After defeating Real Madrid 1-0 at home in the Champions League, Liverpool ushered in two consecutive victories. The team's situation seems to have improved. The Athletic's Red Army and team reporter James Pearce published an article to comment on the changes that have occurred.
The full text is as follows:
When Liverpool started the new season in August, Bradley and Robertson could only sit on the sidelines and were replaced by two new signings-Frimpong and Kyle Keitz, who were part of Liverpool's big signings this summer. At the time, Bradley was still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in the preseason, and the 31-year-old Robertson was relegated to the bench as Slott focused on the future.
In last weekend's Premier League match against Aston Villa, Bradley and Robertson started together for the first time since the last game of last season. In the Champions League victory against Real Madrid in midweek, they played together again and repaid Slott's trust with an outstanding performance. Liverpool's obvious weakness in the defense now seems to have become a strength. Bradley and Robertson helped the team keep zero seals in two consecutive games, adding confidence to Sunday's game against Manchester City.
Bradley is regarded as Arnold's successor and just signed a new four-year contract in May this year. However, his enthronement ceremony was delayed due to injury and it was not until Liverpool's seventh game of the season that he was deemed fit enough to start. However, when he finally entered the starting lineup, he struggled slightly. As Frimpong also suffered from injuries, the frequent rotation of the right back led to a sharp decline in the team's performance. Szoboszlai's temporary replacement at right back weakened Liverpool's midfield strength, allowing Bradley to fully find the rhythm of the game and became the key to the stability of the defense.
Since his debut in September 2021, Bradley has played 70 games for Liverpool. His career has been intermittent due to injuries. There has been controversy about whether he can succeed Arnold in the future. The main problem lies in the player's endurance, but his ability is beyond doubt. In addition to his tenacious style of play that can ignite the passion of the fans, he can also provide strong support for Liverpool's attack through smart insertion and precise passing.
On the other side, although Robertson's performance is not as eye-catching as Bradley, it is equally important. He and Wirtz cooperated very well. As captain of the Scotland national team, Robertson could have left Anfield in the summer window. At the time, he had offers from a number of clubs including Atletico Madrid and Milan, especially after Liverpool signed 21-year-old Kyle Kez for £40m. This was the first time since Robertson came to the Red Army that his starting position was tested, but he did not give up and chose to stay and continue fighting.
But Robertson must remain patient. Slott first gave Kyle Kez a chance to prove himself, but the latter failed during a struggling adaptation period. Reactivating Robertson in the past week can be said to be a smart move by Slott. With Bradley breaking the shackles and Robertson returning strongly, Liverpool looks to have shown a new look.