View: 74% Liverpool talent out on loan causing selection dilemma after what Slot said
Liverpool are one more injury away from a crisis in the attacking positions at Anfield, with Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa still not ready to face Brighton on Wednesday (30 October).
While Arne Slot sweats over the depth in the business end of the pitch, Ben Doak has established himself as a regular starter in the Championship on loan at Middlesbrough.
The 18-year-old was one of few Reds players allowed to leave temporarily for the year as Slot embarked on a youth exodus throughout the summer, with those deemed a potential first-team starter remaining on the books.
However, the options are wearing thin at Anfield, and Slot hinted at how highly-viewed Doak is at the Reds in his pre-match press conference [29 October] ahead of the Brighton clash, joking the club should consider re-calling the forward to provide reinforcements.
He said: “For Ben Doak, it’s similar. He also went to a very good manager and they have a very good playing style. It’s a balance we need to find: do we want to play them on a regular basis or once in a while and keep them with us where we have to be aware of our own interests?
“Like you see now, we’ve got six forwards, two of them are injured, so only four left. With the schedule we have, that’s sometimes a bit of a worry for me. Maybe we should bring Ben Doak back!”
Liverpool should refrain from re-calling Ben Doak from loan
While not too much should be read into Slot’s comments, Doak would immediately be at the forefront of consideration should the injuries worsen at Anfield.
The forward has well and truly put the injury problems behind him which cost him a place at Euro 2024 this year and realised his dream of becoming a fully-fledged Scotland international.
However, Liverpool boast six attacking options regardless of injuries, and in the grand scheme, Doak would be the seventh-place option at Anfield – his development is far better served to continue in the second tier.
Doak has scored one goal for Boro in eight appearances, coming in the 2-0 win against Stoke City in September, leaving Michael Carrick in awe after a “dangerous” performance.
He was electric at the Riverside Stadium, completing 74 per cent of his passes with four key passes, completing a respectable 40 per cent of his crosses, and scoring his goal from only two shots on target [Sofascore].
While Doak must continue to improve his goal contributions for Middlesbrough, the underlying numbers present a different story.
In the Championship, he ranks in the top 90 percentile for xG (expected goals) with 2.50 and the 86 percentile for xA (expected assists) with 1.59 [Fotmob].
His 14 chances created ranks among the top 82 percentile, his 13 successful dribbles in the 84 percentile, and recorded 59 touches in the opposition box for the 96 percentile among all Championship forwards.
At 18, Doak is outperforming the best the second tier has to offer, and considering the number of those who will have prior experience in the Premier League, the sky is the limit for the forward.
Patience is everything when it comes to nurturing young talent. Liverpool can rest easy knowing one of the most exciting youngsters in the ranks is in the best possible environment to hone his talent.
In other Liverpool news, one Reds dud faces a potential axe by Arne Slot after what he did against Arsenal.
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