Joe Gomez
Gomez after the 1-0 win over Girona on Tuesday
Joe Gomez hasn’t got a celebration planned for when he does finally score - but hopes a change of corner routine will give him more of a chance of breaking his duck.
The Liverpool defender has yet to score a goal in senior football in 10 years now after one season at Charlton before moving to Anfield in 2015. Gomez, 27, came close as he forced Paulo Gazzaniga into an early save in the Reds’ 1-0 win over Girona on Tuesday night.
It came from a corner-kick and Gomez revealed new plans on set-pieces with coach Aaron Briggs means he will be in the box more, which was different under Jurgen Klopp.
When asked about his celebration plans, Gomez said: “I cannot say I have. It depends on the goal. But going up for corners is a big thing.
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“That is one thing that has hindered me this whole time as I was never up so my odds have been boosted.”
The defender also admitted he was close to leaving Liverpool last summer - but is now glad he stayed at the club. The Reds centre-back looked like he might be leaving Anfield when he didn’t make the trip to Ipswich for the season opener.
Gomez was deliberating his future after it became clear he would be behind Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah in the pecking order to be Virgil van Dijk’s partner in the centre of defence.
Gomez is battling to get his place back at Liverpool
Gomez is battling to get his place back at Liverpool
But he has pushed himself up in that now he is the one getting chances in the Reds’ starting line-up with Konate sidelined through injury.
And he’s impressing, too. “It was definitely for real,” Gomez said, when asked about how close he was to leaving.
“My focus was always on the club but I know how blessed I am to be here and I will be 10 years in the summer. I don’t take that for granted. It is the best club in the world in my eyes and it was quickly a case of adapting and getting into the swing of things.
“It was good to put it to bed. That is football. I am a big believer in focusing on the present. “To be somewhere 10 years and not have any blips would not be natural which probably speaks about my ambition.”
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