Belarus forced Liverpool star Conor Bradley to work hard in his first game as a Northern Ireland captain on Saturday. Northern Ireland drew 0-0 to Belarus in the matchday four of the UEFA Nations League game in a closely-contested group.
Northern Ireland are currently third in League C Group 3 standing but only a point separates them from the top. Michael O’Neill appointed Bradley as the captain of Northern Ireland on Friday as he is experimenting with the leadership roles.
Bradley played as a right wing-back in a 3-5-2 formation for his national side as they dominated 61% of possession. However, Northern Ireland failed to capitalize on the chances that they created throughout the game against the defensively strong host.
According to SofaScore, Bradley had 77 touches and played 46 passes with 83% passing accuracy involving two accurate long balls. The 21-year-old created one big chance for his nation while playing two key passes that his teammate failed to utilize.
Bradley made three successful dribbles out of seven attempts and won seven out of 13 ground duels against the hosts. Furthermore, he won three out of six aerial duels and won two fouls while making two tackles during the game.
The 21-year-old has struggled to earn significant game time at Liverpool as he continues to compete with vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, Bradley will have many opportunities to prove himself because fixture congestion fills the whole season.
The change in the Champions League format combined with tough opponents within the schedule requires a rotation policy from Liverpool. Arne Slot has two players for each position and after the October international break, Liverpool faces constant games in midweek.
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Bradley has made six appearances in all competitions for the Reds so far and will earn more opportunities in the coming months. The 21-year-old’s rise to the senior team and international captaincy at such a young age shows how quickly he has developed from the Liverpool academy.
