Liverpool have just scratched the surface of Jeremie Frimpong’s attacking potential, and Arne Slot can take notes from Pep Guardiola.
Frimpong has been plagued by injuries all season, but when fit, he has shown just how dangerous a weapon he can be for Liverpool going forward. But getting the most out of a full-back like him can be difficult due to the need for balance in defence.
The key to maximising his offensive impact is finding that balance, and a prime example to follow is Nico O’Reilly, who Guardiola has turned into a formidable attacking force. Slot can do something similar with Frimpong.
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Jeremie Frimpong in action during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Galatasaray at RAMS Park. (Credit: Getty Images/Gerrit van Keulen/Soccrates).
Image Credit: Getty Images/Gerrit van Keulen/Soccrates
Arne Slot should look at Nico O’Reilly for inspiration on Jeremie Frimpong
O’Reilly has quietly become one of the Premier League’s brightest young talents, not only in his position, but across the division. He has six goals in his last eight appearances, including a Carabao Cup final brace.
Guardiola has given him the freedom to get forward into dangerous areas, and it’s exactly the approach Slot should take with Frimpong.
The two players are different profiles of wing-back. O’Reilly is physically imposing, plays like a midfielder and even like a centre-forward sometimes. Frimpong, on the other hand, is a winger with devastating pace who does his best work taking on his man at the touchline and putting balls into dangerous areas.
The offensive approach with the two is vastly different, but the requirements to allow them attacking freedom are pretty much the same.
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It starts with the centre-backs, who need the physical traits to cover the large areas left open by their forward runs. City have Khusanov and Guehi, who are positionally intelligent and fast enough to cover those spaces.
It’s usually Konate who fills in behind Frimpong, and he too can offer that security. But that alone is not enough.
You also need a midfielder in the mould of Rodri, who can fall in when O’Reilly bombs on. Ryan Gravenberch can play that role, but he’s not the ideal fit. It’s why Liverpool need to sign a number six this summer.
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Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes watching on during the Reds' Premier League match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (Credit: Getty Images/Robin Jones).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Robin Jones
The final piece of the puzzle is making sure the Liverpool attackers know how to play with Frimpong. City’s attackers are excellent at creating space for O’Reilly’s surging runs through the middle.
We saw in Liverpool’s win against Fulham how Mo Salah regularly vacated the space out wide to step in more centrally, which gave the Dutchman license to stay high and wide.
That is a vital piece, and the other is for the striker to make himself available for the deliveries that will inevitably fly in if Frimpong has that space. Too often, his crosses fly into unoccupied areas. Once Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike have played more minutes with him, that should start to come together.
O’Reilly and Frimpong are different players, but their core value is the same. A defender regularly crashing the final third creates an overload that can be a nightmare for oppositions to deal with without losing their shape entirely.
We’re seeing the fruits of that with O’Reilly, and Slot can find similar joy with Frimpong. He just needs to figure out how to let him do what he does best without leaving Liverpool vulnerable at the other end. For that, following the Guardiola blueprint is the right move.
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