'Been affected': Steve Nicol says he's spotted a 'real problem' with Virgil van Dijk so far this season

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It has not been easy for the Liverpool team to find their form, but it is the defence who have been having the most problems.In both last week’s Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace and the Champions League loss to Galatasaray, the Reds have shown defensive flaws, with Ibrahima Konate taking the brunt of the criticism for his mistakes, creating big chances for the opposition.This has been a difficult week for Arne Slot’s side because the existing issues from their wins have shown up in defeats, which have knocked the confidence of his side.Virgil van Dijk is the only defender who has attempted to maintain his usual consistent form; however, it has been tricky for the Dutchman to maintain it, given the rest of the team’s lack of structure.The 34-year-old is still one of the best centre-backs in the world and will, by the end of the season, still keep that mantle.Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty ImagesSteve Nicol says Virgil van Dijk will not pass to Milos KerkezBut he is still trying to marshal a backline which has some new faces, including Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who both joined in the summer transfer window.Kerkez has overtaken Andy Robertson as the first-choice left back for the Reds after his impressive season at Bournemouth proved the Hungarian was a clear top-flight starter.But he has struggled to get to grips with being in the team like many of the other signings, and some of his errors have led to the opposition gaining an advantage.READ MORE: Milos Kerkez backed for success at Liverpool thanks to one top attributeThese issues are ones that Steve Nicol is concerned about affecting van Dijk this season, and he believes that the captain is not passing to Kerkez.Speaking on ESPN FC, the former Red explained: “The thing about Van Dijk for me is he has absolutely been affected, because for me Van Dijk now is trying to take care of everybody. You’ve got two of your back four in Kerkez and Konate who are struggling to do their job defensively and struggling with the ball at their feet.“So you’ve got Van Dijk who’s been affected by it because you know he’s a little unsure to give it to Kerkez, and opposition are leaving Konate with the ball, so that is a real problem.”Why Arne Slot cannot start Andy Robertson against ChelseaWhile it is true that the 21-year-old has struggled since being the starting left-back, it is not a good idea to swap him out with Andy Robertson right now.If Kerkez is going to become Liverpool’s starter, he has to get used to playing regularly, and with league experience already under his belt, he cannot be chopped and changed on the back of a few lacklustre displays.Robertson does offer more defensive security, which could be useful in the second half of this game if the Reds take an early lead, but he has become slightly slower going forward.What Kerkez offers then in comparison is more pace and a willingness to cross or at least work the ball into the box.The Hungarian will adapt just like the other new faces, but clearly, time is what is needed to be given to these players if they are to succeed in winning back-to-back league titles.