From Celta Star to Kop flop: Why Aspas is struggling at Liverpool

Liverpool’s summer signing Iago Aspas didn’t mince words when discussing how he’s settling in at Anfield following his transfer.

“I’m finding it hard to be a sub at Liverpool having started games in the past years,” Aspas said via Marca. “I hope to carry on working hard and little by little to get more game time with Liverpool,” he went on to say, but there was no mistaking the frustration that has surrounded the 26-year-old since his £7 million summer switch.

Part of that frustration is to be expected from Aspas, who went from being the star player at Celta Vigo to being part of a stronger team with the Reds. Last year, the Spaniard only played 20 full league games and was behind several team-mates in terms of total playing time, but was clearly the heart and soul of his team’s attack.

Aspas scored 12 goals (more than double any of his team-mates) and created the most goal-scoring chances as well—finishing with a Squawka Performance Score far greater than any of his Celta Vigo team-mates.

Celta Vigo’s best performers in 2012/13

That attacking potency was what led the Reds to pursue him over the summer window, but so far, the 26-year-old is yet to reproduce the form that made him Celta’s outstanding player last year—registering the lowest Squawka Performance Score from any Liverpool player this year.

Liverpool’s worst performers so far this season

The reasons behind such a dip in his form are varied. Obviously, the fact that he isn’t getting the starting appearances that he did at Celta Vigo and isn’t such a focal part of the Reds’ attack has hindered him a great deal.

But there’s more to his struggles than just those two facts, and the biggest of those comes in the style of play that Rodgers has asked of Aspas.

At Celta Vigo, Aspas was given the freedom to roam the top of the club’s attacking line-up, dive back into attacking midfield or play through wide attackers out wide. His role was—in many ways—similar to that ofLuis Suarez’s at Liverpool.

Aspas’ Individual Heat Map v Real Valladolid 2012/13

Such a role hasn’t been forthcoming, however, at Anfield. Rodgers has deployed him as a wide forward and a No. 10 at various times, and neither truly suit the skills that Aspas has. While he can indeed break open a defense with his incisive passing and attacking runs, his quick thinking nature is better served at the top of the attack than in a more central position.

He isn’t a true No. 10 in the way that Philippe Coutinho is, and has obviously struggled to some extent playing in this role.

Last year against Atletico Madrid, Aspas struggled with the pressure that Diego Simeone’s team applied on him when he was forced to drop more centrally and play as a No. 10. He misplaced 39 and 35 per cent when they played on both occasions, and as you can see in his passing map below, his position on the field varied throughout (as it often does in the No. 10 role).

Aspas’ completed passes v Atletico Madrid 2012/13

The question facing Rodgers is as to how he can manage this, and so far, his answer has been to drop Aspas from his starting team all together. The thinking behind a move likely comes from the strong partnership that Daniel Sturridge and Suarez have since the Uruguayan returned to the starting line-up, and with that in mind, it’s only natural that Rodgers would want to keep his star duo playing together—even at the short-term expense of his summer recruit.

The onus is now on Aspas, then, to prove that he does indeed deserve to be in the Reds’ starting team. Which, with his vast array of passing skills and movement, he’s certainly capable of doing.