The Next John Arne Riise? – Why Andrew Robertson Should Start All The Games For Liverpool
Since the departure of John Arne Riise nearly a decade ago, Liverpool FC have failed to find a proper replacement for the left-back role at the club. This particular position in the team has always been a worry for the club which saw Jurgen Klopp opt midfielder James Milner to take up the role last season, despite having Alberto Moreno in the squad.
The Spaniard has failed to live up to his potential after he joined the club back in 2014 and after his abysmal performance in the Europa League final against Sevilla, Klopp dropped the 25-year-old for James Milner, who played in a make shift left-back role for the entirety of last season.
But having qualified for Champions League, Jurgen Klopp could not afford to go into the new season with just one natural left-back in his squad. So in came Andrew Robertson from Hull City this summer for £10million.
Although Andrew Robertson might not sound like a world-class signing at the moment, he certainly does have the potential to be one in the future. The 23-year-old Scotland international was outstanding for Hull City last season but his individual brilliance alone couldn’t save the Tigers from relegation.
In fact, Robertson also scored a superb goal from the edge of the box in Scotland’s 3-0 World Cup Qualifying win over Lithuania on Friday night. However, Robertson’s move to Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp could become the club’s best business since signing Philippe Coutinho, who was signed by the club for around £8.5million back in 2013.
Robertson already impressed in his debut, against Crystal Palace last month as he helped the Reds get their first clean sheet of the season. The Scotsman stood resolutely against Crystal Palace and was an engine going forward as well. Robbo clearly deserves to start for the Reds this season, over Alberto Moreno, after making a statement in the game against Palace.
What makes him better than Alberto Moreno? Plenty, to be precise. Robertson is a workhorse, something that Klopp looks for in all his players. His work rate for Hull City was phenomenal last season as he made tireless runs up and down the pitch in almost every game he played.
The Scotsman was also a threat on the left wing, especially in a struggling side like Hull City last season, which is something to be noted. When it comes to defending, Robertson ranks well above Alberto Moreno as he displays the perfect use of strength and intelligence.
The one quality he couldn’t completely unleash at Hull City was attacking capability. In a side like Liverpool, Robertson will have the freedom to make those forward runs and put in crosses like he loves. His crossing ability has been superb so far and can only get better. His ability to underlap and overlap is also a plus point.
Rounding it off, Andrew Robertson is not a new comer to the Premier League, having spent three seasons in the top flight as a regular first-team player. Robertson has certainly spent more time playing in England than Alberto Moreno, something that is required to handle the toughness of the English Premier League.