Wijnaldum: I am finding reserved role ‘difficult’

Matt Stead

Georginio Wijnaldum admits he is finding it difficult adapting to a new role at Liverpool, but he is enjoying the challenge.

Wijnaldum joined the Reds from Newcastle in the summer, having scored 11 goals in 38 Premier League games for the relegated Magpies.

He played in a more attacking role for Newcastle, but has adopted a more reserved midfield position under Jurgen Klopp.

The Dutchman is yet to score for his new club – in fact, he is one of the league’s biggest wastrels – with Liverpool’s other players shouldering the goalscoring burden.

“He doesn’t really give a lot of jobs to players,” Wijnaldum told the club’s official website, discussing Klopp. “He tells me to be free and play how I can play. But sometimes it is different.

“It depends on what the other players are doing. You have to look at the other players. For example, if Lallana goes forward and Henderson also goes, I have to stay.

“Sometimes I have to get used to it because, normally, I’m the one who goes all the time. Now, I have to also look at the other players.

“That’s the thing that has changed the most in my way of football — that I have to look more at the other players,” Wijnaldum continued.

“It is difficult and it still is. In the teams where I played before, I was the one who was running all the time to make a goal and I came into more positions to make goals.

“Now it’s not so often, it’s a few times in a game. But we have more players to come into that position, so more players who can score a goal.

“I think that’s better for the team, because if you only have one player who can score goals it can be a problem.

“We have more players who can come into that position and have the quality to score goals. It makes it easier for the team.”