A new Liverpool wonderkid very much looks like the next Steven Gerrard.
Liverpool’s former number eight perfectly embodied what it meant to wear the shirt.
He was a leader, a fighter, and someone capable of moments of genuine brilliance. Few midfielders have ever blended strength, skill, and emotion in quite the same way, which is why he became such an iconic figure at Anfield.
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What made him truly special was his ability to impact every part of the game. He could win tackles, dictate play, surge forward with purpose, and lift those around him when it mattered most.
Time and again, he seemed to carry the team through difficult spells almost on his own. His leadership spoke for itself, but it was his spectacular moments that really captured the imagination.
There was a unique excitement whenever he struck the ball from distance. His technique was clean yet powerful, turning long-range efforts into something that looked almost natural even though they were superhuman. Whether it was a thunderous drive or a curling effort from well outside the box, he had a remarkable ability to score from range.
And those goals came at crucial moments. Whether in crucial league fixtures or unforgettable European nights, or cup finals.
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When you’re a midfielder in Liverpool’s academy you’re always going to earn comparisons to the great man.
How many have there been over the years who were dubbed the next Gerrard?
Jordan Lussey, Jay Spearing, Adam Phillips, Herbie Kane, Jordan Rossiter, and there are probably a few names we are forgetting as well.
The truth is, no one will live up to Gerrard’s legacy. He is Liverpool’s greatest ever player.
But sometimes a player comes along and makes himself look a little bit like Gerrard and give us hope that he could be the next one to breakthrough at Anfield.
Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold, both scousers, both tremendously talented were a bit like that.
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Now there’s another one.
Let’s us introduce you to Ollie O’Connor. A 17-year-old academy star who has pretty much played everywhere across the midfield over the course of his Liverpool academy career so far.
He’s a free-kick specialist capable of scoring goals from long-range and right now he’s making a name for himself as a right-back at U18 level for Liverpool.
Sounds familiar?
It’s a path that Gerrard took at first-team level as well. When he was breaking through during his early career he spent a lot of time playing as a right-back because that was an easier route into getting regular minutes.
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O’Connor is showing very similar versatility traits. And he’s admitted this speaking to Liverpool’s official website.
“I feel like the more positions you have, the better, because you’ve got more chance of being named in a squad because of the fact you can play multiple positions,” O’Connor said.
“My defending wasn’t really the best and I feel like I’ve learned a lot at right-back in defending. I feel like that’s really helped me.”
Read the full article here
