Back in the summer of 2017 Glasgow-born defender Andy Robertson made the step up from Hull City to Liverpool in one fell swoop. His threatening attacking partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right has made an impact, and at the moment he has 65 assists, a figure not seen by many side-backs.
The left-back, who is also captain of the Scotland national team, turned 30 in March this year The up-and-down side player has reached an age where he can no longer hide his decline and has failed to perform at the top level this season, losing his place in the starting line-up to Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas in some games.
Voices around him have been swirling around him pointing out his declining performances. The player, who has become one of Liverpool’s oldest players, said he had no problem giving up on such noise, but that he would do his best to prove the critics wrong.
“Look, I am a lot older and a lot wiser now than when I came in,”
“When I first came in I was only 23, first time playing for a big club. I have been here for seven years and won everything, played in a lot of big games.”
“I am a lot more experienced and a lot better at switching off from everything like over-reactions and things like that. Probably a bad 45 minutes of football against Arsenal, it was not great. I think pretty much everyone had written me off after that.”
“That is football and that is what happens these days. People can write me off all they want. But I will always try to keep working, keep improving, I have tried to do that and hopefully (against Villa) I have shown that.”
“In the last couple of games I’ve been on the bench and I got doubters for the first time in a long time, first time at this club. But it suits me in this position. I am trying to prove people wrong again.”
“I missed pre-season which is never ideal for any player. And then I have had the ankle struggles, I got another knock on it against Wolves and it took a bit of time to settle down.”
“So, look, I feel good and obviously taking a couple of games out was frustrating. I want to play every game, of course, but that was not possible. I knew that the next time I got a chance I would take it and that’s what I tried to do.”
Liverpool Echo