This weekend began in the most depressing way possible for Liverpool fans – a Saturday lunchtime defeat to bottom of the table Nottingham Forest.
The disappointment of the result was compounded by the fact that it’s hard to see how things get better. Right now, injuries are the key reason for Liverpool’s poor form. Unfortunately, they’re not easing up any time soon.
With Darwin Nunez joining Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota on the treatment table, Jurgen Klopp’s attacking options are thin on the ground.
Nunez should at least be back for Wednesday’s trip to Ajax. But the other two are looking at months on the side-lines.
As a result, Klopp should be taking note of 16-year-old Ben Doak’s form in the underage sides. The summer arrival from Celtic has lit up the academy so far this season and looks like he has lightning in his boots.
Doak making himself hard to ignore
It may seem absurd to think about calling up such a young player, but Doak looks like the real deal.
At sixteen, he has already tasted senior football for Celtic. It may have been used as an ultimately futile attempt to get him to stick around in Glasgow but, still, that doesn’t happen unless you’re a special talent.
Thankfully for Liverpool, Doak chose to continue his development on Merseyside. So far, he’s already progressed from the U18s to the U21s.
The teenager has also already broken into Scotland’s U21 set-up, scoring on his debut.
So, the talent is clearly there. Liverpool coach Barry Lewtas has been impressed, calling Doak ‘phenomenal’ via the Liverpool Echo. And with such a shortage of suitable options at his disposal, now could be the time for Klopp to look to his academy.
Doak scored again on Saturday, bagging the winner against Everton U21s at Kirkby. It seems as though the youngster is now making the difference for Liverpool in every single game.
His development shouldn’t be rushed too fast though, and expectation levels should be managed.
But with injuries biting in the first team, the timing could now be right to introduce Doak into the senior squad. At the very least he’ll inject some pace into a pedestrian Liverpool team. And after some of the dross we’ve been served up this season, how much worse can it really be?
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