Jarell Quansah Making Bright Start to Life in Liverpool’s First Team
Liverpool’s 20-year-old defender Jarell Quansah has made a bright start to life in the first team, with the youngster describing himself as a “perfectionist” after his first assist.
Having been around the senior squad to an extent over the previous two seasons, Quansah has made a major step up this time out. He debuted off the bench against Newcastle last month, with another substitute outing against Aston Villa followed by his full debut in the 3-1 win at Wolves. Wednesday night brought his second start for the club and his first full 90 minutes, coming away with an excellent assist for Diogo Jota’s goal to make it 3-1 over Leicester.
Speaking to LFCTV, Quansah insisted he “prefers defending,” but is “always happy” to make an impact at either end of the pitch. “You just prepare for anything,” he said. “As long as I can impact the team at one end – and now both ends – it’s always good. I just prefer defending, but obviously if I can contribute with an assist or a goal every now and again, I’m always happy.”
An assist is unlikely to sway Jurgen Klopp’s opinion of a central defender, but it certainly won’t hurt Quansah’s chances of a long-term stay in the first team. The youngster is aware of the need to develop further, describing himself as a “perfectionist” as he looks to build on an exciting start.
“It’s been nice. I’ve wanted to do it,” he said of his first four games. “I just wanted the opportunity, that was the biggest thing for me. I’m glad that I’ve had it and taken it so far, but it’s about kicking on, improving. I’ve got so much to improve still.”
He added: “[There were] times in the game there [that] I’ve given the ball away, and I’m a perfectionist, so I’m always working on the pitch to get better and better. Any chance I get, whether it’s this competition, Europa League, Premier League, FA Cup, I’m ready to step up and give what I can give to the team.”
Competition for Places
Quansah is behind the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez in the centre-back pecking order, but these early weeks of the season have already shown chances will come.
Klopp has shown a willingness to rotate his squad in recent years and Quansah is likely to be one of those players who benefits from that policy. As a young player who is still learning his trade, he will be grateful for any opportunity he gets to show what he can do and prove he deserves a regular place in the starting lineup.
The Future for Quansah
It remains to be seen how much of an impact Quansah will have on Liverpool’s season but it’s clear that he has plenty of potential. He has already shown that he can make an impact at both ends of the pitch and his ability to learn quickly will be key if he is to become a regular starter for the Reds.
The youngster is clearly determined to make the most of every opportunity he gets and his willingness to work hard and improve will stand him in good stead as he looks to establish himself in Klopp’s squad.
It’s still early days for Quansah but his bright start suggests that he could become an important player for Liverpool in the years to come.