Get Dominik Szoboszlai on Only Connect
The Hungarian is proving to be Arne Slot's secret sequence weapon
There have been several players who have caught the eye across the first two games of Liverpool’s 2024/25 Premier League campaign. For some it has been business as usual, for others they have thrived in slightly different positions.
The trio of forwards who started against Ipswich and Brentford are all off the mark, both for goals and assists. Trent Alexander-Arnold has created three Opta-defined big chances, the most of any player in the Premier League, while Ryan Gravenberch has suggested he will become an asset at the base of the midfield.
The Dutchman’s immediate colleagues, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, have not left as much of an impression. The former looks in need of some time off to recharge and get up to speed, having been at the Copa America until July 14. Szoboszlai does not have that excuse, though he was at Euro 2020, as only four players made more starts for Liverpool in pre-season. Of those that did, only Mohamed Salah will likely be a fixture in Arne Slot’s starting XI this term.
The former RB Leipzig man, who will be reunited with his old teammates in the Champions League, has no goals or assists despite playing in the number 10 position. He has created five chances, only one of which was of sufficiently high quality to be classified as big by the official data collector.
But as Opta Analyst revealed, Szoboszlai has certainly been involved over the opening two weekends of 2024/25. He has played a part in 20 open play possession sequences which led to shots, the most of any man in the English top flight.
The Reds have generated 10 big chances across the two matches - three per game is elite - and a closer look at the moves in question illustrates the part Szoboszlai has played. He has had a touch in eight of the sequences; perhaps as the two in which he had no involvement led to goals explains why his contributions have largely been under the radar.
Only Luis Díaz has been involved in more, though, with the Colombian having a perfect 10 from 10 ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. Five players have contributed to seven, while Diogo Jota is on six.
It would therefore be fascinating to know Opta’s expected goal value of the sequences in which the players in the above chart took part. The data from Understat can help, even if their model is not as advanced as most these days.
Szoboszlai tops their standings for xGBuildup, the metric which looks at the xG of possession in which players are involved, but without key passes and shots. He is second for xGChain, which does include creating chances and goal attempts, behind Díaz. We can say from the figures that the Hungarian’s 20 sequences have led to shots carrying an average weight of 0.22 xG, more than double the value of a typical effort.
Per Understat, Szoboszlai has played a part in chances collectively worth 4.31 expected goals so far this season. As it’s approaching double what Lionel Messi averaged in the last decade, you know it’s unsustainable.
But consider that Bournemouth (at 4.44) is the only other team in the Premier League to have produced that much non-penalty xG this season, and you can see how well Szoboszlai has started 2024/25. Forget that Liverpool have had favourable fixtures to start the campaign, that’s something which deserves recognition.
Big Dom is the king of the sequences so far this season. Get his application for Only Connect filled in pronto, Arne.
fantastic piece, extremely insightful and very detailed.
Josh and yourself are two of the best Liverpool analysts going around!
Five of the top ten sequence creators shows how cutting we are. For a new manager (sorry, coach) that's a phenomenal start!