Topic: No. 9

[Byrneand]

I was just watching this Suarez video on youtube:

https://youtu.be/Xu1_k5vBD0M

What hits you is the number of tap ins, "lucky" bobbles and bounces (I think you make your own luck) and just being in the right place at the right time goals he scores.

Whilst the guy is obviously on another level, I do really miss having a player in the team who you'd back to both create (predominantly by movement) and put away 1-on-1s.

You think of the teams when we've really pushed to win titles and cups, we've had someone in the box who you can really rely on. Probably the biggest exception to this being 2005. Just going back 30 years Rush, Fowler, Owen, Torres, Suarez. Some wonderful players who just give the team confidence and you know can be relied upon to put the ball in the back of the net.

With the exception of perhaps Sturridge there's no one in this team I'd say is a no brainer to finish a 1-on-1.

Personally, I'd love us to add a proper centre forward and goal threat to the team. What I'd give to have any of those listed above in their prime going into these last two games of the season!

[diegoLFC7]

Michael Owen and Suarez were different breeds. They rarely make number 9's with killer mentalities like them thats why players are so over priced.

[PeterTheRed ...]

I think that it is a bit early for a transfer thread.

[SP]

Then there's this Welsh Rarebit wearing some brown underpants
About the shortage of grain in Hertfordshire
Everyone of them knew that as time went by
They'd get a little bit older and a litter slower but
It's all the same thing, in this case manufactured by someone who's always
Umpteen your father's giving it diddly-i-dee
District was leaving, intended to pay for

[CraigDS]

'Perhaps Sturridge'?

He is every bit as good as the names on that list at finishing, he's just made of balsa wood.

[Keita Success]

'Perhaps Sturridge'?

He is every bit as good as the names on that list at finishing, he's just made of balsa wood.

Is anyone God's level of finishing.

I can't remember who said it but I remember reading that at his first training session, everyone just stopped and applauded him whilst he was doing a finishing drill

[Chief Brody]

'Perhaps Sturridge'?

He is every bit as good as the names on that list at finishing.

This made me laugh.

[Oberyn_Martell]

Yeah but how many tap ins , rebounds and right place right time goals did he score for us?
A lot of his goals with us were nearly always top quality goals because he was playing in a side that didnt really create many simple chances. Whens the last time we had a season where those types of goals were prevalent? The rebounds, tap ins etc

[Medellin]

JK will know this is an area we need to strengthen,he plucked Ledwanowski out of relative obscurity..lets hope he can do that again.

[Day1983]

No we don't, we've got firmino and we would rather spread the goals around apparently Also don't forget we scored loads earlier in the season so it's all good

[BER]

If we had someone to replace the quality of Mane this season then Firmino would be on twenty goals already. And it's easier to find a Mane type, not easy, just easier, than finding the perfect number nine. 

[LallanaInPyjamas]

If we had someone to replace the quality of Mane this season then Firmino would be on twenty goals already.

Can we stop this delusional nonsense? Firmino scored three goals playing through the middle in the first half of the season (Stoke, Palace, Watford; Leicester x2 & Swansea were both with Sturridge on the pitch) when we were extremely potent as a team. There's simply nothing to suggest he's a 20 goal a season striker when we're playing well, let alone when we're not, regardless of where he plays on the pitch.

[Day1983]

If we had someone to replace the quality of Mane this season then Firmino would be on twenty goals already. And it's easier to find a Mane type, not easy, just easier, than finding the perfect number nine.

And if matip had scored 19 more he'd have 20!

[owens_2k]

Finishing is as much about how many shot you take as it is about shot placement.

The top strikers don't have some godly accuracy over other strikers. They take more shots and thus score more goals.

Its about creating the space to get away those shots, or making the run which puts you in the position to have a shot, or as said making sure your in the right place at the right time to obtain a shot.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Finishing is as much about how many shot you take as it is about shot placement.

The top strikers don't have some godly accuracy over other strikers. They take more shots and thus score more goals.

Its about creating the space to get away those shots, or making the run which puts you in the position to have a shot, or as said making sure your in the right place at the right time to obtain a shot.

Well they do. It's one of their skills which makes them worth so much money. Eriksen and Coutinho are in the top five for shots per game this season but they're not likely to ever trouble the top five or even top ten top goalscorers in this division. Firstly because they play slightly deeper than strikers and therefore are more prone to pot shots from distance, and secondly because I don't think either are particularly good finishers, although they've definitely both improved from a few years ago.

Likewise Firmino has had more shots per game than Dele Alli this season. It's obvious who the better finisher of the two is though.

[owens_2k]

Well they do. It's one of their skills which makes them worth so much money. Eriksen and Coutinho are in the top five for shots per game this season but they're not likely to ever trouble the top five or even top ten top goalscorers in this division. Firstly because they play slightly deeper than strikers and therefore are more prone to pot shots from distance, and secondly because I don't think either are particularly good finishers, although they've definitely both improved from a few years ago.

Likewise Firmino has had more shots per game than Dele Alli this season. It's obvious who the better finisher of the two is though.

I havent got it to hand but I've seen the stats which show Ronaldo, Messi, Lewandowski, Suarez, Aguero etc take more shots and that their conversion percentage is there or therabouts the same as most other strikers.

[Chief Brody]

The top strikers don't have some godly accuracy over other strikers. They take more shots and thus score more goals.

I can't get on board with that completely. Some of the top strikers can pick there spot better than others, out of the current crop Kun Aguero springs to mind, Griezman maybe.

There might be some truth in it though, someone like Ronaldo has a tonne of shots per game.
But does that men they're a superior striker or that they're in a superior team.

You could argue the striker that needs fewer chances is the better player.

[owens_2k]

I can't get on board with that completely. Some of the top strikers can pick there spot better than others, out of the current crop Kun Aguero springs to mind, Griezman maybe.

There might be some truth in it though, someone like Ronaldo has a tonne of shots per game.
But does that men they're a superior striker or that they're in a superior team.

You could argue the striker that needs fewer chances is the better player.

They generally all settle at around the same conversion rate (%) i'll dig the data out later.

I do know what people mean though. Henry & Messi bend and curve their shorts right into the corner majestically. A lot of Ronaldos will squirm under the keeper through sheer power.

By definition though the best finishers are the ones who score the most goals. Regardless of how they go in.

[groove]

After movement, I still think it's about decision making generally. Suarez's let him down in his early years here didn't it? He had a high shots per game ratio and a low conversion rate. And from the eye test it was pretty much down to lack of composure. I think Rodgers and the staff did a great job on him getting him to slow down his brain slightly in the box along with his general maturing in personality.

Same as what Klopp has said he's doing with Coutinho. Pick his spots a bit better. Phil's tendancy to shoot on sight was getting borderline ridiculous when Klopp first came here.

Movement is key though. I always watch Sturridge when we have the ball near the box. It's always darting movements into gaps. Getting in front of a full back, dropping off a centre back, late back post runs. That kind of stuff.

[Steady Eddie]

....

Movement is key though. I always watch Sturridge when we have the ball near the box. It's always darting movements into gaps. Getting in front of a full back, dropping off a centre back, late back post runs. That kind of stuff.

I tend to agree with this for a particular type of striker, if Sturridge was to remain fit, although he has lost pace he'd not do so bad as to model his game on somebody like Inzaghi, as you highlight Daniel's movement can be quite intelligent, if could find pockets of space he could still rack up some decent numbers.

[Oberyn_Martell]

I tend to agree with this for a particular type of striker, if Sturridge was to remain fit, although he has lost pace he'd not do so bad as to model his game on somebody like Inzaghi, as you highlight Daniel's movement can be quite intelligent, if could find pockets of space he could still rack up some decent numbers.

Its pretty much what he has to do, over the summer he should focus on re-shaping his game and he can still become an effective striker. The problem is he has always had so much ability on the ball even without his pace that it would be a shame. Imagine if it all just came back.