Top 5 takeaways from the season so far

Playmaking doesn’t need to come from the midfield

As phenomenal as Liverpool’s front three are, they can’t be the only creative outlets in the team— especially a title-contending one. So, fans hoped for a new attacking midfielder in the summer with names like Bruno Fernandes and Nabil Fekir being linked. However, those rumors ended up going nowhere.

Without any new midfield reinforcement, creativity in the middle of the park was a concern for some fans and critics heading into the season.

Players like Jordan Henderson, James Milner, and Georginio Wijnaldum aren’t made to be playmakers in Klopp’s system, rather reliable workhorses that dominate space. The more progressive midfielders Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are quite injury prone and can’t be relied upon to play every week.

Luckily, fullbacks Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson have added a new layer to the attack by taking more responsibility going forward. Trent especially has been pivotal for the Reds as he is head and shoulders above the rest of the team in assists and xA (expected assists). He has already tied his record for most assists by a defender in a Premier League campaign with nine games left to play in the campaign. Even Robertson, who has struggled this year compared to last, is tied for 2nd in assists and 4th in xA at the club.

The playmaking provided by the fullbacks has taken some pressure off the front three and has allowed the midfield to play their best role. Trent and Robbo have been one of the main factors in Liverpool’s transition into world-beaters. Their influential play shows that conventional creativity from the midfield isn’t necessary to be successful anymore.