Rodgers calls 17-year-old Yesil into squad for Young Boys clash due to lack of attacking options
By DOMINIC KING
Liverpool's lack of striking options will see untried 17-year-old Samed Yesil catapulted into the squad for their opening Europa League group game.
When Liverpool sanctioned the £1million deal to bring Yesil from Bayer Leverkusen on the eve of transfer deadline day, they did so with one eye on the future.
Yesil even admitted in his first interview with the club’s official website that he felt it would be “one or two years” before he was ready to play for the first team.
However, the subsequent chain of events that saw Andy Carroll move to West Ham on loan and long-term target Clint Dempsey join Tottenham from Fulham has opened up an unexpected path for the German.
Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Yesil will be part of the group that travels to Switzerland on Wednesday and it is highly likely he will be one of several youngsters involved against Young Boys Berne on Thursday.
Rodgers has already blooded youngsters Raheem Sterling and Adam Morgan in the Europa League this season and that theme will continue with Yesil and Spanish midfielder Fernando Suso, 19, both prominent in the manager’s thoughts.
‘He will certainly be fast-tracked,’ said Rodgers. ‘I watched him play (for Germany) against England Under-19s (two weeks ago). He scored two terrific goals and set up another (as Germany won 3-1). He will be involved in the Europa League game.
‘The biggest thing for young players now is that the introduction of Raheem has given them hope. All I have done is given him a chance.
'There will be that chance for Yesil and one or two other boys over this period of months now.’
Yesil is certainly a player with potential. He has scored goals at a brisk rate through age group levels for his country – he won the silver shoe at the Under-17 World Cup in Mexico last year – but there is little doubt he will need time to adjust to a new style at Liverpool.
Liverpool have struggled to score this season, with Luis Suarez left to carry the burden and it is almost certain that, with a game against Manchester United at the weekend, the Uruguayan will stay on Merseyside this week.
But Rodgers is not concerned about his side’s lack of goals and is adamant things will change sooner rather than later.
‘What people don’t realise is we are in the top three teams in terms of efforts on goal,’ said Rodgers.
‘Our penetration is good. We keep the ball longer but our emphasis is to score. But our conversion is not good.
‘We have had 17 attempts on average per game. But the conversion rate isn’t that good. We need to improve that. We can’t have so many chances to score a goal. But we’ll get there.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2204643/Brendan-Rodgers-calls-Samed-Yesil.html#ixzz26la9XZQo
By DOMINIC KING
Liverpool's lack of striking options will see untried 17-year-old Samed Yesil catapulted into the squad for their opening Europa League group game.
When Liverpool sanctioned the £1million deal to bring Yesil from Bayer Leverkusen on the eve of transfer deadline day, they did so with one eye on the future.
Yesil even admitted in his first interview with the club’s official website that he felt it would be “one or two years” before he was ready to play for the first team.
However, the subsequent chain of events that saw Andy Carroll move to West Ham on loan and long-term target Clint Dempsey join Tottenham from Fulham has opened up an unexpected path for the German.
Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Yesil will be part of the group that travels to Switzerland on Wednesday and it is highly likely he will be one of several youngsters involved against Young Boys Berne on Thursday.
Rodgers has already blooded youngsters Raheem Sterling and Adam Morgan in the Europa League this season and that theme will continue with Yesil and Spanish midfielder Fernando Suso, 19, both prominent in the manager’s thoughts.
‘He will certainly be fast-tracked,’ said Rodgers. ‘I watched him play (for Germany) against England Under-19s (two weeks ago). He scored two terrific goals and set up another (as Germany won 3-1). He will be involved in the Europa League game.
‘The biggest thing for young players now is that the introduction of Raheem has given them hope. All I have done is given him a chance.
'There will be that chance for Yesil and one or two other boys over this period of months now.’
Yesil is certainly a player with potential. He has scored goals at a brisk rate through age group levels for his country – he won the silver shoe at the Under-17 World Cup in Mexico last year – but there is little doubt he will need time to adjust to a new style at Liverpool.
Liverpool have struggled to score this season, with Luis Suarez left to carry the burden and it is almost certain that, with a game against Manchester United at the weekend, the Uruguayan will stay on Merseyside this week.
But Rodgers is not concerned about his side’s lack of goals and is adamant things will change sooner rather than later.
‘What people don’t realise is we are in the top three teams in terms of efforts on goal,’ said Rodgers.
‘Our penetration is good. We keep the ball longer but our emphasis is to score. But our conversion is not good.
‘We have had 17 attempts on average per game. But the conversion rate isn’t that good. We need to improve that. We can’t have so many chances to score a goal. But we’ll get there.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2204643/Brendan-Rodgers-calls-Samed-Yesil.html#ixzz26la9XZQo
