Liverpool’s goalkeeper coach John Achterberg has heaped praise on Alisson after an “unbelievable” season which no other stopper in football came close to matching.
Alisson‘s debut season with Liverpool was nothing short of exemplary as he turned a position of weakness into an area of strength for Jurgen Klopp‘s side.
The Brazilian was instrumental in the Reds’ success as a club record 21 clean sheets in the Premier League helped ensure Liverpool were in the title race until the last day of the season.
But it was his performances in the Champions League where the 26-year-old made his mark.
A stunning save in the dying moments against Napoli’s Arkadiusz Milik kept Liverpool in the competition and ultimately paved the way for their sixth European crown.
For the clubs’s goalkeeper coach John Achterberg, who spoke to Radio City Talk, it was “that one save” which all Liverpool stoppers wait for:
“As a goalie, especially playing for Liverpool, you have to wait for that one save and you talk in training about always staying ready even if you have nothing to do stay switched on because you need to make that one save.
“I think at that moment it’s instinct. He sees what happens and it’s a no-win situation, but he tried to do something to make it a win situation and he’s done it a few times this season.
“He reads the game and he has no fear, he decides and does it and you cannot buy that it’s natural.”
Since the Reds’ stunning 4-0 victory at Anfield in May, Alisson has kept an incredible nine consecutive clean sheets for club and country, meaning he holds the Golden Glove in the Premier League, Champions League and the Copa America.
His exceptional shot-stopping in culmination with his quick thinking, commanding presence and distribution has Achterberg in no doubt that Liverpool’s No. 1 is one of the world’s best ‘keepers.
“The season he had is really good and he’s still carrying it on at the moment in the Copa America,” he said.
“Everyone can see what he has done, I don’t have to talk about it, I don’t think there have been many goalies this year who have come close to the level he has played.
“For Ali to come to the Premier League in his first year and do what he did is really unbelievable because it’s not an easy league to play physically, and obviously there are one or two moments you can do better but that’s for every individual.
“But if you break the record of clean sheets for the club and win the Golden Glove in your first year, you’re in a good way I would say!”
Both Alisson and Liverpool teammate Roberto Firmino have been key to Brazil’s Copa America success this summer, and another shot at silverware awaits the pair in the final against Peru on Sunday.
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