Arne Slot may very well be praised for a lot of issues, however his uncanny capacity to establish the richest vein of fluency and grasp and maintain it at Liverpool has labored wonders.
Rotation shouldn’t be enforced freely this season. Whereas Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo frequently jockey for stardom on the left wing, and Kostas Tsimikas is having fun with minutes at left-back, the Dutch tactician has kept away from making sweeping modifications to this point – regardless of the congested nature of Liverpool’s fixture record.
On the opening day of the season, Jarell Quansah was handed a major present of religion when positioned alongside Virgil van Dijk at Ipswich City, however he was changed by Ibrahima Konate at half-time, with Slot annoyed by a (collective) lack of success within the duel. Somebody needed to go. Konate has began each Premier League outing since.
Now, in opposition to Southampton, who Liverpool meet within the high flight on Sunday after the November worldwide break, the Reds could be compelled to ring plenty of modifications, for accidents, whereas not extreme, are beginning to slide wintry tendrils into the squad.
The largest concern would in all probability be Trent Alexander-Arnold, who pulled out of England obligation after injuring his hamstring in opposition to Aston Villa two weeks in the past. Slot has confirmed that he will probably be absent, and should miss the midweek Champions League conflict in opposition to Actual Madrid too.
Who then ought to exchange the one-of-a-kind defender on the South Coast tomorrow?
1
The Apparent Selection
Conor Bradley
Perhaps we acquired a bit carried away. When Conor Bradley burst onto the scene final yr, it felt for all of the world that Liverpool had plucked a prodigy able to dominating at right-back from the offing.
The factor is although, Alexander-Arnold is a generational expertise and Bradley, although thrilling and glowing with potential, could be laborious accomplished by if anticipated to play that function with regularity, to the identical diploma, ought to the Reds’ vice-captain depart subsequent summer time.
Nonetheless, although, Bradley’s not precisely a foul prospect. He is endowed with a balanced talent set however has an “eye-catching” attacking method, as The Athletic’s James Pearce famous, that lends itself to success in Slot’s system.
He isn’t like Alexander-Arnold, although. Whereas each are artistic and high-level attacking retailers, Bradley’s tempo and dribbling serves because the nuts and bolts of his fashion; he drives ahead, penetrating traces and fizzing balls inward to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez.
Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Conor Bradley (previous twelve months) | ||
|---|---|---|
Stats (per 90) | Alexander-Arnold | Bradley |
Objectives | 0.10 | 0.08 |
Assists | 0.20 | 0.24 |
Shot-creating actions | 4.42 | 2.66 |
Progressive passes | 7.76 | 3.84 |
Progressive carries | 1.72 | 3.76 |
Profitable take-ons | 0.95 | 1.33 |
Touches (Att. pen) | 1.42 | 3.76 |
All stats by way of FBref | ||
Alexander-Arnold, conversely, has in all probability the perfect vary of passing of any full-back in historical past. Fairly a declare, however not with out substance: Sky Sports activities’ Jamie Carragher even remarked that “it is like having Kevin De Bruyne taking part in at right-back” when waxing lyrical in regards to the 26-year-old’s strengths.
Bradley’s the obvious substitute, however Slot is blessed with a number of various choices that he might wish to contemplate.
2
The Senior Possibility
Joe Gomez
Joe Gomez has been used sparingly underneath Slot’s wing, and maybe he resents the missed alternative to finish his storied Anfield profession this summer time, having been tipped for a switch away in August.
It did not occur, and in equity, Gomez is Liverpool’s longest-serving first-team participant with a deep love for the membership. Positive, he’ll have wished greater than the three substitute appearances he has been afforded within the Premier League this season, and now could be his probability.
Gomez is a extremely versatile defender who has even been entrusted with a deep-sitting midfield function from time to time up to now, working industriously and selflessly.
He is definitely a unique type of participant than Alexander-Arnold, however Gomez may very well be the proper choice to sit down behind Salah and supply him with stability because the talismanic attacker appears to be like to proceed his unimaginable begin to the marketing campaign, with ten targets and ten assists apiece throughout 17 matches.
Ought to Slot resolve in opposition to this feature as nicely, Liverpool’s choices could be slim. Nonetheless, there may very well be a rogue shout to begin an up-and-coming expertise in a brand new function, having plied his commerce solely at centre-back since breaking into the Liverpool first staff.
3
The Wildcard Choose
Jarell Quansah
The wildcard. Quansah is a centre-back however performed at right-back prominently all through his youth profession, along with his physicality and strong athleticism lending itself to moonlit success within the function.
He is acquired attacking qualities that might see him, partially, compensate for Alexander-Arnold’s absence. FBref file that the 21-year-old ranks among the many high 1% of centre-backs for objective scored per 90 over the previous yr. He is additionally been described as a “monster” by expertise scout Jacek Kulig.
Furthermore, he racked up three assists throughout 5 Carabao Cup matches en path to the title final season, so clearly has a artistic spark that Liverpool may gain advantage from at right-back, albeit to a lesser diploma than the likes of Alexander-Arnold and Bradley.
Slot might not go for this one. It is undoubtedly left-field. But it surely’s meals for thought in any case. Quansah will probably be determined to show himself worthy of a distinguished function within the Merseysiders’ staff, and alongside Konate, would possibly show to develop into a weirdly workable right-sided partnership.
Nicely, one factor’s for sure: no matter occurs on the St. Mary’s Stadium, Liverpool are going to be weakened by Alexander-Arnold’s damage absence. How will they make sure that victory continues to be secured?
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