Expert reveals the worrying stats behind Liverpool star’s recent performances
· Yahoo Sports
Liverpool Midfield Contracts: Data, Doubt and Decisions Ahead
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Liverpool’s midfield has rarely lacked intrigue, but this season’s debate around contracts, performance levels and future planning carries a sharper edge. Numbers are colliding with instinct, loyalty with logic. And as the season rolls on, the question isn’t simply who starts in midfield — it’s who stays when the summer arrives.
This article is based on discussion from the Stat Me Up podcast on Anfield Index, where analysts examined Liverpool’s midfield issues and contract calls shaping the club’s future.
Midfield Form Raises Contract Questions
Last season, Liverpool’s double pivot looked assured, clever and creative. This year, doubts have crept in. Passing accuracy has dipped, defensive duels have been lost and chance creation has declined.
As Dr Phil Barter said on the show: “There’s definitely some drop-off… Mac would have led the way with a lot of those metrics.” Another added bluntly, “They are losing one in two duels, both in the air and on the ground.”
Stats don’t always tell the full story, but they do show trends. And Liverpool’s midfield trend line is uneven.
Dr Phil Barter, a performance consultant who studies squad development models, once said: “Data doesn’t make decisions, but it exposes truths clubs ignore at their peril.” Liverpool’s recruitment team will know exactly what that means.
Because when performance dips at the same time contracts come due, every decision becomes heavier. Renew, sell, or restructure — all carry consequences.
Curtis Jones Case Shows Value of Patience
Curtis Jones is a fascinating example of how perception can drift from reality. His numbers are strong: progressive passes, possession retention, defensive effort.
From the Stat Me Up discussion: “Per ninety, he makes the most progressive passes of any midfielder in the league… and he covers more metres than anybody else on the pitch.”
Yet he isn’t always a guaranteed starter. His contract is approaching a critical point. And Liverpool risk undervaluing a player who represents consistency, tactical intelligence and homegrown identity.
Sports scientist Simon Brundish has often stressed one principle above all: “Availability is the most underrated statistic in football — if a player gives you 3,500 minutes at high intensity, that’s elite value.” In a season of injuries and fatigue, that truth rings loudly.
Jones may not be flashy, but elite teams are built on players who deliver week after week.
Dominik Szoboszlai Sets Standard for Liverpool Midfield
While debate surrounds others, one midfielder has carried his weight and more. Dominik Szoboszlai’s output — goals, assists, pressing numbers and relentless running — has been extraordinary.
The podcast analysts were clear: “The amount of threat he’s producing per game is higher than any other midfielder… He is a player operating at top of his game.”
That isn’t sentiment. It’s production.
High-intensity sprints, positional versatility, decisive moments — all hallmarks of an elite modern midfielder. Liverpool should be building around players like him, not simply admiring them.
Recruitment Choices Shape Liverpool Future
The clearest consensus from the discussion was Liverpool’s need for a specialist defensive midfielder — someone disciplined, physical and tactically reliable.
One analyst warned starkly: “Losing eighty-five per cent of defensive threat in front of your back four is not a good thing.”
That isn’t criticism of individuals. It’s recognition of imbalance.
Liverpool’s midfield has talent in abundance, but balance wins titles. Clubs that ignore structural needs pay twice — once in transfer fees, again in lost seasons.
Liverpool’s next era will be defined by how they handle these contract decisions. Keep the right players, recruit the right profiles and the midfield becomes a strength again. Get it wrong, and the noise around Anfield will grow louder.