Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers added to his options on the flanks last Monday with the acquisition of Victor Moses from Chelsea on a season-long loan deal. Along with defenders Mamadou Sakho and Tiago Ilori, the 22-year-old was one of three deadline-day signings by the Reds boss and is the eighth new face added the Merseysiders’ first-team squad this summer.
Having sealed the switch to the league leaders, Moses revealed a series of talks with the Liverpool manager convinced him that he’s set to feature prominently this term, after a frustrating period at Stamford Bridge:
“Coming to Liverpool is another step for me. Brendan Rodgers is a great manager and he’s done fantastically well here helping the lads. When I spoke to him, he told me what I’m going to be doing here. I was really pleased with that and I’m looking forward to working with him. The manager has done very well and the formation and players here will help me and I just want to gel in, get to know the players and play with them. I am excited to be working in this system with a lot of quality players here.”
The History
A product of the Crystal Palace youth system, the Nigerian international began his career back in November 2007. Over the course of a couple of years in the Eagles’ first-team, Moses produced 11 goals and six assists in the Championship before being snapped up by Wigan in the 20009 winter transfer window.
His first season-and-a-half at the DW consisted mainly of substitute cameos. Moses featured 35 times for the Latics over this period but, with 25 of these appearances coming courtesy of the bench, he managed just two goals and six assists. Handed a regular role by Roberto Martinez for the 2011/12 campaign, the winger grabbed six goals and six assists in 38 league matches – he then played once for the club last season before making his way to Stamford Bridge prior to the closure of the summer transfer window.
With the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Juan Mata to contend with, Moses struggled to make an impact at the Bridge last term. While he played 23 league games for the Blues in the previous campaign, 11 appearances arrived from the subs bench and with just a single goal and assist contribution to his name, he fell quickly from Fantasy radars.
On the international stage, Moses turned out for England at every youth level from Under 16 to Under 21 a total of 29 times, scoring 11 goals, before deciding to represent the country of his birth in 2011. He has since turned out 12 times for Nigeria, registering four goals and five assists.
The Prospects
With big-money arrivals such as Andre Schurrle and Willian rolling up to Stamford Bridge, in addition to the loan return of Kevin De Bruyne, Moses seemed poised for another season on the Fantasy periphery. Whilst his arrival on Merseyside was greeted with little fanfare by Fantasy managers, the Nigerian’s prospects have been talked up by Rodgers – not only does the Liverpool boss reckon the loan star has a part to play, he also revealed Moses’ arrival could be the catalyst which allows him to unleash Philippe Coutinho in a central position this term:
”I’ve been aware of Victor for a long time and know his qualities. He’s the type of offensive player I like – he’s got terrific skill with the ball, is a wonderful technician and can go left side or right side. Victor can play anywhere across that front line, but probably his best position is on the left cutting in onto his right foot. That may allow Philippe more opportunities to play as that third man and be the connection between our midfield and front players. So hopefully that will allow him to move inside, but there are going to be games where he’ll play in a number of positions. That’s the type of players we try to bring in – intelligent footballers who can play in a number of areas on the field – but Philippe will get the opportunity to play more in that No.10 role, which is probably his preferred position.”
Certainly, Rodgers’ words will intrigue Coutinho owners. The Brazilian dazzled in pre-season but has failed to replicate his summer form and is yet without a goal or assist – a shift from the left flank to the role in “the hole” behind Daniel Sturridge indicates Rodgers has a 4-2-3-1 formation in mind, with Luis Suarez set to be fielded in a wide position upon his return from suspension later this month.
With Iago Aspas, Jordan Henderson, Luis Alberto and Raheem Sterling all vying for game time on the flanks, Moses face a real fight to establish himself as a regular but Rodgers’ words are clearly encouraging. A triumvirate of Moses, Coutinho and Suarez lining up behind Sturridge looks a possibility and, while the Nigerian is unlikely to offer the same number of starts as the other three, his relatively budget-friendly price may persuade some to take a punt for their five-man midfields.
Setting you back 6.2 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), 5.5 in the Sky Sports game and 3.5 in the Sun Dream Team, Moses could be a real value for money option if he’s handed regular game time by Rodgers. Many will be content to hold fire and assess the situation first, though – with plenty of cheaper options such as Robbie Brady and Peter Whittingham guaranteed starts by their respective clubs, in addition to spot-kick and/or set-piece duties, Moses may be seen as a bit of risky business at the moment.
With similarly-priced options at the back for Liverpool, investment in a defence that has yet to concede this season could be a safer solution right now but, with the Reds squaring up to just two of last term’s top six in the next 11 Gameweeks, there’s plenty opportunity for the wide man to stake a claim for our consideration.
Further Reference
Victor Moses Transfer Markt Page
