Kostas Tsimikas didn’t have the best Anfield debut against Atalanta on Wednesday. We must be patient with the defender, though.
Liverpool slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Atalanta yesterday. And did they ever slump – it was about as lifeless a performance as we’ve seen in quite some time.
The Reds never got going, failing to muster a shot on target. So, simply put, it was not a good Anfield debut for Kostas Tsimikas.
The Greek made only his third appearance for Liverpool on Wednesday. His first was a start against Lincoln City, his second just eight minutes in Bergamo against Atalanta.
This, then, was his first real chance to show what he can do. But much like everyone else, he never got going.
Still, we could see what Tsimikas will bring one day. He had plenty of energy and was aggressive in attacking the ball and keeping it.
So while nothing came off for him, those are traits that can take him far in Liverpool’s high-pressing, energetic style.
Patience is the key, then. We showed it with Andy Robertson, who had a torrid start at the club before blossoming into the world’s best left-back.
It will be tougher with Tsimikas, though. He won’t get the opportunities that Robertson did, nor is there the desperate need for left-back as when the Scot joined.
Tsimikas, instead, will often play in dysfunctional teams filled with squad players and academy prospects. Getting up to speed may well take longer – it may never even happen.
But we’ve got to show patience so soon after his £12m arrival. We showed it with Robertson, we showed it with Fabinho and we showed it with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – all players who failed to hit the ground running at Anfield.
We’re still very hopeful that Tsimikas will turn out to be bargain in the long-term.
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