Bobby Clark & The Need for More Games

Last season, I wrote an article comparing Liverpool‘s emerging academy graduates to Manchester United’s famous class of 92. Despite this comparison being perhaps slightly early and a little ambitious, I was merely caught up in the euphoria of seeing so many wonderful young assets make such a strong impression on this historic football club. My hope is that Arne Slot will embrace some of those teenage prodigies before him so that the regeneration can be partly serviced by those within. Regarding the new Liverpool executives, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, I expect they are reluctant to flood the squad with newly purchased talent and blockade their pathways before giving them the best possible chance of success.

When considering the son of former Newcastle great Lee Clark, his son, Bobby Clark, showed a superb array of skills and maturity at the back end of the season that enabled him to outshine some expensive players around him. As with a few others who were promoted from the underage group, there is now a delicate balance between ensuring adequate game time (that will ensure progression) whilst still maintaining a strong and deep squad for the forthcoming season. Many consultations between players and staff will be carried out before the end of the summer window (August 31st) as the immediate and long-term futures of dozens of players are laid out by the key decision-makers.

Should Bobby Clark Go on Loan Next Season?

Only last season did we see the magnificent impact of sending Harvey Elliott on loan to Blackburn Rovers in the 2021/22 season. The 2023/24 form (the season prior was marred by injury) of the diminutive winger saw him able to solidify himself as a first-team regular after returning to Anfield a player ready to undertake Premier League minutes. I have always championed seeing players head out on loan towards the end of January so that Liverpool’s underage players have played out a good portion of the domestic cups.

I suspect that in the initial season of the former Feyenoord manager, Arne Slot, there will be an absolute desire to place the value of the Premier League and Champions League above anything else. Both he and the executives above him are the people chosen by FSG to regenerate this illustrious football club following the departure of the legendary former manager, Jürgen Klopp. It was, of course, the illustrious German who ushered in so many of the graduates last season, as injuries and the relentless fixtures list cut down his first-team squad through the back end of the season. Based on the assumed objectives and available games that would be gifted to the younger assets, I would be in favour of holding onto certain individuals so that both the League Cup and FA Cup (3rd Round) would be played almost exclusively by fringe players. James McConnell, Jayden Danns, Ben Doak, and Kaide Gordon may benefit greatly from such an enterprise before taking on a loan for the second half of the season.

Considering Bobby Clark specifically, I would be more inclined l to see him sent on loan for a full season so that, much like Harvey Elliott and Fábio Carvalho before him, he could adjust to the physicality of playing in the final third as a player that can be an intricate weapon built to deliver the final ball. If reports are to be believed, then the Reds 45-year-old head coach, Arne Slot, will be playing some form of the 4-2-3-1 formation that will see a number 10 placed between two wingers and in behind a central Striker. I see this vital attacking midfield position as where the Newcastle-born playmaker Bobby Clark will flourish. My main concern is keeping the 19-year-old in-house for next term is that with the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and even Alexis McAllister occupying that bespoke role, 1-cap England under-20 international may not be able to obtain important minutes and add to his six appearances for the senior team thus far.

Who Else Could Occupy the Number 10 Position?

The Anfield giants will have a plethora of assets able to play this offensive role in this next phase beyond those two senior stars mentioned above. Harvey Elliott, Ryan Gravenberch, and Cody Gakpo, are all well placed and able to start in that position throughout the campaign. There is of course the returning loanee, 21-year-old Fábio Carvalho, who also excels in this position, after enjoying his own fruitful loan at Hull City in the second half of last season.

The overall management of the group must always go beyond the training ground, which is where the key decision-makers will have to ensure they plan and ensure that the stars of tomorrow are as well prepared as possible for the future. I believe Bobby Clark could well become a key member of the Liverpool team in years to come, however, I hope that moment arrives much later and after he has enjoyed a season or two starting for a club, that can ensure the development of elite level potential.

Steven Smith