It’s easy to forget that this time last year, Conor Bradley was yet to play a senior game in club football. Although already a full Northern Ireland international, it wasn’t until September 2021 when he was handed his Liverpool debut.
Coming in the third round of the League Cup away at Norwich City, the young right-back impressed despite conceding a penalty with the Reds' eventual domestic cup double giving him a number of opportunities as the campaign wore on.
He’d come on at the San Siro against AC Milan in the Champions League and also start in the League Cup against Preston North End and Leicester City, before making way at the semi-final stage. Meanwhile, he'd claim the first assist for Liverpool in their FA Cup third round victory over Shrewsbury Town.
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Yet despite being earmarked as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s understudy as it first became clear Neco Williams would be allowed to move on, those five appearances would ultimately be it for Bradley’s contributions. As Jurgen Klopp’s side chased an unprecedented quadruple, he instead found himself shining for the Under-23s.
Clearly too good for second-string football and with the England international ahead of him in the pecking order not going anywhere, once Calvin Ramsay was signed from Aberdeen, the decision was made to loan the Northern Ireland international to Bolton Wanderers. A month into the League One season and Bradley is already a firm fan-favourite at the University of Bolton Stadium.
Having introduced himself in style with a hat-trick of assists on his uncompetitive debut against Longridge Town before netting a fine maiden strike against Stockport County in pre-season, such form was a sign of things to come once the real action got underway.
He'd claim assists in his first two League One outings against Ipswich Town and Wycombe Wanderers, before scoring a stunning 25-yard screamer in the first round of the League Cup against Salford City days later. Meanwhile, last week he scored his first league goal with a well-taken winner against Morecambe.
In truth, the 19-year-old has made it all look rather easy so far, having taken to League One like a duck to water. And while this has been aided by Ian Evatt’s choice of system, favouring a three-man defence supported by the most offensive of wing-backs, it has been a case of so far, so good for Bradley.
So when Bolton were drawn against Premier League opposition in Aston Villa for the League Cup second round, it’s clear the Liverpool loanee was set for a rather different test. And when Steven Gerrard’s teamsheet dropped on Tuesday night containing the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Danny Ings, and Lucas Digne in a virtually full-strength XI, it was clear the Villains meant business.
Credit to Bolton, they did not park the bus. For the opening hour they were even the better side as they stayed true to their style. As such, rather than sit back and defend, Bradley was encouraged to keep doing what he does best and get forward at every opportunity.
Watching him, it’s easy to tell he’s been schooled in the Liverpool Academy. The defender loves to run at defenders, get crosses into the box and presses as hard as they come. Meanwhile, given the freedom of his wing-back role, he’s also the man making the far post runs when Bolton attack down the left.
Such attributes were all on show against Gerrard’s Villa. Yet unsurprisingly, such an occasion was not as straightforward for the teenager or for Bolton.
The Whites did take the lead midway through the first half, yet it came from the opposing flank with Kieran Lee doing brilliantly to turn Calum Chambers in the box before providing Dion Charles with a simple tap-in. In truth, Evatt’s side were most threatening down that left-hand side.
As a result, Bradley’s offensive supporting runs were often in vain, though he did beat Digne with one clever flick and pressed well to win possession from both the Frenchman and John McGinn during a lively first half. Meanwhile, Elias Kachunga would see a header blocked from the defender’s corner, while he’d also play a part in dangerous attacks which saw the aforementioned forward denied by Emiliano Martinez, before picking out Lee with a pinpoint cross after great persistence to keep the ball in play, only to see the shooting chance go begging.
Yet when he was given the chance to run forward himself, his touch was at times too heavy or he’d find himself crowded out by numerous defenders. And despite Bolton having the better of the first half, once Douglas Luis equalised direct from a corner, it was clear there was only going to be one winner.
Bradley would put in one great sliding tackle to stop Digne getting in a cross after the restart, while he ended up fouling the Everton man in the box at the other end following a superb 60-yard solo-run forward. Meanwhile, he put Martinez under pressure with one high press in particular which very nearly forced a mistake on the hour-mark.
But with Bolton encouraging him to keep attacking to such an extent, as a wing-back such a position ultimately left gaps at the back which would be the Whites’ undoing. Moments later Ings got in between Bradley and Will Aimson when running in behind the defence, winning a penalty off goalkeeper Joel Dixon which he picked himself up to score.
It was then three soon after as Digne peeled off the Liverpool loanee as he burst into the box before slotting underneath Dixon. By the time Leon Bailey made it 4-1 late on, Bradley had already been withdrawn with one eye clearly on Bolton’s next League One outing away at Plymouth Argyle.
It’s perhaps fitting that his latest test came with Liverpool’s greatest Academy graduate watching on. Meanwhile, against Coutinho and Ings, he was lining up against two players who helped put Alexander-Arnold through his paces in the early stages of his own Reds career.
Ultimately Bradley has not been sent to the University of Bolton Stadium to test himself against Premier League opposition, but the heavy loss to Villa will still have provided himself with vital experience as he experiences life away from Anfield. In League One, his attacking efforts will ultimately prompt more damage, while he won’t be tested defensively to the same extent.
Bolton’s wing-back system should present its own questions back on Merseyside too as Bradley takes his next steps. Such a formation will never be utilised at Liverpool and while he certainly suits the Northern Irishman’s attacking nature, positionally he is much further forward when the Whites are defending, given the security of a third centre-back, than he would be afforded under Klopp.
Yet this loan is predominantly about game-time and the defender is sampling exactly that. Still only 19, any questions about his own future back at Anfield and the role that awaits him behind Alexander-Arnold around can wait.
There might be no fairytale ending for Bradley in the League Cup this season, but Liverpool can have no complaints about the early stages of his Bolton Wanderers loan.
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