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Former Rangers striker Gordon Dalziel has been left impressed by Liverpool starlet Ben Doak’s relentless attitude to go at defenders and beat them.
Doak’s potential was on display in the two games his country Scotland played during the recent international break.
After helping his side register a 1-0 win over Croatia last week he influenced the game against Poland as well, setting up John McGinn’s first goal in the 2-1 win on Monday.
Dalziel was one of those to have been won over by the Liverpool teenager, who is currently on loan at Middlesbrough, and has backed him to go all the way to the top.
According to the former striker, Doak is not one to seek help from his team-mates when the opportunity arrives.
Instead, he is willing to take on the defenders and beat them in one-on-one situations, which Dalziel thinks is something many wingers do not often do.
“I don’t think we make enough of our young players and young talents”, Dalziel said on Clyde 1’s Superscoreboard.
“This lad, unless he gets an injury, hopefully he will not, he is going all the way to the top.
“What has been good for him is getting out and playing football. He went to Middlesbrough, he is playing Championship football – that is a good level.
“He has been given his opportunity under Steve Clarke and he just brings something different.
“In the modern-day game, the one thing that frustrates the life out of me watching wingers is that they get the ball and they take the easy way out playing it back to the full-backs or just play a nice free five-yard pass inside to the midfield player.
“This guy when he gets the ball and he turns and looks at the defender and sees that he is one versus one he only has one thing in mind – I am going to take you on, I am going to give you problems.
“And if he doesn’t beat him then the next time he gets it goes at it again and that’s what I love about him.
“I just think that it gets through the full team.
“When you look at a young kid and you are saying – look at the way this boy is going about his business get the ball to him and everybody can just work off him.”
Liverpool will be keeping a close eye on how Doak does during his loan spell at Middlesbrough, with regular Championship football benefiting the winger.
