Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has zeroed in on a problem he's noticed in regards to Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.
The two senior central defenders available to the Premier League champions following the injury to Virgil van Dijk, Kirkland thinks there's an area both could improve.
While they have seemingly steadied the ship after the 7-2 loss to Aston Villa and prior to Gomez's injury, the 39-year-old has revealed an issue.
When asked what he made of Liverpool's backline, Kirkland believes the likes of Gomez, Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold aren't vocal enough.
'Too quiet for me' was his verdict.
'I think I think that the backline in general is quite quiet. Robbo talks a lot Trent's really quiet at times, Allison's not the biggest speaker in the world.
'You need talkers and van Dijk, like I said, in a crowd situation, that's where going to miss that voice, that leadership.'
Indeed, from a man so used to helping organise a backline, it certainly is an interesting assessment.
Clearly, a player of Van Dijk's quality helps raise levels of performance. Virtually as soon as he arrived from Southampton, Jurgen Klopp's previously leaky defence significantly improved and the Dutchman has helped formed the core of a team to have conquered both home and abroad.
To hear a former professional talk about something not measured in statistics brings a unique level of insight. The kind of leadership brought through being vocal simply cannot be quantified in numbers but has been noted in other former Premier League greats in the likes of Tony Adams.
Though the defence hasn't looked as bad as it did during that infamous day at Villa Park, Gomez and Alexander-Arnold in particular have been criticised at times this season and perhaps the impressive presence of Van Dijk not being alongside them could be a reason as to why.
Given the make-shift make up of Liverpool's backline amidst an injury crisis, being able to talk each other through games will surely take on an added significance.
Even in the sound of silence in an empty stadium, there needs to be voices.