Before you get the knives out, let me make something clear; I think Georginio Wijnaldum is an excellent footballer and a great signing who has had a solid, if not spectacular, first season at Liverpool.
With that out of the way, let’s get straight to it. I think Wijnaldum has failed to put his hand up as Liverpool stutter in their quest to finish in the top four.
Now, on some level, this may just be a reaction to a very flat performance against Southampton (one I’m still struggling to digest) but it has been building for a while. Even at Watford, there were times when you just hoped he’d show a bit more creativity in and around the box and don’t get me started on that Crystal Palace nightmare!
Truth is, the team as a whole has been struggling for goals and penetration since Sadio Mane’s injury and has relied on individual moments of magic to bail them out.
Also, Wijnaldum’s midfield partners in recent games have been Lucas and Emre Can who aren’t the most creative. What sticks out, however, is Wijnaldum’s reluctance to take risks and grab a game by the unmentionables despite him being the only one of the trio who has spent a decent part of his career playing in attacking positions.
A sense of arrogance (based on confidence in his ability) has been missing from Wijnaldum’s game for a while now. This is something Can can’t be accused of. Can seems more than willing to risk looking foolish in a bid to make something happen even if it doesn’t happen enough.
Something we’ve seen far too often this season is Wijnaldum playing safe, keeping possession and stepping aside for players like Coutinho and Firmino to do the business.
Now this wouldn’t be an issue if the player’s attacking skillset was limited but it can be incredibly frustrating when you see a gifted player like Wijnaldum reluctant to display the flair he clearly has.
This especially hurts Liverpool when they’re struggling to break down teams at home. With his combination of touch, technique and strength, he really needs to express himself more to help unlock the door. If the door needs kicking down, a few more shots also wouldn’t hurt.
Wijnaldum’s position has rarely been under threat due to mostly steady performances and a lack of competition in his position due to a shallow, injury ravaged squad. This may not be the case in the future.
Could it just be fatigue or is some other factor hindering him? A positional issue? Is the costly backpass against Bournemouth still playing on his mind? Instructions from the coaching staff?
Whatever it is, with just two games to go and Champions League football at stake, Wijnaldum really needs to come out of his shell now.
