A new season of sports
Offense and defense, the next Arnold! How young Bradley was in Liverpool 20 plays a key role.
Bradley seems to have brought Klopp blissful troubles.
The 20-year-old has recently been taking on the role of right wing-back in place of the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold. Not only did the Northern Ireland international succeed in replacing the number 66, but his performances in every game were remarkable.
Arnold, who has already returned, came off the bench in Liverpool's 5-2 win over Norwich City and will be back in Liverpool's starting line-up. Before his injury, he showed incredibly good form. While Alexander-Arnold should certainly return to his rightful place, Bradley's performance would also earn him a place in the first team.
It's a tough situation to deal with and puts Klopp in a difficult situation to make.
If Bradley loses his place in the team after another impressive performance, how will that affect his self-confidence and what message will it send to other players? After all, at the end of the day, players still have to rely on their performance on the field to speak.
But Liverpool have a lot of big games to come. They will play Chelsea in midweek and then Arsenal on Sunday in what could be the most decisive stage of the season. If Alexander-Arnold can start, then you will have the best starting line-up with a good chance of winning. He's used to helping the team win, but he's also a player like no other.
It may be a little unfair to Bradley wearing the number 84, but it could be trading short-term pain for long-term gain.
Going forward, though, this potential problem may eventually require a solution from Klopp's eventual successor. Because Bradley is likely to end up being a key factor in keeping Alexander-Arnold in a permanent midfield role.
For a long time, it was thought that Alexander-Arnold was better suited to a midfield role, but making such a shift would have a ripple effect on the right side of the Reds. Liverpool may opt to sign another right-back, who will then need to understand how the team's tactical system works during the transition period, which will also affect other players who have been linked with him.
However, Bradley's presence will alleviate some of the problems that may arise.
As he was promoted to the first team after a number of selections, he knows the whole system of the team very well and he also knows what the team needs on the right flank. He knows how physically demanding playing in Jurgen Klopp's system is. His experience as a right-winger has given him how to help the team, which will have a positive impact on Liverpool. Liverpool need full-backs to stretch the width when Salah adducts in, and the youngster is adept at helping the Egyptian star.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will be looking to be more influential in midfield, while the younger Bradley seems to prefer a traditional right-back role. This means that the two can coexist in the starting lineup.
Bradley scored seven goals and provided six assists in 50 appearances for Bolton Wanderers last season and was named last season's Players' Awards, Fans' Choice and Young Player of the Season before returning to Merseyside.
He gained confidence during his loan spell and showed his impact on the pitch when he returned to Anfield. He has proven that he can be the answer to the Reds at right wing-back. Against Bournemouth, he contributed one assist and created two goals for Liverpool in the FA Cup. At the time of the second goal, Alexander-Arnold was also playing in the role of midfielder on the pitch.
The young full-back made three key passes against Norwich, a tally that was second only to Szobosloy (four). Bradley also attempted the most tackles (six) and tied with Cuanza for the most tackles (five).
The 20-year-old has given Jurgen Klopp more options for the rest of the season. These months will be another period of intense fixtures for the Reds: they have a Carabao Cup final, an FA Cup fifth-round tie, a Europa League knockout round and a league title tie. With Bradley, Klopp can be more cautious with Trent Alexander-Arnold, which could be the key to their success this season.