When Dominik Szoboszlai was moved to right-back against Nottingham Forest last weekend, I have to admit I wasn’t completely convinced.
He’s one of Liverpool’s most important midfielders.
Why would you move him away from the position where he can influence the game?
But after listening to Andoni Iraola talk about the situation, I’m starting to see the bigger picture.
Liverpool don’t have Conor Bradley available.
They didn’t sign a specialist right-back before the transfer window closed.
And that means Iraola needs solutions.
Szoboszlai might be one of them.
We could see Dom at right-back again
Iraola has already made it clear that he values Szoboszlai’s ability to play in different positions.
He can play in midfield.
He can play on the right wing.
And, when Liverpool need him, he can play at right-back.
That’s not necessarily something I’d want to see every week.
But when injuries hit, having a player capable of stepping into another position can be incredibly valuable.
And with Bradley still unavailable, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Szoboszlai back at right-back again.
The Forest game showed why Iraola needs options
Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Forest exposed several problems.
The full-back positions were among them.
Jeremie Frimpong was eventually replaced, while Milos Kerkez also came off.
Iraola therefore needs alternatives.
And this is where Szoboszlai becomes interesting.
Rather than making another emergency signing simply to fill a position, Iraola can move one of his most versatile players into the role when necessary.
It’s not perfect.
But football rarely is.
Could Szoboszlai actually become good at right-back?
That’s the intriguing question.
I wouldn’t expect him to suddenly become a natural full-back.
He’s a midfielder.
But he has several qualities that could make him capable of doing the job.
He’s physically strong.
He’s energetic.
He’s technically good.
He understands positioning.
And perhaps most importantly, he’s willing to do whatever the team needs.
That’s exactly the mentality Iraola wants.
His versatility could be hugely important
Iraola has already spoken about how much he values versatility.
And I think we’re beginning to understand why.
Liverpool’s squad isn’t perfect.
There are areas where I believe the club should have strengthened.
Right-back is one of them.
But rather than constantly worrying about what Liverpool don’t have, Iraola appears to be looking at what he does have.
And Szoboszlai gives him options.
If Liverpool need more control in midfield, he can play there.
If they need an attacking option on the right, he can play there.
If they are short at right-back, he can potentially fill in.
That’s a very useful player to have.
But I don’t want to see him stuck there
There’s an important distinction, though.
I don’t want Szoboszlai to become Liverpool’s permanent right-back.
For me, that would be a waste of one of the team’s most talented midfielders.
Liverpool need him in the middle.
His energy, pressing, passing and ability to arrive in the box are important qualities.
So if he plays at right-back, I’d want it to be because the circumstances require it, rather than because Liverpool have decided that is his new position.
Iraola could make it work
This is where I have faith in the manager.
Iraola doesn’t seem particularly interested in rigidly defining players by one position.
He wants them to understand the game.
He wants them to be adaptable.
And he wants to be able to change things when circumstances demand it.
Szoboszlai is almost the perfect player for that philosophy.
He can understand what is required of a midfielder and then apply those principles somewhere else.
Of course, there will be moments when he makes mistakes.
Playing right-back isn’t easy.
But the more he trains in the position, the more comfortable he could become.
And maybe this is why Iraola wasn’t worried about the lack of a right-back
I was frustrated when Liverpool didn’t sign a specialist right-back.
I still am.
But perhaps Iraola looked at his squad differently.
He saw Frimpong.
He knew Bradley would eventually return.
He knew Gomez could provide cover.
He knew Ronald Araújo could play there.
And he knew he had Szoboszlai.
That doesn’t mean the squad couldn’t have benefited from another right-back.
It simply means Iraola believes he has enough solutions to get through the difficult periods.
Szoboszlai could be Liverpool’s emergency man
That’s probably how I’d describe it.
He’s not a right-back.
He’s Liverpool’s midfielder.
But when the situation demands it, he can become the emergency right-back.
And that’s valuable.
Especially during a season where Liverpool will have to deal with the Premier League, Champions League and domestic cups.
There will be injuries.
There will be suspensions.
There will be players who need a rest.
Having someone like Szoboszlai who can move around the pitch could make a big difference.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see him there again
So if Iraola puts Szoboszlai at right-back again, I won’t be complaining.
I’ll understand why.
It doesn’t mean Liverpool have solved the right-back position.
It means the manager is using the resources available to him.
And that’s something I’ve become increasingly positive about since the transfer window closed.
Liverpool didn’t fix every problem this summer.
Iraola has to find ways around them.
Szoboszlai could be one of those solutions.
And maybe that’s the bigger picture
When Liverpool didn’t sign another right-back, I saw a weakness.
I still do.
But Iraola sees an opportunity to use one of his most versatile players.
And if Szoboszlai can perform the role effectively when required, Liverpool may have found a temporary solution without taking him away from midfield permanently.
That’s exactly what good management is about.
Use what you’ve got.
Get the best out of your players.
Find solutions.
And keep moving forward.
So yes, I could see Dominik Szoboszlai back at right-back.
And if Iraola decides that’s what Liverpool need against Ipswich, I’m backing him to make it work.
Because if there’s one thing we’ve already learned about Iraola…
He’s not afraid to think outside the box.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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