Alisson Becker has claimed that nobody wants to talk about Liverpool’s injury problems this season.
The Reds have had another injury-hit campaign with several players suffering from extended periods out. But speaking to TNT Sports via 90min after the Real Madrid loss on Wednesday, Alisson claimed that it shouldn’t be an excuse.
“We had injuries [during the season], I think we don’t like to talk about it in football,” said the 30-year-old. “We’re not going to use it as an excuse, but the injuries certainly hurt us. Now we only have one player left out, so that’s no longer an excuse. It’s been like this for over a month now.
“We had a fantastic, incredible game against United. Soon after, an inexplicable game against Bournemouth. And against Real Madrid, it’s not that we played badly, but we didn’t play enough to tie the game. There was a lack of attitude, a lot was lacking on our part.”
Alisson was one of the few players to emerge from Wednesday’s game with any credit. After putting on another clinic between the sticks, the Brazilian admitted that he was pleased with his performance.
“I’m wearing the Liverpool shirt, I’m going to play against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. The least I have to do is give my best. So that’s my thought, I believe I did my best, I leave here with a clear head,” Alisson explained. “And now speaking as a team, we have much more to do. And this season of ups and downs, every moment had its reason.”
Familiar issues rising for Liverpool
As seems to happen pretty much every year, Liverpool have had too many players missing for far too long in 2022/23. Serious questions need to be asked of why this keeps happening.
It seemed as though Liverpool would soon return to a full complement – with only Thiago Alcantara and Luis Diaz missing. But with yesterday’s news that Stefan Bajcetic will miss the rest of the campaign, another issue has cropped up.
As well as Bajcetic and Diaz, Diogo Jota, Arthur, Ibrahima Konate and Calvin Ramsay have missed huge parts of the season. Throw in lengthy issues for Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino and you start to have a real problem.
Not many teams can cope with having so much of their squad decimated so regularly. Still, Alisson is right – no one wants to hear that. It does sound like an excuse when it is in fact a legitimate reason for Liverpool being below-par. But every team has their injury problems, that’s why you have a deep squad.
In the Reds’ case, that squad is – as of now – too filled up with players who have shown themselves to be unreliable, fitness wise. This summer must begin the process of clearing these out and making way for more durable players.