16th September 2016. By Edward Stratmann.
Without question, the outstanding form of Roberto Firmino has been one of the most positive aspects of Liverpool's encouraging start to the season.
After signing from Hoffenheim in a deal worth a sizeable £29 million, the Brazilian endured a mixed 2015/2016 campaign. While he produced glimpses of his overwhelmingly talent, with his masterclass vs Manchester City a real highlight, these magical moments had to be tempered with some equally underwhelming displays.
Overall, though, taking into account it was his first season in the Premier League and all the challenges that come with adapting to life at a new club, his 10 goals and seven assists was a solid return.
Working under the expert tutelage of Jurgen Klopp for almost a year, it looks as though Firmino has really turned the corner now. The 24-year-old's found that all important consistency, something that was sorely missing last season, as he's been fantastic in all of Liverpool's matches so far.
Having been excellent operating as a centre forward/false 9 for the Red in his team's first three outings, particularly in the recent 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, Klopp opted to deploy Firmino out on the left for their clash vs Leicester City on the weekend. This fixture served as a terrific example of how Firmino's versatility gives his manager a great deal of tactical flexibility as to where best to use him in relation to the opposition.
Importantly, much to his manager's delight, the multifaceted attacker put in arguably his most influential shift in a Liverpool shirt, in a match where the reigning champions simply couldn't come to terms with his intelligent movement, creativity and technical qualities.
In front of the largest crowd at Anfield since 1977, following the completion of the new main stand, Firmino certainly adhered to Klopp's pre game words ushering his side to "fill it with life." From his left wing post, Firmino's purposeful, thoughtful movement saw him constantly find space within Leicester's 4-4-2 setup. Seeing as Liverpool already had the numerical supremacy in central midfield, with three players in this area of the pitch, compared to Leicester's two, Klopp's tactic of instructing Liverpool's wingers to come inside worked wonders.
By densely populating central areas, Liverpool compounded the Foxes' problems, leaving them completely overrun in midfield. It wasn't uncommon to see Danny Drinkwater and Daniel Amartey outnumbered four vs two, and in these instances Firmino took full advantage.
Firmino persistently exploited the space in and around Leicester's right sided central midfielder, Amartey, to give himself the platform he needed to have a profound impact. Upon receiving possession, he used his exquisite ball control, superb vision and passing aptitude to really animate things in the final third. With so many teammates positioned centrally, his stellar vision enabled him to make use of the countless passing options at his disposal too.
Unsurprisingly, Firmino's wonderfully well taken goal on 13 minutes arrived as a result of his ability to find space infield. Here, after yet again exploiting space behind Amartey, James Milner found him with a pinpoint pass. Firmino then shifted the ball with his left foot to outfox Robert Huth, before firing home clinically with his right from the edge of the box. While this goal showcased why Firmino is such a gifted player, Milner's pass and Daniel Sturridge's intuitive decoy run to manufacture space for his colleague also deserve special mention.
Playing an instrumental role in his side's second, courtesy of his unheralded one touch pass in the burgeoning stages of the move, and by scoring a coolly taken goal at the death, only accentuated his sterling attacking contribution.
The exemplary exponent of Klopp's pressing game fiercely demonstrated why he's Liverpool's most effective presser too, harrying and getting in the face of his adversaries whenever an appropriate trigger presented itself.
In hindsight, it's incredible to think that it took him 14 games to bag his first goal for the Merseysiders, but the installation of Klopp as manager has undoubtedly been a match made in heaven for him. Indeed, playing for a manager who knows how best to utilise him from his time managing Borussia Dortmund has been crucial.
Now full of confidence, the Brazilian, who's scored 11 goals and supplied five assists in 2016, is going from strength to strength. Despite him already being a very well rounded player, there is, however, still improvements the 24-year-old can make it to his game, giving him even more upside.
Driven, committed and full of class, expect the exhaustively hard worker to play an integral role in Liverpool's upcoming clash with Chelsea on Friday night. On his current form, he just might be the key man if the Reds are to overcome Antonio Conte's undefeated side.
Although questions were raised about his signing last summer, Firmino is now silencing his critics emphatically by letting his performances do all the talking. So much so that there's a strong case that he's now quite possibly Liverpool's most valuable player.
All it took was a little time, patience and a manager that knows best how to use him.
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Roberto Firmino Proving His Worth at Liverpool
September 16, 2016