17 Oct 2016

Joel Matip raves: £200k-a-week attacker Liverpool tried to sign is 'an amazing player'.

On Monday night, Liverpool will face the formidable aerial threat of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Reds defender Joel Matip insists that he's ready to meet the challenge.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo today, Matip explained:

“Ibrahimovic is an amazing player, but Costa was an amazing player. We defend all together as a team. You can’t think ‘he is the big famous guy’. The other players are good too so you have to defend against them all.”

Matip has a point - Costa barely got a sniff during Liverpool's recent 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge, though it should also be noted that the Brazilian scored Chelsea's goal (!)

The good news is that, like Sami Hyypia, Matip is one of those defenders who inspires confidence, both amongst the fanbase and the players. Sakho and Lovren don't emit the same sense of self-assuredness, and when I look at those players, I - like many fans - think: 'accident waiting to happen'.

To be fair, Lovren has improved over the last year, but like Alberto Moreno, he's still prone to reckless challenges. That said, the Croatian is forging a solid partnership with Matip, and with those two at the heart of defence, Liverpool's defensive record has improved over the last 5-6 games.

* Ibrahimovic: Reportedly on £200k-a-week at Man Utd. Linked with a move to Liverpool in March 2016.


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