Reading much of anything into pre-season results is largely a waste of time. In the summer of 2019, Liverpool lost to Dortmund, Sevilla and Napoli, then won 26 of their first 27 games in the Premier League season which followed
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things to learn from the summer matches, even 4-0 losses to rivals Manchester United. The Reds’ first game in their preparations for the 2022/23 campaign offered Kopites a chance to see several players with whom they were unfamiliar.
Unless they pay close attention to the academy, fans may not have seen the likes of Isaac Mabaya, Luke Chambers or Bobby Clark before. The performances of new signings Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho were inevitably going to draw greater interest though.
READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp reveals tactical plan for Darwin Nunez after behind scenes change
EXCLUSIVE: Billy Hogan hints at Liverpool tour plan for 2023 and gives stadium update
Liverpool supporters have first-hand experience of what the former can do. The Uruguayan scored home and away against the Reds for Benfica last season, with a pair of excellent finishes. Carvalho will be more of an unknown quantity to many though.
As he only had half an hour on the pitch – as was the case for all the outfield players – he didn’t have too many opportunities to impress. But there was one moment which hinted at the possibilities his acquisition might open for Liverpool next season.
With his side a goal down and playing their way out from the back, Carvalho received the ball from Tyler Morton in the centre-circle. The 19-year-old had plenty of space in which to run and duly took advantage of it, carrying the ball across the middle of the pitch.
When he was around 10 yards from the edge of the penalty area, he played a pass out to his former youth team colleague at Fulham, Harvey Elliott. From there a chaotic passage of play ensued, with Chambers having two shots blocked, Carvalho hitting the post and Luis Diaz making a miskick when it looked easier to score. It was a crazy 10 seconds which summed up the Reds’ misfortune in front of goal across the match.
And it all came about thanks to the driving run and pass from Liverpool’s new number 28. Neither action was particularly special, in truth, but for now that does not matter. What matters is the potential they showed.
When it came to playing through ball passes, the Reds had few peers last season. Per FBRef they topped the Premier League for this brand of attacking pass and according to WhoScored they were one shy of creating the joint-most chances from them. But their sources and location were somewhat lopsided.
Per VizzApp, Mohamed Salah was responsible for the most through balls for Liverpool, with 11. He was backed up by Trent Alexander-Arnold with nine and Jordan Henderson with five. In other words, the Reds carried an enormous through ball threat from the right, but far less from left or central areas.
Enter Carvalho. He started the United friendly on the left of the midfield three, but at times inevitably drifted centrally towards the position in which he featured most frequently for Fulham. Whether Jurgen Klopp wishes to exploit or try to restrain this movement in his new midfielder remains to be seen.
However, the Liverpool manager has already expressed his excitement at Carvalho’s versatility. "He can play so many different positions for us, the way we play,” Klopp said. “At the minute he’s not really set on one position – it’s the wing, it’s the eight, it’s the 10, it’s the false nine if he grows a few more muscles.”
It’s easy to view formations and the players within them as set in stone. The Reds normally play in a 4-3-3 system so there’s no room for a number 10 in the traditional sense, right? Wrong, and it may be that Klopp proves it with Carvalho this season.
He can drift into the areas in which 10s normally operate and may be harder for opposing players to pick up as a result. Having a player who can start in left midfield but play incisive passes from both there and from central areas could be the next evolutionary step for Liverpool’s attack.
READ NEXT
