Player Profile:
- Position: Right Winger
- Secondary Position: Attacking Midfield, Left Winger
- Nationality: Scotland
- Date of Birth: 11/11/2005 (17 Years)
- Current Club: Liverpool
- Former Club(s): Ayr United (Y), Celtic
- Preferred Foot: Right
- Height: 176cm
Ben Doak is a tricky winger who signed for Liverpool from Celtic in 2022. Since then, Liverpool coaching staff have only had positive things to say about his development, with Jurgen Klopp himself calling the young Scot ‘special’. Klopp also indicated that the club will ignore any loan offers that come in for Ben Doak, instead, they will look to integrate him into the first team over the coming months.
Doak is a physically strong player, he possesses a good amount of upper-body strength which enables him to hold off his opponent and hold up the ball if required. He is not the best in aerial duels, so this is certainly an area for development in the future. Doak is a very pacy player, he has excellent acceleration and an explosive burst of speed which allows him to cover ground effectively. His physicality means that he is able to press incredibly well which suits Liverpool’s style of play and means he will easily be able to cope with the demands of first-team football.
Tactically the Liverpool teenager shows great maturity and creativity. He makes good off-the-ball runs which creates space that allows him to be an available outlet for his team in the attacking phase. He is also able to work well in small pockets of space showcasing great awareness of how to position his body to ensure he remains available to receive the ball. The youngster loves to make line-breaking runs and his pace means that he can cover the length of the pitch quickly which makes him a great asset when on the counterattack. He tends to like to roam across the attacking third to take up pockets of space where he can dictate the play, given how much he appears to enjoy the freedom to roam, it will be interesting to see how he performs when given more stringent tactical instructions should he be given opportunities in the first-team. The Liverpool starlet possesses a great amount of flair which means it is an absolute joy to watch him play.
Ben Doak is a technically outstanding young player; intelligent, and direct are the two words that best sum up his technical abilities. He possesses a wonderful first touch that allows him to bring the ball under control in an instant. He is primarily right-footed and the Liverpool youngster seems to like to avoid using his weaker foot, perhaps another area for development in future. Doak loves to dribble, he thrives when taking on an opponent and being incredibly direct in possession, he will frequently receive the ball in wide areas and make a beeline for the penalty area with the ball virtually glued to his feet thanks to his impeccable close control. Additionally, his lower centre of gravity means that he is able to shield the ball from the majority of opponents who try to prevent him from reaching the opposition’s penalty area. However, when running with the ball he does tend to be very focused on the ball which very often that he doesn’t always look up to acknowledge where his teammates are in relation to him on the pitch. This can sometimes lead to him failing to recognise opportunities to play passes in behind the defensive line or squaring the ball to a teammate in a more optimal goal-scoring position.
Throughout most elements of his game, it is easy to forget that Doak is just 17 years old as he frequently displays a level of talent we would associate with players older than him. However, a reminder of his youthfulness comes with his tendency to get easily frustrated, especially when decisions go against him or teammates are not necessarily on his wavelength. This is really nothing to worry about as it mostly likely can be attributed to a lack of first-team experience and can easily be remedied on the training pitch and as the player gains more understanding of what will be expected of him at the highest level.
Ben Doak has already demonstrated that he has the skills to become a key player for Liverpool. Fans can be reassured that they have already found their heir apparent to Mo Salah. Given his potential and the talent he has already shown, the 17-year-old will undoubtedly go on to be one of the best players at the club.