02/10/2018

Joe Gomez v Chelsea : An Analysis

Written by: Production

Editor

Share the love

By Edward Stratmann Twitter: @edwardstratmannAlthough Liverpool failed to take home all three points on the weekend, their 1-1 draw with Chelsea still offered many positives.The all-encompassing performance of Joe Gomez was unquestionably one of the highlights, as the multifaceted Englishman continued his impressive form. Showing yet again why he possesses such an ideal skill set to thrive within Jurgen Klopp’s organised and intense defensive setup, he undertook his work with authority, conviction and intelligence.Alongside Virgil van Dijk, who he’s formed a formidable partnership with, Gomez exuded composure and confidence, dealing with the fearsome attacking weapons Chelsea have at their disposal extremely effectively for the most part. Having to predominantly alternate the marking duties of Eden Hazard and Olivier Giroud with van Dijk, he did a fine job of dealing with the different threats offered by the duo. Remaining concentrated and alert throughout, his frequent head scans and reading of the play allowed him to pick up rapidly when either man was in his designated zone of operation.When it came to the mercurial Hazard, his sharp reaction times and decision making enabled him to process situations rapidly, in order to execute his decisions with clarity. Helped by his scintillating pace and acceleration, plus his agility and balance, Gomez therefore handled the Belgian’s mazy dribbles and dynamic runs quite comfortably. Gomez’s searing pace sees him motor across and cut off Hazard

Gomez so alert to Hazard run from deep

Moreover, his long legs and strength further combined to see him act as a towering obstacle to overcome in 1v1 battles. Indeed, the aforementioned transferred over well when he was up against Giroud, for he held his own in physical confrontations, aerial duels and ground battles. Illustrating his capacity to take up sound body positions to deal with the flight of the ball, this proved problematic for Giroud especially, with Gomez usually being positioned favourably to cut out crosses and cutbacks.To touch again on his speed, and aside from serving him wonderfully when responding to pressing triggers, this also meant he could race back to support a colleague or help snuff out danger in transition sequences.Furthermore, his judgement when to hold his line, step up, shift laterally or drop back, all while keeping in unison with his backline, were extra reasons for positivity.When it came to his offensive contribution, the former Charlton Athletic prodigy hardly missed a beat here either. Using his supreme comfort with the ball at his feet, Gomez expertly constructed and added incision into the Reds’ possession phases. Passing the ball cleanly and with precision, his super range of passing destabilised Chelsea’s structure on many occasions. Whether through firmly struck deliveries that bypassed multiple lines of pressure, hitting raking diagonals to put his winger in advantageous 1v1s or playing intricate passes in confined spaces, his distribution once more shone. Gomez wonderful line breaking pass

Sublime cross field pass puts Mane 1v1

A couple of points that deserve special mention came via the way he adeptly passed to the preferred foot of his teammates so they could have every chance of completing a clean action, plus how he used his eyes to disguise where he intended to move the ball.Meanwhile, his dribbling was equally important, for his competency and resistance to pressure saw him provoke opponents into pressing actions, before then breezing past them with a neat piece of skill or finding a free man that so often is created as a result. Gomez presses Gomez intensely

Gomez lovely dribble and composure sees him beat Kovacic

When a Chelsea man left him free to carry the ball upfield, he duly explored this option too, knowing vital territory could be gained. Indeed, as shown in the image below, Georginio Wijnaldum’s role in such instances was crucial, as he pinned his marker to generate the space, leaving them in two minds what to do.Gomez room to dribble as Wijnaldum pins Kovacic

A final admirable aspect of his stopping output arose from how he shifted across to cover the space in behind right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold, when Liverpool were attacking down their right. This then granted his teammate plenty of freedom to burst upfield in the knowledge that Gomez was providing structural stability in case of a turnover. Gomez vital cover in behind

By the numbers, his eight ball recoveries, three won aerial challenges, two dribbles, seven interceptions and the fact he completed 26 of his 31 attempted forward passes aptly evidenced his impact, as per InStat.When recently speaking on his terrific form, the man who’s been an integral component towards Liverpool enjoying the joint best defensive record in the division (only conceded three in seven matches), insightfully mentioned how lucky he feels to be a part of this remarkable team and doing something he loves. “It’s probably from past experiences that I know I am fortunate to be doing what I’m doing every day. When you look at life, we’re very blessed to be doing the job we do, so it’s not about getting ahead of myself or thinking I’ve done this and that. I’m still so young and have a lot to learn,” he explained.Humble, driven, grounded and remarkably talented, the England international’s performance against Chelsea certainly embodied what a fantastic player he’s developing into.It’s frightening to think, despite his many setbacks, that he’s still just 21. There’s no doubting what an exciting future lies ahead for Gomez, who’s got all the tools needed to establish himself as one of the finest centre-backs in Europe.Statistics provided by InStatBy Edward Stratmann Twitter: @edwardstratmann