It was never going to be easy for Leeds United to replace Ben White. But as with Pontus Jansson the season prior, while supporters were concerned with a key defender departing, the Whites had a plan.
Of course, Leeds did try to bring White back to the club; signing the Brighton centre-back on a permanent deal was their priority.
But when Brighton refused to do business and White agreed a new contract with the Seagulls, Leeds turned to an alternative.
And that alternative was Robin Koch.
On Saturday, the German international made his debut for Leeds. With Liam Cooper missing the match after failing a late fitness test, Koch was thrust into the starting XI alongside the inexperienced Pascal Struijk.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was a difficult outing for the 24-year-old.
Koch’s struggles started early on. An unfortunate handball after Mohamed Salah’s curled effort struck his arm provided Liverpool with a second-minute penalty.
Koch then lost Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool’s second, the Dutchman evading his attention and powering a header home.
He also had several strange moments, often rushing out of defence and leaving space behind.
His second-half clash with Luke Ayling came because he charged to head the ball when there was no need to do so. It was a naive, poor decision that typified his erratic performance.
For all of Koch’s struggles, though, there is no reason for Leeds supporters to panic.
Yes, this was a poor display, but context is required to accurately assess Koch’s outing.
First and foremost, this was his English and Premier League debut. Plenty of players have taken a long time to adapt to the top flight and Koch is not alone in appearing unsettled in his first game.
Add to that the opponents. The Premier League champions, one of the best attacks in world football, and a brilliant set-up that puts relentless, suffocating pressure on defenders. This was a trial by fire.
Then consider the players that were around him. Struijk, who started alongside Koch at centre-back, is just 21 years old, played just 215 Championship minutes last season, and has mostly been used as a defensive midfielder, not a central defender.
The goalkeeper was not usual starter Kiko Casilla, either. Illan Meslier, a 20-year-old with limited senior experience was between the sticks.
Meslier acquitted himself well, making several excellent saves to keep Liverpool at bay, but the communication and overall organisation would not have been as secure as normal.
This was a patched-up defensive unit against a brilliant attack. Given the circumstances, expecting Koch to slide into the starting XI with no difficulties was naive.
Of course, Koch must improve to justify his £13 million price tag. This level of performance is not what Marcelo Bielsa would have expected when the the club chose the German as White's replacement.
Koch must prove he can provide more security. However, his passing range was encouraging and he showed excellent composure at times when Leeds played out from the back.
To do that against Liverpool, one of the most high-octane pressing teams in the division, was impressive and demonstrates that Koch has the confidence and quality to compete at the Premier League level.
He marshalled Salah well at times, too, when it was clear he needed to close down the Egyptian.
His problem was not a lack of ability, but awareness, decision making, and positioning.
These, of course, are troubling issues for a centre-back but they can be fixed and are far more connected to the overall shape and structure of the team.
A central defender's position is taken with respect to their partner, the goalkeeper, the pressure in front, and a multitude of other factors.
In an untried defence against an excellent opponent, Koch’s positioning was always going to be examined.
What the season holds for Koch and the Leeds defence remains to be seen. They certainly won’t want to concede as many chances as they did on Saturday.
But while it may have been a troubling debut for the former Freiburg man, this was just one game. Patience, as ever, is vital.
