I’ll admit it, Trey Nyoni wasn’t somebody I expected to be talking about quite this much already.
At the start of the season, I saw him as one for the future. A really exciting young midfielder who needed time, patience and a few opportunities to show what he could do.
I’m not so sure we can call him just a player for the future anymore.
Nyoni is starting to give Andoni Iraola a proper selection headache.
And I think Liverpool supporters should be very happy about that.
The midfield was one of the areas I was most interested in when Iraola arrived. Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and Mac Allister all have plenty of ability, but Liverpool haven’t always looked completely balanced in there.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m not convinced Gravenberch and Szoboszlai together always give us enough control.
Then there’s Nyoni coming through and making the whole thing a little more interesting.
Liverpool reportedly turned down a $40m offer from Nottingham Forest for him during the summer. That was a huge statement considering he hadn’t even started a Premier League game.
It made me think Liverpool must really believe in this kid.
Now I’m beginning to understand why.
What I really like about Nyoni is that he doesn’t seem scared of the ball.
That sounds simple, but it isn’t.
Some young players get into the first team and you can almost see them thinking, don’t make a mistake.
Nyoni seems to think, give me the ball.
I like that.
Iraola noticed it during pre-season too, praising his willingness to ask for the ball when opponents were putting him under pressure and describing that quality as “very valuable.”
That’s exactly the sort of midfielder I want to see at Liverpool.
Someone who wants responsibility.
Someone who doesn’t hide.
And someone who is prepared to play forward.
Nyoni has mainly been used as a No.6 under Iraola, which is particularly interesting to me.
Liverpool have spent plenty of time trying to find the right player for that sort of role.
I’m not saying Nyoni has suddenly become the answer. He’s 19 and has a lot to learn.
But watch him and there are moments when you can see why Liverpool are so excited.
He’s comfortable receiving the ball.
He looks forward.
He isn’t afraid to get involved.
And he seems to understand what Iraola is asking from him.
Nyoni has also spoken about enjoying Iraola’s football because it’s forward-thinking and aggressive, with an emphasis on pressing and attacking quickly after winning the ball.
That sounds like a pretty good fit to me.
Then we saw him against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.
Iraola changed almost the entire team and Liverpool won 3-1.
Nyoni started, and once again he looked like he belonged.
That’s when I started thinking this could become more than just a nice development story.
Because if Nyoni was simply a promising youngster, Iraola could quite easily leave him out.
But what happens if he keeps playing well?
That’s where the problem starts.
And it’s a problem I want Iraola to have.
I’m not going to sit here and say Nyoni should suddenly start every Premier League game.
That would be ridiculous.
He’s still learning the game.
There will be matches where the pace is too much for him. There will be mistakes. There will be days when the right thing is for him to watch from the bench.
That’s football.
But I don’t want Liverpool to keep a talented player on the sidelines simply because he’s young.
If he’s good enough to contribute, give him the opportunity.
And there is another reason I’m interested in what happens next.
Nyoni has now been moving up the England setup as well, having been promoted from the Under-20s to the Under-21s during the latest international period.
That’s another sign that his development is moving quickly.
It feels like only yesterday we were wondering when Liverpool would see more of him.
Now we’re wondering how much football Iraola can find for him.
That’s a very different conversation.
And I think the senior midfielders need to take notice too.
Gravenberch needs to keep improving.
Szoboszlai needs to keep improving.
Mac Allister needs to keep improving.
That’s not a criticism of any of them. It’s just what happens when a young player starts knocking on the door.
Competition is good.
Liverpool have spent a lot of money building this squad, but one of the most interesting things for me is watching a young player from the academy potentially force his way into the picture.
That’s what supporters want to see.
And maybe that’s why Nyoni is giving Iraola a problem Liverpool didn’t have before.
He isn’t just asking for a chance anymore.
He’s starting to make a case for one.
I still wouldn’t rush him.
I wouldn’t put the weight of Liverpool’s midfield on his shoulders.
But I’d definitely keep giving him minutes.
Because there is something about Nyoni that I really like.
He looks like he belongs.
And if that continues, Iraola is going to have to find a way of getting him onto that pitch more often.
For me, that’s a bloody good problem to have.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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