A few days ago, Connor Bradley signed a four-year contract extension with Liverpool, following Trent Alexander-Arnold’s announcement about leaving this summer.
While the club brought in Jeremie Frimpong as a replacement in the same position, they also hope to see another academy player step up after Alexander-Arnold.
In the match against Brighton on Monday, Arne Slot included him in the Starting XI for an initial assessment. Bradley, always eager to prove himself, demonstrated his worth even though the Reds lost 2-3 at Falmer Stadium.
Untapped Offensive Instinct? You Bet.
Bradley's confidence on the ball led to a direct scoring contribution on Liverpool's opening goal. A long pass from Szoboszlai found Mo Salah on the right wing.
Instead of landing the ball for further organization, Salah quickly passed the ball back to a sprinting Bradley.
Unexpectedly, the Northern Irish player maneuvered around a defender, one of two dribbles he executed, resulting in a brilliant assist to Harvey Elliott, who scored from the center of the box.
Recognized for his defensive grit, Bradley’s bold play on the ball surprised many Kopites. While we didn’t anticipate he could deliver precise long passes like Alexander-Arnold, the assist showcased his well-rounded abilities on both ends of the pitch.
Bradley displayed his desire for goals during the match. A moment later, he transitioned from defender to attacker while Liverpool was initiating a fast play.
Federico Chiesa drove toward the center and found Bradley on the front right. With no one marking him, he took a quality shot from a difficult angle, although it was off-target.
While passing may not be his strongest skill, Bradley fulfilled his responsibilities well, achieving an 80% passing accuracy (20 out of 25), which included two passes into the final third that contributed to his big-chance creations.
Beyond the statistics, it was his clever movement and offensive awareness that he exhibited through his positioning and wide coverage on the field.
Solid Defense, with Room for Improvement
Every athlete has their “hang it in the Louvre” moment; for Bradley, that was tackling Kylian Mbappé during the UCL group stage in his second season with the senior team.
In addition to displaying his offensive skills against Brighton, Bradley understood his defensive role well.
During the 77 minutes he played, the Northern Irishman made two blocks, four clearances, and four recoveries.
However, the journey to becoming an elite defender often comes at a cost, and Bradley learned that lesson in the 31st minute when he failed to mark Brighton’s Yasin Ayari.
Although he managed to block Ayari's shot at the last moment, the opponent found the net with just one touch.
Bradley won only two out of six ground duels, indicating his relative shortcoming in physicality. The young talent might need to address various aspects of his game this summer, but at just 21 years old, he has ample time to improve.
With one Premier League match (against Crystal Palace) left, we look forward to seeing what more he can offer.