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Jürgen Klopp loves having versatile players on his squad. If the members of his team can play in multiple positions, it allows the Liverpool manager to shuffle his deck and keep all the players within his squad as unitedly involved as much as possible.
It can also help in the transfer market. As an example, why waste money on a fourth-choice center-back who probably doesn’t play too often when Fabinho can replace him when necessary? Fans may not like this strategy, but if you free up money to invest in more glamorous transfers, you will probably beat a lot of them.
The use of midfielders in defense has been seen more commonly in winger positions. James Milner played as a left back for the entire 2016/17 season, before Andy Robertson joined the club before the following season.
The veteran also replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold during 2018/19, as did Jordan Henderson. Fabinho has made 99 appearances throughout his career as a right back. by TransfermarktAlthough none yet for the Reds, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also held the position at Arsenal.
The latter was actually more of a full-back, but as Liverpool’s full-backs play as de facto midfielders anyway, it’s not impossible that he can cover again. After all, Alexander-Arnold and Robertson wouldn’t hit double figures in assists every year if they were old-fashioned wingers who rarely cross the halfway line.
While Neco Williams is deservedly the second choice for the right-back role today, it remains to be seen what he might offer in the future if he had an extended stint at the flank. And while Klopp is likely to ask one of his current squad to fill in for him in case he wants more creativity from a right-back position, there are players across Europe who could play there or in midfield.
Sebastian Rudy is a midfielder by trade, but he has also played 15 Bundesliga starts as a right-back. The German played alongside Roberto Firmino at Hoffenheim, and each helped a league goal for the other during Firmino’s last season with the club.
Rudy has averaged 0.17 expected assists per 90 while playing his 1,322 minutes as a winger, according to UnderStat. While that may not match what Alexander-Arnold and Robertson offer, César Azpilicueta and Lucas Digne were the only other defenders to play more than 1,300 minutes in the Premier League last season, while posting a higher expected average attendance. tall.
However, with Rudy turning 31 this season, he’s probably not a transfer goal for the Reds. But it certainly gives an indication of the type of player there is.
Maybe Klopp could raid one of his old clubs? Bote ‘Ridle’ Baku is a 22-year-old who primarily plays as a central midfielder for Mainz 05, but also made 11 starts as a right-back last season.
He assisted to three goals, including the first goal in his win over former Liverpool team Borussia Dortmund, in June. With an expected assistance of 0.23 for every 90 on average from the winger ( by Understat ), is clearly a midfielder who can create chances when substitute in defense.
Pol Lirola from Fiorentina It could be another contender for the role. He’s more used to playing right back than Rudy or Baku, but he’s made 47 of his 101 Serie A starts in midfield. The 23-year-old Spaniard has averaged 0.15 expected assists for every 90 minutes he has played as a winger in the past four years, and 0.19 in the past two seasons, suggesting he’s on the rise. There are certainly options available should Liverpool choose to go this particular route.
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