Liverpool are currently enduring a horror run of form this season as they find themselves eighth on the table in the Premier League and almost on the brink of the UEFA Champions League. The team who nearly won the league and Champions League titles last year look like a shadow of themselves. There are a few positives that the club can take from the current season. However, one area where they can find solace is that there have been youth players who have come to the fore. One of them is the Spanish centre-back Stefan Bajcetic, and the other is Ben Doak, the Scottish winger who has already made five senior-team appearances.
Doak was signed in the summer transfer window of 2022 from Celtic. The 17-year-old was already a rising star back in Scotland and was a transfer target for several clubs. But, instead, he chose to join Liverpool, and till now, the move appears to have paid off, with Doak getting a loan in the senior squad.
So, who is Ben Doak, and how good is he?
Who is Ben Doak?
Ben Gannon Doak was born on November 11, 2006, in Dalry, North Ayrshire, Scotland. And Doak started his footballing career in his hometown, joining Dalry Rovers. However, he was soon snapped up by Ayr United, who play in the second tier of the Scottish league. His incredible performances soon caught the eyes of Celtic, who added him to the ranks.
He was sent to the youth sides but, within 16 months, would get his big break as he was named on the bench for Celtic’s match against St. Johnstone. His debut would come just a month later when he played the final 22 minutes of the game against Dundee United.
The youngster also called up to the under-17 squad for the Scotland national football team that season. Ben Doak played six matches in the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifying. The teenager was impressive throughout the campaign and helped his nation qualify for the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
Ben Doak directly contributed four times to a goal this afternoon. Numbers don’t tell a full story at all with Doak’s game but he’s putting them up consistently at academy level this season.
18 goals/assists in 19 games at academy level so far this season. pic.twitter.com/4ZIkZRuzQC
— Lewis Bower (@LewisBower2021) February 25, 2023
Ben Doak stats
While he couldn’t score or provide any assist for Celtic in his two starts, it was a completely different story in the under-17 European Championship. He failed to have any impact in the first qualifying round, but Scotland still managed to win two of their three matches and finish second behind Italy.
Scotland were then clubbed into a group with Germany, Georgia and the Czech Republic. And Ben Doak brought his best for this group of matches, assisting two and scoring a hattrick against the Czech Republic.
After his transfer to Liverpool, he played for both the under-18 and under-21 teams. He played in the UEFA Youth League and Youth Premier League for the former, where he scored a total of seven goals and provided six assists.
In the UEFA Youth League, he recorded one goal and one assist in both legs of the match against Napoli. However, his best performance came against Rangers, where he scored one goal and provided two assists.
He has also played for the under-21s, where in the latest match, he scored two goals and provided two assists helping Liverpool win the match 7-1.
At the same time, Jurgen Klopp also called him to the senior squad, naming him on the bench against Southampton. His debut came in the next match against Aston Villa, where he played the final two minutes, replacing Darwin Nunez. His last appearance came in the 3-0 defeat against Brighton on February 14, 2023.
In more positive news, a Ben Doak-inspired U21s thumped Leicester 7-1 earlier today!
The supremely talented Scot has 18 G/A in 19 outings across the youth sides this season 💫
One to watch with an extremely bright future and possibly ready to make an impact at senior level 🔴 pic.twitter.com/4iTryW4fWX
— The Redmen TV (@TheRedmenTV) February 25, 2023
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Ben Doak positioning and style of play
Like every youth player, Ben Doak can play in multiple positions, mostly operating across the front line. However, Doak prefers the right wing, where he can use his trickery to get past the opposition’s defenders.
Doak has tons of pace but is not entirely dependent on it. He also uses his intelligence and impeccable passing to carve open the defence. The teenager is also adept at delivering crosses from the wings, which he uses to devastating effect.
Doak is also brilliant at making well-timed runs behind the opposition’s line that beat even the best set offside traps.
Ben Doak transfer news
A club like Liverpool will in no way sell a player like Ben Doak without giving him an adequate shot to prove his talent to the club. Along with Stefan Bajcetic, Doak is the cream of Liverpool’s youth team. If Jurgen Klopp stays after the current season, there will be plenty of changes to the squad, meaning players like Doak may be given an extended run in the team to make their place permanent.
In the limited minutes he got for the team, Doak has already shown that he, with a little bit of patience, can thrive at the top level. However, for that, he will need to ensure that he quickly irons out his weakness. For now, though, he has done enough to ensure that he gets a fair shot at the club for the next season.