A lot of Spanish players have plied their trade at Liverpool’s
academy in the last 10 years. Daniel Ayala, Mikel San Jose, Miki Roque (who
sadly passed away in 2012), and Dani Pacheco to name a few. None of which, ever
made the grade. Pacheco was a name I heard and read about intermittingly for
nearly four years and it never deviated from glowing praise with a mix of
righteous indignation that he hadn’t featured in the first team. The nadir of
this praise was reached when Mark Wright (a person I never had much time for as
a player and from that point on, as a pundit) was commentating on TV3 (a
channel I have no time for). As Pacheco was just about to come on as sub in
extra-time, Wright proclaimed that if this fella gets a chance on the ball he
will deliver. Pacheco looked like a rabbit in headlights against Madrid as the
home team failed to get the vital goal to send them to the Europa League final.
Less than a year later, Jonjo Shelvey made his debut for Liverpool against Manchester United in a FA Cup tie at Old Trafford. He entered the fray with Liverpool a goal down, a man down and only 5 minutes remaining. Realising the urgency of the situation, Shelvey would not take long to make himself known, throwing himself into a desperate tackle to win back possession. While I’m not sure if a foul was called him against him for the tackle, I was certainly inspired! This was desire in the face of adversary, this was passion. And it was a time Liverpool that desperately needed passion, with Steven Gerrard the man sent off and Kenny Dalglish only having taken the manager’s job the day previous. Liverpool would go on to lose the game, and I would immediately proclaim that Shelvey had done more in 5 minutes on the pitch than Dani Pacheco had done to justify a place in the first team squad. 4 years later, Shelvey is still playing in the Premier League while Pacheco is in the Spanish second division.
A year and a half later, another defiant lunge from Shelvey on a Manchester United player would prompt a very different reaction. He received a straight red card and Liverpool once again found themselves a man down against their fierce rivals. All signs pointed to a comfortable second half for United and although they would go on to win 2-1, remarkably Liverpool would dominate the 2nd half in terms of possession and territory. And the key factor in this Jesús Joaquín Fernández Sáenz de la Torre, otherwise known as Suso.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ury_eKr33Ko
Less than a year later, Jonjo Shelvey made his debut for Liverpool against Manchester United in a FA Cup tie at Old Trafford. He entered the fray with Liverpool a goal down, a man down and only 5 minutes remaining. Realising the urgency of the situation, Shelvey would not take long to make himself known, throwing himself into a desperate tackle to win back possession. While I’m not sure if a foul was called him against him for the tackle, I was certainly inspired! This was desire in the face of adversary, this was passion. And it was a time Liverpool that desperately needed passion, with Steven Gerrard the man sent off and Kenny Dalglish only having taken the manager’s job the day previous. Liverpool would go on to lose the game, and I would immediately proclaim that Shelvey had done more in 5 minutes on the pitch than Dani Pacheco had done to justify a place in the first team squad. 4 years later, Shelvey is still playing in the Premier League while Pacheco is in the Spanish second division.
A year and a half later, another defiant lunge from Shelvey on a Manchester United player would prompt a very different reaction. He received a straight red card and Liverpool once again found themselves a man down against their fierce rivals. All signs pointed to a comfortable second half for United and although they would go on to win 2-1, remarkably Liverpool would dominate the 2nd half in terms of possession and territory. And the key factor in this Jesús Joaquín Fernández Sáenz de la Torre, otherwise known as Suso.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ury_eKr33Ko
(a 2 minute highlight video of Suso's second half performance that day)
To put into context how well Suso stood out that day, the previous night I was at a wedding reception and did not get home until 7am that morning. Waking up at 1pm, and realising I was missing the match, I rushed to town to watch the rest of the game. To say I was hungover was an understatement but even now I can vividly recall how well Suso played. Everything from his composure on the ball, the control, his passing, his decision making, his movement on and off the ball, just oozed sheer class. This was an 18 year old making his Premier League debut against a team that would go on to win the League title that season. It was emotionally charged occasion but he looked like he had playing the game all his life.
So why is it more than 3 years later, this young starlet has not become an integral part of Brendan Rodgers team? Again, I don’t have all the answers and I don’t fully understand why. His decision to sign a pre-contract with Italian maestros AC Milan has come as a huge disappointment to many Liverpool fans, especially those with a passion for passing football. Many people believed he had only a bright future ahead of him at the club. Most of these people still believe he has great things ahead of him.
Suso would make 14 appearances in the 2012-13 season, all coming before the end of 2012. He would continue to impress those who watched him and his form eventually secured a new contract and the praise of his manager for his “maturity and commitment”. This was a Liverpool side in transition but it seemed that Suso would become an integral part of the team going forward. You could typify the Liverpool of that period with an analysis of Suso’s game. Liverpool looked good in possession, and regularly found themselves in the opponents half creating chances. However, with the exception of Luis Suarez, they would fail to capitalise on these chances. The one aspect of Suso’s game which was lacking was shooting. He would do superbly to hold onto the ball, shielding it from defenders or jinking his way past the opposition but it seemed at times this would affect his balance when it came to taking on a shot or making a cross. However, no one is perfect. This would be a small price to pay for everything else he had shown. To highlight the fact again, he was only 18, he would only get better I believed.
The January transfer window would eventually curtail Suso’s development in the first team with the signings of Daniel Sturridge and, more importantly, Coutinho demoting the Spaniard. This was not seen as a cause for concern at the time. Raheem Sterling, another young first team prospect would also see less playing time for the rest of the season. Suso himself seemed happy to remain on the fringes of the squad, rejecting a late loan move to Wigan. It was a move I thought he should have considered, as playing for a Roberto Martinez side would have helped his development as a player. He would have also have won an FA Cup medal and experienced the joy of relegation!
For the 2013-14 season, Suso would go on a season long loan at La Liga side UD Almería. As Liverpool forged an unrealistic title challenge, Almería would spend the season fighting relegation. Suso was a key member of the side, making 33 appearances. He would also contribute 7 assists and 3 goals, decent returns for a struggling side. A more comprehensive analysis is available at http://basstunedtored.com/2014/05/20/suso-201314-review/ but his incisive passing and movement continued to shine. Playing constantly at his age is crucial and it was a season well spent, fighting relegation instead of fighting for recognition in a title chasing side. The most interesting aspect of his loan spell was the versatility of Spaniard in a number of formations. Over the course of the season he was played as right winger, a left attacking midfielder, a central attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 and a deep-lying forward. Given the interchanging ability of the Liverpool attack in 2013-14, this versatility boded well for Suso that he could contribute in many areas of the Liverpool attack and give Rodgers more options.
However, his shooting continued to deflate expectations. And his increased playing time only served to give the youngster an invincible aura that only resulting in taking too much out of ball instead of laying it off or going for a wild shot from distance (waheeeeeey). Off the ball, he was liable for a lack of effort in tracking back or retrieving possession. The low point of his loan spell occurred when he received a straight red card for a wild lunge on Real Betis’ Damien Perquis. Suso was given license to control the game in the final third but he might have sacrificed any intention of defending with this license and freedom. It doesn’t work that way with Brendan Rodgers, with high pressing and a high work rate without the ball as crucial as providing the end product on goal.
I will say again, that for a young player, he had shown plenty in his game to prove he could be a match winner. The flaws in his game could be worked on with the right type of manager. Despite not watching as much of him as I would have liked, I still remained convinced that Suso should be retained and be given a proper chance to stake his claim for a place. Unfortunately for him, a number of new signings coupled with the development & experience of the 2013-14 season made the Liverpool first team a hot commodity. One that now had a lot more depth, and one that had high demands in order to succeed and maintain a place in.
As Liverpool developed into the most exciting attacking team of last season, I wondered what future Suso would have at the club. I believed that Suso lacked the pace to seamlessly integrate himself into the attack. His selfish attacking potential was widely lauded but when Liverpool lost possession, he rarely stood out pressuring to win it back. I have seen many comparisons with Coutinho of late. It was the Brazilians arrival in 2013 that curtailed Suso’s run in the first team. While Coutinho had the pace that Suso lacked, I believe Suso to be a better player in possession. They both had excellent control and both had terrible shooting. Yet it was Coutinho who was thrust into the team alongside Daniel Sturridge, and they have never looked back.
The arrival of Adam Lallana only diminished Suso’s prospects further. A grossly inflated 24 million pound acquisition, Lallana is a similar type of player to Coutinho. At the time of Lallana’s signing was being debated, I was far more concerned that the club should sign Xherdan Shaqiri. Shaqiri would have offered a lot more to the void left by Luis Suarez whereas Lallana would only add more competition to an area where Liverpool had depth, the No.10 role. Lazar Markovic’s arrival was another nail in the Suso coffin as he offered another option in the attack out wide.
Liverpool have struggled throughout the first part of this season, with injuries, poor form, change in formations all playing their part. And through all of this, Suso has played a mere 22 minutes. It was an extra time cameo where he scored his goal for the club and two penalties in a shootout against Middlesbrough in the League Cup. Not long after, he suffered a groin injury and was ruled out for 2 months. It would be the final blow in trying to establish himself again in the Liverpool team. It was very possible he would have seen more game time in that turbulent period for the club but now finds himself further than ever from making the first team. Suso himself knows that, refusing to sign a new contract and looking to towards Milan for his future.
Am I saying Liverpool will rue this decision in years to come? Possibly. AC Milan are currently struggling in the Serie A and there are far more cases in football of potential failing to translate into success over a period of time. With that being said, Suso has far more going for him than any Liverpool youth prospect in the last 10 years (including Raheem Sterling). That may not be saying much given what has come out of the Academy in the last 10 years but I believe he has every chance of doing better than Sterling has done and more. There is life after Liverpool, Suso has every confidence in his own ability to succeed, and I will not be surprised if he does.
To put into context how well Suso stood out that day, the previous night I was at a wedding reception and did not get home until 7am that morning. Waking up at 1pm, and realising I was missing the match, I rushed to town to watch the rest of the game. To say I was hungover was an understatement but even now I can vividly recall how well Suso played. Everything from his composure on the ball, the control, his passing, his decision making, his movement on and off the ball, just oozed sheer class. This was an 18 year old making his Premier League debut against a team that would go on to win the League title that season. It was emotionally charged occasion but he looked like he had playing the game all his life.
So why is it more than 3 years later, this young starlet has not become an integral part of Brendan Rodgers team? Again, I don’t have all the answers and I don’t fully understand why. His decision to sign a pre-contract with Italian maestros AC Milan has come as a huge disappointment to many Liverpool fans, especially those with a passion for passing football. Many people believed he had only a bright future ahead of him at the club. Most of these people still believe he has great things ahead of him.
Suso would make 14 appearances in the 2012-13 season, all coming before the end of 2012. He would continue to impress those who watched him and his form eventually secured a new contract and the praise of his manager for his “maturity and commitment”. This was a Liverpool side in transition but it seemed that Suso would become an integral part of the team going forward. You could typify the Liverpool of that period with an analysis of Suso’s game. Liverpool looked good in possession, and regularly found themselves in the opponents half creating chances. However, with the exception of Luis Suarez, they would fail to capitalise on these chances. The one aspect of Suso’s game which was lacking was shooting. He would do superbly to hold onto the ball, shielding it from defenders or jinking his way past the opposition but it seemed at times this would affect his balance when it came to taking on a shot or making a cross. However, no one is perfect. This would be a small price to pay for everything else he had shown. To highlight the fact again, he was only 18, he would only get better I believed.
The January transfer window would eventually curtail Suso’s development in the first team with the signings of Daniel Sturridge and, more importantly, Coutinho demoting the Spaniard. This was not seen as a cause for concern at the time. Raheem Sterling, another young first team prospect would also see less playing time for the rest of the season. Suso himself seemed happy to remain on the fringes of the squad, rejecting a late loan move to Wigan. It was a move I thought he should have considered, as playing for a Roberto Martinez side would have helped his development as a player. He would have also have won an FA Cup medal and experienced the joy of relegation!
For the 2013-14 season, Suso would go on a season long loan at La Liga side UD Almería. As Liverpool forged an unrealistic title challenge, Almería would spend the season fighting relegation. Suso was a key member of the side, making 33 appearances. He would also contribute 7 assists and 3 goals, decent returns for a struggling side. A more comprehensive analysis is available at http://basstunedtored.com/2014/05/20/suso-201314-review/ but his incisive passing and movement continued to shine. Playing constantly at his age is crucial and it was a season well spent, fighting relegation instead of fighting for recognition in a title chasing side. The most interesting aspect of his loan spell was the versatility of Spaniard in a number of formations. Over the course of the season he was played as right winger, a left attacking midfielder, a central attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 and a deep-lying forward. Given the interchanging ability of the Liverpool attack in 2013-14, this versatility boded well for Suso that he could contribute in many areas of the Liverpool attack and give Rodgers more options.
However, his shooting continued to deflate expectations. And his increased playing time only served to give the youngster an invincible aura that only resulting in taking too much out of ball instead of laying it off or going for a wild shot from distance (waheeeeeey). Off the ball, he was liable for a lack of effort in tracking back or retrieving possession. The low point of his loan spell occurred when he received a straight red card for a wild lunge on Real Betis’ Damien Perquis. Suso was given license to control the game in the final third but he might have sacrificed any intention of defending with this license and freedom. It doesn’t work that way with Brendan Rodgers, with high pressing and a high work rate without the ball as crucial as providing the end product on goal.
I will say again, that for a young player, he had shown plenty in his game to prove he could be a match winner. The flaws in his game could be worked on with the right type of manager. Despite not watching as much of him as I would have liked, I still remained convinced that Suso should be retained and be given a proper chance to stake his claim for a place. Unfortunately for him, a number of new signings coupled with the development & experience of the 2013-14 season made the Liverpool first team a hot commodity. One that now had a lot more depth, and one that had high demands in order to succeed and maintain a place in.
As Liverpool developed into the most exciting attacking team of last season, I wondered what future Suso would have at the club. I believed that Suso lacked the pace to seamlessly integrate himself into the attack. His selfish attacking potential was widely lauded but when Liverpool lost possession, he rarely stood out pressuring to win it back. I have seen many comparisons with Coutinho of late. It was the Brazilians arrival in 2013 that curtailed Suso’s run in the first team. While Coutinho had the pace that Suso lacked, I believe Suso to be a better player in possession. They both had excellent control and both had terrible shooting. Yet it was Coutinho who was thrust into the team alongside Daniel Sturridge, and they have never looked back.
The arrival of Adam Lallana only diminished Suso’s prospects further. A grossly inflated 24 million pound acquisition, Lallana is a similar type of player to Coutinho. At the time of Lallana’s signing was being debated, I was far more concerned that the club should sign Xherdan Shaqiri. Shaqiri would have offered a lot more to the void left by Luis Suarez whereas Lallana would only add more competition to an area where Liverpool had depth, the No.10 role. Lazar Markovic’s arrival was another nail in the Suso coffin as he offered another option in the attack out wide.
Liverpool have struggled throughout the first part of this season, with injuries, poor form, change in formations all playing their part. And through all of this, Suso has played a mere 22 minutes. It was an extra time cameo where he scored his goal for the club and two penalties in a shootout against Middlesbrough in the League Cup. Not long after, he suffered a groin injury and was ruled out for 2 months. It would be the final blow in trying to establish himself again in the Liverpool team. It was very possible he would have seen more game time in that turbulent period for the club but now finds himself further than ever from making the first team. Suso himself knows that, refusing to sign a new contract and looking to towards Milan for his future.
Am I saying Liverpool will rue this decision in years to come? Possibly. AC Milan are currently struggling in the Serie A and there are far more cases in football of potential failing to translate into success over a period of time. With that being said, Suso has far more going for him than any Liverpool youth prospect in the last 10 years (including Raheem Sterling). That may not be saying much given what has come out of the Academy in the last 10 years but I believe he has every chance of doing better than Sterling has done and more. There is life after Liverpool, Suso has every confidence in his own ability to succeed, and I will not be surprised if he does.
No comments:
Post a Comment