermarkt.co.uk and WhoScored.com.

Follow @jacklusby_