Topic: Roberto Firmino

[ggcc14]

What's bizarre is you trying to pick on Firmino after a fantastic performance.

I wouldn't say it was fantastic, he had some very good and some poor moments, like everyone did I suppose.

[Johnny B. Goode]

The question is whether that's what we require from our main forward against the mid table and lower teams.

Indeed, and as I've said on the Origi thread, it's clear that as a 'striker' his style of play is not very suited against physical sides that sit deep. I do think he can be very good at LW (as he was last season) but we need more pace from others to compensate. Regardless, he should have played less during the season - his role is exhausting with the amount of running around he does. The fact we always, always play the same front three is one of our main weaknesses.

[wemmick]

His positioning to set up a pressing trap is phenomenal. 

[Pistolero]

This is why he's undroppable for Klopp. Hard to think of another player who contributes this much defensively as a striker. Not half bad with the ball at his feet either. If his finishing was top class too, he'd be Luis Suarez, but as far as things go, it's hard to think of another player in world football with similar qualities and such a phenomenal and selfless work ethic.

to be honest I'd be happier if he grew a muzzy, became the new John Aldridge and started doing fuckall apart from finding the net every week

[RyanBabel19]

My favourite player

His workrate is exceptional and should have had an assist today, put that on a plate for lallana

[Kop307]

to be honest I'd be happier if he grew a muzzy, became the new John Aldridge and started doing fuckall apart from finding the net every week

It's great having a player who can run, press, pass & make runs, but in my mind, strikers are judged on goals, and at 1-0 he's missed a huge chance that a top quaity striker tucks away and makes it 2-0. Kane, Costa, Sanchez all score that chance. I'd still have Firmino in the team next season he's brilliant. But Coutinho, Mane, Firmino should be our 3 behind a striker, not our front 3, if we have any ambition of winning the league. We don't have a single player in our squad who only thinks in goals. Everyone is always looking for the pass.

[Gnurglan]

Shame Caballero saved his one on one. And shame Lallana missed that opportunity he was given by Firmino.

to be honest I'd be happier if he grew a muzzy, became the new John Aldridge and started doing fuckall apart from finding the net every week

A moustache... I think you are on to something.

[swoopy]

Thought he was brilliant. So much work and tracking back. And should have had an assist for a Lallana winner!

Really needs to work on his finishing though. That's a few times this season he's been clean through and failed to finish.

[markmywords]

The question is whether that's what we require from our main forward against the mid table and lower teams.

Good point

However I think even against the teams near the top we could do with someone more clinical.  Chances in these games are at a premium and if they continually fall to firmino, I can see a lot of hard luck stories coming our way.  We may have a great record in these games, but firmino hasn't scored in these matches this season, we can't go into games hoping our chances don't fall to our main striker.  If firmino had scored the chances he had away to manu and today, top 4 would be in the bag.


With our defence we need, we need to take our chances and this is not one of firmino's many strengths, right now.

hard work, unselfish, smart, good touch, good decision making, composure (sometimes), good in the air, in both boxes.  Strange one, as has a played a big hand in the good performances we had, unfortunately the biggest box he needs to tick, he keeps missing, right now

[penga]

The chances he had were just a bit out of favour unfortunately, they were kind of 1v1s but the angle he was taking them on just didn't look likely to get it in so they weren't easy to finish.

[Chalky Boots]

He's a tough one to get your head around. He's pretty much two thirds of a top striker, literally everything about his forward play if you compare him to other strikers is elite but that finishing is just infuriatingly not there. It either comes at once ala Suarez and he ends up moving up a level or he'll have one of those mad seasons when he's 29/30 where he scores 30+ goals in all comps.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Thought he was brilliant yesterday as he nearly always is against the big boys but equally you never ever back him to score in front of goal which is the case in every game. At some point it's a problem we are going to have to try and find a solution for because it costs us points.

[PhilV]

I see a lot of striker talk and is he the striker we need etc... Bobby is not a striker, none of our front 3 are, they are all midfielders really, we do not have an out an out striker bar Sturridge and Origi and one is a sick note that for me is time to let go and the other is in development.

The front 3 and Bobby especially are phenomenal in all other areas, pressing, movement but the most clinical of the 3 is probably Sadio.

I think they all had a good performance yesterday and unfortunatly all 3 had chances to score and didn't but hey ho! If they were all strikers too we'd have 3 Luis Suarez's in the team and we'd be unstopable haha unfortunatly one can only dream of that for now!

[lionel_messias]

I see a lot of striker talk and is he the striker we need etc... Bobby is not a striker, none of our front 3 are, they are all midfielders really, we do not have an out an out striker bar Sturridge and Origi and one is a sick note that for me is time to let go and the other is in development.

The front 3 and Bobby especially are phenomenal in all other areas, pressing, movement but the most clinical of the 3 is probably Sadio.

I think they all had a good performance yesterday and unfortunatly all 3 had chances to score and didn't but hey ho! If they were all strikers too we'd have 3 Luis Suarez's in the team and we'd be unstopable haha unfortunatly one can only dream of that for now!

I think we could look at going 4-2-3-1 next season, Klopp's favoured setup in Bundasliga, and then you are looking at playing Bobby behind a striker. I guess.

On current form, you would play Firmino, Gini and Mane behind the goal-getter, raising some very interesting questions elsewhere.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

I think we could look at going 4-2-3-1 next season, Klopp's favoured setup in Bundasliga, and then you are looking at playing Bobby behind a striker. I guess.

On current form, you would play Firmino, Gini and Mane behind the goal-getter, raising some very interesting questions elsewhere.

Possibly. The alternative is that we sign Klopp's Reus rather than Klopp's Lewandowski and play him from the left with Firmino remaining up front. If we had an ice cool finisher like Reus making penetrating runs in behind as Mane does on the other side, it might compensate better for Firmino's lack of ruthlessness.

In a 4-2-3-1 I think Gini would play as the box to box midfielder alongisde Henderson/Can/another with three of Firmino, Lallana, Mane, and Coutinho most fitting behind a striker. We could have afforded to drop the latter by now in such a system and with a bit more squad depth.

I do like the 4-3-3 though and think it has proven its weight in gold in big games this season. It's against those bus parkers we need a striker or certainly another finisher on the pitch.

[SwordInYourGut]

There is a reason very few top teams play 4-2-3-1 these days, its an outdated formation which causes a disconnect between the defence and the attack. Its one of the reasons Wenger is struggling.

Our problems against weak teams aren't down to Firmino or even down to goal scoring actually. Top teams keep it tight at the other end and win those games 1-0. We concede and give ourselves a mountain to climb. We usually do find a goal or two even against bus parking teams. In how many games this season have we failed to score?

[wige]

There are two things that frustrate me with Firmino; his finishing and moments of laziness/complacency that mean he either misplaces passes, mis-controls or similar. We've seen examples of the latter throughout his time at the club, and another was yesterday when he had a simple ball to put Lallana in down the right channel in first half. He over-hit the pass and the chance to build the attack was gone. I don't need to go into the examples of his finishing.

It's a real, real shame, as the rest of his game is as good as it gets. Work-rate, awareness of team-mates, close control/touches, creativity, skill, you name it, he has it. He needs to become more ruthless/clinical with the chances he gets. Pre-game they showed his goals v games. 19 in 57 precisely 1 in 3. He could easily be on 30. That has to be the aim for him. Achieve it and we have an absolute worldie on our hands.

[Suareznumber7]

Indeed, and as I've said on the Origi thread, it's clear that as a 'striker' his style of play is not very suited against physical sides that sit deep.

Physical sides will relish a physical battle.  Playing someone who is the complete opposite of your typical physical defenders is how you take them out of their comfort zone which is where they will make mistakes. 

[na fir dearg]

Its such a conundrum for Klopp, you can't leave this guy out but its a shame he doesnt bag a few more goals

[Mr Mingebag Squid]

Did anyone see him celebrate when he thought Lallana was going to score? 

Saw loads of opposition fans laughing at him for this, I'm sure it's more falling to his knees and throwing hands up in exasperation at Lallana not scoring.

[poopscoop]

His decision making occasionally goes haywire, but I think he's as good as we've got for the system Klopp wants to play. I think Studge is a far better finisher and an equally strong link up player, but he doesn't do the hard yards that the press is built on.
It seems strange that a player can attract flak after winning a point away to one of our main rivals, especially when that opposition has players like Aguero to call on. Now, if Bobby Firmino had skipped past four defenders into their box and then tripped over his own feet, or blasted over in injury time with the goal at his mercy, then I'd be livid and could justifiably call him garbage ... just like no one said about Aguerro, ever.
Roberto Firmino is perfect for the system we play at this time. Is Klopp content with surrendering points due to the profligacy of those up front? No and that will no doubt mean changes in the summer.

[Mymush]

He's awful

[The G in Gerrard]

Haven't got a player that can do what he does when he's not playing.

[sms1986]

He's awful

How is he?

[MrRaptorTurtle]

He's awful

You won't last long.

[Mymush]

He's too weak in my opinion , his first touch and speed of thought are not up to it.
He works hard I'll give him that and finds himself in good positions , however he fails to capatilise on them positions most of the time.
I mainly hate the way he jumps up for headers whilst staring at the opposition player and not the ball. 

[heylookitsjacob]

I mainly hate the way he jumps up for headers whilst staring at the opposition player and not the ball.

I actually kind of agree with this part. He is gonna get himself in trouble when an elbow inadvertently hits the opposing player. Every time he jumps like that I get a little nervous.

[Lycan]

He's awful

Laughable.

[jillcwhomever]

I don't mind people talking about players faults, no one is perfect after all. But I don't like it when they don't acknowledge the good points as well. Bobby is a very skillful little player, his heading could be better true, but he has plenty of time to perfect it. His all round skills though, make him such an important player in the make up of this team though.

[Mymush]

Laughable.

It's an opinion , I may find it laughable that you find my opinion laughable.

He works hard that's it. Not my cup of tea that's all, I see from most of the posts on this page I'm in the
Minority with my judgement on him and that's fine. I just don't like him as a Liverpool player.

[Lycan]

It's an opinion , I may find it laughable that you find my opinion laughable.

He works hard that's it. Not my cup of tea that's all, I see from most of the posts on this page I'm in the
Minority with my judgement on him and that's fine. I just don't like him as a Liverpool player.

It's your opinion and each to their own I suppose. My opinion is that your opinion of him is one of poor judgement though. To the extent, I find it laughable.

He does far more than work hard. And if you really think that's all he does, thank God you're not a scout for our club.

[Phil M]

He's awful

You're awful.

[Boaty McBoatface]

You're awful.

[RyanBabel19]

It's an opinion , I may find it laughable that you find my opinion laughable.

He works hard that's it. Not my cup of tea that's all, I see from most of the posts on this page I'm in the
Minority with my judgement on him and that's fine. I just don't like him as a Liverpool player.

That's not just an opinion though is it? to be honest its complete and utter nonsense

[kavah]

That's not just an opinion though is it? to be honest its complete and utter nonsense

Fucking Amen, he's a starter for Brasil - that says enough doesn't it, even if you were fucking Mr.Magoo that should be enough to acknowledge he must be quite a tidy player.

[Phil M]

Fucking Amen,

Probably a few bluenoses coming across on the wind up. We're not paying them enough attention ya see.

[Mymush]

Fucking Amen, he's a starter for Brasil - that says enough doesn't it, even if you were fucking Mr.Magoo that should be enough to acknowledge he must be quite a tidy player.

Jo played for Brazil .... that blows your theory 👍

Look my point is everyone is banging on like he's fantastic.
He's not , and if we are happy to settle for him, well it's not good enough.
Wish I'd have stayed quiet now , it's a opinion that is all.
Good god if I air my opinions on Kevin Stewart this place will explode 😬

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Jo played for Brazil .... that blows your theory 👍

Look my point is everyone is banging on like he's fantastic.
He's not , and if we are happy to settle for him, well it's not good enough.
Wish I'd have stayed quiet now , it's a opinion that is all.
Good god if I air my opinions on Kevin Stewart this place will explode 😬

There's a difference between saying he's not good enough, or he's not that good, or he's average and saying he's woeful. Woeful is Salif Diao as an example.

So yes you can have your opinion, doesn't mean that your opinion is remotely close to the actual truth.

[jooneyisdagod]

I do think we could improve on Bob, but to think he's awful?

[McrRed]

I do think we could improve on Bob, but to think he's awful?

See, I'm the opposite. The only thing that could improve would be his personal goals tally and while we are scoring as a team that isn't a problem.

As others have said, if we added him as a 80% penalty taker he'd be up there with the rest of the number 9s bar the outliers.