Bradley Barcola – Liverpool’s next big star?

[Songman]

I had to start this thread because after the huge disappointment of two £110m+ underwhelming flops (for the price) Isak and Wirtz, it is absolutely crucial that Barcola is a big success at Liverpool, for us to fully get back on track, so here goes…

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[Songman]

Barcola is a player I’ve touted for a long time as he was in Ligue 1 Team of the Year 2025, with 14 goals and 10 assists in 34 games, and broke the record for the most games by a player in Ligue 1 with 64 games in that season.

My honest opinion, though, is that he’s not yet a star or a game changer, like Doué, Demebele and Kvaratskhelia who overshadowed him at PSG, and he can disappear in some games, like in the World Cup. And at times he seems to lack a bit of confidence.

BUT that doesn’t matter really, as he now has the chance at Liverpool to become the best winger in the league, and even the top scorer like how both Mo Salah and Sadio Mané did.

Does he have the mentality to take up his game up to another level, truly excel and deliver the biggest trophies for Liverpool?

I certainly hope so.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Songman.

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[Adidas20]

I would accentuate the point of Bradley joining a new era and hopefully an exciting time at Liverpool Football Club.

Realisation of so many changes in recent times. Sound philosophical, but it makes you think to cherish each moment.

Imagine when we in receipt of a fully fit attack with Ekitike and Rio.

One of the Best jobs in life of Football for Andoni Iraola. I still feel we’re a box-to-box midfielder short, a right-back and a playmaker central.

Imagine if we were to try out a 4-3-3 playing heavy metal football 🙂

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[notorious bingo]

it´s the last piece of the puzzle, he is gonna unlock defenses with his ability, he is a nightmare for defenders. Wirtz will have options in the middle now, the pace we got will drag defenders out of position and open up space. It´s gonna be a fun season when we get that defense right.

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[notorious bingo]

it´s the last piece of the puzzle, he is gonna unlock defenses with his ability, he is a nightmare for defenders. Wirtz will have options in the middle now, the pace we got will drag defenders out of position and open up space. It´s gonna be a fun season when we get that defense right.

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[Songman]

Personally, I have the feeling that Barcola will be a big success for Liverpool, and I sincerely hope I’m not wrong.

But can he have as big an impact as Mané, Salah and Díaz, to the point of being the best winger in the league, and even the top scorer in the league, like Salah (4 times) and Mané?

Well it remains to be seen, but it’s up to him to take up the challenge to become a big star and winner at Liverpool FC.

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[notorious bingo]

songman you should look at more games with him and not just rely on stats, there is not a single player that carries the ball as much in the world. He is ahead of Lamine Yamal, Olise and Vinicius in that regard, there is nobody that carries the ball as much and the transition ends up with a shot. He is one of the most dangerous players on the counter in the world and I would argue that he was more often than not let down by his teammates in the final third after carrying the ball and picking out the right pass.

We can compare that to Gakpo and Salah last season who had a average of 0.79 and 0.7, Munoz is also excellent at this, so is Rio. Wirtz should have no problem in spotting their runs, like he did immediately with Munoz on the right in our last game. I remember a moment with them a few minutes before the goal happened where Wirtz was just pointing out to Munoz that he would find him if he made the run and voila.

I would be worried facing Barcola, Isak, Munoz and Wirtz. We are just moving from those static players, I can see now why Salah wanted no part of this. Cause he just knew he could never deliver in this system, he needs Firmino or Diaz up top running like crazy for him.

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[threeps]

Bingo you mean progressive carries? No he isn’t anywhere near what you state.

Jeremy Doku
191
~6.9
Lamine Yamal
~180
~6.0
Vinícius Júnior
~170
~5.5
Mohamed Salah
~150
~4.8
Bukayo Saka
113
~4.4
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
107
~6.5
Bradley Barcola
78
4.0

But yes in the progressive carries ending in a shot he’s only one of two (Yildiz the other)in the top 5 big leagues that averaged over 2 per Game.

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[notorious bingo]

progressive carries that end with a shot on goal and he is way above everyone there. The only player in the world to have more than 2 carries per game that end up with a shot on goal. Those carries are a bit more important than the ones that end up in a blind corner somewhere on the pitch. There is another reason why those players run into more blind corners than him, he likes to hold up play for a second or two just open up space for others while he picks the pass instead of dribble.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by notorious bingo.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by notorious bingo.

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[threeps]

Well no not the only one, I already said who else in my post.

Interestingly his progressive carries is actually pretty poor, he is lower than both Minteh and Sarr.

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[notorious bingo]

I wouldn´t call it poor, I would rather call it smart decision making on his part, he does not always go for the carry like some players, sometimes he just holds up the ball waiting for space to open and that usually works as well.

Like if we talk about Rio for a second, he always goes for the dribble but if he could learn to just hold the ball there for a second or so which creates confusion, cause they can cut inside or just go straight for the goal but this moment of confusion opens up space always and if we have a smart striker he will drop into the space created.

If you watch him play he is excellent, there is a reason why he is starring for France as well.

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[threeps]

Yeah poor was a wrong choice off words, but on paper it surprised me. But I am genuinely really looking forward to watching him I think he will be a very exciting signing. Just might take a few weeks or even months before we see his best as the whole teams takes time to adjust to Iraola’s way. Don’t eat to big him up early just to then have to defend him when he has a poor game which is inevitable with a new system and teammates.

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[notorious bingo]

I reckon you are right about not judging him too early but having said that I don´t see a reason why he does not start well, he has been training all summer and just been waiting with family for the go ahead, with Ekitike on speed dial asking him about the move.

I wanna say another thing about Wirtz, as gifted as he is as a footballer, I don´t think we can describe him as highly adaptable, he has always had that big football family around him so I´m not surprised to see him as a slow starter.

Barcola seems pretty humble as a person as well but he got a former teammate around the club. He is so explosive, we are in for treat this season as long as that defense can hold up.

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[Songman]

Notorious, stats are everything, and that’s why the best wingers like Salah and Mané, (and to a lesser extent Díaz) have the best stats.

And I set Barcola a target of 15 goals and/or 15 assists this season, bettering his best season at PSG.

I know he can do it.

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[notorious bingo]

it´s actual game play songman, not the stats that count… According to stats there was hardly a difference between Diaz and Gakpo, while they played together, the difference in play is monumental though.

We could pick the progressive carries stat without any shots and argue that Nunez was probably a top player. It´s all about game play.

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[fulcrum]

Barcola is an excellent player and an upgrade on who we have. However the squad building is still baffling.
Barcola prefers the left, so does every other player we’ve signed in recent history. We were talking about signing genuine cover for Salah on the right for 5 seasons now and it’s never happened….unless you count Chiesa and I don’t even think the right is his best position even if the manager gets him playing, and that’s a big if.
Was impressed with Munoz on the right in recent games maybe he can make it his own.
Endo was an emergency DM after we failed with Caicedo and Lavia. So the club had identified the need for a top DM but only spent half a window chasing one and then went back to hoarding left wingers!
Regardless of the clear holes in the squad we do have enough quality on paper to do something this season, but the squad balance is a shambles when you think of the balanced team and promising youngsters Klopp had left us.

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[gingerlfc]

“Endo was an emergency DM after we failed with Caicedo and Lavia. So the club had identified the need for a top DM but only spent half a window chasing one and then went back to hoarding left wingers!”

This was under a different manager, 2 managers ago.
Iraola doesnt really play with an out and out DM.
But I take your wider point.

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[Songman]

“it´s actual game play songman, not the stats that count…”

Wrong, Notorious, goals and assists are what matter most for attackers, simply because that’s what wins you games. And while work rate, pressing, defending from the front etc. matter, like with Díaz, goals and assists are the most important metric to judge an attacker.

For example Cherki last season 10 goals and 15 assists in 52 games vs another playmaker Wirtz, only 1 goals and 10 assists in almost the same amount of games, 49 games.

And I’ll say it again, the best attackers have the best stats, in the vast majority of cases

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[Songman]

Correction Wirtz had 7 goals and 10 assists in 49 games.

A far lower output than Cherki (10 goals, 15 assists), considering Wirtz cost over three times the price of Cherki.

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[notorious bingo]

songman you don´t have to advertise the fact that you can´t judge a player by gameplay and only look at their stats.

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