2 years ago
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Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
The young right back has been training with the senior team, but is building back to match fitness with competitive minutes for Liverpool’s U21 side.
While most of Liverpool’s transfer angst this past summer focused around reinforcements at striker and midfield, one of the low-key worries was who could provide back up to Trent Alexander-Arnold if and when Neco Williams left? Somewhat under the radar, the Reds signed Calvin Ramsay from Aberdeen for £8million.
He seemed to be the right profile to provide cover for Liverpool’s prodigious Trent Alexander-Arnold, who needed someone to give him a rest every now and again. At 19 years old, Ramsay was young enough to be content biding his time for a regular role. Despite his young age, however, he already had a year of starting experience for a senior team.
Unfortunately for Ramsay and for Liverpool, the young right back sustained an injury during preseason. In the interim, both Joe Gomez and James Milner have had to step in at times while Trent has spent time on the sidelines due to an injury. While both players have been able to step in to do a job, neither is seen as a long term solution, especially with injures across the rest of the team.
It appears that Ramsay is getting closer and closer to getting on the field for Liverpool’s senior team, thankfully. He’s been spotted back in training over the past couple of weeks, and has been getting some match minutes with Barry Lewtas’ U21 side. Over the past week, Ramsay has made two appearances, coming on as a sub against Accrington Stanley, and then getting a start against Everton.
“Calvin was excellent,” Lewtas told Liverpoolfc.com.
He scored for us last week against Accrington Stanley and we gave him 45 minutes against Everton. He was full of enthusiasm, he defended well and built the attack down the right, supporting Ben Doak well and they were a handful. It was more minutes in the tank and that’s what’s important for him.”
Ramsay’s goal showed great anticipation for him to follow up the initial ball in from Doak, and then nice touch to place the ball just inside the near post. Barry Lewtas went into more depth on the plan for Calvin Ramsay with The Athletic.
“The plan was always 30 minutes against Accrington and then 45 today,” Lewtas said after the Everton match.
“Our job is to provide an opportunity for the boys to play. We try our best to be a version of the first team and play in a particular way. That’s what enables the boys to come down and play. He is with the first team, really. He trains with them. He is fit now but this was an opportunity to build up his minutes as he has not played for a while.”
“We have shown in the last couple of seasons — like when Harvey Elliott played a couple of games for us (last season) — that this group is a good opportunity to give players minutes, keep them fresh and ticking over. We will see what the next step is for him.”
It seems likely that Ramsay will get one or two more run with the U21 side to continue building his match fitness. With matches coming every three days over the next month and a half, the young Scot will likely get the call to rejoin the senior team on the bench sooner rather than later, however. He will likely be in line for a start against Derby County in the EFL Cup on November 9th at a minimum.
