Xherdan Shaqiri has explained that while he has great respect for Jurgen Klopp, he’s finding his role as a non-playing sub pretty difficult.
At 27, the Swiss should be in the prime of his career, but he’s played just 14 minutes of competitive football this term, with the boss not starting him in any games.
We imagine the EFL Cup fixture with MK Dons has been shoehorned for Shaq, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and a few others – but the frustration is understandable.
Shaqiri told Switzerland broadcaster, Teleclub, cited in the Echo: “It is not easy for me, of course I am a little downbeat.
“You have to be able to handle that and you have to accept it, I was always still in the squad.
“You cannot ask the coach to play every match.”
However, he did go on to say he loves the club, intimating that in an ideal world, he’d stay put.
“I feel very comfortable here. We have a great coach, a great club. There’s a family feel,” he added.
We appreciate what the playmaker can offer creatively. His left foot is a wand, but this isn’t enough to fit in Klopp’s all-action football team.
He doesn’t run in behind, nor offer much off the ball, so for Shaqiri to be effective, the play has to run through him.
Liverpool don’t attack like that anymore, so his chances of regular minutes have diminished.
We still think he’s a handy option off the bench, but hope Klopp gives him opportunities when games are won – something he hasn’t been doing so far.