Player Focus: Why Liverpool Should Add Hatem Ben Arfa To The Attack

As Liverpool prepare for the potential departure of talismanic striker Luis Suárez, manager Brendan Rodgers has looked to soften the blow of the Uruguayan’s expected exit by bringing in Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto, from Celta Vigo and Barcelona respectively. Replacing the 26-year-old won’t be an easy feat for the Reds though, with Suárez attaining an average WhoScored.com rating of 7.89; no player mustered a higher Premier League score last year.

Netting 32.4% of their Premier League goals last year highlights his importance to the club, but a move away from Anfield looks likely before the close of the transfer window following his 10-game suspension for biting Branislav Ivanovic. Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea have all been linked with the striker and it’s crucial that the frontline is bolstered if they’re to make a launch on the top four after failing to secure a Champions League berth since the 2008/09 season.

One player that has been rumoured to be making a move to Liverpool is Newcastle United winger Hatem Ben Arfa. As the club aim to bring in another attacking, creative threat, the Frenchman has seen his name crop up in the gossip columns as Alan Pardew strives to keep the former Marseille man at St. James’ Park following their disappointing campaign.

Injuries saw Ben Arfa’s impact hampered significantly, with the Frenchman making just 19 appearances - 16 of which were starts - in the Premier League last season. Regardless, the 26-year-old still attained an average rating of 7.01, while completing 4.2 successful dribbles per game - the most of any player over the last four Premier League seasons. It's a facet of Ben Arfa's game that is a key strength, and the Newcastle ace completed a successful dribble every 18.5 minutes - the best of every player to have made five or more appearances. With a success rate of 57.2% success, it would be in the Magpies' best interest to keep hold of him.

For a team that averaged 9.9 successful dribbles per game over the 2012/13 campaign - only Arsenal (10.7) made more in the Premier League last year - the need for Liverpool to bring in a player to run at the opposition isn’t necessarily of the upmost importance. However, with the team's dribble completion at 48.5%, Ben Arfa’s success is 8.7% better off than the Reds.

Nevertheless, a more direct approach could certainly benefit Liverpool, especially when taking into consideration Suárez completed the most successful dribbles (95) over the course of the campaign, regardless of him missing the final four games of the year.

It’s an area of his game that Ben Arfa has put to good use in the past, with only three players - Robin van Persie (4), Peter Odemwingie and Clint Dempsey (3) - netting more counter-attacking goals than Ben Arfa (2) in the 2011/12 season. Coupled with his evidently boundless capability to outfox opponents, securing the signature of the Frenchman could well be considered a coup for Liverpool, especially when taking into consideration the Reds inability to net on the break. Rodgers' side scored just one of their 27 attempts on goal from such situations, with a conversion rate of just 3.7% representing the worst in the Premier League.

Either way, it can be argued that a direct threat to replace the Uruguay international would be needed, regardless of the capture of Aspas. Stewart Downing, as impressive as he was during the latter half of the season, has seen his career stagnate with Liverpool following his big money switch from Aston Villa and it has to be said that the France international would likely be a step up on his England counterpart.

While Newcastle appear to continuously flounder in the transfer market, with the club yet to make any summer signings at the time of writing, captailising on the lack of movement from the club thus far would be of the upmost importance to the Reds. With Rodgers expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 once again next season, Ben Arfa would be an impressive addition to an attacking midfield already consisting of Aspas, Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling.

Even if Rodgers were to use a 4-3-3, it’s a formation that would benefit the France international, as adjudged by his heatmap, which saw him largely utilised on the right-wing, but also across the midfield and even as the lead frontman on one occasion last year. Either way, with Suárez expected to depart the club this summer, Ben Arfa would be an intelligent acquisition for the Merseysiders, provided injuries don’t hamper his impact once again.