Patience over panic: the case for easing Frimpong back after two straight defeats

Two defeats in a row, against Arsenal in the Premier League and Fenerbahce in the Champions League, is the kind of week that sends supporters searching for a saviour. For plenty of us, the name that jumps out is Jeremie Frimpong. The Dutch wing-back is edging back towards full fitness, and with a trip to Crystal Palace looming, the big question is whether Andoni Iraola should throw him straight back in or keep him under wraps a little longer. Our take is simple. Wait.

Where things stand with Frimpong

According to the Daily Mail, Frimpong is now nearly fully fit and could, in an emergency, be involved at Selhurst Park this weekend. The same report says the medical and coaching staff are leaning towards caution, and we think that is exactly the right instinct.

Context matters here. His time at Liverpool since the move from Bayer Leverkusen has been punctuated by muscle problems, which is a strange twist for a player who barely seemed to miss a game in Germany. When the latest injury emerged, Iraola admitted he could not put a date on a return and expected it to be hard to have him back before the international break. The fact that he is now close, rather than fully ready, tells its own story.

Then there is the Dominik Szoboszlai example. The Hungarian suffered another setback after being reintroduced, and that episode will be fresh in the mind of everyone involved in fitness decisions at the club. When a player has a history of hamstring trouble, an extra fortnight of controlled work through the break is worth far more than half an hour against Palace.

The mood after Arsenal and Fenerbahce

It is not hard to see where the temptation comes from. The Arsenal defeat left a sour taste, not least because of the penalty call that went against Alexander Isak. Iraola was openly frustrated afterwards and made it plain he expects his players to go down in similar situations in future, a telling admission from a coach who usually chooses his words carefully. Then came Istanbul, and another loss. Confidence is fragile right now.

Palace, meanwhile, are on a poor run of their own, yet that rarely makes Selhurst Park any easier. A struggling home side with a loud crowd behind them can be more dangerous, not less, and Liverpool will need to bring real intensity and control in transition to come away with anything.

What Frimpong offers, and why it can wait

When he is fit, Frimpong gives this side something nobody else quite does. His acceleration from deep, his appetite for attacking the space behind full-backs and his recovery pace make him an ideal weapon against a side likely to sit in and look to break. On paper, he is exactly what a performance in south London might need.

But his value lies in being available week after week, not for one afternoon followed by another spell in the treatment room. The season is long, the winter schedule is coming, and the smarter play is to have him back properly after the international break, ready to stay in the side rather than drift in and out of it.

That does put the onus on the rest of the squad, and that is fair. The players who have filled in on the right, and the wider group, have a chance to show Iraola they can be trusted in a tough away fixture. A composed win built without Frimpong would do more for the dressing room than leaning on someone who is only half ready.

Our verdict

We like what this approach says about how the club are operating. Too often in recent seasons, injured players have been rushed back to plug gaps, only to break down again within weeks. If Iraola and the medical team are prepared to absorb some short-term pressure for long-term gain, that is a sign of a set-up learning from the past.

So yes, we would love to see his name on the teamsheet at Selhurst Park. Realistically, the bench is the most we should expect, and even that ought to be a last resort. Get him through the break, build his load sensibly, and let him loose when his body is ready. Liverpool will be stronger for it in the months that really matter.