Arne Slot hints at new centre-back solution for Liverpool after another Ibrahima Konate horror show - opinion

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Liverpool’s backline is still a major worry after seven league games.The Reds title defence has taken a big hit over the last week, with Chelsea handing them back-to-back losses in the league, as well as their third in all competitions in just one week. Estevao’s 96th minute winner got the Blues over the line and handed Liverpool late heartbreak again, with the poor defending leading to the goal.Arne Slot was not most pleased with his defence for most of the game, with this proven by taking off Ibrahima Konate just before the hour mark.Although he said this was as a precaution due to a potential injury, his performance would not have helped matters anyway, with the Frenchman struggling yet again.And, after the game, Slot may have hinted that his place might not be as safe as he thinks, with the Dutchman potentially having a new option to choose from.Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty ImagesLiverpool’s new centre-back optionWith Giovanni Leoni tearing his ACL and being out for over a year, this leaves Liverpool with just three centre-back options to choose from.This suggests that Konate’s place is likely quite safe due to lack of options, but Slot might be finding other ways around this to try and get the Frenchman to step up his game.One solution might be to play Ryan Gravenberch there instead, with Slot moving his holding midfielder back into the defence for the last 30 minutes of the match.He did a fairly decent job too, with the Reds playing out from the back more comfortably and actually looking like the better team for most of the last half-an-hour.Slot even hinted that he liked Gravenberch’s performance a lot too, suggesting that he thought they improved when he made the change.READ MORE: Arne Slot hints at how Liverpool’s new set-up can still get the best out of Mo Salah despite Chelsea defeat“It wasn’t a coincidence when Ryan (Gravenberch) started to play there [at centre-back] we started getting more and more in the game,” he said as per BBC Sport.With the international break coming up, it gives Slot plenty of time to assess his options, but it really would be no surprise to see Gravenberch line up at centre-back against Man United in two weeks’ time.Ryan Gravenberch is too important to Liverpool’s midfieldGiven Gravenberch’s talent, it would be no surprise to see him move into the heart of defence and still thrive, but Liverpool cannot allow that to happen.The Dutchman is far too important for the Reds in the middle of the park, with the 23-year-old, arguably, their best player this season.Even though they have looked shaky in between the defence and midfield, he is the glue that holds it together, so taking him out of that position will be a huge problem.The good thing is at least it acts as good competition for Konate and shows that he needs to step his game up, but long-term, this cannot be the solution.