Could Joël Matip Emulate the Great Sami Hyypiä…?

Despite many brilliant performances and the varying moments of elite defensive play within a glittering Liverpool career, my overriding memory of Sami Hyypiä is not that Champions League win in 2005, but something far less emphatic and personal. Whenever I consider the 6ft 4inch Finnish legend, I immediately think back to one particular game (against Chelsea in 2008), when the reds were winning 1-0 at Stamford Bridge and edging towards victory over Luis Felipe Scolari’s side. That Premier League encounter was undertaken on a grey afternoon on 26th October and delivered one action will stay with me forever.

As the fierce contest ebbed towards full time and with the West London club looking to score that all important equaliser, the Chelsea management called upon the physical presence of Franco Di Santo from their substitutes bench, to add an aerial presence to their attack. Liverpool’s defensive pair for the match had been chosen as Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger, as their former captain, Sami Hyypiä, became more of a safety net option from the bench in his later years. At 35-years of age, the former Willem II defender became a squad player that was happy to be whatever his manager, Rafael Benítez, needed as his body continued to regress. As a legend that eventually recorded 464 appearances for the Merseyside club, amongst his varying attributes was his unmatched aerial prowess, something that we currently see with Arne Slot’s own commanding skipper, Virgil van Dijk.

In the 90th minute of that 2008 encounter, the towering presence of the Finn jogged onto the field of play, to replace the Spanish left winger, Albert Riera. With the introduction of the giant centre back, there was an immediate assurance brought to the rearguard, as the former skipper emerged to take his place on the pitch for the final moments of the game. This final alteration was a specific moment to counter the free kick that Chelsea was preparing to take. With the set piece being prepared (just inside the Liverpool half), the reds defensive line retreated to the edge of their 18-yard box as they prepared to hold onto their tentative advantage. The ball was launched towards the red’s penalty area, prompting one man to rise above all others, before dominantly heading the ball back (40-yards) towards the half way line. That moment brought a sigh of relief to a nervous Liverpool fanbase and is something that has stuck with me for 16 years.

Do Liverpool Possess Enough Defensive Reinforcements…?

Following the injury crisis and ensuring capitulation of the defensive group only a few years ago, I would be keen to see one more central defender added to this current Liverpool squad, if possible. There remains a list of senior players that are without a club and able to register for English sides until 12th September. As I made my way down that infamous list, I was immediately dismissive of the high-profile names such as Memphis Depay, and Anthony Martial, until I arrived to the familiar name of the former Cameroon international, Joël Matip. Following the expiration of his Liverpool contract (at the close of last season), the popular defender was released from the club after a fond on-pitch farewell. Given his injury record over the past two seasons (and the campaigns prior) interested clubs remain reluctant to offer a beneficial deal to the experienced 33-year-old defender. At 6ft 5inches and with a wonderful Anfield career behind him, I suspect that the former Schalke player is keen to land at an elite destination, following his eight years stay with the European heavyweights of Merseyside, with such moves failing to materialise.

With a hint of nostalgia and a sprinkling of logic, I would be keen to see the new Liverpool Head Coach, Arne Slot, re-sign the man that once made 201 appearances for the reds. The retired international would immediately act as a fifth-choice safety net, one that could offer assurance and experience to the central defensive group. As things stand, the former Feyenoord manager has Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Jarell Quansah, and Joe Gomez, at his disposal. This is a fine quartet of performers to take into the season and is potentially unmatched in the Premier League, certainly in terms of depth. My main concern (and ongoing fear) is that with one or two injuries, the circumstances could change in an instant. Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams

have departed on respective loans, whereas Sepp van den Berg has been sold onto to fellow Premier League side, Brentford. Regarding those in the academy, Amara Nallo, is only 17-years old and untested at the highest level. The international window is now upon us and if anything were to happen to Slot’s central defenders (all are away on duty), then this could become a very sensible option for the Sporting Director, Richard Hughes.

Would Re-Signing Joël Matip Make Sense…?

If a deal on reduced terms could be engineered, then this may be something that suits all parties. Amara Nallo will require another year of experience and sporadic involvement with the senior team (before become a viable option), which would mean signing a stop gap until next summer would be beneficial to both the short and long term wants of the club. As a ball playing option that would offer vast knowledge of the players already within, Joël Matip could be the ideal quantity within a long and exhausting season. The fact that the legendary defender has been training at the Axa Training Centre in the summer would mean that familiarity is already in place, with the new Head Coach, Arne Slot. The Jürgen Klopp successor would surely aware of the qualities of the Cameroonian and be keen to safeguard his current assets. Though West Ham remain an interested admirer, it is unclear if they will follow through with a concrete offer before next Thursday’s deadline.

 As the player continues his rehabilitation from the ACL injury (and subsequent surgery) that halted his participation last season, a move for the towering defender could offer the kind of last-ditch dependability that another former great, Sami Hyypiä, once delivered. The next week will be a crucial period to assess those that may return from international duty with a complaint, thereby perhaps opening the door for an old friend to re-join the club.