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“We want to look good in the best league in the world,” Jota said in 2018 of his and Rubén Neves ‘ambition following Wolves’ promotion back to the Premier League.
Now, two years later, he is ready to support one of the most lethal attacking lines in world football after completing a surprise £ 41 million move to Liverpool on a five-year deal.
Liverpool faced little criticism last season after winning their first Premier League title, but doubts were simmering below the surface of the quality of the player coming off the bench.
Diogo Jota to become Liverpool’s latest signing in a £ 41m move from Wolves
Jota is ready to provide backup for the three forwards Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane
But with Jota, who in 48 appearances last season scored 16 goals and is now ready to trigger Divock Origi’s departure from Anfield, they have an ideal star to back Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, given the progress he has made. . the last 24 months, and at 23 there is still room for improvement in his game.
The Reds have clearly identified Jota as someone who can add versatility to their front line and cover any of the aforementioned trios in the event of injury or suspension, having operated as an offensive midfielder, second forward, center forward and his preferred role. far left in the past.
Regardless of your assigned role, Jota seems to have a significant impact on procedures, with a good first touch and anticipation helping you deliver a useful end product.
According to Total Football Analysis, 10 of Jota’s 16 goals last season were first-touch finishes, and six came from the six-yard area.
Jota scored 16 goals last season, but scored just one after blocking in a game against Everton
Such feats underscore his ability to read the game and his nous scorers, who were again highlighted by his only goal after the block, a thunderous finish over Jordan Pickford after excellent chest control in the Wolves 3-0 win against Everton.
However, a seven-goal comeback in the Premier League and one assist in the league last season may seem a bit disappointing, and a comparison to Timo Werner, a player Liverpool was interested in before joining Chelsea, increases that. feeling.
The German forward scored 34 goals and recorded 13 assists for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB Pokal in 2019-20 before his £ 53 million move to Stamford Bridge, a deal that appears to offer more payoff for the high fee paid. – just £ 12 million more than Liverpool will pay for Jota.
Werner revealed that Blues boss Frank Lampard told him that he would be “ free to make the right moves on the field ” before his play and while the German forward seems to thrive in the unknown, Jota has yet to produce. nothing like his return despite seeming to enjoy an equally free role in Wolves.
However, unlike Werner, Jota doesn’t seem to possess a clear and outstanding set of attributes that would make fitting him into a specific role easier.
And his final product compared to new Chelsea striker Timo Werner is far inferior
Werner, a former Liverpool goalkeeper, scored 34 goals for RB Leipzig before his £ 53 move
He’s not famous for his speed like Werner or now his former teammate Adama Traore, he doesn’t have a variety of abilities and he doesn’t have the greatest physical presence.
He is clearly capable of outscoring defenders with his burst of racing pace, as he did at Tottenham last season for the winner of Raúl Jiménez after Jota himself drew, but there are few qualities on the field to define him. .
But on several occasions he finds a way, by hook or by crook, to produce moments that seem to hinge on skills that are difficult to train and are often instinctive in players.
Without a doubt, his on-field relationship with Jiménez, which often saw a space created for Jota as a result of the Mexican’s racing and passing ability, has helped the duo inspire Nuno Espirito Santo’s team to victory as he did. they did at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in March. .
But instead of being able to perform specific functions in games, he seems to have the ability to find a way to be useful or decisive, in a similar vein but on a smaller scale to the role that Thomas Muller plays for Bayern Munich.
However, Jota has made forceful contributions with his attributes, especially at Tottenham in March.
His relationship on the field with Raúl Jiménez has also helped the Lobos prosper in recent years.
But unlike former Germany international, Portugal forward Jota is far from the finished product, and without a particular set of strengths to work with, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp may have to rely on management’s invention. and evaluate particular situations to see how Jota can best help. unlock the defenses of the opposition.
But there is evidence that he can do just that, with notable performances against Spurs’ sloppy defense in March and last season at home to Unai Emery’s Arsenal and Claude Puel’s Leicester, a game in which he achieved his first hat. of the Wolves. trick.
A second and third hat-tricks soon followed in last year’s Europa League against Besiktas and Espanyol respectively, and the league and Europa could see further improvement in front of goal if it is effectively tasked with scouting the weaknesses of a team.
Arsenal and Leicester, like Besiktas and Espanyol, were poor in transition and with Liverpool famous for their speed during this phase of matches, Jota could wreak further havoc on defenses which continue to show a lack of organization.
Diogo Jota scored two hat-tricks against Besiktas and Espanyol in the Europa League last season
Jota finds a way to be decisive, along a similar line but on a smaller scale to Thomas Muller
Not only was he able to afford more room to do damage, but at times he got in to allow the Wolves’ forward wingers, Jota’s arrival could signal even more forward forays from Andy Robertson to expand the game for the Anfield side.
His late, often unmarked runs into the box mean he could also be a target for winger centers and other wing players, given Liverpool’s fluidity in switching positions in their 4-3-3 formation. seems to represent a natural fit for Jota as long as he’s called.
The same cannot yet be said for Liverpool’s January signing, Takumi Minamino, following his arrival from Red Bull Salzburg.
The Japanese has shown excellent signals for the Reds in the preseason, scoring in the Community Shield against Arsenal after coming off the bench and another in the 7-2 win at Blackpool.
Takumi Minamino to face Jota’s competition after a rocky start at Anfield
The 25-year-old Japanese international seemed to have been struggling to have no defined position last season, but following Klopp’s tactical adjustments and a new formation against Minamino’s Blackpool as an advanced midfielder supporting the three forwards and ahead of one midfield two. He could eventually fit in and be good for the Reds.
Few have doubted Minamino’s application in training, but at Jota, Klopp has signed a player who has had a consistently decisive impact in the Premier League and European matches, and despite Minamino’s promise, there is still no evidence. of its competitive efficiency.
Without a fixed position, Minamino often missed games in the second half of the 2019/20 campaign, following starts against Everton and Chelsea, as well as a long outing as an early replacement for Sadio Mane at Molineux.
He has shown excellent signals in the preseason scoring against Arsenal, but now he faces him.
But with or without an assigned spot, Jota has been able to contribute to his team’s efficiency in front of goal, but his end product is still far inferior to Werner’s.
“Besides having a very fluid play style, they are very strong and have also had a bit of luck, which it takes to be a champion. [They are the strongest team in the league].
Jota’s words to Sportsmail In April, at the height of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, he showed the admiration that the Portuguese have for the Reds. Now he will have a chance to see what impact he can have on that team himself.
