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With the exception of a few high-profile signings (Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah come to mind), Jürgen Klopp has generally taken a cautious and slow approach to transitioning new players to his lineup. This has been especially true when those players were brought in to dig deep, rather than compete for a role in first choice 11.
This fact makes it even more impressive how quickly Diogo Jota has established himself and has become a reliable attacking option for the German manager. While a reliable rotation alternative was long needed for Liverpool’s potent attacking triumvirate of Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, few could have predicted that Jota would claim the role so strongly so quickly.
The young Portuguese striker had the opportunity to speak about his almost instantaneous impact in an interview with the Liverpool club’s official website today.
“I think it has been a great month for me, not only because I signed but because of everything else that has happened,” Jota said. “I have been able to help the team, which has been my greatest wish since I joined. To be able to do that so fast, I’m really satisfied with it. “
It is impossible to deny that he already helped the team. Despite signing just 6 weeks ago, Jota has already played eight games and scored three goals for Liverpool, each of them quite important. He scored on his Premier League debut against Arsenal to end the match, scoring the winning goal against Sheffield United and breaking the deadlock against FC Midtjylland in the Champions League this week.
It’s an impressive early comeback for a player who has had to catch up quickly to fit into Liverpool’s style of play, and has to compete for playing time with one of the most talented groups of attacking players in football. According to Jota, believing in himself and listening to Klopp’s instructions has been the key to settling in at his new club.
“The most important thing is to always believe,” said Jota. “From the first day I was here, the manager talked to me about the things I had to do. I’ve tried to focus on that because obviously when you change teams, there are a lot of things that you have to adapt to. “
Klopp has been very complimentary of Jota since his signing, saying earlier this week that he is very easy to like because he is not only a talented player, but also a very nice guy. The young forward was understandably excited to receive such a compliment from his coach.
“Obviously when I heard those kinds of words from a person like him, it made me happy. When I first joined the club, I always tried to do my best on the field, but also off the field. I try to have a good relationship with everyone. So when I heard those words, I think I’m doing them right. That is what I will always try to do. “
Jota’s good start has been one of the most encouraging stories of this young season. All signs point to him being a very solid option going forward when Klopp needs to give one of Mane, Firmino or Salah a break. With a tight and hectic schedule over the next several months, Jota’s ability to spell those three effectively could prove invaluable in maintaining the health and productivity of Liverpool’s forwards.
