Injury will prevent Andy Robertson from playing for Liverpool, but Kostas Tsimikas, who will take his place, might give Jürgen Klopp what the Scotsman was unable to.
Unquestionably, Liverpool has suffered a great loss with Andy Robertson’s shoulder injury sustained while serving for his country. Jürgen Klopp has made the Scotsman a vital member of the club’s first team, so his absence will be felt for however long it takes. Kostas Tsimikas, though, is a capable backup option for Liverpool that could now be added to the team.
In the past few years, Tsimikas hasn’t really let the team down since he was brought in for this exact role – to be Robertson’s deputy. Liverpool will now need him because he has proven to be dependable and consistent. Robertson and Tsimikas are definitely not the same person.
The Scot is an unmatched forward with speed and power, so his absence will undoubtedly hurt Liverpool’s offensive capabilities. Tsimikas can, however, create opportunities in his own unique way. During his international duty, he demonstrated this by registering an assist for Greece against the Republic of Ireland with a brilliant cross.
Overall, one could also argue that, given the current Liverpool system, Tsimikas might even be a better choice. After all, since Trent Alexander-Arnold switched to an inverted full-back role, Robertson has occasionally had difficulty.
Due to his propensity for making forward runs, Robertson has found it difficult to adapt to that system and maintain positional discipline. This shift has frequently required him to tuck in from the left and form a back three with Liverpool’s center-backs. Tsimikas has the ability to offer defensive stability that Robertson does not. This season’s statistics also reflect the Greek international’s much stronger defensive bent. Tsimikas leads Liverpool in tackles won per ninety minutes this season across all competitions, according to FBref (2 points per ninety minutes).
Additionally, the website states that he is the Liverpool defender who has yet to allow a single dribbler to get past him. Tsimikas has also averaged five interceptions and ninety minutes of tackles per ninety minutes, more than any other Liverpool player.
Based on everything mentioned above, there’s a chance that Tsimikas joining the team will help Klopp’s team. Tsimikas has the potential to stabilize that area and offer the defensive stability required for Klopp’s new system to succeed. Robertson’s ability to expose the left flank defense has been a problem for Liverpool.
Naturally, that cannot be assured. However, Robertson’s injury might not spell doom for Liverpool in the end. Tsimikas, who now has a significant case to prove, is fortunately waiting in the wings behind him for the club. Liverpool will manage without Robertson even if he can maintain his current season-long scoring output.
