Joe Gomez has shared his thoughts on the goal drought everyone is talking about, revealing that even Jurgen Klopp has joked about struggles in front of the net.
The defender has played 201 times since joining the club back in 2015, but is still yet to get on the scoresheet in a professional appearance in his entire career.
His recent showings at left-back as cover for the injured Andy Robertson have seen him venture further up the pitch and go close to scoring on several occasions.
This has ignited discussions about when his first one is going to come, but it is something the 26-year-old appears to still be relaxed about.
“I score in training,” the centre-back remarked when asked about the wait on the club’s official We Are Liverpool podcast.
“I get some in training. I don’t know, it’s weird because obviously eight years it’s never been that apparent, and now suddenly even the gaffer gave me a bit.
“He said he’d give my wife some money if I scored!”
Scoring goals doesn’t usually come at the top of the priority list for defenders, but the length of Gomez’s wait for a first is longer than most.
He recently joined the top 20 Premier League players in terms of outfield appearances without a goal, and currently sits third in that category at Liverpool behind Ephraim Longworth (370), Rob Jones (243) and Stephane Henchoz (205).
??? Outfield players with ???? Liverpool appearances ??????? ??????? a goal…
1?? Ephraim Longworth – 370 games
2?? Rob Jones – 243 games
3?? Stephane Henchoz – 205 games
4?? ??? ????? – 200 games
? It’s coming ????, Joe! pic.twitter.com/YPze8xK1zV
— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) January 16, 2024
Liverpool’s No. 2 cited the set piece tactics of Peter Krawietz as a key cause of the ongoing wait, but he remains optimistic that it will come at some stage.
“I think the biggest thing is, like Pete [Krawietz], I’m never really up for corners,” he explained.
“So obviously that plays a role, I’d have a little bit more of a chance, maybe, but I don’t know, it’s weird.”
When asked how he plans to celebrate should he eventually get off the mark, Gomez described the situation as “almost comical” and declared that he is unsure how he will react.
“A little bit, I don’t really know, it’s almost comical now isn’t it, I almost have to play on it,” he replied.
“I don’t know how I can live up to the goal, no matter what the goal is, even the lads are giving me a bit of stick.
“[In my] school team you couldn’t stop me, I was up front, literally, then you get pushed back.
“I did get a few hat-tricks for the school team, that’s for sure.”
Joe Gomez has never scored a senior goal, but having seen him do a free-kick challenge before, I have no idea how he hasn’t. https://t.co/qQJ10UfczY pic.twitter.com/8MZuO1umYN
— Evin H (@evinh111) December 20, 2023
A clip on social media (above) showing Gomez in a free-kick challenge video from several years ago shows just how good his shooting can be – and how incredibly talented elite level footballers are.
