In his second loan away from Liverpool, Leighton Clarkson finally got back on his feet. And in Aberdeen he does it in an unfamiliar role.
An interrupted stay at Blackburn last time led to Clarkson spending the second half of the season in the under-21 team.
This time it was decided to fix everything. The 21-year-old went to Scotland, where he found a place in the main squad under the guidance of Jim Goodwin at Aberdeen.
He participated in all possible games, starting 11 of 14 matches, scoring four goals and two assists, including a long-range shot in his debut.
A natural-born No. 6, capable of acting in a more advanced No. 8 role if required, so it’s surprising to hear that Clarkson has found his niche further.
To find out more about Clarkson’s time in Aberdeen, we spoke to Ruaraidh Britton (@RuaraidhB), a trainee reporter for Aberdeen Live.
What did you expect when the deal with Clarkson was announced?
Scottish Premier League, St Johnstone vs Aberdeen: Leighton Clarkson from Aberdeen. Photo: Action Plus Sports/Alamy Live News
Clarkson’s deal seems to have caught fans by surprise amid Aberdeen’s busiest summer on the transfer market in a long time.
It was a pleasant surprise because of the last attempt to lure him to the northeast, but it was an announcement that brought with it a lot of expectations and excitement.
So much has been made of players who have been part of Liverpool’s academy in recent seasons, so the Dons taking Clarkson on loan was a huge coup for the club.
After he was relegated in the previous season, there was a great need for attacking qualities in the center of the field to push the team forward, and this placed great hopes on him.
Helping to create a much more dangerous team on the park, as well as being able to score a few goals himself, was a realistic requirement, and having a highly competitive Scottish Premier League platform to develop seemed like a fantastic opportunity for Clarkson to showcase his talents.
What roles has he already used in Aberdeen?
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Monday, July 11, 2022: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (right) and Leighton Clarkson during a training session at the Rajamangala National Stadium on the second day of the club’s Asian tour before a friendly match against Manchester United.
There have been a lot of changes and changes in Aberdeen’s line-up during recent matches: Jim Goodwin has changed the line-up from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 or 3-1-4-2 in almost every second game.
Fortunately for Clarkson, this did not affect his role, as he found a permanent place in the starting line-up as an attacking midfielder, and more recently established an amazing pair with young comrade Connor Barron in front of Ilber Ramadani in the defensive midfield.
In all the setups we’ve seen so far, Clarkson has been positioned to the left of the attack, and he’s proven to be a key player who can create opportunities for attackers, as well as work wonders in standard positions in this role.
And did he make an impression? Any special moments?
Scoring a screamer from 25 yards against St Mirren was a great way to open his account, as he was named on the bench only after being registered on the morning of the game.
An early injury set the stage for Clarkson’s first performance, and he made headlines with his stunning long-range shot.
Two weeks later, a beautiful free kick followed to beat St Johnstone 1-0 when his moment of superiority brought a vital away win - something Aberdeen have struggled to achieve this season.
The assist and goal from the bench in the League Cup match with Annan Athletic, as well as against Hibs in the league at Pittodrie, demonstrated his ability to have a big impact on games.
However, most of his work often goes unnoticed, and despite his absence from the protocol in September and October, he declared his presence on the field with several outstanding moments of high-quality play.
How did the fans take Clarkson?
They say you can never fall in love with a loaned player, but of the three attracted to the club in the summer – Clarkson, Hayden Coulson and Liam Scales – he seems to have become the biggest hit of the trio among fans.
A little concern about the gap between goals is the only current problem for the fans, but he still puts all his energy into his games for Aberdeen and has a positive impact.
There were a lot of new faces to get used to, with Bojan Miowski and Luis Lopez.es steals the hearts of Don fans in front of the goal.
But Clarkson is right up there among the favourites after his stunning start to life at Pittodrie.
If he can excel in the bigger games against Celtic and Rangers after the World Cup, then Clarkson will be lavished with praise.
And if he can get the party back to Europe before the end of his deal, then there will be no shortage of admiration from the Red Army.
Do you see him returning to the Liverpool first team? If not, what is his level?
Liverpool’s Leighton Clarkson prepares to take a corner during the Premier League First Division 2 match between Liverpool Under-23 and Blackburn Rovers under-23 teams at the Liverpool Academy. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Despite all the concerns associated with Liverpool’s midfield, it’s hard to imagine how he will immediately break into Jurgen Klopp’s side.
In fact, he is competing with Thiago for a role on the side, and this, to put it mildly, is not an easy battle.
If he can continue to grow with Aberdeen and improve his current record, then he has at least the right to claim a place in the game-day squad.
But inevitably it all comes down to where Clarkson’s heart lies at the end of the season, and whether he wants to be on the Pittodrie pitch or on the Anfield bench.
His stature in Scotland could secure him a big role in the Premier League as he has shown what it takes to shine on the park.
But Aberdeen will no doubt be keen to retain Clarkson at the end of the season based on his current trajectory.
