OPINION
The majority of the credit for Liverpool’s 5-1 win over Arsenal on Saturday will undoubtedly go to the team’s electric front three, but there was another player who was instrumental to the result.
Georginio Wijnaldum was outstanding in central midfield, covering every blade of grass and ensuring that the Reds had a stranglehold on the game in the middle of the park.
The Dutchman’s all action display certainly impressed a former player who is familiar with the bright lights of big Anfield nights.
Stan Collymore took to his personal Twitter account on Saturday to praise the former Newcastle United man: “Wijnaldum’s transition from midfield goal getter to protective lynchpin is almost complete,” he said.
“An incredible job the manager and coaching staff have done, along with the player himself. Now trusted in a tough and specialist role by staff and supporters alike.”
Wijnaldum's transition from midfield goal getter to protective lynchpin is almost complete.
An incredible job the manager and coaching staff have done along with the player himself.
Now trusted in a tough and specialist role by staff and supporters alike.
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— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) December 29, 2018
Collymore is bang on the money with his assessment of the 28-year-old. Throughout his career Wijnaldum has been an attacking midfielder operating in a number eight or ten position. Under manager Jurgen Klopp this season, however, he has take to a deeper-lying number six role.
His defensive awareness has come on leaps and bounds under the German and he is now very much undroppable in this Reds midfield.
There has been a lot of chopping and changing in the middle of the park for Liverpool this season, with Fabinho, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Xherdan Shaqiri largely taking turns to start games.
Throughout that tumult Wijnaldum has been the one constant, an indomitable bulwark against the wave of Klopp’s rotation in central midfield.
That’s because he offer so much both offensively and defensively to his team. He showed on Saturday that he is excellent tracking back, at one point making a memorable tackle on Aaron Ramsey, while he is also adept at starting attacks from deep.
Collymore knows a good player when he sees one and he clearly appreciates the transformation Wijnaldum has undergone at Anfield. Credit must go to a midfielder who has made himself undroppable for Klopp.
