Liverpool youngster Harvey Elliott could occupy a role similar to Manchester City legend David Silva for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds, according to The Athletic reporter Mark Carey.
The 18-year-old has enjoyed an impressive season in the Championship for Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn Rovers
“Elliott has the ability to add more goals to his game by getting into better areas to shoot and perhaps become a little more selfish,” the journalist wrote.
“However, if he isn’t going to be the ruthless goalscorer that Liverpool have had over the years, then Klopp is one of the best in world football at crafting a position that best suits the attributes of his players.
“Could the youngster benefit from a ‘David Silva’ role where he picks up space in central areas as an advanced ‘free eight’?
“Elliott could be drafted in an inside-right position in midfield, in the mould of Xherdan Shaqiri – bringing some added flair to a traditionally workmanlike midfield in recent years.”
Having witnessed the large thrust of our creativity coming from our forward line, via the central fulcrum that is Bobby Firmino, dropping deep to collect the ball and generally creating space for his devastating fellow marksmen, a potential shift may very well be welcome.
As a manager who is constantly seeking a new edge, season upon season, with which to surprise his opponents with, a marked changed to the makeup of the midfield three would certainly fit that particular bill for Jurgen Klopp.
The signing of Thiago Alcantara was certainly a statement in itself in terms of Klopp’s desire to shift his midfield in a new direction, in light of the challenges faced by sides favouring a low block – perhaps Elliott could be the next piece of the grand puzzle the German’s assembling
That being said, it’s the ‘workmanlike’ quality to the middle of the park that has played such a integral role in our recent successes, balancing out our front-three, and so we’d be foolish to expect any changes to occur in anything but a piecemeal fashion.
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