Ibrahima Konate makes most of Arne Slot change as Liverpool star returns to Leipzig
Ibrahima Konate has become arguably Liverpool's best defender this season and the France international, who visits former club Leipzig in the Champions League tonight, is also beginning to make an impact going forward
by Alan Smith · The MirrorIbrahima Konate has not looked back. Thrust off the bench at half-time in Liverpool’s season opener away to Ipswich, the France centre back instantly solidified his status as Virgil van Dijk’s partner.
Now the 25-year-old prepares to face his former club RB Leipzig in the Champions League tonight with some fans wondering if he is becoming Liverpool’s best defender.
That a new contract is close to being announced , while skipper Van Dijk waits to learn about his future at Anfield, may vaguely hint at the long-term view under Arne Slot.
What cannot be up for debate is how highly regarded the new head coach, so far reluctant to rotate, considers Konate.
That Liverpool have conceded just three times in their opening eight league games points to how dominant Konate and Van Dijk have been at their job.
But it is the work on the ball that has left Slot so impressed.
The first half of Sunday’s win against Chelsea may have seemed dull for many neutrals as both defences passed it sideways in an act of ultra conservatism but rewind a few weeks to their 3-0 win against Bournemouth and there was a different example of Konate’s class.
On that occasion he provided an assist for Luis Diaz and started the moves for the Reds’ other two goals.
Andoni Iraola’s team made a point of pressing Van Dijk when in possession, allowing Konate the time and space to make a decisive impact on the match.
“It was a surprise for us as well, because all the games they’d played up until now they were pressing the left centre-back with their No10 and this was the first time they went to the right,” Slot said after.
“For us it was a real good decision … because it led to three goals. But who knows what would have happened if they’d given Virgil the same amount of space, maybe we would have scored even more. But it’s a very positive thing for us and for me to see that, if they think they can press Ibou, that Ibou is capable of finding his teammates.”
Perhaps Konate is being underestimated by opponents and there remains plenty of space to improve - he only scored a first Premier League goal in September and found the net only four times in close to 100 appearances in all competitions at Leipzig.
Becoming a greater threat from set pieces, an area where Van Dijk has in the past thrived, is an obvious place to start.
But having finally nailed down a starting role, the £36m fee paid in May 2021 suddenly looks like rather good value.
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