Liverpool were painfully predictable in their 3-3 draw with Watford.
Going forward, the Reds were thrilling. At the back, they were hapless, as the Hornets exploited their weaknesses from set pieces to snatch a point late on.
Fans are pleading with Jurgen Klopp to finally wrap up a deal for Virgil van Dijk, with the Southampton centre-back still on strike after informing Mauricio Pellegrino he wants to move to Anfield.
However, while he didn’t name the Dutchman specifically, Jurgen Klopp insisted after the game that bringing in one player isn’t going to sort out Liverpool’s chronic problem.
“It’s not about a player,” Klopp told a press conference.
“It’s not as though one player can sort all the set-piece problems for Liverpool.
“Of course, it’s about positioning. Do the right thing, at the right moment, in the right position.
“It’s not like it happened to us last year and now we say ‘this will not happen anymore’.”
Ultimately, Liverpool need a leader at the back. Dejan Lovren looked suspect at Vicarage Road and while Alberto Moreno impressed in pre-season, there is still a major question mark against whether the Spaniard is good enough to become their regular left-back again.
Spending upwards of £50million on Van Dijk is not going to suddenly change their other defenders’ tactical awareness, especially against sides like Watford. The former Celtic man is at least strong in the air, as few of Liverpool’s current back line seem willing to challenge for headers.
Andrew Robertson is their only defensive signing of the summer and from Klopp’s comments, it sounds far from certain that he will be making many more additions.
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