da 888casino： James Pearce has spoken of Yasser Larouci’s transition from winger to full-back since he joined Liverpool from Le Havre in 2017.
What’s the word?
da dobrowin： Liverpool’s thriving academy has been one of the major sub-plots emerging from the club’s outstanding 2019/20 season.
Amid football’s current hiatus, the academy was the talking point for discussion in the latest episode of the Red Agenda podcast (31st Match, episode 20).
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Indeed, The Athletic journalists Pearce and Simon Hughes joined host Steve Hothersall for an hour long special on Liverpool’s youth development system, and the former delivered an intriguing verdict about a player in Larouci who made his senior debut this season (40:32).
“Larouci has made big strides forward. He’s an interesting one in itself because he’s a player who came in as an attacker, as a real pacey, strong winger with an eye for goal.
“The staff felt that actually he would be better suited to the left-back role, especially in the Klopp mould where so much of it is providing that attacking outlet. They felt they could work with him and work on his defensive game and he’s another one that’s come on a lot.”
In-house backup for Andrew Robertson?
Larouci played two FA Cup matches against Everton and Shrewsbury Town this season.
In both games he was deployed as a left-back, and Pearce’s revelation suggests that the staff at Melwood have been fine-tuning his game to prepare him for that role.
As is so often the case with modern day full-backs, and particularly at Liverpool, Larouci appears to be blessed with plenty of attacking instinct. That he started his career as a wide player appears to have provided him with the core qualities he’ll need to play his way into Klopp’s plans.
Liverpool are currently lacking the presence of a senior left-back to deputise in Robertson’s absence, but Larouci could well fulfil that role in the coming years.