Nathaniel Clyne: Southampton right-back represents a vast upgrade for Liverpool
Thursday 2 July 2015 11:26, UK
Right-back has been a problem position for Liverpool in recent seasons, but Nathaniel Clyne represents a considerable upgrade on the departed Glen Johnson, writes Nick Wright...
The 24-year-old follows the arrivals of James Milner, Danny Ings, Roberto Firmino, Joe Gomez and Adam Bogdan at Anfield as Brendan Rodgers re-shapes his squad and looks to lift the gloom that surrounded the club after their disappointing 2014/15 campaign.
Clyne will be seen as a direct replacement for Glen Johnson – whose gradual decline saw him quietly depart in the shadow of Steven Gerrard at the end of the campaign.
But while Johnson fell from grace, Clyne was busy establishing himself as a top Premier League right-back at Southampton. The defender was a key member of Saints’ back four last season, making 35 appearances and helping them qualify for the Europa League as they finished the campaign with the second best defensive record in the division.
Clyne’s individual contribution was superb, and Southampton manager Ronald Koeman – a man who knows a thing or two about defending – described him as one of the best full-backs he’s managed in his 15-year coaching career.
Clyne has also broken into the England set-up, making five appearances for Roy Hodgson's side since his debut against Slovenia in November, and his stock is now so high that the decision to persist with Phil Jones as first choice right-back has been widely criticised.
Top tackler
The stats highlight just how significant Clyne's arrival at Anfield could be. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the former Crystal Palace player beat his predecessor Johnson in almost every department last season. He averaged far more tackles per game (3.3 v 1.6), more interceptions (1.8 v 0.9) and created more chances per game (0.63 v 0.26) than the 30-year-old, showing he was far more effective at both ends of the pitch.
Spaniard Javier Manquillo showed promise in his 10 Premier League appearances for the Reds, but the 21-year-old is a rookie who is not ready for regular action, whereas Clyne has three full seasons of the top flight experience under his belt. He may have only turned 24 in April, but Clyne has already made close to 250 career appearances having broken through at Crystal Palace as a teenager.
Johnson is not the only player whose stats pale in comparison to Clyne’s. The right-back's tackling ability is one of his biggest strengths and he made more than any other defender in the Premier League last season with 115. In fact, the only player to make more successful tackles in 2014/15 was Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic
Dangerous outlet
The pressure is on Clyne, given how Dejan Lovren struggled after making the move from St Mary’s to Anfield last summer, but the former Crystal Palace player is a well-rounded defender who has all the tools to succeed as Liverpool’s first choice right-back – and former Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher agrees.
“I saw Nathaniel Clyne at St Mary's after a game last season and told him to sign for LFC – he took my advice!” the former Liverpool centre-back wrote on KICCA. “I think it's another good signing for the club to go along with the other business already done.”
As well as being a strong tackler and confident in one-on-one situations, Clyne is a dangerous outlet going forward. His dynamic playing style contrasts sharply with Johnson’s casual approach, and he has the speed and energy to charge up and down the flank, cover for his team-mates and recover when caught out of position.
Clyne’s marauding forward runs became a regular feature of Southampton’s playing style. Fittingly, one of the best examples came at Anfield last season, when he played a clever one-two with Dusan Tadic before beating Simon Mignolet with an emphatic first-time finish into the top corner. The right-back scored an even better goal in a Capital One Cup clash against Arsenal, rifling home a rising drive from 35 yards out at the Emirates Stadium.
Versatility
“I’m a full-back who likes to get forward and help out in attack,” Clyne said in an interview with Southampton’s official website in September. “I try to get assists and to score goals myself. With the centre-backs covering me, I’ve got the ability to go forward and help the team in an attacking sense.”
His attacking instincts could be particularly useful to Rodgers, who is partial to deploying wing-backs in a 3-4-2-1 formation. The Liverpool manager will need time to settle on a favoured set-up for his new-look starting XI next season, so Clyne’s versatility should serve him well in the opening weeks of the campaign.
And while Clyne can provide an immediate solution to Liverpool’s right-back woes, they are also obtaining a player with his best years ahead of him. Clyne’s career is on an upward trajectory, and he could make Liverpool’s right-back spot his own for many years to come.
