Roberto Firmino’s form: the goal awaits, but Liverpool’s enigma remains | Football news

Roberto Firmino entered Liverpool’s game against Sheffield United under scrutiny after having scored only twice in his previous 26 appearances. The forward was looking forward to not only his first Premier League goal at Anfield this season, but also his first shot on goal.

Midway through the first half, with his team already one goal away from the Blades, and having touched the ball only four times, the fewest of any player on the pitch, the Brazilian’s famous ‘invisible job’ was proving more difficult to accomplish detect that never. before.

But then came the draw and with it the accompanying smile.

By the time Firmino retired late, not only had he had 44 touches of the ball, but the fact that he had covered the most ground than anyone else on the court can be pointed out, performed the most sprints and logged . as the fastest player on your team.

Isn’t it always like that with Firmino?

When you’re scoring goals and Liverpool are winning matches, as they did here 2-1 at the end, it’s time to celebrate everything else that comes with a performance from Firmino.

When he can’t find the back of the net, as has happened far too often for his liking for the past nine months, the calls to Jurgen Klopp for another solution grow louder.

The Liverpool manager has made his feelings on the subject clear.

“For me, it’s not even close to becoming a problem,” Klopp said when asked recently about this goal drought. “These are the things where I have to be different from the outside world. For me, it is important how influential the player is, how he works for the team.

“It was always clear when a player like Bobby, if he doesn’t score and people start to focus on that, you find that even he loses the ball from time to time.”

It may seem that even discussing Firmino’s flaws amounts to admitting ignorance, an acknowledgment that the nuances and subtleties of the game have been overlooked. Appreciating Firmino is an acquired taste but a taste worth acquiring.

There is a certain logic to that given Liverpool’s success. Any discussion about one of your players should start from the end point and work from there. This is a team that has been so brilliant that, by definition, everyone is contributing something crucial.

By scoring decisive goals in tough away games in Southampton, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Tottenham or Wolves, as Firmino did last season, or scoring that overtime winner against Flamengo to help his team become world champion, that contribution is obvious.

When the goals come to a halt, and Firmino’s count in the Premier League since February is still just two, the same as most of the last four, a trio of midfielders and the signing of Diogo Jota in September, then you need to look. other performance metrics.

After all, that is precisely what Klopp is doing.

“It’s normal for you to discuss it,” he added.

“We talk about performances, individual and team performances, but not in the same way as you, obviously. Yes, we want him to score, we want him to get to the position where he can score. But it’s not the only thing I do when I think of Bobby, obviously. “

What kinds of things is Klopp thinking about instead?

Firmino’s off-the-ball movement is a feature of Liverpool’s game and can be measured. He covered more ground than any other striker in the Premier League last season, and not just because he appeared in all 38 Liverpool games in their title-winning campaign.

Statistics show that Firmino also spent the fewest percentage of time walking of any striker in the Premier League. Sums it up. It is a perpetual motion, making life difficult for defenders, leading the press and determining where and when Liverpool get the ball back.

Over the course of last season, Firmino was jogging for nearly 90 minutes longer than any other forward in the Premier League and his total of 484 high intensity sprints was the fourth most for any player regardless of position. His pace of work typifies Klopp’s Liverpool.

This is a team that won possession of the ball in the last third more times than any other last season and Firmino was directly responsible for that happening 37 different times. Once again, this was the most of any Premier League player. It distinguishes it.

But the fact that much of this Firmino work can go unnoticed and is harder to detect than a Mohamed Salah punch or a perfect Andy Robertson crossover has a logical consequence. It also follows that it should be more difficult to detect if a player it stops doing that invisible job.

For example, if Salah’s role on this Liverpool team is to score goals, it’s fair to assume that if he stops running those chances, he’s no longer doing his job properly.

Firmino’s form is more difficult to assess because it has another role to play. But if it can’t be measured by goals or assists, can it be measured by these more esoteric metrics?

Consider that statistic for the number of times possession was gained in the final third, a list Firmino topped last season. This time a very different image is emerging.

Firmino has recovered the ball in that area only once this season. Not only is he no longer top of the Premier League list, there are even ten Liverpool players who have regained possession in the final third more times. It is Sadio Mane who is leading the press now.

Against Sheffield United, this change was obvious with the inclusion of Jota seeing Firmino take on a deeper role in a 4-2-3-1 formation. It requires different qualities and during the first part of the match not only were the opposition players struggling to lift it, but their own teammates seemed to be avoiding it as well.

But as the game progressed, his influence grew, drifting to the flanks, showing off the throw-ins and playing a beautiful muffled pass to Jordan Henderson that nearly allowed the Liverpool captain to slide Mane into goal. He seemed encouraged by the goal.

Without a doubt, Klopp was satisfied with his new future line.

“It gives us an extra option,” he explained.

“It put Mo in a different position, where I have to say he played an incredible game. Mo and Sadio didn’t score but they played outstandingly. Sadio was in practically indefensible one-on-one situations. Mo between the lines, sensational. And the Two other guys scored and played well too, so that obviously helps. “

For once, Klopp found himself praising his two former golden boot winners Salah and Mane for their performances despite not finding the net, while it was Firmino who delivered the goal.

Still, the fact that Jota was also among the scorers presents an interesting decision for Klopp. The newcomer is showing that he can adapt and looks right at home in those three forwards. “He has exactly the quality we need,” added the Liverpool manager.

Could Jota play the pressure game Klopp demands alongside Salah and Mane, while also offering a better goal return than Firmino? Or would Liverpool’s attack suffer unexpectedly from the intangibles that Firmino brings to the team?

Maybe it’s a question for another day as Klopp tries to fit the four into the same team. For now, the focus is on a wait that is over. But wait for the enigma of evaluating Roberto Firmino’s contribution to continue.