Sensational defender confirms he's the next Joel Matip
An exciting defender has confirmed he's the next Joel Matip.
We all loved the Cameroonian at Anfield. One of the most unique traits of Matip’s game at Liverpool was his deceptively elegant ability to surge forward with the ball.
He was tall and lanky and he did not look like a traditional dribbler, yet he had a remarkable knack for gliding past opponents with long, loping strides. When space opened up ahead of him, Matip was excellent at exploiting it and breaking opposition lines.
Matip seemed to sense exactly when midfielders were marked or when an opponent had stepped out of shape. Rather than playing a safe sideways pass, he would advance into the gap himself.
His goal against Leeds United in 2022 perfectly captured this quality - stepping out from the back, driving into space, and finishing calmly.
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Few defenders could do what he did on a regular basis. Liverpool haven't really replaced him ever since he left. But now they could.
Not since Matip's goal against Leeds have we seen as impressive of an individual run as that of Dylan Lawlor for Cardiff against Doncaster last weekend.
The 20-year-old Welsh centre-back started just outside his own penalty area when he received the ball and decided to go on a rampage.
Lawlor turned into prime Diego Maradona as he waltzed through the League One side's defence and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net.
It was yet another sensational moment in Lawlor's rapidly ascending career. He's established himself as one of the best young centre-backs in the EFL and has also become a regular at international level for Wales.
Lawlor's ability on the ball is what makes him stand-out. He is a very technical and forward thinking player who loves to break lines and also carry the ball.
He is incredible comfortable under pressure and while he doesn't have the long gait that Matip had, he has the same ability as the Cameroonian to waltz through opposition lines.
Defenders often fall into one category. On the ball they are either carriers or passers. Matip was both and so is Lawlor.
That ability to break lines through carrying, rather than just passing alone, makes Lawlor’s style feel very reminiscent of Matip at his best.
It's why Anfield Watch understands Liverpool's scouts are watching him closely. In Lawlor, they might have finally found the heir to the Cameroonian's throne.
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