Alisson: You Have To Be Prepared For 90 Minutes of Intensity

Alisson opens up about the challenges between EPL and Serie A, and that title race with his Brazilian teammates.

Alisson Becker has taken quite well to life on Merseyside. We all know where he came from and how he got here - that high price tag move from Roma - and why he wanted to come to Liverpool (that Champions League match last April). He’s been brilliant for us ever since, conceding only five goals in the League so far, and adding a presence between the sticks that we haven’t had in a very long time. He’s been instrumental in Liverpool’s best ever start to a campaign, defensively.

“It was a big thing, but I am happy with my decision,” Alisson says, speaking to Goal.com, of his move to Liverpool.

One of the first questions he always gets is what are the differences between the Premier League and Serie A. Who is scarier coming at you, Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero or Lorenzo Insigne?

“Well, I believe the intensity is a little different,” Alisson says. “During the matches, the opposing team will always offer you some danger.

”In Serie A, in some games, although not always, the big team can control matches. It’s a more tactical football, more studied.

”There is more space to move the ball in the defence, but when you come to the offence, there is no space to create. That’s the difference for me. Serie A football is focused on defence; every team is organised in this way. The Premier League is more about intensity.

“In terms of quality, both leagues are very close, but here you have to be prepared for 90 minutes of full intensity.”

Liverpool’s defense is (finally) something to be proud of rather than wary, after the additions of Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Robertson and more organization in the back. A system that Alisson has fit well into from the get-go, and shown he deserves to be there. Even when the defense has failed him and he’s had to make crucial saves to keep the Reds in the game. That’s not to say he’s not without his mistakes... like that one time he tried to turn the ball against Leicester.

“Yes!” Alisson continues, when the mistake is brought up. “I believe that [good] footwork adds something extra to a goalkeeper but a goalkeeper first needs to defend, to have good positioning.

”Then, after that, he can help the team carrying the ball, which is something I have always enjoyed doing ever since I began my career back at Internacional.

”Here, in Europe, I could do it more because of the style of the teams in which I’ve played.

”Liverpool are a team which works the ball from the back, so it’s important that the goalkeeper can also be part of that.”

Alisson’s ability has not only firmly cemented his spot in Liverpool’s starting XI, but in the Brazil starting XI as well and that means passing up Manchester City’s keeper Ederson. With the title race growing more and more challenging between the two teams, the interview brings up what those travels must be like during the international breaks. It’s not just Ederson that will share the jet back to England most of the time but Gabriel Jesus, Fernandinho, and Roberto Firmino all spend time together on that long flight.

“When we’re on national duty we’re team-mates, but obviously we talk about it,” Alisson says.

”This rivalry is important so everyone can grow, so it’s also important for the Brazilian national team. We play in the highest level in the Premier League, so keeping this high level of competition is key.

”We talk, sure, and we know how hard the race for the title is going to be. But we know we can do it. It isn’t easy, but we’ll keep up our good work and look to improve every time.”

It sounds very much like Liverpool have gotten very lucky in having such a good egg on our squad.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com