Emre Can Showing Why He Can Be the Man to Replace Steven Gerrard
As Emre Can strutted his stuff in Germany’s opening game at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, two things immediately became clear.
The first is that with his wonderfully swept and floppy hair, the 21-year-old is a slightly more tanned ringer for Mumford and Sons lead singer Marcus Mumford. The second, and perhaps more important matter to come out of his performance, was that he is developing into a fine player. One who is showing real signs of being the man to replace Steven Gerrard.
With Gerrard’s departure to pastures new in the U.S., Liverpool will now be looking to fill what is certainly a very large void in their side. Gerrard has been a mainstay in the team for what now seems like an eternity. Now, the Merseyside club are looking for someone to take on the mantle of a driving, aggressive, box-to-box midfielder.
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It is possible that Brendan Rodgers and Co. may take to the transfer market to find the replacement. The club have already been active since the end of the season and recently brought in midfielder James Milner. But the management would do well to look a little closer to home. In Emre Can they have a ready-made replacement, primed to fill the hole left by Gerrard.
Premier League viewers will be more familiar with Can filling a number of roles across the defence, having witnessed the 21-year-old look solid in the middle, if a little shaky on the right.
That unsteadiness in a very unfamiliar position was highlighted toward the end of the last campaign, especially in Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa and the final game of the season against Stoke. But such performances are perfectly understandable when considering that right-back is a spot Can had rarely been asked to play in beforehand.
It was in the centre of a back line and indeed in his preferred position in midfield where Can shone in his debut season in the Premier League. Most of his time was spent in the middle of a back three or four, where the Frankfurt-born player displayed maturity and solidity.
When pushed forward into midfield, he looked even better. A glimpse of his quality came in his first-half showing against Chelsea in a game early on in his Liverpool career. Can was a physical and powerful presence driving through the centre of the pitch, with his deflected effort giving Liverpool the lead on that day.
These abilities had already been showcased to viewers of the Bundesliga and junior levels of German football, where Can often excelled in the centre of the pitch. After spending his formative years at Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich, Can opted to depart Munich in a bid to seek regular football. The move to Bayer Leverkusen was against the wishes of Bayern, who had hoped to keep him, and Die Roten ensured that the deal included a buy-back clause, as reported by Stefan Coerts on Goal.com in 2013.
That alone indicates the potential they saw in Can. That was potential that went some way to being filled at Leverkusen, where the midfielder stayed for just one season, a campaign in which he played 39 times, recording four goals and five assists mainly from a deep midfield position. His form in domestic competition and the Champions League was enough for Liverpool to activate his buyout clause.
The indications of his ability were further highlighted in last Wednesday’s group opener against Serbia and again in Germany’s victory over Denmark. While tournament favourites Germany were disappointing on the whole in their first game, the same cannot be said for Can, who was the standout player on the pitch. It should come as no surprise that his excellent performance came in midfield rather than defence.
It is here that the 21-year-old is able to display his real qualities, which are wasted at centre-back, but especially at right-back. It was an action-packed performance from the former Bayern man. There was an array of passing on show, from the simple short passes to the diagonals that Gerrard has made his name from.
At times, Can was able to dictate and orchestrate play from his position in the centre of the pitch, and it is no surprise that Germany’s best spells of the game (mainly in the second half) came when he was given an element of freedom.
Then there were the surging runs. There are shades of Yaya Toure in a full-throttle Emre Can as he shifts through the gears somewhat awkwardly with his wardrobe-like frame. But his size and shape only serve to make him more difficult to stop, and Serbia struggled to deal with Can when he got into full flow, as was displayed with his goal.
After running forward and linking up with the attack, Can picked up the ball on the edge of the box. From this point on, it was magical. The midfielder dragged the ball back with his left foot, leaving his marker sliding off the scene, before stroking a delightful effort with his right foot into the opposite corner off the post.
It was the sort of opportunity he was rarely afforded in his debut season at Anfield, such were the restrictions placed on the German’s game.
Can was at it again in Germany’s second game of the group stage—a comfortable 3-0 win over Denmark. The midfielder’s stunning collection of passing was particularly impressive, with Can laying on a goal for Kevin Volland with a delightful threaded through ball.
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""Germany’s U21s are up 1–0 over Denmark after Kevin Volland put away Emre Can’s through ball. #U21EURO #Gerden http://t.co/Dqx9GrZJN2
— Howler Magazine (@whatahowler) June 20, 2015"
His performance against Denmark was a continuation of where he left off against Serbia and left opposition midfielder, and former team-mate, Pierre Hojbjerg purring in comments to UEFA.com.
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""Højbjerg on Emre Can: "He's a sublime footballer and there is nothing he can't do." #U21EURO pic.twitter.com/bXSoQxnP1K
— UEFA Under-21 (@UEFAUnder21) June 22, 2015"
The last two games have been the sort of performances that left Brendan Rodgers waxing lyrical earlier on last season about Can’s game, when he described him as a “Rolls-Royce,” as reported by the Press Association (h/t Daily Mail).
Such comments beg questions as to why Rodgers opted not to play Can in his best position. Picture Brendan Rodgers as the chauffeur of the aforementioned Rolls Royce, only he is driving it like a teenage boy's beaten-up first car. It simply doesn’t work.
Can is beginning to show that he may be ready to step into Gerrard’s shoes, a matter that is now surely being discussed by the Anfield hierarchy.
There are obviously still questions over Can, as there would be over any 21-year-old attempting to step into the void formerly filled by one of the best midfielders to have played in the Premier League.
One such question raised by David James on BT Sport’s coverage of the Serbia game was whether Can is fit enough to fill the role. There are certainly doubts over his fitness, which looked very short at times towards the end of last season. But surely that would be the case with any young player who had played 40 games in their first season in a new country?
There was also evidence in Can’s performances against Serbia and Denmark that he is addressing that issue. Late on in what was a very stretched end to the opening game, Can raced back from his advanced midfield position to deny a Serbian counter with a brilliant last-gasp tackle.
Yes, there are still aspects of Can’s game that need to be addressed. But the foundations and initial development are there. While Jordan Henderson is likely to take the armband from Gerrard, it is Can who represents the better option to take his position on the pitch.
There is something very Michael Ballack about the Liverpool man as he bulldozes his way through opponents in powerful fashion.
There will be those who believe Liverpool need to purchase a replacement for Gerrard, but there are also very clear signs that Anfield already has one waiting in the wings. Step forward, Emre Can.
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