They are queuing up to win player-of-the-year awards at Anfield. There are candidates all over the pitch. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side is full of individuals who can make a case that they have been the most influential performer in the English game this season.
Virgil van Dijk has been excellent throughout the campaign and got the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) vote last year. Jordan Henderson may not be flamboyant but the captain is the emotional leader of the team. Trent Alexander-Arnold has redefined the full back role and has developed into a fully-fledged superstar. Sadio Mane and Andy Robertson also deserve to be recognised for their contribution to one of the most outstanding seasons in Anfield’s history.
Yet in a team whose front-foot approach has made them unbeatable in the Premier League, the man who deserves the highest of accolades is Alisson Becker. The goalkeeper’s presence has been one of the most important factors in elevating a good team to greatness.
For most of the past decade, Liverpool have struggled between the sticks. Neither Simon Mignolet nor Loris Karius had the temperament or ability to play at the required level. The Belgian was prone to errors that preyed on his mind and undermined his confidence. His inability to communicate with his defenders left them jittery.
Karius never lacked self-belief but the German suffers from lapses in concentration. That flaw led to catastrophic mistakes and the Champions League final in Kiev two years ago, when Karius gifted two goals to Real Madrid in the Spanish side’s 3-1 victory, will always be remembered as his emblematic game.
The goalkeeping role was not something Klopp gave much thought to before he arrived on Merseyside. At Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, the No 1s went about their business without fuss and allowed their manager to get on with the business of perfecting gegenpressing. At Anfield he was confronted by a problem position.
That was until the club paid £67 million to AS Roma for Alisson. The Brazilian immediately changed the mood of the defence. The 27-year-old is a fine shot stopper but there is much more to his game. He commands the final third of the pitch, ensuring that the defenders are aware of any potential problems before they develop. It is crucial that goalkeepers talk to the men in front of them. They need to inspire conviction in the back four and the skittishness that characterised Liverpool’s defending before Alisson arrived has all but evaporated. He dominates the area, praising the back line when required and holding them to account when necessary.
Alisson won the Lev Yashin award for the best goalkeeper in world football last year and his influence goes well beyond his own area. He is excellent with the ball at his feet and his ability to start attacks gives Liverpool a different dimension.
️ "Mo Salah, you little dancer!"
1️⃣5️⃣ Appearances
7️⃣ Clean sheets
1️⃣ Assist
Alisson's incredible assist for #LFC's second goal against #MUFC is our @GilletteUK #PrecisionPlayoftheWeek pic.twitter.com/2IJwThO4gJ— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 24, 2020
Alisson is always looking to pile the pressure on the opposition. He is Liverpool’s first point of attack.
But a goalkeeper’s main job is keeping rivals out. Alisson is one of the finest stoppers, especially when the stakes are highest. The last-gasp save against Napoli in last year’s Champions League group stage was probably the most important moment in the development of Klopp’s team. If Arkadiusz Milik, who was clean through on goal, had scored, Liverpool would have been shunted into the Europa League instead of continuing on the path to Madrid.
Van Dijk’s arrival at Anfield two years ago was a turning point for the team. The Dutchman’s presence made the side competitive. Alisson was the final component, though.
So where does he stand in the pantheon of great Anfield goalkeepers? Elisha Scott was one of the club’s icons between the first and second world wars. The Kop loved the Northern Irishman for his foul-mouthed antics as well as his excellence between the posts.
Tommy Lawrence, nicknamed “the Flying Pig” for his portly figure, anchored Bill Shankly’s great side of the 1960s. The Scot was dependable in an era when the English top-flight was packed with superb goalkeepers.
Alisson has been the finest goalkeeper in the Premier League for the past two seasons and there is a compelling argument that he has been the most exceptional player in the division -
Ray Clemence was the best of the pre-Alisson era. Clemence provided security for the first Liverpool teams to conquer Europe in the 1970s. He had huge amounts of natural ability and commanded respect from his teammates but perhaps did not work as hard at his game as some of his peers and that cost him scores of England caps.
Bruce Grobbelaar is the other contender but the Zimbabwean was erratic and always likely to do something out of the ordinary – and not always in a good way, but the man nicknamed “the Clown” was the most athletic of all Liverpool goalkeepers and a phenomenal shot-stopper.
Alisson has the capacity to rank above them all if he remains at the club for a prolonged period. He is a more complete package than any of his predecessors. He has been the finest goalkeeper in the Premier League for the past two seasons and there is a compelling argument that he has been the most exceptional player in the division.
It has been 35 years since a goalkeeper – Neville Southall – won the football writers’ player of the year prize. It is even longer since the Professional Footballers’ Association gave their version to a keeper.
It is about time the position was recognised again. This is Alisson’s moment and if they give him the trophies, they can certainly be sure they are in safe hands.
