Discussion of potential replacements for Philippe Coutinho has run riot in the British media since the Brazilian left Liverpool for Barcelona in January, but in Xherdan Shaqiri the Reds have a new playmaker who is capable of filling the creative void this season.
When Shaqiri set foot at Anfield plenty of questions were asked about what role he would play. The stocky Switzerland international predominantly operated in an inside right position for Stoke City, a role which Mo Salah has cemented at Liverpool.
The Egyptian’s presence forced plenty of sceptics to question Shaqiri’s ambition, with many suggesting that he should have moved to a club offering greater assurances over first-team football.
But after a slow start he is beginning to establish himself as the club’s most effective number ten, and it’s not only his natural flair and guile which has caught the eye of Sky Sports pundit Nick Wright.
Indeed, Wright has delved into the statistics to assess Shaqiri’s impact at the club so far, and he discovered that the summer recruit is an incredibly hard working midfielder, despite exuding the impression that he is a luxury player.
Wright cited his performance against Huddersfield in October in which Shaqiri provided a sumptuous assist for Salah’s winner as evidence to substantiate his claim.
‘Shaqiri not only completed the 90 minutes but also ran more than half a kilometre further (11.5km) than any other Liverpool player.
‘It was, in fact, the most ground Shaqiri has ever covered in a Premier League game.’
Myth debunked. Well, not quite, but the statistic certainly proves that he is willing to push himself to the limit to earn his place in Klopp’s starting eleven.
Perhaps Shaqiri’s 11.5km outing has arrived as a consequence of sharper training methods at Liverpool, or perhaps it is purely related to his desire to impress within his new environment. It’s likely that a combination of both factors are at play, with the latter also enabling him to get the most out of his time on the training ground, rather than allowing complacency to slip in whilst surrounded by players who are clearly inferior, such was the case at Stoke.
Either way it’s a statistic which will delight both Klopp and the supporters, and if he continues to improve at the exponential rate he has enjoyed in recent months there is no doubt he will become an integral member of the Liverpool squad.
And Wright’s closing remark sums up how quickly Shaqiri has managed to alter perceptions throughout the British media.
‘Klopp never doubted him but there were plenty who did. Four months on from his arrival at Anfield, however, and he is already proving them wrong.’
Liverpool fans – thoughts? Let us know below!
