Trying Not To Get Carried Away With Jacquet

Liverpool 2-0 Como | Pre-season Friendly

Trying not to get too excited about Jeremy Jacquet after 45 minutes of a pre-season friendly, yet that was some introduction.

There was an authority about him that caught the eye immediately. Strong in the challenge, quick across the ground, calm when Como tried to turn him, comfortable enough on the ball to play his way out of pressure. Then, naturally, he goes and scores in front of the Kop.

He’s 21, there will be difficult afternoons ahead, and Newcastle next Sunday will provide an altogether sterner examination. Still, you could see exactly why Liverpool were prepared to invest so heavily in him. The raw materials are obvious. Pace, strength, composure, anticipation. Playing alongside Virgil van Dijk should only accelerate his education.

Jeremie Frimpong deserves plenty of praise too. That was comfortably his most convincing performance at right back in a Liverpool shirt. His attacking qualities have never been in doubt, today there was far more substance defensively as well. Recovery pace, aggression, one vital intervention inside his own area, and the assist for Cody Gakpo’s opener. If Iraola can draw that level from him consistently, the conversation around right back changes considerably.

Gakpo was sharp, Ronald Araujo looked assured, and there was plenty to like.

There are still warning lights. Liverpool faded again after half time and surrendered too much territory. Better teams will punish that.

For tonight, though, Jacquet is the one I keep coming back to.

Forty five minutes.

Far too early.

And yet, wow.