Liverpool’s evolution has taken nice strides this summer time with the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, so who higher to debate the new-look midfield with than considered one of Liverpool’s biggest ever midfielders?
It’s been the most important speaking level amongst supporters for a number of summers now, with Liverpool’s ageing midfield being severely problematic throughout final season’s struggles.
“We’ve recognized that [midfield] has been a problem for a few seasons,” admits Barnes.
“After all, now we have been a improbable staff all around the park, however the aspect obtained to an age whereby we’re seeking to decrease the age and get extra legs and extra depth.”
Liverpool added three new forwards within the three transfers home windows that preceded this one, with Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, freshening the assault.
“We did that with the strikers, with Gakpo, Diaz and Nunez, however we actually wanted to type the midfield state of affairs,” says Barnes. “We’ve now completed that, plus with what we have already got.
“So I’m actually hopeful and assured that this yr we are able to do a a lot better displaying than we did final yr.
“When it comes to the gamers now we have, I felt a necessity for positional necessities. Clearly we couldn’t get midfield gamers final yr, so it’s pleasing to see we obtained the gamers in the appropriate place for me this time.”
Targets and assists or extra stability?
Final season, in all competitions, Mac Allister scored 12 and assisted three, whereas Szoboszlai scored 10 and assisted 13 – that’s 22 objectives and 16 assists between the Reds’ new males.
For comparability, Liverpool’s entire midfield scored 10 and assisted 11 objectives final season – and a few of them got here from gamers like Elliott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain when enjoying within the entrance three.
Certainly, not since 2018/19 has a Liverpool midfielder scored transfer than 5 non-penalty objectives in a Premier League season.
For Barnes, although, it’s not essentially about objectives, however extra stability and stability for the entire aspect:
“After we received the Champions League and Premier League, we didn’t get objectives from midfield, we had good stability, the assists got here from the complete backs and the objectives got here from the entrance three – which is strictly how Liverpool play.
“It’s not a query of scoring extra objectives [from midfield] it’s a query of being stronger in midfield, in all probability to assist the complete backs get extra assist, so we defend higher.
“Now we have nice midfield gamers, Thiago‘s a improbable participant, Harvey Elliott‘s an incredible participant, however they aren’t defensive gamers, Mac Allister is [more], so now we have extra energy and solidity in midfield.
“In order that after we press we are able to win the ball up the sphere, we are able to get the complete backs additional ahead, realizing that if we lose the ball we’re nonetheless in a position to win the ball excessive up the sphere due to the sturdy midfield gamers that now we have.
“So it’s in regards to the stability. No person expects a number of objectives from midfield [necessarily] however I anticipate it to offer us a greater stability to permit us to play the best way we did earlier than.”
The twin signing of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, two gamers anticipated to occupy the attacking midfield roles in Jurgen Klopp‘s new formation, might remind supporters of when Barnes arrived alongside Peter Beardsley in the summertime of 1987.
The duo went on to attain 35 and help 28 between them of their first season collectively at Anfield, in a staff that many supporters thought to be the Reds’ most attacking and enticing aspect of all time.
We in all probability shouldn’t anticipate such numbers from the Reds’ new No.10 and No.8 this time, however followers can maybe hope for the same influence!
“It’s just a little bit totally different now,” laughs Barnes. “We’ve obtained a number of attackers, we’d like extra energy in midfield.
“When me and Peter got here, behind John Aldridge, we had been two of three signings in three years. [Now] each January we’re going to signal gamers, each summer time we’re going to signal gamers, so we signal gamers each switch window, occasions are just a little bit totally different.”
The true heroes
A Liverpool hero, Barnes was talking completely to This Is Anfield to shine a light-weight on another heroes as a part of the LFC Basis’s go to to eight hospitals within the metropolis to mark the seventy fifth anniversary of the NHS.
The NHS is one thing Barnes is aware of about properly, with two of his kids working as medical doctors within the NHS.
“I understand how essential the NHS is and the work they really do,” he says.
“I do know the historical past of it, 75 years in the past, after World Battle Two it was thought what’s the finest service we can provide our individuals after such a devastating time they usually created the NHS, which is the very best factor they ever did.
“They’re going via exhausting issues now, in fact there’s a number of political the explanation why, however as for the work that they really do on the bottom, which is what I’m serious about, overlook in regards to the politics behind it, they go above and past – particularly in the previous few years. I assist them 100%, I can’t communicate extremely sufficient.”
Barnes, alongside Bruce Grobbelaar and Alan Kennedy, hopped on the open high LFC tour bus from Anfield on Wednesday morning, visiting hospitals throughout Merseyside and stunning employees and sufferers with the European Cup.
There have been queues for pictures outdoors the massive hospitals like Arrow Park and The Royal, whereas on the Marie Curie Hospice in Woolton the three Liverpool legends had a extra intimate setting to fulfill these sufferers of their finish of life care.
“The hospitals we’ve been to, the work that they do right here within the NHS that goes unnoticed, if you discuss finish of life care, I can’t communicate extremely sufficient of the employees,” praises Barnes.
“It’s about appreciating what the employees do, they’re the actual heroes.
“The employees should be right here 24 hours a day, for years and years, they’re the actual heroes. As a lot because it’s nice for us to be right here, nice to be appreciated, I need to respect the individuals doing the actual exhausting work on the bottom, which is the medical doctors and nurses and employees within the hospitals.”
