Did anyone clock Robertson and Elliot on the bench when Nunez nearly fumbled a clearance at left back. I think that said it all to me. We are all wanting him to do well and all the time and foe him to suddenly find a calmness in his decision making that allows him to become more clinical but its just not there. You can be great inside the box and average outside, like Michael Owen, or you can be average in front of goal and brilliant outside the box like Firmino. You can't really be inconsistent at both. I really really really want it to happen but I just can't see it. I think the pace of the game in this league is just too much for him but it's an odd scenario because he's got bags of pace. It's his brain that can't keep up rather than his legs.
He can score against anyone. Remember that goal against Real Madrid. Wow. It feels like he's better with no time to think.
I wonder if he'll get better as he gets older and loses a bit of pace. Sounds mad but if he took an extra half second in the box it feels like his brain could have a half chance to communicate with his feet.
Not the young version (before his hamstring snapped and the dodgy repair work).
Saw him in summer '97 and it's the most impressive I've seen any Liverpool player in the flesh. He drifted out to the wing and terrorized the defenders. Remember the high coming away from what I'd just seen. Seen Fowler, great finisher, seen McManaman, great dribber, but Owen was on another level.
Outside the box, long way from goal, in possession of the ball, at that time Owen was arguably the most dangerous forward in the world outside of Ronaldo.
We only saw it at senior level for two years but what a player. The real shame is (which he acknowledged) is we never saw the best of him as that would have been 3 or 4 years away in his early 20s. When he got to that age he had fully matured as a player, but his body couldn't do what it did. When his hamstring went he didn't just predominantly become a penalty box player like Fowler of course, as he still had moments like the FA Cup winning goal (albeit he only had to outpace Lee Dixon), but that ability he had to take on and rinse defences from distance was over. Always felt he was overplayed when he was still a teenager. Thought then that Houllier could have looked after him more, carry the team less for one so young. Main man at 18. Too much too soon. Physically he needed a longer period to build up endurance and body strength but he wasn't given that time.
In terms of Nunez, let's see how he does under Slot. The midfield has been disjointed this season (and last) and not the best for forwards to excel in. Today against Spurs was much better though, faster, better tempo, getting the ball to them quicker, and we looked more dangerous for it. Playing against a team that comes on to you and leaves such spaces did help of course.
