The Numbers Behind James McConnell’s Liverpool Rise | OneFootball

James McConnell Continues To Surprise

One of the most underrated academy talents at Liverpool right now is probably James McConnell.

He’s a player who has caught the eye of both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot and continues to impress every time he is given an opportunity in the first team.

Almost two years ago now, Klopp lauded McConnell as a ‘joy to watch’ after a pre-season game against Leicester City.

“James in the six is just a joy to watch, the boy never played in that position before, we put him there and he throws his heart on the pitch,” Klopp said.

Recently, Slot also praised him for his performances and said he caught his eye so much he doesn’t want him to go out on loan.

“There’s definitely one of them that will not go on loan and I think you know which one I mean, James McConnell,” Slot explained.

“I wouldn’t say definitely, but I liked him a lot today – so maybe now the end result today is that it would be good for him to go somewhere and play.

“He was also one of our players who hadn’t played in the last six or seven months 90 minutes, because he was injured for a while, and he impressed me a lot today.”

Earning praise like that from two Liverpool managers just goes to show the talent McConnell has and the numbers reflect that too.

Photo: IMAGO

James McConnell’s Impressive Premier League 2 Numbers

This season McConnell has played most of his minutes for the club’s U21 side in the Premier League 2.

What’s really impressive about McConnell is his footballing brain, tenacity and vision.

When it comes to Premier League 2 midfielders who have played at least 520 minutes in the last calendar year, McConnell averages the most successful defensive actions per 90 (13.91).

On top of that, he also makes the most possession-adjusted interceptions (7.75 per 90).

McConnell has a brilliant footballing brain but he also has the physicality to thrive in winning duels – which is exactly what Slot wants from his midfielders.

Not only is McConnell strong in one vs one challenges, he can cover a lot of ground and that’s why we saw him featuring as a right-back in the Reds’ FA Cup game against Plymouth.

He’s not just a defensive monster though. McConnell is also an extremely progressive player on the ball.

Averaging 3.44 dribbles per 90, out of the midfielders who have averaged the same or more dribbles in the Premier League 2, no one has a better success rate than McConnell (65%).

He is deceptively quick at changing direction and being able to beat his opponents. And when he doesn’t go on a run he’ll send the ball into dangerous territories with his impressive distribution.

Among Premier League 2 midfielders, McConnell ranks third for passes into the final third (11.51 per 90) and fourth for progressive passes (9.27 per 90).

With numbers like that, it’s easy to see why Klopp and Slot both felt so enamoured by his performances.

And he’s not just performing at this level for the U21 side, but at first team level too.

Photo: IMAGO

McConnell’s Impressive First Team Stats

It’s a small sample size but this season no one has averaged more tackles and interceptions combined (7 per 90) than McConnell for the Reds’ first team.

Looking at his numbers combined for Slot and Klopp, he’s played just over 500 minutes of football at first team level.

In that time, he’s averaged 9 recoveries per 90 with 69.2% of those recoveries being in the opponent’s half.

That highlights McConnell’s energy and work-rate and his suitability to Slot’s pressing game.

The Liverpool youngster is able to reprise possession on a regular basis and he is able to win back the ball in dangerous territories where he can instigate attacks for the Reds.

Under Slot, he’s won 7 of his 10 duels that he participated in so he’s shown he can be a strong presence in those defensive one vs one situations.

On the ball, he’s averaged 7.5 passes into the opposition’s final third and 54 passes per 90 with an accuracy of 88%.

He’s not as productive as he is at U21 level, but those numbers are pretty damn close.

Again, it must be mentioned that there is a caveat in the limited sample size at Liverpool’s first team level. However, based on the minutes he has produced for Liverpool so far, McConnell seems like an absolute gem.

Photo by IMAGO

What’s Next For McConnell?

It’s easy to see why Slot kept him around in the first team. McConnell is a useful player to have in the squad who will get more minutes for the rest of this season.

But long-term, he needs to be playing regularly if he is to be ready to make an impact for Liverpool.

At this moment in time, he’s playing at a Premier League level but perhaps not quite at a top six Premier League side level.

The next best solution for him would be to go on loan to a mid-table or lower-table Premier League club, where he is guaranteed to get the experience he needs to make the step-up.

He’d also be a valuable understudy to Gravenberch if Wataru Endo leaves in the summer.

Both roles could give him the opportunities he needs in order to hone his craft and continue his development.

What’s clear is that based on the numbers and the adulation from two brilliant Liverpool coaches, McConnell is an absolute gem.