Former Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Friedel has urged supporters not to judge Bradley Barcola purely on his goals and assists this season as the winger continues to adapt to English football.
Barcola has scored three goals and provided two assists in 13 appearances for the Reds since his £123million move from Paris Saint-Germain in late August. The 24-year-old has been deployed on both flanks by head coach Andoni Iraola, though he produced a poor display when leading the line in the 3-2 Champions League defeat at Fenerbahce on Wednesday evening.
Friedel backs Barcola to succeed
The France international recorded 76 goal contributions in 152 appearances for PSG, where he was twice a European champion. Friedel, speaking to Gambulls, expressed confidence that the attacker will prove a success at Anfield.
"When you pay the price tag, you're not at all purchasing them for a resale value," Friedel said. "So I think people will automatically question if he doesn't have a lot of assists and a lot of goals."
Adapting to the Premier League
Friedel noted that Barcola is adjusting to a different style of football in the Premier League compared with his time at PSG. "But I see a player that comes from a completely different league and an incredible side that played a different type of football that you have to play in the Premier League. And I see him each week getting better and better as far as the Premier League is concerned," he said.
"He's a tremendous player. He's a great talent. He has incredible pace and quickness. And if you look at the second goal against Brighton, (Olivier) Boscagli makes a mistake but Barcola was on it in a flash, then used his pace, and then a precise cross to Isak and it was a goal. And that was against a Brighton team that was playing really well."
Friedel added: "So I hope Liverpool fans don't think if he doesn't have this really high goals and assists output in his first season, he's performed poorly."
"I think he also has to get used to the Premier League and the physical side of it and the vertical pace of it," Friedel said. "He was used to a PSG team that would have 75% of the ball every game. This is different. I have liked what I've seen from him, for sure."
