The midfielder received a 7/10 rating for his Europa League performance against Atalanta
Liverpool were eliminated from the Europa League on Thursday evening after failing to erase a 3-0 deficit against Atalanta. The Reds were well aware that they would have a difficult challenge, particularly in away territory. Jurgen Klopp’s side triumphed 1-0 on the night, but it wasn’t enough, as they were eliminated from Europe in the quarterfinals.
Klopp made changes in midfield, and journalist Andy Jones noticed that the German manager returned to a formula that had worked effectively for him earlier this season. Alexis Mac Allister was deployed in defensive midfield, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones serving as ‘number eights’.
Szoboszlai’s Influence Has ‘Drifted’
He isn’t having the same influence as before.
Szoboszlai did not play poorly against Atalanta, but it was evident that he was failing to make the same impression he made at the start of last season. He has struggled with injuries in recent months, which has shaken several players’ confidence. That, along with the pressure of needing to turn a significant European deficit away from home, would be enough to effect any player at least slightly.
Andy Jones of The Athletic wrote: “As Szoboszlai jogged off beside Salah, it was another performance in which the Hungary international appeared to be a different player than the one who took the Premier League by storm in the opening months. The Steven Gerrard parallels were a wonderful praise, but the 23-year-old’s enthusiasm, exuberance, and influence in games have waned. He, too, has been dealing with injuries since the beginning of 2024, but there were already hints that his impact on games was less than it had been in the past.
“The ball-moving creator of the midfield three and extra attacking man from deep lacks the same conviction. His pass map shows that few of the passes he attempted were in the final third or played forward.
“Where everything appeared so easy, it now seemed difficult. Earlier in the season, Szoboszlai could move across the pitch with the speed of two players – a physical freak of nature. He now looks human, just like Salah, and his effect on games has lessened due to a combination of form, fitness, and confidence.”
What is GIVEMESPORT Thought of Szoboszlai
GIVEMESPORT rated Szoboszlai’s performance away against Atalanta seven out of ten. Writer Callum Altimas was impressed with the midfielder’s “strong” and “fine” defensive performance, but he expected more from the 23-year-old in attack, which was lacking in Italy.
The player’s opinion was: “It was a strong performance from Szoboszlai, who has been a little off the pace lately. He contributed little offensively, but did an excellent job defensively, breaking up multiple Atalanta advances with crucial tackles.”
Mac Allister, a midfield colleague, received a seven out of ten, with GIVEMESPORT stating: “Similarly to Szoboszlai, the Argentine looked good defensively in the middle of the field and did a solid job stepping into the passing lanes with five interceptions, but he couldn’t quite get his game going offensively.”
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