---
title: "Liverpool: Paul Robinson thinks Joe Gomez has suffered from inability to nail down a regular spot in the team"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/liverpool-paul-robinson-thinks-joe-gomez-has-suffered-from-inability-to-nail-down-a-regular-spot-in-the-team/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Features"
published: "2019-11-29T20:40:36Z"
modified: "2019-12-16T15:56:32Z"
---

# Liverpool: Paul Robinson thinks Joe Gomez has suffered from inability to nail down a regular spot in the team

**Former England international Paul Robinson believes that Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has struggled with being unable to hold down a regular place in the Reds’ line-up this season.**

The 22-year-old had [started 13 of Liverpool’s first 15 Premier League games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-gomez/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/256178/plus/0/saison/2018/wettbewerb/GB1/verein/31) last season ([11 as centre-back](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-gomez/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/256178/plus/0/saison/2018/wettbewerb/GB1/verein/31)) before [fracturing his leg against Burnley](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/06/liverpool-joe-gomez-fracture-sean-dyche-defends-burnley) just under a year ago, but he has made just [eight starts in all competitions](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-gomez/leistungsdaten/spieler/256178) so far this term.

Gomez was taken off [57 minutes into the 1-1 draw with Napoli](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3252227) on Wednesday night, having [failed to find a team-mate from any of the five crosses](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1426942/LiveStatistics/Europe-UEFA-Champions-League-2019-2020-Liverpool-Napoli) he delivered from right-back, and Robinson feels that his inability to claim a regular starting berth has affected his performances of late.

Speaking to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-robinson-claims-senior-liverpool-star-struggling-to-cope-with-klopp-demands/) about the Liverpool defender’s struggles, he said: “I think it’s due to him not playing. I think it’s because he played so much last year, I don’t think he’s coped well with being out of the team, I don’t think he’s coped well with bit-parts.

“Joe Gomez has found it hard to get back in the team and because he’s such a young lad, it’s the first time he’s probably had this in his career, I think he’s struggling with being a bit-part player.

“When he was playing last season, he was consistent, playing week in, week out. This year when he’s come in, he’s having to play right-back at times, centre-half, then he’s on the bench again for two or three games. I don’t think it’s suited him.”

Robinson may have a fair point in saying that Gomez has found it hard to discover his best form due to his often-changing role at Liverpool this season in a team that all [UK betting sites](https://bonuscodebets.co.uk/) have as heavy favourites for the league title.

The 22-year-old hasn’t started a Premier League game [since the opening day win over Norwich](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/136451/MatchStatistics/Joe-Gomez) and has not started consecutive matches for the Reds since being in the team for the first three competitive games of the season, as per [TransferMarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-gomez/leistungsdaten/spieler/256178).

He has started three of their five Champions League matches so far but even then he has been moved about the defence, starting at centre-back against Red Bull Salzburg in October before being brought on at right-back away to Genk and then alternating between those two positions again in the last couple of group games. \[[via TransferMarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-gomez/leistungsdaten/spieler/256178)\]

Robinson’s view that Gomez’s performances have declined as a result of being swapped in and out of the team, as well as between centre-back and right-back, are justified by the defender’s statistical disimprovement from 2018/19.

In last season’s Premier League, he was averaging 1.5 successful aerial duels, 1.1 successful tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 2.4 clearances per game, with a passing success rate of 87.5%. \[[via WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/136451/History/Joe-Gomez)\]

This season, his corresponding match averages are 0.8 headers won, 0.8 tackles won, 0.2 interceptions and 0.4 clearances, while his passing accuracy has dropped to 84.7%. \[[via WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/136451/History/Joe-Gomez)\]

Gomez has not been helped by the increased faith shown in Liverpool defensive team-mate Dejan Lovren, who has [started six of the Reds’ last eight games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dejan-lovren/leistungsdaten/spieler/37838), and a look at his drop in standards from last season support Robinson’s view that the 22-year-old has struggled with being a disposable asset for Jurgen Klopp in recent weeks.

***Liverpool fans, what did you make of Robinson’s views about Gomez? Tell us what you think by commenting below!***