Record-breaking Liverpool defender Jack Robinson is back fit again and raring to go, but what does his immediate future hold?
Jack Robinson is a young prospect who Liverpool quite rightly have high hopes for. The left-back endured a frustrating injury-hit season last year, just when he was promising to break through.
At the end of 2010/11 he was handed a chance by Kenny Dalglish, and was thrown into the cauldron when Fabio Aurelio suffered an injury 20 minutes into an away trip at Arsenal.
Robinson’s previous experience of first team football included three minutes against Hull on the last day of the season a year earlier, just 16. This saw him take the record as Liverpool’s youngest ever player, but beyond that he had only ever been an unused subsitute.
In this particular instance it was sink or swim, and he swam. He dealt with the threat posed by Arsenal expertly, and was not daunted by the pace of Theo Walcott, and the game finished 1-1 thanks to a very late Dirk Kuyt penalty.
12 days later he was handed a start against Birmingham at Anfield, where he helped the club keep a clean sheet. It looked as though Liverpool had unearthed a gem.
Jose Enrique was signed from Newcastle, increasing competition at left-back, and two early Carling Cup appearances were as far as Robinson got last season.
This was because of injury, he needed a foot operation which saw him in a cast for four months, before a groin strain put him out again.
Now with the new season about to begin, he is raring to go, and make up for lost time. The usual route for a young 18-year-old defender would be to spend more time with the Academy teams or even go out on loan, but Robinson is so highly rated he is presently considered above that.
He featured in pre-season for Liverpool, and while Jose Enrique is first choice for the position, having Robinson around to keep the Spaniard on his toes will be good for both player and club, with the new arrival’s form trailing off at the end of last season.
With the Europa League adding to Liverpool’s fixture list, opportunities will certainly come Robinson’s way.
Liverpool’s options at left-back are limited at present, and it is a show of faith in the youngster that Brendan Rodgers has not sought to bring in another player as competition for Enrique.
If the defender can stay fit, he should aim to make around 20 appearances this year, and play a key part in a cup run or two. An England under-19 international already, if he does feature this season then he can aim for a call-up to the under-21s.
Right now hopes are high, and he will be seeking to justify just why he is so highly rated by making a name for himself on the pitch.
What do you hope for from Robinson this season?
image: © kong niffe
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