I really enjoyed watching Dominik Szoboszlai against Georgia.
Not because he scored.
He didn’t.
Not because he got an assist either.
He didn’t do that.
But he was everywhere.
Hungary won 1-0 thanks to Milos Kerkez’s header, but for me, Szoboszlai was the player who really caught the eye.
And the numbers are pretty ridiculous.
A 9.3 Sofascore rating.
Szoboszlai created eight chances, more than anybody else in the game, including one big chance. He had five shots, completed all five of his dribbles and won nine of his 11 ground duels.
He also completed 52 of 58 passes, with eight key passes and 8/9 accurate crosses according to Sofascore.
That’s the bit I like.
He wasn’t just having a nice game.
He was demanding the ball and trying to make things happen.
And that’s the Szoboszlai I want to see at Liverpool.
He looked like the captain
Szoboszlai wore the captain’s armband for Hungary and played with that responsibility.
There was a point in the game where it seemed almost everything went through him.
Want to create something? Give it to Szoboszlai.
Need to switch the play? Give it to Szoboszlai.
Want somebody to carry the ball forward? Give it to Szoboszlai.
He wasn’t waiting for somebody else to take control.
He was trying to do it himself.
That’s something I want to see more often at Liverpool.
This is why I still believe in him
I’ve been critical of Szoboszlai at times.
I think Liverpool supporters have every right to expect more from him because we know how good he can be.
There are games where I watch him and think, come on Dom, get involved.
Against Georgia, there was none of that.
He was involved.
He wanted the ball.
He ran at players.
He created.
He crossed.
He shot.
He fought for possession.
He kept trying to move Hungary forward.
That’s why the 9.3 rating doesn’t surprise me.
Sometimes a player can score a goal and have a quiet game.
This was the opposite.
Szoboszlai didn’t score and still managed to be one of the most influential players on the pitch.
Liverpool need more of this
This is where I’m hoping Szoboszlai can take something from his international performances back to Liverpool.
Because the Reds have plenty of attacking talent now.
Florian Wirtz is there.
Alexander Isak is there.
Cody Gakpo is there when he’s fit.
Bradley Barcola is another option.
But somebody in midfield has to make things happen.
That’s where Szoboszlai can be so important.
He has the ability to play the difficult pass, carry the ball, shoot from distance and deliver dangerous crosses.
And, when he’s confident, he can be an absolute nightmare to play against.
We’ve seen all of those qualities before.
The frustrating thing is that we don’t always see them together.
Against Georgia, we did.
And I think that’s why Liverpool supporters should be encouraged by this performance.
Not because it’s one international match.
Not because he got a 9.3.
But because it was a reminder of the player Liverpool thought they were buying.
And Kerkez got the winner
There is one other Liverpool connection worth mentioning.
Milos Kerkez scored the only goal of the game with a header in the 35th minute, beating his Liverpool teammate Giorgi Mamardashvili.
So Liverpool supporters had plenty to enjoy.
But for me, this was really about Szoboszlai.
I’ve been waiting to see him grab a game by the scruff of the neck like this.
He didn’t need a goal.
He didn’t need an assist.
He just looked like a midfielder who believed he could make something happen every time he got the ball.
And that’s the player I still believe is in there.
Now I just want to see it more often in a Liverpool shirt.
Because when Dominik Szoboszlai plays with that confidence, he can give Liverpool something very different in midfield.
Maybe this is the version of Szoboszlai we’ve been waiting for.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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