Liverpool have never been a side that boasts elite talent throughout the depth chart. Their Starting XI is up there with the best of them but after that there were always at least a few questions. As a result, Jurgen Klopp has had to rely on the youngsters in his ranks more often then he would probably like to admit.
I’m going to take a shot at ranking how the most prominent of those youngsters have done in Red this season.
1. Jarrell Quansah – Quansah has been a marvelous find in defense this campaign for the Reds. He was eased in at first before being thrown into the deep end after red cards and injuries took hold.
He has acquitted himself splendidly and has not looked out of place in the squad. His calmness in defense and reading the play belies his youth and it’s clear he has been listening to the likes of Virgil and Joel Matip.
He could still use some seasoning when he is on the ball as his passing range is limited, but that should only come with time.
He will be a integral piece in the defense both now and absolutely in the future. What a find he is.
2. Harvey Elliott – It feels like Harvey has been around for a long time but he is still only 20-years old.
His positional versatility is something the club loves and he might have the highest floor of any of the youngsters on this list.
He always brings a fiery passion on the pitch and it is clear he loves the club and fans. His ability to drive the team forward, particularly when coming on as a sub should not be overlooked.
Elliott is probably a natural attacking midfielder but he has made things work on the right side of the midfield three or on the wing. This will only give him a stronger foundation as he continues to evolve into an important player of the next era.
3. Ben Doak – It has not been the been the breakout campaign many predicted for the Scottish youngster. He has been hampered by injury and a lack of opportunities.
The few chances he did have to show something he was his usual direct attacking threat from the wing but his end product was not there.
He obviously is still an extremely talented player but we need to eventually see some progression being made. He can diversify his game a little more and become less predictable on the ball and in his runs.
However, I think he might have the highest ceiling of the names here because of that self-belief he has which is rare for a player so young with so few chances to shine.
Honorable Mentions: Luke Chambers and Stefan Bajcetic – Chambers filled in admirably after the Robertson injury to deputize for Kostas Tsimikas. Stefan, please get healthy. That is all.