Jamie Carragher discusses Liverpool’s new-look midfield in the first of a two-part interview with the ECHO.
Jamie Carragher has praised Liverpool’s swift summer signings and their role in revamping Jurgen Klopp’s midfield department.
After the loss of James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo were added. A complete overhaul of the midfield department is always going to be a risk, although the Reds have reaped the benefits.
Each of their new recruits quickly adapted to the new environment, giving the team a new lease of life after saying goodbye to several athletes.
Jude Bellingham was the player fans were hoping would arrive at Anfield, although the disappointment of the transfer saga gradually subsided as Szoboszlai began a wonderful life on Merseyside. The Hungarian has only been in England for a few weeks, although you’d easily be forgiven for thinking he’s been part of the squad for a long time.
“Szoboszlai looks great,” Carragher told the ECHO. “He almost looks like one of the best players and if he didn’t play in the game, you would miss him a lot. It’s not just his creativity or his shooting ability, it’s his physical impact: the speed and power he has. the ground who he’s covering and the challenges he’s involved in. When he’s not at his best with the ball, he continues to have a huge impact. “Liverpool always had that balance and the last midfield was always talked about as hard work with little talent, which I don’t think is right. They were very good players. But this new midfield is probably what we’ve seen. They” are more creative but they have a great work ethic. They are described as completely different in midfield and a bit different to what we had before, but it is more exciting and eye-catching when you see Szoboszlai take shots from outside the box, us. haven’t had that since Steven Gerrard hence the comparisons. He still has some way to go to reach that level, but Liverpool seem to have done very good business in that area.
“With Soboszlai you see the real deal now. As for Gravenberch, he hasn’t played that much, you look at the potential and think there could be something really special,” Carragher continued. “You can see signs of him moving and sliding past people. There is something there and if Jurgen Klopp and his staff can make something good out of it, we could have a very special player. You look at him and he looks like a footballer: size, physicality. He kind of reminds me of Patrick Vieira, the way he glides through the ball. You will see signs of it.”
One midfielder who has survived the summer carnage is Curtis Jones, who Reds boss Klopp is still targeting despite his £140m fee. Speaking to the ECHO in July, the Academy graduate insisted he is ready to fight to prove his worth on the pitch – and it shows.
“Curtis did really well,” admitted Carragher. “His role is best described by the fact that it’s a bit Wijnaldu-like. It’s not flashy, but I think everyone appreciates the work he does. The big turnaround that has happened to him is that he moves the ball much faster and plays with only two touches. All he has to do is move the ball forward quickly. He presses very well, has a lot of energy and is able to win the ball back – and that is a bit of Wijnaldum country. Wijnaldum hasn’t scored much or much, but you already have players in midfield who do. This is the role of Szoboszlai.
“Curtis’ role will not go unnoticed by people who understand the game and watch what he does. He plays most of the games at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp. Klopp spent a lot of money on midfielders and he still plays with Curtis Jones every time . A game that shows when he’s doing well.”
