For a short time on Sunday, Kaide Gordon’s Wikipedia entry included the sentence: “He’s broadly thought to be the best footballer ever.” That may be stretching it a bit for a participant with a solitary senior objective, which got here towards a Shrewsbury aspect within the decrease half of League One, however youth can encourage pleasure. The promise of potential affords a way of boundless chance. Often, it could even be an early glimpse of greatness.
Gordon’s web page was quickly pared again to the extra factual particulars: he was 17 years and 96 days outdated when he scored and just one man (or boy, actually) had struck for a massively embellished membership at an earlier age. “The second youngest goalscorer for Liverpool which is totally distinctive,” mentioned Jurgen Klopp. Particularly given the parade of teenage expertise to move by way of Anfield. Gordon is a youthful scorer than Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen, than Steven Gerrard and Trent Alexander-Arnold, than Raheem Sterling and Steve McManaman.
However he’s older than Ben Woodburn, the cautionary story. A scorer for Liverpool at 17, on mortgage at Hearts at 22 after underwhelming stints at Sheffield United, Oxford and Blackpool, the Welshman is a case of arrested growth. He was the long run as soon as. Now that mantle has handed to Gordon, who might not be a flash within the pan.
There may be a lot to recommend he possesses a greater likelihood of ending his profession as greater than only a statistical footnote. Conor Bradley, a veteran of 18, arrange Gordon for his landmark objective and Klopp mentioned: “They’re actual abilities.” Gordon is usually a direct dribbler with a behavior of jinking infield to shoot. He has mastered essentially the most tough talent first.
“That’s Kaide,” Klopp mentioned. “When he’s in these conditions he’s actually calm. I’m not saying he’ll all the time rating in these conditions in the remainder of his profession however I’m fairly certain most of the time as a result of that’s simply him. When a cross is available in from the left aspect, it is going to discover him within the field. He has a nostril for it.” The predatory instincts are allied with accuracy; an earlier shot, arrowed in the direction of the close to submit, confirmed an analogous intention to purpose for the corners of the objective.
“His ending is phenomenal however all the remainder he’s nonetheless a child,” Klopp mentioned. “So taking part in the place he performs, there’s a lot to enhance.” For his objective, he confirmed the presence of thoughts to take a contact along with his proper foot earlier than ending along with his left. There may be an apparent position mannequin at Anfield for such a finisher and it appeared Salah-esque. That Gordon is a Klopp-type participant, fast and scientific, an inverted winger with a passion for ending, ought to stand him in good stead.
That he has a supervisor who can belief in youth and suppose long-term, who didn’t purchase a right-back when he was ready for Alexander-Arnold to develop and who, till harm’s merciless intervention, could have been putting in Harvey Elliott as a primary alternative this season, provides him an opportunity. It could be untimely to anoint him Salah’s successor however, 13 years his junior, he could also be nearer his peak when the Egyptian begins to say no.
It was an indication of character that he scored when Liverpool, trailing to Shrewsbury, wanted it. “It’s actually not straightforward to point out up in a sport like this and he did,” Klopp mentioned. However he’s in any other case very a lot a piece in progress, as his supervisor’s evaluation made clear.
“There’s a option to go, no drawback,” he mentioned. “Kaide has time and we are going to give him the time. He could have his minutes right here and there.” These final three phrases fashioned a marked distinction from his verdict on the fit-again Takumi Minamino. “We want him desperately,” he mentioned of a extra senior ahead who’s likelier to face in for Salah and Sadio Mane within the subsequent month.
Minamino would be the close to future, the slight, boyish Gordon the topic of desires across the late 2020s and the 2030s. He’s so younger he was born when Rafa Benitez was Liverpool supervisor, solely three months earlier than Steve Cotterill’s Burnley knocked them out of the FA Cup, courtesy of Djimi Traore’s comical personal objective. Seventeen years on, the backheeled end towards one other Cotterill aspect was extra intentional, courtesy of Roberto Firmino.
A match embellished by his objective could find yourself outlined by Gordon’s, whether or not his eventual destiny is nearer Woodburn’s or Owen’s.
Kaynak: briturkish.com
