Amid the doom and gloom surrounding Liverpool’s performances since coming back from the World Cup break, Stefan Bajcetic has been a ray of sunshine in extraordinarily testing circumstances.
To counsel that Liverpool are in any means again on observe after their final two performances can be a serious overstatement.
The sort of soccer we’re seeing for the time being from this crew continues to be 1,000,000 miles away from the requirements they beforehand set, and with every passing week it feels as if any sensible hopes of salvaging a top-four end are step by step fading.
That would change, in fact, however a cursory look on the Premier League desk says all the pieces about how far Liverpool have fallen away, and the way powerful a job they’ve on their fingers if they’re to stop this season from being a complete catastrophe.
Towards such a grim backdrop, nevertheless, the truth that Liverpool managed to maintain back-to-back clear sheets in opposition to Wolves and Chelsea shouldn’t be dismissed.
They had been maybe a contact lucky to take action, however having shipped eight targets within the earlier three video games in opposition to Brentford, Wolves and Brighton, shedding two and scraping a draw within the different, it’s a step – albeit a small one – in the fitting path.
Their attacking play has been blunt, disjointed and insipid – not helped by the continued absence of a number of key forwards – however initially, Liverpool have to discover a method to develop into more durable to beat once more.
During the last two video games they’ve a minimum of demonstrated a greater stage of defensive organisation and midfield solidity than we’ve seen for fairly some time.
On the centre of that has been Stefan Bajcetic, who was arguably Liverpool’s Man of the Match within the 1-0 FA Cup victory over Wolves, deservedly maintaining his place within the beginning lineup in opposition to Chelsea.
He wasn’t as influential in Saturday’s drab 0-0 draw at Anfield, however he was not at all out of his depth and definitely did his burgeoning repute no hurt in any respect.
Because the questions round Liverpool’s midfield deficiencies and the shortage of funding proceed to be requested – with no reinforcements seemingly on the playing cards this month – one factor is inarguable: a heavy rebuilding job is required in the summertime.
Over the previous few weeks, Bajcetic has definitely proven why he must be a major a part of that dialog.
Incomes Klopp’s belief
Previous to final summer season, it’s honest to say that Bajcetic in all probability wasn’t a reputation on most individuals’s radars as a real first-team possibility for Liverpool.
Having joined from Celta Vigo in a deal price round £224,000 in December 2020 – simply earlier than new Brexit guidelines prohibited English golf equipment from signing abroad gamers underneath the age of 18 – his involvement in pre-season was the primary probability for a lot of supporters to see him in motion.
Whereas he caught the attention together with his pre-season performances, few might have realistically predicted that, six months on, Bajcetic can be beginning video games for the senior crew, together with in opposition to Man Metropolis away from house and Chelsea at Anfield.
Partly, he has profited from the dramatic drop in type of each Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, however finally it’s a mirrored image of his high quality and maturity that he’s been capable of earn the supervisor’s belief so rapidly and elevate himself within the pecking order.
Some would possibly level in the direction of the likes of Pedro Chirivella and Tyler Morton as proof that producing a handful of promising performances at a younger age doesn’t essentially result in turning into a first-team common, however their video games for Liverpool got here both in closely rotated cup sides or out of necessity because of an harm disaster.
Bajcetic, in contrast, was picked on benefit in opposition to Chelsea forward of a number of match and obtainable senior gamers, which says loads in regards to the regard by which he’s held by Klopp.
For a supervisor who has typically performed it comparatively protected throughout occasions of disaster prior to now, beginning Bajcetic over a completely rested Henderson and Fabinho was a extremely daring name.
One can argue as as to whether it paid off, given Liverpool didn’t win and Bajcetic was inhibited by his first-half reserving and visibly started to tire as the sport wore on.
However it despatched out a strong message that nobody’s place within the aspect is assured and that those that grasp their alternatives might be rewarded.
A uncommon mix of expertise
When Bajcetic skipped previous Ezri Konsa and slotted the ball via Tyrone Mings’ legs to place Liverpool 3-1 up in opposition to Aston Villa final month, it was a second of actual shock.
Partly, as a result of he’d solely been on the pitch for a few minutes, and likewise as a result of he’d been introduced on rather than Henderson, presumably with the goal of closing the sport out and defending Liverpool’s slender lead.
To see him striding into the penalty space and making use of the end with such panache on his weaker foot was a outstanding sight to behold, displaying a level of confidence and composure effectively past what you’d normally anticipate from an 18-year-old defensive midfielder (who initially began out as a centre-back).
That clean, easy-on-the-eye type has been evident in different elements of his sport, too, significantly when he receives the ball in tight areas and precisely steers it across the nook together with his first contact.
Or when he seems to be underneath strain from an opponent, solely to drop a shoulder and swivel away into house – a ability you watched he’s been studying from Thiago, with whom he’s proven indicators of constructing a promising rapport.
In addition to possessing that technical excellence sometimes related to Spanish midfielders, Bajcetic clearly relishes the much less glamorous elements of his position: crunching into tackles, successful headers and breaking apart play with good interceptions.
It’s that sense of anticipation and positional self-discipline which permits him to beat a few of his bodily limitations as he bulks out and turns into more and more accustomed to the depth required to play such a demanding position at an elite stage, week in, week out.
It goes with out saying that there’s nonetheless huge scope for improvement, particularly by way of constructing stamina and increasing his vary and accuracy of passing.
At such a younger age, although, he already has an expansive set of instruments to work with, and if he can construct on his latest shows and proceed getting alternatives, we will anticipate to see an more and more well-rounded and spectacular model of Bajcetic within the months forward.
Establishing his place in Liverpool’s future
There could solely be a 350-minute pattern measurement so far, however judging by his latest performances, there’s no actual cause – accidents apart – why Bajcetic shouldn’t be an everyday a part of the first-team image all through the rest of the season.
With Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all set to depart as free brokers in the summertime, Fabinho and Henderson seemingly on a downward trajectory, uncertainty round Harvey Elliott’s greatest place and Curtis Jones struggling to kick on in his improvement, there’s a case to argue that Thiago is the one senior midfielder with out main query marks hanging over his head.
Even then, Thiago might be 32 come the summer season, and though his health file has truly been comparatively good this season, his availability can’t be counted upon in the long term.
That is the place Bajcetic has an actual probability to proceed selecting up constant minutes within the quick time period, and likewise to determine himself as a part of Liverpool’s midfield rebuild waiting for subsequent season and past.
That isn’t to say that he’ll essentially be a starter, or that his emergence implies that Liverpool can afford to take a extra relaxed strategy to transfers, however that it’s totally potential he’ll have a major half to play.
In a super world, he’ll be seen as an surprising bonus with out an excessive amount of strain on his shoulders, relatively than a direct resolution to one among Liverpool’s midfield switch necessities – a complement to, relatively than a substitute for brand new additions.
Even when which means being someplace between fourth and sixth in Liverpool’s checklist of midfield choices in 2023/24, that’s no dangerous place for Bajcetic to be at this stage in his profession.
Footballers hardly ever develop in a very linear means, in fact, so there could be a situation in some unspecified time in the future down the road whereby a mortgage transfer turns into the best choice for Bajcetic as he continues to hone his craft.
For now, although, he seems to be to be brimming with potential.
If Liverpool might help him unlock it, they could simply have a severe prospect on their fingers.
