The Arne Slot era is off to a flyer. Liverpool wreaked devastation against West Ham United in the Carabao Cup to win 5-1 and make it six wins from seven matches in all competitions so far.
Liverpool were defeated at Anfield by Nottingham Forest in what appeared to be a hangover from the September international break, but there is so much to like, so much to get excited by.
Fans have been delighted to see different players pop up and impress. For example, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo have been two of Liverpool’s best performers this season, even though both play on the left wing. Indeed, Diaz has posted five from five in the Premier League while the Dutchman has caused a storm in the Champions League and Carabao Cup.
Harvey Elliott has yet to strut his stuff, cruelly ruled out during the international break after fracturing his foot with England U21s, but he’s set to play a big part upon his return, having really come into his own at the end of the Jurgen Klopp era.
Harvey Elliott at Liverpool
At the end of 2023, Elliott expressed that he was not happy to merely play the part of ‘super sub’ for Klopp’s Redmen, instead wanting a nailed-down starting berth.
Injuries and his skyrocketing form granted that wish, and the 21-year-old would play one of the most important roles in winning the Carabao Cup and restoring Champions League football with a third-place finish, scoring one goal and adding four assists across the last six games of the term.
It makes the tribunal fee worth £4m that was paid for his services in 2019 – when he was 16 years old – feel pretty paltry, having already played a part in winning a wealth of domestic silverware and making 120 appearances for the Liverpool first team, scoring ten goals and providing 15 assists.
Hailed as a “special talent” by The Athletic’s James Pearce, Elliott has really gone from strength to strength over his years spent at Anfield, and could now reach new heights entirely under Slot’s wing, with the new boss implementing a 4-2-3-1 system that could really benefit the playmaker.
Harvey Elliott's transfer value in 2024
Interestingly, Elliott principally operates as an attacking midfielder for England U21s. Across his last five appearances in the role for his nation, he has scored seven goals and claimed three assists.
Central midfield
24
3
9
Right winger
16
1
1
Attacking midfield
13
0
1
For Klopp last year, however, he was utilised in a deeper and more compact way. The German’s heavy-metal brand of football required immense work from those in the middle of the park, fuelling the turbo-charged attack.
Market Movers
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Now, Elliott could move into a more suitable role at number ten, as Dominik Szoboszlai does for Slot, who likes more of a stretched triangular shape to his midfield, with a player like Elliott perched at the frontal point.
It might just see the technician raise his game to the next level. As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 19% for tackles won per 90 – now just imagine if Slot succeeds in shaping him into an even more formidable forward.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
He’s certainly got the talent, and that’s recognised by his rise in market value. According to Transfermarkt, Elliott is worth about £30m at present, which marks a 650% rise in the five years since he made the move to Merseyside.
To be honest, that figure could balloon over the coming years, for this is a rising star who has what it takes to become one of the best in Europe.
He lost the ball 19 times: Slot must drop 6/10 Liverpool man after West Ham
He’s not good enough for a regular starting role…
1 ByAngus Sinclair Sep 26, 2024
