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The 19-time English champions and six-time Champions League winners Liverpool are one of the most decorated football clubs in the world.
The club from Merseyside have a rich history, a sound transfer policy, and an ambitious football project led by the great Jurgen Klopp. It is not difficult to see why some of the most esteemed players in the business play or want to play for the Reds.
While the competition for places bodes well for the club and their supporters, it does the players no favors. Except for the untouchables, such as the likes of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, every player needs to be on his toes.
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Some unfortunate players only get opportunities once in a blue moon and are asked to deliver on cue. Failing to meet expectations often leads to barren spells and short off-the-bench appearances.
As a coach, Klopp does keep an open mind about his players, but even the German can miss the mark with his selections.
Today, we will take a look at five players who have not played nearly enough for the Reds. Here are five players who deserve more game time in the closing months of the 2021-22 campaign:
#5 Curtis Jones
Liverpool central midfielder Curtis Jones has not had a fair chance to impress his boss this season. His first appearance of the season came on matchday five in the Premier League, a 14-minute cameo off the bench.
Klopp took note of his drive and handed him a rare start in the next match. He paid back his coach’s faith with a goal in a pulsating 3-3 draw with Brentford.
Since then, he has only featured in seven Premier League games for the Reds, missing eight matches due to an eye injury alone.
Jones has also registered two assists in as many Champions League games this season.
Considering he keeps himself fit, Klopp could use the skills the England international in the business end of the season.
#4 Joe Gomez
Struck by the double whammy of Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez has disappeared down the pecking order at Liverpool this season.
Gomez, who featured in 28 games in the Reds’ Premier League-winning campaign in 2019-20, is far from a lackluster defender. He combines well with Virgil van Dijk, is good in the air, and rarely loses his target.
He has only featured in just 12 games across all competitions for the Merseysiders this season. With fixtures coming in thick and fast as the Reds are involved in all four competitions, Klopp would be wise to rotate his centre-backs.
Bringing Gomez into the fold, even for a brief spell, could do his side a world of good.
#3 Naby Keita
Liverpool have as many as seven midfielders in their squad, and Jurgen Klopp loves to keep shuffling the pack. Except for Fabinho, who generally acts as the team’s anchor, every face is interchangeable, which hasn’t bode well for Naby Keita.
The Guinean, who was signed by the Reds from RB Leipzig for a whopping €60million fee in the summer of 2018, has not played enough this season. He has had a tough time keeping himself fit and Klopp, too, has not relied much on the midfielder.
This season, Keita has featured in 19 games for the Reds across all competitions, registering three goals and an assist.
When fit, Keita adds much-needed dynamism to Liverpool’s midfield, which can prove to be decisive in a tricky encounter.
Even if they are not ready to offer him a place in the XI, the Anfield outfit could bring him in as a super-sub. His game-reading skills should help him settle into the game right away.
#2 Kostas Tsimikas
Jurgen Klopp is heavily reliant on his full-backs to tip the scales in his team’s favor. His first-choice full-back pairing of Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold is currently the gold standard in football, which makes life impossibly unfair for fringe players.
Left-back Kostas Tsimikas is not a pushover by any means, but Robertson’s consistency has taken a toll on the Greek's game time.
Courtesy of Robertson’s fitness and form, Tsimikas has only played in 17 games across competitions this season, with only nine of those coming in the Premier League.
The 25-year-old has so far registered two assists for the Reds, which isn’t poor considering how little he has played.
We believe asking him to become a regular starter is a bit unrealistic. However, if Klopp is ever feeling a little adventurous, Tsimikas is surely a player he should consider.
#1 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
From operating as a right-midfielder to pulling strings in the middle of the park, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has done it all in the Premier League.
At Liverpool, he has always made himself available, doing everything his coach has asked of him. Despite being Klopp’s perfect pupil, he hasn’t completed a single 90-minute-match in the Premier League this season.
Out of his 16 Premier League appearances in the current campaign, eight have been off the bench. When included in the starting XI, he has always been subbed off around the 75-minute mark.
More surprisingly, he scored in two consecutive Premier League games, on matchdays 22 and 23 respectively, but remained an unused substitute on matchday 24.
The reason behind the snub is unknown, but it surely is not doing the 28-year-old’s morale any favors.
