Dominik Szoboszlai’s performances had been key to Liverpool’s title win in 2024/25, and there’s nonetheless thrilling potential for extra targets and assists. The arrival of Florian Wirtz might even assist, not hinder.
Nonetheless solely 24 years previous, the Hungarian has room for improvementthe which shall be keenly anticipated given how essential his contributions have already been to Liverpool’s success.
The workforce are set to have a brand new look in 2025/26 as Arne Slot brings in new recruits and begins to construct a workforce for his personal period.
Reasonably than being pushed to the periphery, Szoboszlai might nicely play a key function within the try at a title defence and the problem for extra trophies subsequent season.
DOMINIK SZOBOSZLAI, 2024/25
Began: 40 (All competitions)On as an alternative: 9Unused sub: 1Goals: 8Assists: 8Overall Season Score: 7.8
Dominik Szoboszlai is significant out of possession
When Szoboszlai signed for Liverpool forward of Jurgen Klopp’s remaining season, the notion was one in all a participant whose method and creativity would result in an attention grabbing highlights reel of long-range targets and assists.
Not essentially a luxurious participant, however actually a refined one.
Throughout his two seasons on the membership, one other, maybe unheralded trait, has emerged and helped the workforce win the Premier League title in 2025. This cultured participant got here with an engine.
In spite of everything, Purple Bull groups are among the many most-heavily branded golf equipment on this planet, and the notion of that model is one in all a tireless type of play that helps their goal as vitality drinks entrepreneurs.
It’s commonplace {that a} participant with an intense off-the-ball work fee would emerge from these golf equipment, and Szoboszlai’s time at Liverpool has revealed the extent to which that is, or will be, a part of his recreation.
Klopp just lately described Szoboszlai as “one of the best urgent participant in Europe proper now,” and Slot voiced related reward in the course of the season.
“He doesn’t at all times get the credit score for the actual fact he’s crucial for this workforce as a result of his work-rate is unbelievable,” Slot stated following a 4-1 win at dwelling to Ipswich in January.
“He simply retains on working with the very best depth, and that’s so essential for a workforce that desires to compete for one thing.”
This work fee in defence helped Mohamed Salah have among the finest seasons of his profession and means the right-back will be extra attacking, which can nonetheless be useful when Jeremie Frimpong takes up this function within the coming season.
Szoboszlai’s attacking output could not entice consideration as usually because it ought to, however the out-of-possession work beneath that has been massively essential to Liverpool’s success.
Discovering additional in assault
If Szoboszlai can begin to replicate his RB Leipzig output to go alongside his work fee, he shall be among the finest midfielders within the Premier League.
He reached double figures for targets in three of his final 4 seasons with Purple Bull (or Rasenballsport) golf equipment, and in addition reached double figures for assists in two of these. Double figures in both column is a feat he’s but to attain for Liverpool.
It doesn’t at all times really feel like Szoboszlai has underperformed when it comes to his attacking numbers; it’s extra the sensation that thrilling potential stays for him to enhance in that space.
A part of that anticipation lies in the truth that he wouldn’t have to do an excessive amount of additional to take the subsequent step in assault.
Regardless of Slot’s tactical tweaks, Szoboszlai has labored in roughly related midfield areas throughout his two seasons at Liverpool.
What did change is a few of his final-third decision-making. It was a redesign linked to Slot’s ways, which meant his pictures got here from a lot nearer to objective and his motion was within the ahead line as a lot because it was in midfield.
The shot maps under, from 2023/24 (high) and 2024/25 (under), present a rise in pictures from extra advantageous positions.
His anticipated targets tally (xG) additionally rose dramatically because of this, and he was third within the workforce for giant possibilities created and anticipated assists in 2024/25.
Only a small enchancment within the remaining third might flip him right into a star midfielder who adjustments video games.
Does Florian Wirtz’s arrival impression Dominik Szoboszlai?
There’s hypothesis that Wirtz will substitute Szoboszlai because the No. 10 within the Liverpool XI.
Attacking midfield is seen because the German’s greatest place and the membership are usually not prone to depart their file signing out of the workforce too usually.
The pair might simply play in the identical lineup, although, and Szoboszlai’s function, which is extra of a right-sided No. 10 in a midfield three than a central attacker in a 4-2-3-1, permits some flexibility.
Szoboszlai might simply retain his function on the appropriate in help of Salah, whereas Wirtz operates equally from the left.
Whether or not this implies the German taking part in because the false-nine, left-sided ahead or replicating Szoboszlai’s function however on the left in what should certainly have been termed someplace already as a double-10, stays to be seen, however there are quite a few choices.
One other a kind of choices can be for Szoboszlai to drop deeper and play as a No. 8, just like the function Mac Allister has performed, working because the second midfielder within the staggered three with Wirtz taking Szoboszlai’s place because the third.
There are various choices and plenty of of them would accommodate Wirtz in addition to Szoboszlai in the identical XI, however on the similar time, Szoboszlai was one of many gamers who clearly drained in the direction of the tip of the 2024/25 season, as he had additionally performed the season earlier than.
Subsequently, rotation choices and never counting on the identical gamers every week is sweet for the workforce.
It might imply they’re higher suited to staying longer in different competitions, because the depth will imply Slot trusts extra of his midfielders. Szoboszlai stays one in all his most trusted.
Greatest second: Placing Liverpool 2-0 up at Man Metropolis, having already assisted Mohamed Salah for the opener.
Worst second: Not capturing when clean-through away to Aston Villa, as an alternative squaring to Darwin Nunez.
Position subsequent season: A troublesome query however we’d anticipate him to be rotated usually with Florian Wirtz. Extra taking part in time in a deeper midfield function, too.
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