John Barnes makes huge Dominik Szoboszlai & Steven Gerrard comparison

John Barnes makes huge Dominik Szoboszlai and Steven Gerrard comparison, bold Liverpool FC title claim & addresses potential Anfield exits.

• [On Dominik Szoboszlai] "He's the closest I've seen to Steven Gerrard... I look at him as an old school midfielder who gets up and down. These days, you're generally one or the other; you're Kevin De Bruyne or you're Rodri. But Szoboszlai can do both, and so I think that the way Arne Slot wants to play will really, really suit him."
• "We were unable to get who we wanted in the summer, and I wouldn't be surprised if that number six position is one we look at again in the future, but it's an area I think we're more than capable of coping in for now."
• "When you consider how long Jurgen Klopp had been at the club, you'd have expected any real change to have taken more time. But they've been working hard at it, all summer, and it's bore fruit... I'm pleasantly surprised with how far ahead Liverpool are, compared to where I thought they would be."
• "I think Liverpool fans are more gracious than others, when it comes to giving the manager time... just as they did with Jurgen. Arne is in a much better position than Jurgen was when he took over in 2015... back then, Liverpool were so far off the top of the league, whereas I'd expect the club to still be competing to win the league at the end of this season."
• "I don't see why now - when things are going so well - we have to think about what might happen, and who might leave, next summer. If you think about next summer, you might end up mid-table this season, because you're worried, thinking too far ahead."
  

The technical midfield players have impressed me most since the start of pre-season. You know, if you think about Jurgen Klopp's teams of old, and the likes of James Milner, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum... these are all hard-working players, but they weren't as technical your Curtis Jones', your Harvey Elliotts and your Ryan Gravenberchs...

Gravenberch is the one, for me, who has really stood out in that number six role. It's a role he never would have played under Jurgen Klopp; he always wanted a stronger, harder, more defensive-minded player, and that's why he brought Endo in. But that role, from Arne's perspective, at least, is more of an attacking one. He wants his number six to get on the ball and be a playmaker; different to someone like Andrea Pirlo, though. Where Pirlo did his work with his passing, Gravenberch does it with his dribbling, his running out and his playing forward. He's not a defensive-midfield player, but if you concentrate on keeping the ball, more than winning it back, then you can play someone like Gravenberch in that position. 

I don't think it's fair to say Dominik Szoboszlai has ever been forced into the Liverpool team... he earned his position in the team. He's a fantastic player. He can do everything. He could play under Jurgen Klopp in terms of his height, his strength and his ability to drive forward, play quickly and counter-attack. But he can also play in a very composed manner, so he can play in that number six role, or that number eight role. He's the closest I've seen to Steven Gerrard. You know, in terms of his range of passing, his dribbling, chasing back, his tackling... I look at him as an old school midfielder who gets up and down. These days, you're generally one or the other; you're Kevin De Bruyne or you're Rodri. But Szoboszlai can do both, and so I think that the way Arne Slot wants to play will really, really suit him, because he's a very technical player, with the physical attributes to do so much more. We've seen it on several occasions already this season, but for me he's just a typical Liverpool player. 

On the football field, you have 11 players, and when you look at the depth in that Liverpool squad, and the experience, because there are so many international players in there, I don't see why there's a need to panic and go and get the best players in every single position. Of course, that number six role was identified as an area Jurgen Klopp wanted to address, and that's why Endo was brought in as a short-term fix, with Martin Zubimendi maybe being the guy they wanted to bring in. But if you look at the way Arne Slot wants to play, there are many players, all of a sudden, within that squad who can do that job, and do it well. You know, Dominik Szoboszlai can player there, so can Ryan Gravenberch, and Curtis Jones can, too. If that's the way Slot wants to play, then we're covered in that number six position. A specialist number six would be ideal, of course, but if you look around the rest of the squad, there's so much depth, and I just don't see the manager bringing players in for the sake of it; you know, if you're not going to bring players in who are better than what you already have, then why bother doing it? We were unable to get who we wanted in the summer, and I wouldn't be surprised if that number six position is one we look at again in the future, but it's an area I think we're more than capable of coping in for now. 

I've been very impressed with Liverpool so far this season. And, while I can't say it didn't surprise me - because we all knew how difficult it was going to be to replace Jurgen Klopp - I was with the team in North America this summer, so I saw them beating the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, and Sevilla. And just watching the team tactically because, of course, it's a different way of playing for them... I was so impressed with what I saw. Out of possession, they're still intense, they still close down, they press high, everybody works hard and the front three chase back. But in possession, they play a much more considered game, in terms of playing the ball through midfield. You know, they're picking their passes much more than they're taking risks. That suits the ball-playing midfielders; you know, it suits Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones... even Ryan Gravenberch is playing in that number six role.

When you consider how long Jurgen Klopp had been at the club, you'd have expected any real change to have taken more time. But they've been working hard at it, all summer, and it's bore fruit, because in their opening three games, Liverpool have been sensational. I'm not going to put too much pressure on them, and say that they're going to continue to win every game and go on to win the league, but they'll be much more competitive than they were last year. I'm pleasantly surprised with how far ahead Liverpool are, compared to where I thought they would be. 

As an ambassador for the club, I'm not involved in the workings of things, so I'm not involved in anything behind the scenes when it comes to backroom staff, or kitchen staff, or anything like that. Obviously, a lot of Jurgen's staff have gone, and Arne's had to bring his own people in. But I don't think too much has changed, to be honest - although all I'm concerned about is what's happening on the pitch, and from what I've seen so far, the players have bought into things. Slot's got his own assistants and coaches in, and the big change will be on the pitch, and the way they play, and getting that across to the players... not about whether the kitchen staff have changed, or they're training at different times. It's more to do with the work they do tactically, for the players to understand what the manager wants from them. The amount of change behind the scenes has probably been exaggerated slightly. 

It doesn't surprise me that the Liverpool fans have taken to Arne Slot, because I know what they're like; they support the club and that means they support the manager; whoever is in charge, they'll support him. He'll always be given time at that club... had he not won his first three games, the fans still would've been behind him, I've no doubt about that. They've accepted the new way their team are playing. Liverpool fans only ever want to see players give 100% commitment, and that's what they're doing right now. Out of possession, against Manchester United, we saw how committed the team were to winning the ball back. In possession, it's not the heavy metal style we've been used to seeing from Liverpool in recent years under Jurgen Klopp, but the fans are going to have to just accept that. 

Also, from a character point of view, Arne Slot is never going to go straight into fist-pumping, and waving to the fans, and stuff like that. And, again, that's just got to be accepted, because this is who Arne Slot is; he's not Jurgen Klopp. There's only one Jurgen Klopp; it's not right, it's not wrong, it's just who he is. So Arne can't come in and just think about doing whatever Jurgen did; running to the fans, because that's not who he is. And the fans have accepted him. 

Ultimately, though, it's about winning matches, and that's exactly what Liverpool have done. It's much easier to accept the manager when you're doing well, and you're winning matches. But I think Liverpool fans are more gracious than others, when it comes to giving the manager time... just as they did with Jurgen. Arne is in a much better position than Jurgen was when he took over in 2015... back then, Liverpool were so far off the top of the league, whereas I'd expect the club to still be competing to win the league at the end of this season.

I'm not concerned for what's going to happen next summer; I'm concerned for next weekend. And the weekend after that, and for this season as a whole. Why are we worrying about next summer, or next season? Next season, maybe we're already looking at players we're going to bring in; Marc Guehi, or whoever... players will always come to Liverpool. I don't see why now - when things are going so well - we have to think about what might happen, and who might leave, next summer. If you think about next summer, you might end up mid-table this season, because you're worried, thinking too far ahead. No, I don't worry about who'll be leaving the club at the end of the season.

Football works in interesting ways, and things can change so quickly; the guys who often get mentioned, you know, maybe they're going to sign new contracts in the next few weeks... we really don't know. What I do know is that the harmony is good, the players are happy, and you can see they're all enjoying their football right now. All Liverpool fans should demand is that players at the club should give 100% commitment up until their last day. That's what Sadio Mane did, what's what Georginio Wijnaldum did, that's what Fabinho did... and that's all you can ask. You don't know what the future holds; I'll worry about players leaving when this season is over, not before then. 

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