Liverpool’s midfield revamp promises plentiful points but Dream Team gaffers wary of past disappointments
IT’S been a quirk of Jurgen Klopp’s tenure as Liverpool head coach that the Reds’ midfielders have been curiously underwhelming in the realm of Dream Team.
Philippe Coutinho (£2m) plundered plenty of points once upon a time and Luis Diaz (£4m) has produced the goods when fit since his transfer from Porto but given Liverpool have been equal to (and occasionally better than) Man City for prolonged periods in recent years, the two teams have been worlds apart in terms of midfield returns.
However, the Merseyside giants are in the midst of a much-needed squad overhaul this summer and Dream Team managers may finally have several viable Liverpool midfielders to choose from when the new season gets underway - it’s a miracle!
Alexis Mac Allister’s (£4m) stock has gone through the roof in the last year thanks mostly to his impressive contribution to Argentina’s World Cup victory but also his consistent performances for Brighton.
The 24-year-old mustered 133 Dream Team points last term via 12 goals and three assists in all competitions.
16 midfielders amassed a higher total but it’s worth noting that Mac Allister’s would have ranked 12th in his position had the new scoring system been implemented.
Dream Team bosses should be aware that the process by which points are distributed has been revolutionised for 2023/24 and a statistical review suggests Liverpool’s new No10 will benefit greatly from the change - he would have earned 203 points last season via the new process.
Players will now receive one point for every shot on target they register and Mac Allister ranked joint-12th in the Premier League last season with all but one (Bruno Fernandes) of the players above him being forwards.
Dream Team assets will also bank a point for every two successful tackles.
Mac Allister ranked just outside the 20 players for tackles attempted in the top flight but it’s worth noting that he placed lower for successful challenges.
These stats reinforce what fans have observed about the Argentina international, he’s a well-rounded midfielder who is an attacking threat in possession and a diligent worker in defence.
Mac Allister’s profile makes him an appealing option for Dream Team bosses and doubly so if Klopp’s side pick up where they left off at the end of 2022/23, when they displayed the kind of rampant form supporters have come to expect.
Dominik Szoboszlai (£3.5m) is the other big-money arrival at Anfield this summer.
The Hungary international was among the Bundesliga’s best playmakers last season, ranking highly in almost every creative metric.
He provided eight league assists for RB Leipzig in 2022/23 but the underlying numbers suggest he was unlucky not to register more - only three players in the league accumulated more xA (expected assists).
Dream Team assets will earn a point for every big chance created (as defined by OPTA) this coming season and if Szoboszlai can transfer his Bundesliga form to English soil then he will tick over nicely - although many players have struggled with the transition.
At the time of writing, Diaz, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai are all among the 15 most-popular players in their position so clearly Dream Team gaffers believe 2023/24 will be a season of Liverpool midfield returns.
Although more than a few experienced managers will also be wary of past disappointments and will wait to see how the new-look midfield functions before taking a punt.
Liverpool may yet bolster their midfield further before the transfer window closes with Romeo Lavia tipped to take the much-trodden path from Southampton to Anfield.