How Kostas Tsimikas' Liverpool role has changed under Jurgen Klopp this season

How Kostas Tsimikas' Liverpool role has changed under Jurgen Klopp this season

Liverpool Echo Sports·2021-09-23 14:00

Liverpools injury crisis put a heavy burden on a number of key players last season. One who felt the physical strain most was left-back Andy Robertson.With so many key players missing for large periods of the season, particularly in the defence, Jurgen Klopp found it difficult to find suitable matches in which to rotate the Scotsman without risking more harmful disruption to an already unsettled side.The consequence of the same was the 27-year-old accumulated 3,652 on the field Premier League minutes and featured in all 38 of Liverpools league matches.Only five outfield players across the division played more minutes last season, and none were juggling the demands of regularly playing Champions League football like Robertson was.READ MORE: Kostas Tsimikas blasts Curtis Jones as Liverpool fans send Luis Suarez tauntThe Reds did of course bring in cover for the left-back area by signing Kostas Tsimikas at the beginning of the last campaign, though it was clearly considered too much of a risk to turn to the untested former Olympiacos man in key league fixtures when there was such forced disruption within the team elsewhere.Pre-season presented Tsimikas valuable Liverpool minutes, and throughout the summer he impressed.So much so that when Robertson picked up an ankle injury on the eve of the new Premier League campaign, Klopp had confidence in handing the Greek international his full Premier League debut against Norwich.He grasped this opportunity at Carrow Road with both hands, proving an ever-present threat marauding up the Liverpool left whilst competently defending in the rare moments he was called upon.The 25-year-old then put in an equally impressive display at Anfield vs Burnley seven days later. Across both matches, he hit 11 crosses, attempted eight dribbles, played four passes leading to shots on goal and registered his first assist of the campaign.Robertsons return from injury inevitably saw him relegated to the bench against Chelsea, yet Klopps decision to turn back to him against Crystal Palace last week after Roberton featured in both games vs Leeds and AC Milan highlights a change in his importance within this Liverpool squad.He also featured again on Wednesday night in Liverpools resounding 3-0 victory against Norwich in the EFL Cup, picking up his second assist of the season.Performances produced so far means hes likely seen by Klopp as an able alternative to Robertson. An option who will come in and perform at a similar level, thus not impacting the efficiency of Liverpools threat on that side of the pitch.His overall impact on the side has been one of the biggest success stories for the Reds so far this season. Read MoreRelated ArticlesRead MoreRelated Articles

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