FOR the most part, this felt like a throwback. A sublime South American acting as the catalyst for his side’s offensive domination. Bending the ball to his will. Straining every sinew in his body to track back and turn his team around. Always there, pressing. Always there, looking to force things in the final third. Always there trying to make the difference. Always there being the difference.
And then, at the other end, his efforts were being undone by defensive errors that occur so often, they play on loop like a Vine video. Again. Again. Again.
When Liverpool bought Roberto Firmino in the summer, they knew he could be a luminary. A player others look at in the dressing room and think, “he’s going to help us win this.” An example of superior skill that is matched by a stunning work ethic.
They thought the same about a Uruguayan, who is now part of the world football’s most illuminating attacking trident and has established himself as one of the game’s foremost players.
Firmino delivered a Luis Suarez-lite performance against Arsenal at Anfield on Wednesday night.
Remember El Pistolero’s early days on Merseyside? Where there were moments you watched him and felt like he could paint the game whatever colour he wanted.
Sure, there was some frustration and inconsistency, but there was an overriding sense that when it all clicked, there would be magic.
Firmino’s goals have come against Manchester City and Arsenal, with assists recorded against Chelsea, Leicester and at the Etihad, too.
This is not to suggest the Brazilian will touch the sky like Suarez did, but he does give the team someone else to look to, to believe in, to be inspired by.
The man who could nutmeg a mermaid was ably assisted by Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge, Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling during his spell at Liverpool.
In fact, he pinpointed the purchases of the playmaker and the striker as the explanation behind his unshackling as well as that of the team’s.
Phil and Dan remain on L4, with the former still turning in decisive performances and the latter sidelined so much it can feel like a trick of the mind that he is on the books.
Gerrard departed for LA, but before he did, pleaded for star quality to be added to the squad so potential could be transformed into end product and the levels of all could be elevated.
Part of the multiple reasons Sterling traded Merseyside for Manchester was to play with those kind of footballers — the Augeros, the Silvas — the ones who make you better. The difference makers.
Against Arsenal, Liverpool were lifted by Firmino’s brilliance.
At the end of the game, Jordan Henderson rubbed the 24-year-old’s shoulders as if to say he carried them with his divine touch and technique. During the encounter, the captain turned and looked at him with a face that spelt out “you’re the fucking man” before a wild celebration.
Like Suarez in the 5-1 slaughtering of Arsenal nearly two years ago, it was a goal that Firmino didn’t score that could’ve taken off Anfield’s roof, which had a massive leak in the Main Stand last night.
With his back to the posts, the tattooed export from Maceio applied expert control, before swivelling and releasing a special towards the top left that struck the bar.
Are you not still watching his second? Bowing down to his second?
Liverpool need to ensure that the Firminos and Coutinhos get more quality around them. Buy good players who compliment them. Unshackle them.
That the industry of the Hendos and Milners is aided by more ruthless artistry. Buy good players who make them all feel taller. Gigantic like the manager.
Liverpool need to ensure that their errors at the back stop binning the amount of work that goes on in front of it.
Jurgen Klopp is surely sick of watching those set plays pull his side’s pants down over and over.
He doesn’t seem fed up of Simon Mignolet’s mistakes yet and the Belgian is closing in on a new long-term deal. There is no doubt that the German will bolster his backline in the summer as he believes “the first thing, always, is you need to have a stable defence”.
He is more than happy with his goalkeeper at the moment though, but he is assessing a small sample size of games while the masses have seen all the individual errors.
All of them.
Klopp will nip and tuck this Liverpool team to a point where the authoritative first 20 minutes against Arsenal becomes the norm without the numbskullery at the back.
Where late goals are winners. Where the refusal to give in is worn so much, it becomes uniform — like pulling on the kit.
He’ll be backed in the market and hopefully the mistakes of windows past do not resurface.
Liverpool have shown what they are capable of under the German, they just need the adjustments to make sure it happens more consistently.
That second goal, though. Give us more, Firmino. Much more.
Thanks Ms Reddy. Nice easy read.
from what we’ve seen to date from Bobby F I think we would all agree that he looks sublime and ridiculous, often within the same 10 mins. Hopefully that’s still part of his settling period – and it seems like he is getting that “..I’m better than these lot..” attitude.
Still – negative , seems light weight and still prone to pass the the opposition. Positive – played the right way with the right support he looks dangerous, whether getting on the end of things or making his own goals.
Will Bobby F condem Benteke to the bench, or beyond ? It remains to be seen – but if he puts in another performance like that against Man Utd, he would have built a good case.
What do we do if/when Studge comes back? I’ll live for today with Bobby F up front, in time I’d like to see him with Studge in 442. Imagine that – diamond of Hendo Can Coutinho and Another (whose better than Lallana) with Bobby and Studge ahead.
Bobby F may well be a victim of current circumstance – injuries, unsettled system, Klopp’s newness. But I think we’ve got a good ‘un. Patience, practice.
Neil said in a recent podcast “…at some point you’ve got to dance with the girl that brought you..Benteke…” I agree, but only as Plan B or Plan between A and B.
I think Benteke’s days are numbered – I’m not joyed by that – but at 30m he can’t be plan b.
why can’t he be plan B? We’ve brought him now so whether it was for 3mil or 30mil he’s in our squad and should be used however best suits us. If that’s coming off the bench at 60/70mins (which I think it is) to give their defence something else to think about then so be it. In my opinion, every top team could do with a ‘plan B’ striker (look at City with Dzeko and then Bony)
Bobby F though… That lads got a high ceiling… Just needs to hit it more often.
Hi Alex
I just think that as a club and a team we are not in the position to have £30m player who plays 20-30% of the time. I don’t think the player will want it either.
But hey it’s a game of opinions which is why it’s so interesting and fun. I’d love him to be the Plan B. But medium to long term – don’t think it will happen
Your right about Bobby F. Hopefully last night was a road to Damascus experience for him… Realising he’s better than most defenders he’s up against.
Agree Sumeet. City may be able to carry a £32mil Plan B but we are certainly not in the financial position to do so.
In order for us to get a proper Plan A, we may need to sell him to recoup some money to reinvest.
yeah i guess it all depends on budgets we don’t know. If Benteke money helps fund a boss striker then I’m all smiles! But in the meantime, him on the bench is a very useful card to be holding to change or see out games.
Hendo has a lot more than industry. Hendo is a God.
Coutinho-Sturridge-Firmino
Allen-Can-Henderson
Flanno-Sakho-Lovren-Clyne
That’s the side I would want to see. Loads of intensity, pressing in packs, technique, fluidity, speed of thought, vision. At times, Coutinho drops deeper and Sturridge and Firmino work together as a two. Or, conversely, Henderson bombs ahead and Allen and Can work together as a two. You get the idea.
Doesn’t work against every side, but there are plenty in the league where it would. A nice blend of solidity, aggression, and creativity.
Nonsense absolute nonsense. Yes he has shown great potential. Yes it was a great goal(s) and decent performance. Still not enough regular industry. Certainly last night was a rare occasion thus far. Far too many no shows, and has even made Benteke look as quick as Steve Austin plenty of times already. Now if he does it again on Sunday and again the game after and after that one then for the rest and all of next season then yes you can dare to compare. Until then no chance.
“The man who could nutmeg a mermaid.”
Had me in stitches. If you made that up, then just brilliant.
Loved this too: “Klopp will nip and tuck this Liverpool team to a point where the authoritative first 20 minutes against Arsenal becomes the norm without the numbskullery at the back.”
Excellent read, Melissa. Firmino certainly gave us a glimpse of what he’s capable of. Patience is needed for him to settle and gel with the team. He’ll be a huge player for us going forward.
I think he’s more Luis Garcia than Suarez…moments of genius then moments of shite….But that’s no bad thing every team needs someone like that
Yeah he’s a bit Garcia. Physically bigger but then not as good in the air.
And to answer Melissa’s question: no and unless we work our way towards becoming a super club like Barca, Real or Bayern in the coming years/decades we’re not likely to get a player near Suarez’s level ever again.
Christ, we were looking at him under Hodgson when we were near the bottom of the league. I don’t know how the rest of Europe allowed us to get him but we capitalised on this once in a lifetime signing by surrounding him with shite until his final year where we already know he’s hankering to leave and low and behold we have our best league season in a generation.
We’ll just have to be a good team 1 to 11 rather than having the luxury of having one of the world’s best drag us kicking and screaming out of mediocrity like Suarez and a lot of Gerrard’s seasons before him. No pressure, Jurgen…
I feel as though the first goal conceded is worthy of examination at length because it encapsulates our (non-cornerkick since I wouldn’t use the word defending there) but it demonstrated a few things – what can only be described as an ironic injury, Kolo Toure cannot play 2 games in 4 days, abysmal goaltending (take a hint from hockey Migs, be PRO-active) – lack of situational awareness and finally some just plain bad luck (mostly in regards to Martin Skrtel having better pace than Kolo).
Okay so, when Sakho and that French guy who’s name isn’t in my autocorrect clashed heads Mr French dropped to the ground immediately clutching his head – by the letter of the law play should have been stopped dead. (bad luck). However as the American football cliché goes “you play til the whistle”, our players clearly hesitated by Ramsey did not. (this is usually found in the attempts at defending corners practiced by one Alberto-I-Still-HeartU-Moreno).
Sakho, dazed, reacted slowly and then Toure simply got beat for pace.
The lack of quality/fitness in our CBs meant it was all on Migs. The less said the better.
My point is there is quality. Moreno for his an occasional lapse is a nightmare of pace/technical ability/recovery speed and tackles from the outside of an attacking player/guile/youth. And then you watch him defend corners. I think Moreno is less a devicive player than a confusing one). There was bad luck with injury, lack of quality and finally Mingolet).
Maybe I’m a bit mad, a bit stupid, a bit biased and possibly insightful.
Fantastic article….