Conor Bradley proving the next star in the making at Liverpool
Conor Bradley is causing Jurgen Klopp a bit of a problem.
The 20-year-old right-back has been filling in for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Northern Ireland international hasn’t just done a job in place of the record-breaking No.66 though, he’s caught the eye in every single one of his outings.
Alexander-Arnold is now back, coming off the bench in the 5-2 win over Norwich City, and he’s going to reclaim his place in Liverpool’s starting XI. Prior to his injury, he was in unbelievable form so why shouldn’t he? But the way Bradley has been performing should see him retain his place in the first-team picture.
It is a difficult situation to manage and it puts Klopp in an unenviable position.
If Bradley loses his place in the team following yet another impressive display, how might that impact his confidence and what sort of message does that send to others? After all, at the end of the day, performances should matter.
But Liverpool do have a number of big games on the horizon. The Reds faced Chelsea in midweek and Arsenal on Sunday in what could be a season-defining couple of days. If Alexander-Arnold is able to start both, you stand your best chance of winning with him in the XI. He is a match-winner and a difference-maker.
It might be unfair on the No.84 but it could be a case of short-term pain for long-term gain.
Moving forward though, this potential problem could develop into something of a solution for Klopp and his eventual successor. Because Bradley could be the key to finally shifting Alexander-Arnold into midfield on a permanent basis.
For quite some time now, there’s been an argument that the England international is better suited to a midfield role but committing to such a shift has a knock-on effect on that right side. Liverpool could sign a right-back who would then need to learn the ways of the system in what would be a transitional period. There are a lot of moving parts in this scenario.
Bradley would ease some of these issues though.
Having come through the ranks, he knows the system. He knows the demands. He knows the physical rigours of playing in a Klopp system. And his experience as a right-winger gives him a versatility that would benefit the Reds. With Mohamed Salah tucking inside, Liverpool would need width and the youngster is happy enough to provide it.
Alexander-Arnold wants to operate in central areas whereas Bradley, a right winger in his youth, seemingly loves to play as more of a traditional full-back. It means these two can co-exist in the same XI.
Bradley, who has made 50 appearances for Bolton last season, scoring seven goals and assisting six, was named the club’s player of the season, player’s player of the season, and jointly the young player of the season before returning to Merseyside.
He has taken the confidence from that loan spell and used it to make an impact at Anfield. He is already proving himself to be a fairly effective outlet for the Reds. He chipped in with an assist against Bournemouth and created two goals for Liverpool in the FA Cup. The second arrived with Alexander-Arnold on the pitch playing as a midfielder.
The young full-back finished the game against Norwich City having played three key passes, a figure that only Dominik Szoboszlai (4) could better. Bradley also attempted the most tackles (6) and won the joint-most (5) alongside Jarell Quansah.
The 20-year-old gives Klopp a number of options for the remainder of the season. And it looks set to be another busy few months for the Reds with a Carbaco Cup final, a Fifth Round FA Cup match, the start of the Europa League knockouts and a title race. Having Bradley at his disposal allows him to carefully manage Alexander-Arnold and this could genuinely be the difference between success and failure.
