Joe Allen is reaping the benefits of his time playing alongside Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana as he continues to thrive in his new attacking role at Stoke City.
The midfielder joined the Potters in July for £13million and has been impressing in a less familiar number ten position under Mark Hughes.
The idea of Joe Allen and attacking football has never really been considered, but it appears the Welshman is making the most of the freedom his new job is giving him.
He has explained how he was able to learn a lot from Liverpool’s attacking stars during his time at the club.
He told the Liverpool Echo: “Players like Coutinho and Lallana have played in a similar sort of role to the one I’m playing now – you try to pick up a thing or two from them and that’s what I’ve tried to do.”
Allen has scored four times in his last five games as well as already provided two assists so far this season.
We rarely saw him break free from the base of the Liverpool midfield during his time at the club and perhaps we missed a trick or two.
He finds himself in the box far more often than in previous years and has become a key figure at Stoke since his arrival.
His new impact on the game has already seen him score an equalising goal in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Let’s hope he can start hurting Liverpool’s other Premier League rivals.