Liverpool loanee Neco Williams almost scored from the halfway line today with a spectacular strike.
James Milner played right back for Liverpool during the week. Trent Alexander-Arnold played 120 minutes in the Carabao Cup Final on Sunday, so Liverpool needed an alternative.
That alternative was supposed to be young Welsh defender Neco Williams. But Williams was sent on loan during the season to Fulham. Despite featuring 13 times for Liverpool and 17 times for Wales, Jurgen Klopp sent the 20-year-old on loan to gain more first team experience.
Klopp has shown he will trust younger players. He will retain younger players such as Caoimhin Kelleher or Alexander-Arnold himself if they're good enough at a young age. So Williams has something to prove in the Championship. In his seventh game for Fulham, he almost produced a spectacular highlight.
After winning the ball at the edge of his own area in the 82nd minute, Williams sprinted forward. He looked up and spotted the opposition keeper off his line. At that point he struck the ball perfectly to beat him back to his line. He was unfortunate that the ball arrived just a touch too high to sneak in under the crossbar.
2-0 | OFF THE BAR! ❌
SO CLOSE to goal of the season as Neco Williams' attempts to chip Kaminski from the halfway line! pic.twitter.com/uxxIRxs8jo
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 5, 2022
Williams isn't the technical prodigy that Alexander-Arnold is. He won't pick a defence apart and retain possession with his passing over and over again. But he is an ambitious attacking player who has shown previously that he will attempt, and at times pull off the extraordinary.
He is more of a marauding wing back who gets up and down the sideline than an attacking center piece. Williams dreams of being Cafu or Dani Alves, whereas Alexander-Arnold dreams of being Andrea Pirlo in a different position.
Klopp will be most happy about Williams winning the ball in this clip. He is playing for Fulham and not Liverpool right now because of his defensive weak spots. Williams must develop better defensive positioning and an understanding of how to read the game. If he does that, he has a future at Liverpool. If he doesn't, Fulham will happily take him as their right back.
Stamford Bridge is a problem in Chelsea sale
Football on Off The Ball brought to you by Sky. All the football you love in one place across Sky Sports, BT Sport & Premier Sports.
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
