Gini Wijnaldum is the blue-collar worker that Liverpool crave

Liverpool crave Gini Wijnaldum.

Over the next few weeks as we approach the beginning of the fall campaign, we figured it was time to highlight in player profiles the first team Liverpool squad and the talented youth that may well see first team duty.

We begin in the midfield with Gini Wijnaldum. Partly because he is the one first team star who hasn’t secured his future with a long-term contract, partly because much has been made over the summer about Gini’s contribution or lack thereof by fans and pundits.

It would seem that some are finding disfavor and fault with Wijnaldum’s lack of scoring and assists recorded in the past two seasons.

If you’re Bobby Firmino, by the way, you’re used to this kind of criticism from the goal/assist hungry fanbase. It goes with the territory.

This fan criticism was highlighted in a Liverpool Echo article earlier this summer, written by Reece Chambers.

For two seasons running, the Reds have put up ridiculously brilliant numbers while collecting silverware unheard of before in English footballing history. For those of you who need to hear it one more time, here it is:

June 2019 – Champions League winners and the team finished second in the Premier League by a single point on 97. This was the most exciting campaign and dogfight between the top two contenders in recent memory and perhaps of all time.

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Next came the UEFA Super Cup , and in December they would go on the world stage and collect Club World Cup silverware to hold all three major international trophies for European football. No other English side has ever done this.

They would continue on the champions run by taking the Premier League title in 2020 after a postponed season due to the pandemic. They would win earlier than any team before, and by a margin of 18 points

Gini Wijnaldum was an integral part of this entire two year run of form that is unlikely to be repeated or bested in our lifetimes.

When he plays in his natural forward attacking midfield position for the Netherlands, he is far more potent in offense. He scores goals and providing assists to the likes of Memphis Depay.

He was responsible for two of the four goals needed to send Barca packing from the Champions League semi-final at Anfield in May 2019, lest we forget.

What is important to understand about Wijnaldum is his workaday steady, consistent play in a specifically designed role for Jurgen Klopp. He is an extremely competent box to box midfield stalwart. And he plays defense in the midfield press and traps that Jurgen insist upon from his midfield players.

For Liverpool, Gini is tasked with linking forward passes into dangerous areas and channels to the forward three; and he is also tasked with defense in midfield when the ball is turned over by the offense. Or being playing out of the back by their opponents.

He often plays as a deeper defensive stopgap against the quick counter, in support of Fabinho. This is what Klopp has asked him to do. Nothing glorious or flashy like scoring goals in the double digits, or leading the midfield in assists. It is a glamour-less undertaking to be sure.

And Wijnaldum has done this competently with steadfast fortitude, with aplomb. Is he brilliant, is he a standout big-time name or personality? Not particularly. But he is there every match day to give everything to the cause. Only Firmino has played more minutes under Klopp’s regime since the German gaffer arrived five years ago come October.

As he will reach his 30th birthday come November, there are those who think he might be looking to apply his talents elsewhere, attempting to pull down one more large contract before he reaches his sell-by date on his career.

It remains to be seen, but Liverpool, in this tight financial climate, with the need to sign the younger players to long-term deals to insure continuity when the older lads do finally hang up the boots, leaves Gini in a particularly tight and sticky situation.

There can be no doubt about this man’s commitment as well as his drive and determination to give his best, and his overall value to the team and the Klopp experiment in excellence.

Gini is alright, and he certainly doesn’t deserve even half the criticism thrown his way by unrealistic and nonsensical fans and/or pundits. Jurgen has complete faith in him, and rightly so. That’s good enough for me.