I’m starting to get a little excited about Jérémy Jacquet.
And I know we’ve said that before.
Liverpool signed the young French defender from Rennes for a significant fee, so there was always going to be pressure on him. But what has happened since the start of the season has been pretty remarkable.
Jacquet has gone from a new signing trying to settle into English football to making his senior France debut under Zinedine Zidane.
And after his latest appearance, Zidane had some very interesting things to say.
“Very good. Very, very good. Brave. Not afraid to come way out. Very good in the duel. He was once again very good.”
That’s quite a compliment.
But one word stood out to me.
Brave.
That’s what I like about Jacquet
When I watch Jacquet, one of the things that stands out is how willing he is to defend on the front foot.
He doesn’t seem desperate to sit deep and wait for the opposition to come to him.
He’ll step out.
He’ll follow a player into midfield.
He’ll try to win the ball before an attack develops.
That’s obviously going to come with risks. He’s still a young defender and there will be occasions when he gets the timing wrong.
But I’d rather see that aggression than a centre-back who is afraid to make a decision.
And Zidane has clearly noticed it too.
The France manager specifically picked out Jacquet’s willingness to come out of his defensive position, which tells me that this isn’t just something Liverpool supporters have been seeing.
It’s becoming part of his identity as a defender.
And he’s doing it at international level
This is the part that makes Jacquet’s rise particularly interesting.
He isn’t simply getting praise after a few decent games for Liverpool.
He’s now being trusted by France.
Jacquet made his senior debut in the 1-0 win over Belgium and then started again against Italy, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw.
That’s two consecutive starts for a 21-year-old who had only just broken into the senior international picture.
I don’t think many Liverpool supporters expected that to happen quite so quickly.
And there is something else I like about it.
Jacquet doesn’t appear to be changing his game simply because he’s playing at a higher level.
He’s still willing to step forward and compete.
Against Italy, France were prepared to leave their centre-backs defending large spaces, and Jacquet was part of that approach.
That’s exactly the sort of experience that can help him at Liverpool.
Virgil van Dijk can only help him
Jacquet has already spoken about how much he has admired Virgil van Dijk, describing him as one of the best centre-backs and someone he needs to learn from if he wants to reach the very top.
Now he’s actually playing alongside him.
That’s some apprenticeship.
van Dijk has spent years dealing with the situations Jacquet is only beginning to experience — when to step up, when to hold the line, when to attack the ball and when to stay patient.
Jacquet clearly has his own qualities, but having Van Dijk beside him at this stage of his career could be hugely important.
And Liverpool have already seen glimpses of what that partnership might become.
I’m not getting carried away
This is where I think we need to be sensible.
Jacquet is still only 21.
A couple of good international performances don’t suddenly make him the finished article.
There will be difficult afternoons.
There will be mistakes.
There will be moments when his willingness to step out leaves space behind him and he has to learn from it.
That’s normal.
What interests me is that he seems to have the personality to deal with those challenges.
He isn’t hiding.
He’s taking responsibility.
And now he’s doing it for France as well as Liverpool.
That’s a pretty good foundation to build on.
Maybe Liverpool knew exactly what they were buying
When Liverpool agreed their deal for Jacquet from Rennes earlier this year, he was still a relatively inexperienced young defender. The club clearly believed there was something there, with the deal eventually completed on a long-term contract this summer.
We’re obviously still very early into his Liverpool career.
But look at the progression.
He arrives at Anfield.
He earns his place in the team.
He settles alongside van Dijk.
He gets noticed by France.
He makes his senior debut.
Then he starts again against Italy.
And now Zidane is describing him as brave and praising the way he defends.
That’s a lot to happen in a very short space of time.
For me, the most encouraging part isn’t even the praise.
It’s that Jacquet looks like he belongs at this level.
And that’s a very different thing from saying he’s already the finished product.
Liverpool don’t need him to be perfect.
They need him to keep improving.
If he does that, the Reds could have a seriously good centre-back on their hands for years to come.
And perhaps Zidane has just given Liverpool supporters another reason to believe that the club made a very interesting investment in Jérémy Jacquet.
I’m certainly starting to believe it.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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