JESUS Joaquin Fernandez Saez de la Torre is not the first precocious Spanish playmaker Liverpool FC have had in their ranks over the past few years, but the player himself and the club must together make sure that he is the first to succeed in the first team.
Daniel Pacheco’s Liverpool career appears to be all over bar the shouting but there was a time not so long ago when he was earmarked by supporters as a certainty to graduate from youth star to first team regular.
Unfortunately, it never quite worked out that way. For all the wonderful technique that Pacheco displayed in the club’s reserve and youth sides, the Spaniard could never quite make the ultimate break through and become a big player for Liverpool.
Similar in style, stature and even in terms of natural ability to Suso, Pacheco’s failure should serve as a stark reminder to his fellow countryman and the club of just how difficult the bridge to becoming a first team regular can be to cross.
While Suso has generally performed adequately when called upon this season, at times the hurly burly nature of the Premier League has understandably looked a little too much for him and his play has lacked an end product. After featuring heavily in the first half of the season for the Reds, the youngster has found his opportunities limited of late.
Liverpool must be careful now not to let their talented young star stagnate. Suso must be allowed to continue his adaptation to Premier League life as soon as possible and in a way that Pacheco never really managed to do.
Since making his first team bow for the Reds back in 2009, Pacheco has played on loan for three different teams. Perhaps crucially, none of them were Premier League clubs. His first move was down to East Anglia to play in the Championship for Norwich where he only featured six times. His next move saw him go back to his homeland to play for Rayo Vallecano but Pacheco managed just 11 appearances and no goals there.
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After just three appearances this term under Brendan Rodgers back at Liverpool, he moved again this January to join SD Huesca for the remainder of the season and currently has one goal in six games.
The lack of top level experience and Premier League appearances has probably counted against Pacheco and is an obvious reason for why he has struggled to adapt to life in England’s top league in the limited chances he has had. It also shows how important next season is for his friend, Suso.
Players can only get used to life in England’s top division by playing games and while Suso has played his fair share for Liverpool early on in the season, it appears that those options will now be limited at Anfield.
Aged 19, Suso is now on the fringes of the Liverpool senior side but still someway away from displacing players like Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suarez or Philippe Coutinho in Brendan Rodgers’ first eleven. Recently he has featured for the club’s Under 21 side and, to his credit, looked a cut above that level.
Too good for the second string but not quite ready for the first team. Many Liverpool players have been in that position over the years (indeed, the likes of Jonjo Shelvey and Raheem Sterling are also in that boat right now) but not gone on to the greater things expected of them at the club. Suso’s current position in the squad seems to leave both club and player with a relatively obvious solution for next season: a loan move to a Premier League club.
Brendan Rodgers has had to use the likes of Suso and Sterling more than he would have liked this season due to the thin nature of his squad but, with Sturridge and Coutinho now added to the ranks and the summer transfer window fast approaching, one suspects that loan moves for the club’s outstanding youngsters will be considered before next season kicks off.
What is of paramount importance is that over the next year, Suso gets regular game time to hone his craft and assimilate to the rigours of the Premier League further. The first half of this season has set some solid foundations in place for the Spaniard and he is now regarded as part of the first team squad at Anfield rather than a youth player with an exceptional talent. It is imperative that his career does not now stutter and ultimately falter during this crucial stage of his development.
So while Liverpool supporters are understandably excited by Suso’s talent, perhaps it would be wise to keep in mind the last Spanish starlet who illuminated Liverpool’s youth and reserve sides before ultimately fading to black.
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I totally agree but Suso is not an attacker. He must be allowed to play in central midfield – look at his performance in the early season european games when he looked a real class act.
Stuck out on the right wing he is wasted. If Brendan wants to play tiki-taki then Suso should be the lynch-pin – and don’t worry about the hurly burly of the premier league, in a central midfield position his control and technique means he moves the ball too quickly for the opposition to catch him out.
Absolutely. Incredibly Allen was even played as a No. 10 against ManU ahead of Suso. Ridiculous. With Sturridge & Suarez, Suso probably will have to make do with Carling cup next year – but that’s okay. Was nice to see him on the bench in our awful Southampton performance.
Rodgers needs to play players in their proper positions , especially the yong lads.
Hauling Suso off at halftime or 55 min is no good for the kids confidence . Dreadful management by Rodgers on one of our best talents
Dont be bias and hit it right. Does Suso deserve 2be selected ahead of both sterling and shelvey? Is a fact! Suso must start ahead of both sterling and shelvey. Thats it. Again, suso isn’t the the *winger that the ineptitude cowardly rodger use 2 play him out of position. Suso needs 2 be nurtured correctly as the playmaker 2 be precise the gerrard position. I hope that with gerrard being 33 ‘ll reduces his playing time when a class of inform Christian Eriksen is purchased in the summer 2 replace gerrard in the future then suso can learn some experience and may be fight 4 his playmaker role. Finally both suso and sterling needs a massive nurturing at the club and 1st team so rodger shouldn’t dare not loan them out. They are not ready yet 2 go on loan. Not even 2 an epl club. They must be allow next 2 or 3 summers but with shelvey he needs a 2 to 3 loan spells. But it should be 2 an epl clubs instead. Rodgers shouldn’t be bias towards the british lads but he should be fair and just. In My Honest Opinion mate!
Suso is already a better player than Dani. He’s superior technically and also can beat a player. His 2 biggest weaknesses are lack if pace and physical strength. Dani never impressed when he was given a chance. He was poor on his few first team forays, and didn’t impress any of his loan clubs. Suso has impressed when he’s played in the 1st team, creating a number of goals.
rodgers gave these players their break through but he must learn hoe to manage them.personally i think rodgres is a good guy but uhhm,he lacks the stamina for a liverpool coach.our team cant defend like other teams.other teams make a shield around the box.with liverpool once a cross comes in from the flanks,your heart as a liverpool fan is alreday in the mouth.and when the other team comes midway thru the centre,there is no wall created by the players to protect our box,so we are torn to shreds