Jeremie Frimpong’s puzzling begin: What’s the plan for Liverpool’s not-quite right-back?

With Jeremie Frimpong but to get going nearly six months after changing into Liverpool’s first signing of a file summer time, maybe it’s time to ask the query: what’s the plan?

As a result of amount of cash spent, there was at all times going to be vital stress on Liverpool’s summer time signings to immediately hit the bottom operating. On the earth of actuality, new gamers at all times want adaptation intervals, particularly at a membership as high-profile as Liverpool and a contest as bodily intense because the Premier League.

Nonetheless, there stay justifiable questions concerning the function – within the quick and long-term – of Dutch worldwide Jeremie Frimpong.

Changing Trent – with a very completely different participant

The primary signing of Arne Slot‘s £446 million summer time rebuild, there was comprehensible hype concerning the arrival of the 24-year-old from Bayer Leverkusen.

Right here was an thrilling, offensive right-sided defender who had been an integral a part of the spectacular Xabi Alonso facet that received the Bundesliga for the primary time.

On paper, he was the plug-and-play alternative for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Sure, a distinct kind of right-back, however a top quality participant with top-level expertise.

His output of 29 targets and 44 assists in Germany was outstanding. Plus, it was by no means going to be potential to completely reinforce the distinctive attributes of Alexander-Arnold, so it indicated an opportunity for Slot to form that space of the pitch in his personal picture.

Accessible for simply £29.5 million, the transfer was a no brainer. The optics of bringing in a brand new participant as quickly as Alexander-Arnold left have been additionally a constructive.

Nevertheless, maybe it was the need to shortly recover from dropping Alexander-Arnold that led to many followers adopting a level of cognitive dissonance concerning the affordable questions on how Frimpong would truly slot in.

The previous Man Metropolis teen is much more than only a Trent rebound. But the very fact stays that the very best years of his profession thus far weren’t as a right-back.

In 142 appearances in all competitions from 2022 to 2025, he solely performed in that place 20 instances (14.1 p.c). He began as a right-back solely 5 instances within the two seasons earlier than arriving at Anfield.

What made him one of the vital sought-after right-sided gamers round was his affect within the attacking third without any consideration wing-back; mixing very good crossing, quick runs in behind and an instinctive means to interrupt into the field on the again publish.

His pace, endurance and aggressiveness arguably made him the very best on this planet in that function, alongside fellow countryman Denzel Dumfries. He additionally proved he may very well be efficient as a right-sided ahead in an attacking three.

Uncertainty over Liverpool’s imaginative and prescient

Based mostly on Slot’s tactical mind and participant administration, in addition to the onerous work executed by Liverpool’s scouting staff, the belief was that there can be a transparent plan for Frimpong.

Which will nonetheless come to fruition. Certainly, it is just November in his first season.

The early indicators although counsel that, if there was a plan, it’s nonetheless very a lot within the drafting stage.

Is Frimpong going to be regularly developed into the membership’s long-term right-back? Is he seen as a long-term alternative for Mohamed Salah? Or is he merely an excellent squad participant who can cowl a number of roles?

One would possibly additional ask whether or not Slot and Co. even totally understood what they have been getting when signing Frimpong. Did they go for a discount deal with out correctly studying the product description?

Accidents and inconsistent begins

At this level, one can rightly level out that Frimpong has been injured an excessive amount of thus far for a correct reply to even be mentioned. He has already missed seven of Liverpool’s 18 video games in all competitions on account of a hamstring damage, which has flared up twice.

That is in itself a priority – in his final three seasons with Leverkusen, Frimpong didn’t miss a single recreation on account of damage. This might simply be his physique adjusting to the rigours of the Premier League or just early misfortune.

But it’s an early concern, particularly because of the nature of the muscular concern, and it’s stopping him from discovering momentum and establishing himself.

As a participant whose recreation relies for a big half on his athleticism, the hope is that this powerful interval is only a blip.

Due to this fact, if followers have been to pick out a participant to be their first-choice right-back proper now, it could be Conor Bradley and never Frimpong who would get the nod.

At first of the season, Frimpong began there within the Neighborhood Protect and the primary league recreation in opposition to Bournemouth, however was substituted on the hour within the latter as Andoni Iraola’s started to take advantage of gaps behind the full-backs.

Since then, in all competitions he has solely accomplished 90 minutes within the place as soon as: within the Carabao Cup in opposition to Southampton.

Within the 5 League video games when accessible since then, Frimpong has been used solely as an alternative on three events. Not solely has Bradley been most popular within the function however Dominik Szoboszlai too.

Frimpong’s short-term function: Three choices for Liverpool

Curiously, the Netherlands worldwide has began the entire three video games within the Champions League by which he was accessible, two at right-back and one as the best winger in Slot’s most popular attacking midfield trio. Does Slot merely not but belief Frimpong within the Premier League?

It’s a small pattern measurement however maybe there are some shoots of readability on his short-term function:

• A beginning attacking right-back in opposition to groups which might be more likely to be extra defensive and sit deep, equivalent to in opposition to Atletico Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt.

• An offensive substitute to deliver on at full-back when the staff is confronted with dropping factors and in want of an additional dose of artistic aptitude, like in opposition to Man United and Crystal Palace.

• Or, most intriguingly for the longer term, because the beginning right-sided ahead, as in opposition to Galatasaray.

In different phrases, proper now Frimpong doesn’t have one clear job description.

Moreover, the aforementioned match in opposition to Galatasaray has possibly given an perception into Frimpong’s function over the approaching months, particularly when Liverpool will likely be with out Salah because of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The AFCON answer

If he can totally get well from his newest damage, he may very well be a vital participant for Slot over the hectic winter interval as they appear to get well misplaced floor within the league, enjoying as that right-sided ahead.

He would hug the touchline and look to cross greater than Salah, and reduce inside much less, however this might inadvertently release extra room for Florian Wirtz. It might moreover provide a bit extra defensive safety down the best flank.

At current, the calls from some to relaxation Salah have ignored the truth that Slot hasn’t had many alternate options aside from Federico Chiesa, who has primarily been used as an affect substitute off the left or down the center.

Nevertheless, Frimpong does have expertise within the place.

Of his eight begins for the Netherlands, six have been as the best winger for Ronald Koeman, with Frimpong significantly impressing there throughout this 12 months’s two-legged UEFA Nations League quarter-final in opposition to Spain.

And while wing-backs are in concept required to defend in addition to assault, he was very a lot given the remit to concentrate on the latter by Alonso down Leverkusen’s right-hand facet, therefore the excessive output in targets and assists.

Do Liverpool’s signings want a brand new system?

One further argument can be for Slot to swallow his satisfaction following latest struggles and experiment with a again three, with Frimpong enjoying in his most pure residence without any consideration wing-back.

Theoretically, this form would additionally present an additional defender centrally to assist Liverpool’s midfield pair, who’ve typically seemed stretched not too long ago.

It might allow Frimpong to hyperlink up with Salah, with the latter enjoying as one of many two inside forwards, and get gamers nearer to the customarily remoted centre-forward.

It may also liberate Milos Kerkez, who has seemed unsure defensively thus far as a extra conservative left-back.

Nevertheless, to alter an entire form mid-season may be very not like Slot, however the truth that the staff is already quick in central defence enjoying a two, not to mention a 3.

For now, this argument is realistically a non-starter, until at the least one new defender is signed in January.

For Frimpong to make a short-term affect, it would have to be inside Slot’s pre-existing system.

Frimpong at Liverpool: The jury is out

For those who’d stated when Frimpong arrived that, come mid-November, he’d don’t have any targets or assists bar the Neighborhood Protect, you’d in all probability have been laughed at.

Undoubtedly the jury continues to be out on his signing. For various causes, it stays unclear what he was introduced in for, or what the plan for the longer term is.

It might be that Frimpong can finally nail down a particular job. Or he might simply find yourself being a jack of many trades however a grasp of none.

Whether it is to be the latter, then Liverpool will nonetheless have a unbelievable participant on their arms – with room for additional growth – who can go well with up and carry out in numerous areas.

And that’s hardly a foul choice to have, is it?