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You try to avoid snap judgements as football writer, although that is not always possible. For years, I have been tasked with what is known in common British journalism vernacular as 'filing on the whistle'; this means, once the referee calls for full-time, your work has to be sent over as soon as possible.

Sometimes, it was multiple pieces. Most regularly, a piece of analysis (length never predetermined, but usually around the 800 word mark) and the fans' favourite, the player ratings. No wonder I have more hair on my chest than my head.

These situations require skill and effort to be quick to judge, whether praise or otherwise. It can be hard, though, to adopt a more elevated look when 1,000+ words is required in the next five minutes.

Occasionally that means there's a temptation to judge a player pre-emptively. And oh boy, did I get one badly wrong recently.

I just didn't see 'it' in Fabinho. In fact, even further: I felt Fabinho would prove to be a very rare recent misstep from Jürgen Klopp, Michael Edwards and Liverpool's fantastic recruitment team.

This was ludicrous, of course. So ludicrous, it was never reflected in anything written (although it shouldn't anyway, not with such little reference or knowledge about a player). But I watched him in pre-season and he did not look synchronised with Klopp's style, his methods or what is required from his no.6.

It has been said elsewhere that the no.6 in the German coach's trusted 4-3-3 formation is one of the most difficult positions in football. Up until this year certainly, that was true. The deepest-lying midfielder often looked marooned as full-backs moved forward, the front three dovetailed ahead and the two no.8s in front joined the attack. The no.6 had to cover ground quickly, efficiently, and also recirculate possession at speed.

That is a lot for one player to do.

(Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Looking at Fabinho, even in early pre-season, he often lost his runner behind him. He would be slightly ponderous with the ball at his feet. He was clumsy in the tackle.

Texts, privates ones, were exchanged. 'I'm not sure about him, you know,' I would say. I was told I was being reactionary – I knew this, of course – but I couldn't help my instinctive thoughts towards the Brazilian.

It seems Klopp agreed for a while. He wouldn't play much at all in the first few months, prompting questions towards the Reds boss; the process both Andy Robertson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain underwent to adapt at Anfield the previous season was raised. Still, THREE players couldn't work like that, could they?

He made his first start against Chelsea in the League Cup and struggled. He played against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and looked isolated, lost (he wasn't alone).

Then, something clicked. Where or when is uncertain, but it was the 3-1 win against Manchester United in December when he first showed that he was the player he had been expected to be upon his arrival. Authoritative, excellent in possession – creating the opener for Sadio Mané – and covering ground intelligently, he provided his side with the perfect platform in midfield.

Fabinho has not looked back since. Literally. His ball progression, when required, has been a welcome surprise; it was his drive from midfield which often helped turn a possible draw into a vital victory during the title run-in. He is not merely a midfield destroyer, but an all-round package, one of the most promising in Europe.

In 2019, he has become one of the driving influences of this Liverpool side, allowing Klopp to release Jordan Henderson from his shackles and enabling the captain to rampage further up the pitch with the Brazilian anchoring the midfield expertly.

His performance against FC Barcelona is one of the greatest Anfield has seen in recent years (especially after picking up an early booking), in an era when there is plenty of competition for that honour from Mohamed Salah alone. Lionel Messi is still trying to clamber out of his pocket.

He is a modern midfielder in an increasingly modern game, and his call-up to the Brazil squad for the upcoming international fixtures is richly deserved after being left out of the Copa America rota earlier in the summer.

I was wrong about Fabinho. Very wrong indeed.