I’ve said a few times recently that Alexis Mac Allister is starting to look more like the player Liverpool supporters know he can be.
And his latest international appearance has given us another reason to be encouraged.
Mac Allister played 69 minutes for Argentina against Benin and produced another quietly impressive performance as Lionel Scaloni’s side continued their international preparations.
There were no goals.
No assists.
No spectacular moment that is going to dominate the headlines.
But look at the numbers.
81 of 89 passes completed.
That’s a 91% passing accuracy.
He also completed six passes into the final third and made seven interceptions.
For me, that’s the interesting part.
Because Mac Allister wasn’t simply keeping possession.
He was helping Argentina control the game while also doing plenty of work without the ball.
Those seven interceptions really stand out
When I think of Mac Allister at his best, one of the things I like is how intelligent he is.
He doesn’t have to fly into tackles to make an impact.
He reads the game.
He sees where the ball is going.
And he gets himself into the right position.
Seven interceptions in 69 minutes is a pretty good illustration of that.
It also reminds me why I think Liverpool need to get more out of him.
We’ve seen Mac Allister play as a deeper midfielder and we’ve seen him pushed further forward.
He’s capable of doing both.
But when he’s confident and reading the game properly, he can influence matches in so many different ways.
Against Benin, it was his passing and defensive intelligence that stood out.
And the passing was excellent
81 out of 89.
That’s impressive in itself.
But the six passes into the final third are probably more relevant to me.
That’s where Mac Allister can start turning possession into something more dangerous.
He’s not simply recycling the ball sideways.
He’s looking to move Argentina forward.
And that’s something I want to see more often from him at Liverpool.
We’ve already seen signs of it this season.
Mac Allister looks more comfortable.
He’s demanding the ball.
He’s getting involved.
And there’s a confidence about his game that wasn’t always there last season.
Recent reporting on his Argentina performances has also highlighted how tidy he has been in possession and how important he remains to Scaloni’s midfield.
He didn’t need to win every duel
One thing that jumps out from the numbers is that Mac Allister won just one of three ground duels.
But I’m not going to criticise him too much for that.
He also won his only aerial duel, and the bigger picture is that he was doing so much work through his positioning and passing.
Not every good midfield performance is about winning ten tackles.
Sometimes it’s about being in the right place before the tackle is even necessary.
That’s one of Mac Allister’s strengths.
He can make the game look simple.
And sometimes that’s why people don’t appreciate just how much he’s doing.
This is the Mac Allister I want at Liverpool
I’ll be honest, I’ve been frustrated with him at times.
I know what he’s capable of.
We’ve all seen it.
He was outstanding during Liverpool’s title-winning season and has shown plenty of times that he can control games at the highest level.
So when he looks quiet, it’s frustrating.
But I’m increasingly convinced that we’re starting to see the real Mac Allister again.
And that’s massive for Liverpool.
Because this is a midfielder who can give Iraola something different.
He can pass.
He can keep possession under pressure.
He can play through the lines.
He can read danger.
He can win the ball.
And he can contribute further forward when given the freedom to do so.
That’s a bloody useful player to have.
Liverpool need him
This is probably the biggest thing for me.
Liverpool have spent a fortune on attacking talent.
Florian Wirtz.
Alexander Isak.
Bradley Barcola.
There is plenty of quality in the final third.
But somebody still has to control the game behind them.
Somebody has to get the ball moving.
Somebody has to win it back when Liverpool lose it.
Somebody has to give the attackers a platform.
That’s where Mac Allister can be so important.
And perhaps that’s why I’m enjoying watching him again.
He’s not trying to do everything.
He’s just influencing the game in the areas where he’s strongest.
Against Benin, he completed 91% of his passes, played six into the final third and made seven interceptions in just 69 minutes.
That’s the sort of performance that can easily get overlooked because it doesn’t come with a goal.
But I noticed it.
And I think Liverpool supporters should too.
Alexis Mac Allister is starting to look like himself again.
And if Andoni Iraola can keep getting this version of him at Liverpool, it could make a huge difference to the season ahead.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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