Fabinho Describes Frustration at Being Left Out

Fabinho. In a season full of exciting players putting in great performances, Liverpool’s newest star Fabinho has still managed to get hearts racing in the last few games. His brave, intelligent play shielding the defense and aiding the offense has impressed those who were eagerly anticipating his integration into the team.

Klopp has discussed several times that Fabinho’s early-season omission came down to the player needing time to bed into the team and adapt to the manager’s style of play. It was always going to be a matter of time, but as the games came and went without him getting a significant chance, fans became anxious to see him in action.

If it was tough for fans, it was predictably worse for the player himself, who opened up to ESPN Brazil about the wait.

“I’m very happy to play my second match in a row as first-choice, played the full match. It is very good for me,” Fabinho said.

”This moment to adapt, it hasn’t been easy -- many times you are out, there were many times I wasn’t [picked]. But I tried to learn from all this, tried to give my best during practice. The coaches were very nice to me, they didn’t let me get down. I worked to be well prepared. [I] got the opportunity last Wednesday, I believe I [had] a good match, and [against Cardiff] I believe I helped the team at the midfield.

”The moment is good, being called has helped too. So I’m very happy, I hope I can keep it. I know the rate here is very high, you have to always try to keep a good performance, and in our team we have a lot of options in the midfield. Of course it’s not possible to be always called, but whenever the coach needs me I want to be ready for it.”

It’s hard to see how Fabinho can be dropped in the form he’s in at the moment. However, the same can also be said for Shaqiri, or Wijnaldum, or Milner, or Naby Keïta when he returns to full fitness, or, or, or...

Klopp will have some very good headaches to deal with in the coming weeks, and for the first time in years, it will be difficult for those of us writing previews for Liverpool matches to predict which players will start every week.