I’D LOCK MYSELF IN MY ROOM IF I MADE A MISTAKE. NOT NOW
Liverpool keeper Alisson won’t stop taking risks despite THAT howler
THE moment Alisson Becker knew was coming is met with a telling laugh. Liverpool’s new goalkeeper has been holding court in a private box overlooking Anfield’s pitch, talking about his journey to this exalted position, when the narrative changes.
It is time to discuss Leicester City. Or, more accurately, it is time to discuss the incident when he tried to copy Johan Cruyff in his own penalty area but succeeded only in falling over his feet and giving away a calamitous goal. For some, such a moment would be off-limits. Alisson, though, is different and over the course of the next five minutes, it becomes clear the season’s highest-profile mistake has not left any mark.
‘I’ve locked myself in my room (in the past) but I don’t do that any more!’ he says. ‘I’m more mature today so I deal better with the mistakes than the many times when I locked myself away and wanted to be alone. But if you look at my history, I’m not somebody who makes many mistakes.
‘My game is characterised by consistency and that is what has brought me to Liverpool and helped me grow and develop. I make simple saves: they are not Hollywood saves for the camera. I like to keep it simple. Yes, I’m working on playing with my feet so I take risks. I wait for options, hoping that a space for a pass will appear at the last moment.
‘That’s what happened at Leicester. The ball held up in the grass and, if it hadn’t, I think I would’ve made a successful dribble. I know now I should have kicked the ball into the stands.’
There is another smile as, unexpectedly, he turns to philosophy to conclude his summary.
‘The secret of the wise man is to learn from the errors of others,’ he says. ‘Unfortunately, it was my error. I do take some risks and leave it late to play the ball but I’ll stop taking these risks because of the different style of play.’
The explanation is candid and it shows him to be humble. It jars, though, that he has devoted so much time to this subject as those 10 seconds at the King Power Stadium do not reflect in any way his 10 weeks at the club.
Alisson became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper when Liverpool signed him from Roma in July to replace Loris Karius. His standards have been so high in training that one of his team-mates has described his talent as ‘ridiculous’. He knew a £65million price tag would invite scrutiny but Alisson has taken it all in his stride.
‘Times have changed,’ he says, acknowledging that Chelsea’s £71million acquisition of Kepa Arrizabalaga ended his stay in the history books. ‘ There is a lot going on with negotiations. I appreciate some people think it’s a crazy amount. But I don’t think about numbers. I think about what I can give back to the club for the faith they have invested in me. That is what is important. I’m coming off the best season I’ve ever had and I’m hoping to do even better this season.’
As are Liverpool collectively. The purchase of Alisson was the final piece of business of a well thoughtout summer. Liverpool had first enquired about him last January and discussions gathered pace in the weeks after they lost the Champions League final.
So during Brazil’s preparations for the World Cup, he sought counsel. There were talks with Roberto Firmino and another compatriot, Philippe Coutinho, played a part.
‘I spoke to Coutinho before the World Cup as I knew there was interest,’ he explains. ‘We talked about the regular things — the way the club is set up, the structure, the staff. But we also talked about the belief, the sort of family atmosphere at the club. He said there is no vanity in the squad but it’s a very ambitious squad. I saw that on the pitch last season in the Champions League semi-final. What Coutinho told me added to what I had already witnessed playing here at Anfield.’
Now it is a question of building on the encouraging start and you sense the next three games — away to Chelsea and Napoli and then at home to Manchester City — will show where Liverpool are.
‘There are expectations on the team and on me given the quality we have in the team,’ he says. ‘The Premier League has just started; the Champions League has just started. It has been good but we are hoping for great things.’