I wanted to write this post already a month ago, even when Can was not in a particularly good run of form yet. However even then there were enough signs that he is settling into the DM position nicely and the implications of this are huge for this team. Let's start from the beginning.
Emre Can was signed by Liverpool's transfer committee (I doubt Rodgers knew who he was until our scouts started following him) and while he showed talent and versatility from the start, it was hard to figure out his best position on the pitch. Someone here memorably said that we signed the only lazy and lackadaisical German player on the planet. Rodgers tried him most successfully at RCB, unsuccessfully at RB and with mixed results as a box-to-box/midfielder. It would seem that a player with such a wide range attributes enabling him to play either as a box-to-box or as a centre-back would find his best position in the middle of that range, namely at DM. However everyone was disappointed when he started for the first time as a DM in the Europa League game vs Besiktas and looked heavy-legged and lacking energy in that game. He played at DM only once more under Rodgers, who went back to switching him between central defense and box-to-box roles in his chaotic last season-and-a-half as manager.
Enter Klopp, whom I branded as "the best coach in the world at working with rough German-Turkish midfield diamonds" (someone then asked, "who is the 2nd best?" Good question, I still don't know!) Can scored the first goal of the Klopp era, which was a good omen. I was very curious how Klopp would go at solving the enigma that Rodgers couldn't and he clearly found the right words, because Can looked to have doubled his energy and application from the very first game under the new manager. Klopp started with Can as a left-sided box-to-box midfielder (in a midfield 3 with Lucas at DM), he also tried him as part of a midfield 2 with whoever was available, but the first time Can really played in Lucas' position was probably in the last game of the Europa league group stage vs Sion, which finished 0:0, allowing us to progress. I don't remember much about that game, but he clearly made progress since that Besiktas game because he got 2nd in MOM voting.
Can really staked his claim to the DM position only in the last few games, starting with the Sunderland 2:2 draw, which happily coincided with our best run of form in the whole season – 3 wins on the trot in the league, progressing against a couple of mediocre opponents in the Europa league and League Cup final. Lucas was injured for part of that time, but even when he did play it was already at CB, not DM – not because there were no fit CBs (Kolo was available in 2 out of 3 games Lucas played as a defender), but because Klopp wanted to give Lucas game time without dislodging Can from his new main position. Which means that Can is now the first-choice DM in this team ahead of Lucas.
If you've been following the endless Lucas/do-we-need-a-new-DM debates on this forum since the time Xabi and Masher left, you know what has just occurred is nothing short of a seismic shift. Lucas has been our only DM for most of this time and many fans grew frustrated by manager after manager failing to upgrade at this position, while others formed a small, but vocal Lucas fan club. Meanwhile the rest of the fans complied lists of targets every year – who is going to be the new saviour who will finally replace Lucas? M'Villa? Wanyama? That big "£30M-rated" Portuguese bloke who turned out to be shit? Schneiderlin? Xhaka?
In the meanwhile, Klopp seemed to have molded Can into almost a perfect DM (with an able back-up in Stewart as well):
Physically dominant? Check.
Good tackler? Check.
Shows leadership and aggression? Yes, definitely.
Efficient passing? Yes.
Able to carry the ball from midfield? Yes.
Goal threat? Developing.
Aerial ability? Check.
Speed? Check.
Game intelligence? Developing, but the brains are clearly there.
I know this has been just a few games he's been in this great form, but this doesn't feel like a false dawn – I really believe in Can we have found next great Liverpool's starting DM of the future and a bit of ups and downs in form will not change that (remember he's still 22!). Based on what I've seen this season he is already as good or better than Xhaka or Schneiderlin or pretty much anyone else we've been linked to recently (although I'd love to add Kanté to this midfield). It's been a rough season, but if by the end we discover the outline of a new spine of a future great team, I would say this transition period have been worth it.
Emre Can was signed by Liverpool's transfer committee (I doubt Rodgers knew who he was until our scouts started following him) and while he showed talent and versatility from the start, it was hard to figure out his best position on the pitch. Someone here memorably said that we signed the only lazy and lackadaisical German player on the planet. Rodgers tried him most successfully at RCB, unsuccessfully at RB and with mixed results as a box-to-box/midfielder. It would seem that a player with such a wide range attributes enabling him to play either as a box-to-box or as a centre-back would find his best position in the middle of that range, namely at DM. However everyone was disappointed when he started for the first time as a DM in the Europa League game vs Besiktas and looked heavy-legged and lacking energy in that game. He played at DM only once more under Rodgers, who went back to switching him between central defense and box-to-box roles in his chaotic last season-and-a-half as manager.
Enter Klopp, whom I branded as "the best coach in the world at working with rough German-Turkish midfield diamonds" (someone then asked, "who is the 2nd best?" Good question, I still don't know!) Can scored the first goal of the Klopp era, which was a good omen. I was very curious how Klopp would go at solving the enigma that Rodgers couldn't and he clearly found the right words, because Can looked to have doubled his energy and application from the very first game under the new manager. Klopp started with Can as a left-sided box-to-box midfielder (in a midfield 3 with Lucas at DM), he also tried him as part of a midfield 2 with whoever was available, but the first time Can really played in Lucas' position was probably in the last game of the Europa league group stage vs Sion, which finished 0:0, allowing us to progress. I don't remember much about that game, but he clearly made progress since that Besiktas game because he got 2nd in MOM voting.
Can really staked his claim to the DM position only in the last few games, starting with the Sunderland 2:2 draw, which happily coincided with our best run of form in the whole season – 3 wins on the trot in the league, progressing against a couple of mediocre opponents in the Europa league and League Cup final. Lucas was injured for part of that time, but even when he did play it was already at CB, not DM – not because there were no fit CBs (Kolo was available in 2 out of 3 games Lucas played as a defender), but because Klopp wanted to give Lucas game time without dislodging Can from his new main position. Which means that Can is now the first-choice DM in this team ahead of Lucas.
If you've been following the endless Lucas/do-we-need-a-new-DM debates on this forum since the time Xabi and Masher left, you know what has just occurred is nothing short of a seismic shift. Lucas has been our only DM for most of this time and many fans grew frustrated by manager after manager failing to upgrade at this position, while others formed a small, but vocal Lucas fan club. Meanwhile the rest of the fans complied lists of targets every year – who is going to be the new saviour who will finally replace Lucas? M'Villa? Wanyama? That big "£30M-rated" Portuguese bloke who turned out to be shit? Schneiderlin? Xhaka?
In the meanwhile, Klopp seemed to have molded Can into almost a perfect DM (with an able back-up in Stewart as well):
Physically dominant? Check.
Good tackler? Check.
Shows leadership and aggression? Yes, definitely.
Efficient passing? Yes.
Able to carry the ball from midfield? Yes.
Goal threat? Developing.
Aerial ability? Check.
Speed? Check.
Game intelligence? Developing, but the brains are clearly there.
I know this has been just a few games he's been in this great form, but this doesn't feel like a false dawn – I really believe in Can we have found next great Liverpool's starting DM of the future and a bit of ups and downs in form will not change that (remember he's still 22!). Based on what I've seen this season he is already as good or better than Xhaka or Schneiderlin or pretty much anyone else we've been linked to recently (although I'd love to add Kanté to this midfield). It's been a rough season, but if by the end we discover the outline of a new spine of a future great team, I would say this transition period have been worth it.
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