Do we need to talk about Bobby?

James Pearce is talking about Bobby. Now, I know our problems run deeper than Bobby, alone, and there's not a goal I like to celebrate more than a Bobby goal. That doesn't happen very often, which, when he's doing his Bobby things, is fine, but, for me, he's been off form for over 12 months now.

Do we need to start talking, more, about Bobby when the transfer window opens?

Liverpool Need to Buy a New Number 9

By James Pearce for The Athletic

We need to talk about Roberto Firmino.

This isn’t to scapegoat the Brazil international for Liverpool’s season of woe. There’s a collective malaise which was there for all to see when another proud record bit the dust on a desperate night at Anfield on Saturday.

A catastrophic run of injuries — with captain Jordan Henderson’s damaged groin the latest hammer blow — has ripped the heart and the spine out of Jürgen Klopp’s title-winners.

Having to field 18 different centre-back pairings since September is preposterous. Liverpool won the Champions League and the Premier League with either Joel Matip or Joe Gomez alongside Virgil van Dijk at the back, and with Henderson and Fabinho in midfield. All are sidelined. It’s not rocket science.

But the issues for Klopp certainly run deeper than the personnel he’s currently without — not least what has happened to the focal point of his attack. Liverpool looked horribly blunt against Everton and Firmino’s form is concerning.

There have been occasional flashes of brilliance from him this season. The assists for Mohamed Salah in the defeats to Manchester United and Leicester City, the goals home and away to Tottenham, and the role he played in the demolition of Crystal Palace in December.

But the influence of Liverpool’s No 9 has dwindled and a dismal return of just six goals in 35 appearances in all competitions this season can’t be ignored. He has netted just once in his last 14 matches.

Firmino has never scored in a Merseyside derby and he didn’t ever look like putting that right in his 12th meeting with Everton. When Liverpool’s best chance of the first half fell to him, he decided to take an extra touch and that enabled Michael Keane to deflect his shot behind. In the second half, one tame effort barely reached Jordan Pickford and another was lashed wildly into the Kop.

After achieving a career-high 27 goals in 2017-18, Firmino’s tally dipped to 16 in 2018-19 and down to 12 last season. There’s a pattern there. His expected goals (xG) tally in the Premier League last season was 13.96 and he managed nine. This time around, his xG is 9.07 and he’s only scored six times.

Whenever Firmino’s output has been questioned over the years, the defence of him has always been robust. Both Klopp and the Kop adore him because he’s the selfless team player with a megawatt smile.

His all-round contribution has always been highlighted — the manner in which he leads the press and creates space for others to exploit. “Bobby plays like 12 instruments in our orchestra and is very important for our rhythm,” insisted his manager earlier this season.

But “the engine” of the team, as Klopp calls him, is spluttering. He only had 54 touches against Everton, the lowest of any outfield Liverpool player who played the full 90 minutes. He won just eight of his 14 duels, gaining possession on four occasions but losing it nine times.

Firmino’s place in the side was the subject of much debate earlier in the season following the impact of Diogo Jota and it will be once again, with the Portugal international set to return from a knee injury in the coming weeks. The lack of firepower in the absence of Jota has been glaring.

Liverpool haven’t scored in open play at Anfield since Sadio Mane converted Matip’s pass against West Bromwich Albion on December 27. They have played 528 minutes on home turf since — nearly nine hours of football — and only have Salah’s penalty against Manchester City to show for their efforts.

It’s bleak and after Everton won across Stanley Park for the first time in 22 years and consigned Liverpool to a fourth straight home defeat for the first time since 1923, Klopp’s assessment didn’t stand up to scrutiny.

“Creating-wise, we were outstanding against a deep block but we were not clinical enough. How can you have such clear-cut chances and not finish them off? It’s difficult to explain. We make one mistake, they score. They make 10 mistakes, we don’t score,” he said.

But the reality is that creation was a problem yet again. Liverpool had 72 per cent of the possession but there was little penetration. It’s not domination when you are being kept at arm’s length. There were only three real chances carved out in the space of 95 minutes: Firmino in the first half and then Mane and Salah after the break.

The service from midfield wasn’t good enough but neither was the movement ahead of them. It was a painful contrast to the manner in which first Richarlison and then Dominic Calvert-Lewin stretched the hosts’ makeshift backline.

Fatigue has to be a factor with Firmino, who turns 30 in October. He hasn’t missed a Premier League or Champions League game all season. He’s played 279 games for Liverpool across five and half years, with international commitments on top. That’s a lot of miles on the clock.

Part of the problem is that resting him just hasn’t been possible without Jota because of the dearth of other attacking options. Rhian Brewster was sold to Sheffield United to help finance last summer’s incomings and Klopp sanctioned the loan of Takumi Minamino to Southampton in the winter transfer window.

It was telling that, despite Firmino’s struggles on Saturday, Divock Origi remained rooted to the bench until a contentious penalty decision had already put the contest out of reach.

The Belgium international will always be revered for his iconic moments but his erratic Liverpool career is petering out tamely. Since that balmy night in Madrid in June 2019, he has scored seven times in 58 appearances (20 starts). His only goal in the past seven months came against Lincoln City.

Origi has to be moved on this summer and Liverpool have to buy a striker. Yes, they’ve got Jota but he’s not a centre-forward. They need someone capable of running in behind and getting on the end of crosses. They need an injection of quality, pace and dynamism through the middle. They need a goalscorer. They also need the owners to show ambition and back the manager in the transfer market.

Klopp has already built one great Liverpool team but if more success is going to follow, he will need to start constructing a second one. One of the biggest challenges facing him will be deciding when the time is right to move on cherished names whose best days are behind them. Sentiment can’t be allowed to cloud judgment.

Roberto Firmino is an Anfield legend but his powers have waned. Whether it’s to replace him or just to give him a breather at times, Liverpool need to buy a new No 9.

Bobby is out of sorts which will happen every player, tied in with the fact everone else is out of form to.

Hes a lad thst come May Id send hime (if possible) and say live on the beach fir 2 weeks chilling.

In saying that even if he was in the form of his life id still add a striker, a pure goalscorer. But Bobby has at least 2 good years left in him

Too little data. What's his average distance per game from earlier years to now? How do you take into account his pressing?

He does not look fancy - he never did - but he does a lot of the dirty work for Salah who presses like a schoolboy and never tackles. But no doubt another quality striker would not hurt us. I for instance would like Zaha.

It’s a tough one

He is so crucial to the way the front three work , but he is clearly suffering with form at the moment

Maybe it’s confidence or tiredness

I wouldn’t want to see him go if that’s the case. - maybe a good rest in the summer is what he needs

Has delivered sporadically for almost 2 years now.

His lack of output was masked last year by the form of Mane and Salah but now that Mane in particular is having a barren run Bobby’s lack of output is starkly obvious.

One suggestion could be to drop him into the No10 position as he has never been a No9 but I worry he would lose the ball too often.

Either way priority in the summer should be for a goal scoring striker.

Do we need to start talking, more, about Bobby when the transfer window opens?

Off the boil for a good year.  Has shown the occasional flash of brilliance but nowhere near as good or consistent as he was.

I'd be wary of jettisonning him just yet though.  Who knows how it will all play out when Diogo Jota is regularly threatening his place.

I honestly believe we shouldn't be making any rash decisions on exits until football gets a little bit more back to normal because I'd imagine footballers, like the rest of us, are affected by things in different ways.

Bobbys walking around Kirkby now with his ears burning 😂

Klopp should definitely propose to him to leave the national team. Like James Milner did some time ago. It did him good.

Not just Bobby several players are looking jaded, the injury list has crippled us. Roll on next season when hopefully our twelfth man can return to the terraces.

Off the boil for a good year.  Has shown the occasional flash of brilliance but nowhere near as good or consistent as he was.

I'd be wary of jettisonning him just yet though.  Who knows how it will all play out when Diogo Jota is regularly threatening his place.

I honestly believe we shouldn't be making any rash decisions on exits until football gets a little bit more back to normal because I'd imagine footballers, like the rest of us, are affected by things in different ways.

For sure, there's a conversation to be had here about Bobby and his role, if not his future as an LFC player.  As a massive Bobby fan, I'd urge caution regarding getting rid.

I agree with JD in all respects here but to add to the debate, there's too little mixing up of our forward options, for me.  It's always Mane left, Salah right, Bobby central.  I always wonder - why they don't alternate positions more - ask other questions, wrong-foot fullbacks? 

Bobby has talent to burn, but I suspect the mental side of things is a factor here - locked-down in cold, grey Britain, family a distant memory, age 30 looming, form issues, questions asked about his form everywhere you look, team gone off the rails, there's bound to be changing-room debates, not to mention "will I be next to get the injury curse?"    Got to affect the strongest characters.

With Jota coming back it will allow Bobby to have a rest hopefully in the future -

Even if Bobby was flying we still need a new striker.

Even if Bobby was flying we still need a new striker.

I know we don't really play this way, but would you think a goal-poacher / target-man / hold-it-up kind of striker would give us better options, especially bearing in mind the quality of some of our crosses from the FB positions?  (I don't think Origi does this, by the way!).
Imagine if Bobby had the commanding presence to do that, to add to his skillset?!   

Seems to me we have the crosses, and use them a lot, without the kind of striker that would make best use of them (even though there's been quite a few Mane / Bobby goals from crosses in the past).  I'll probably cop (kop?) some stick here, but someone like a Giroud of old, who would head a brick or toe-end a half-chance into the corner. 

James Pearce is talking about Bobby. Now, I know our problems run deeper than Bobby, alone, and there's not a goal I like to celebrate more than a Bobby goal. That doesn't happen very often, which, when he's doing his Bobby things, is fine, but, for me, he's been off form for over 12 months now.

Do we need to start talking, more, about Bobby when the transfer window opens?

Start? Now? Because someone 'big' finally notices?

Some have been talking about it for months.

The lad has moments of brilliance - like the perfect, genius setup for Salah's goal. But by in large, he's been awful, and we are playing with 10 men. Even worse, he actually gives the ball away and messes up our attacks. So, contributes little, and negatively impacts the team. Should have been dropped long ago. That established "front 3" is long gone.

Even if Bobby was flying we still need a new striker.

Yep we need someone clinical and then when they need a rest, Bobby subs in and he does his thing!

Does anyone watch much of Haaland? I see his goals but not much else. How would he fit in to  aKlopp side in comparison to Bobby? Not saying he'd come but wondering

Does anyone watch much of Haaland? I see his goals but not much else. How would he fit in to  aKlopp side in comparison to Bobby? Not saying he'd come but wondering

Probably the same way Klopp fitted Lewandowski into his Dortmund team. Would definitely be a very different option to Bobby, put it that way.

Probably the same way Klopp fitted Lewandowski into his Dortmund team. Would definitely be a very different option to Bobby, put it that way.

But is he better than Divvy?

Edit: Needs a smiley

I think we already "talked about Bobby" when we brought in Jota. That was the first step in planning for the future, now we need to find Mane and Salah's eventual replacements.

The whole team is out of sorts, not just Bobby, jeez.

As noted above, jota was brought in to take pressure of all of the front 3, that was happeneing we were top of the league, then jota injury and boom we look knackered.

Not just Bobby several players are looking jaded, the injury list has crippled us. Roll on next season when hopefully our twelfth man can return to the terraces.

What's this? A new poster here and he isn't simply trying to wind everyone up with an attack on Liverpool players, backroom staff or owners? What is the online world coming to?

Bobby is not washed up.

What's this? A new poster here and he isn't simply trying to wind everyone up with an attack on Liverpool players, backroom staff or owners? What is the online world coming to?

Nope, he got it in the neck yesterday in the everton post match 😂

Nope, he got it in the neck yesterday in the everton post match 😂

Yeah I just read that after I posted on here. Misplaced optimism. 

I love Firmino, he was an integral part for our success in the Ucl and winning the famous league but for me we became too uniform in our play and others have studied us well and Firmino is not being effective enough to create spaces for Mane and Salah.

I would buy some one else and leave him for rotation.

I love Firmino, he was an integral part for our success in the Ucl and winning the famous league but for me we became too uniform in our play and others have studied us well and Firmino is not being effective enough to create spaces for Mane and Salah.

I would buy some one else and leave him for rotation.

I think Mane and Mo would disagree, in fact there is an interview with mane, where he thanks bobby for most of his goals.

We do need to change things up a bit though, more rotation of the front 3, not so easy with all the injuries though is it. :-(

We just need to sell Origi and bring in a proper forward in the Summer.

More options, better competition, and more rotation to keep the team fresh.

We just need to sell Origi and bring in a proper forward in the Summer.

More options, better competition, and more rotation to keep the team fresh.

Yea his time is up.

Talk about Firmino?
OK he’s F***ing brilliant!

Firmino would be a sick option off the bench, especially in games where were ahead. His fresh pressing on tired defenders would help pad 1 goal leads and force a lot of give aways.

His time as top talent may be over, but if he's up to taking a new role it could be good for him and our club.

Firmino would be a sick option off the bench, especially in games where were ahead. His fresh pressing on tired defenders would help pad 1 goal leads and force a lot of give aways.

His time as top talent may be over, but if he's up to taking a new role it could be good for him and our club.

nothing to do with football, but I hate the word `sick` being used to describe something good. sick aint good its very bad. ps. I do get it, I just dont like it. 

He’s not the issue. We’re always better off with him.

Only thing wrong with our Bobby is that he is f***in Knackered, i don’t think he has had a decent break for probably 4/5 seasons, world cups concaf short or no pre- season, I mean this in the most kindest way but best thing that can happen to Bobby is to get injured, so he can have a long well deserved rest, no football between May and end of August, F**k all, to get his arse down to Copacabana with his flip-flops & shades, soak up the rays, get sh*t faced once or twice, get his Willy wet and not from the sea, totally relax then come back to L4 completely rejuvenated, chomping at the bit and full of his Brazilian coffee beans,

We want our Bobby back, not some half arsed version for all the f***in neg heads to w*nk over !

And before said wankers say he had a break in lockdown, NO, he didn’t, no one did, they still had to train and keep their fitness levels up, he’s a professional athlete, not sat no his arse playing with his joystick!



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He is way past his best and is holding us back. I look at the strikers available for other top 7 teams and weep. In the case of Mane and Salah it can be  put down to a slump but I can't remember the last time Bobby was consistently good for us, even last season it was very sketchy performances.


If you replaced Bobby with Jota or a striker form another top team it would solve a lot of our current issues and probably improve the form of Mane and Salah as well.

He is way past his best and is holding us back. I look at the strikers available for other top 7 teams and weep. In the case of Mane and Salah it can be  put down to a slump but I can't remember the last time Bobby was consistently good for us, even last season it was very sketchy performances.


If you replaced Bobby with Jota or a striker form another top team it would solve a lot of our current issues and probably improve the form of Mane and Salah as well.

Love talking out of your arse don’t you? He’s 30 not 36 and not anywhere near past it the mans played an incredible amount of football last 2 years.

He’s not like any of the traditional strikers in the top 7 and even if he was please name the ones that are tearing it up this season? City have played without one basically the whole campaign, United are led by a lad who isn’t a striker - Rashford has been hit and miss, West Ham don’t have one their biggest threat is Soucek - not a striker. Chelsea have struggled with Werner and Abraham look at their numbers, Vardy is way of his usual tally and pace this season. That leaves you with Ings or that kid from Villa - Watkins. I will even give you Son and Kane outside the 7 who are probably the most formidable of the lot. Go on who is making you weep with options?

Love talking out of your arse don’t you? He’s 30 not 36 and not anywhere near past it the mans played an incredible amount of football last 2 years.

He’s not like any of the traditional strikers in the top 7 and even if he was please name the ones that are tearing it up this season? City have played without one basically the whole campaign, United are led by a lad who isn’t a striker - Rashford has been hit and miss, West Ham don’t have one their biggest threat is Soucek - not a striker. Chelsea have struggled with Werner and Abraham look at their numbers, Vardy is way of his usual tally and pace this season. That leaves you with Ings or that kid from Villa - Watkins. I will even give you Son and Kane outside the 7 who are probably the most formidable of the lot. Go on who is making you weep with options?

You are right he is nothing like a traditional striker, they all score f**king goals or at least assist!!

His age is irrelevant, his past form is not up for debate, he was incredibly important to us, BUT at the moment he is utterly useless to us, put any other decent striker in his place and we'd be scoring a sh*t load more goals, I guarantee you of that and that includes all the strikers/forwards you mentioned.

Of the front three, he's the one most out of form.
He's never scored lots of goals, but his general link up play was brilliant. Throw in his great work-rate and he was one of the first on the sheet. Super to watch in full flow.

He's done it in spurts this year, like the goals against CP were typical brilliant Bobby, the great header to win vs Spuds. But most of the time he's not been himself, and his finishing in general been cow-banjo-arse.

We were top at Xmas, but imho Jota played a big part in that, he came in and was brilliant, quick and clinical. In games where we looked like we were gonna struggle he made a real difference. Have missed him badly. Bob even in the early months struggled.

The wheels have really come off since Xmas, Bobs in no way the only one below par, but he's looked the one most out of sorts.

I don't buy this stuff that the players aren't trying, they're gutless and all that - they've been brilliant for two seasons and have shown their metal lots of times. Can argue that they're tired, and that everyone hits a bad patch.
Main thing for me tho is the ridiculous number of injuries, combined with poor form from big players [that are left] at different times. And the replacements not being of the same quality.
It's not any one thing.

There's another argument - the one that this front three, as a first choice three, have run their course, that its not working anymore, that nothing lasts forever.
It's too early anyway to say for sure - but you have to look at Jota and wonder if he had stayed fit, how many games might he have played ahead of Bob in the time he's been out injured.
Also, there are players like Mbappe and Hylaand, young players that would improve us. And we'd likely have to sell to buy. Bob is a great player, and I wouldn't want to see him leave.  Guess there's always a 'but' though.

Jota will come back and if he's as good as he was before injury, that'll be a big boost.
Big decision though is whether we give the 4 of them another run next season - and not sign a top forward.
Even if it means possibly Jota/Mane/Salah starting, and Bob not being an automatic first choice, think he'd be OK with that. And am sure he'd also start games.

I'm not sure though. I've a feeling we might not take the risk. And instead go all out to sign a top striker.

Nothing wrong in discussing his form, or lack of, and I agree on a topic for it as he has been so vital to the system over the years that his poor form is worth debating.

For me he has been off the boil pretty much all season and as much as it pains me to say it, as he's been one of my favourite players here, I think he possibly unlikely to return to that form of the last few seasons.

Bobby needs a break that’s all... & hopefully he will get a well deserved rest after this season ends, go back home, recharge & comeback fresh..

Bobby needs a break that’s all... & hopefully he will get a well deserved rest after this season ends, go back home, recharge & comeback fresh..

Was he good after the restart, 3 month break not enough for him?

Bobby is not washed up.

Was he good after the restart, 3 month break not enough for him?

“F**k Off Heimy” So Bobby sat around on his arse for three months did he ? didn’t train, didn’t stick to his personal training schedule mapped out for him by the sports scientists, didn’t keep his fitness levels up so as to be ready for the eventual  restart ,

It’s every topic Heimy, every thread everything anyone else says or has a opinion on that you have to pick Holes in it to cause discord amongst other posters, your not debating, your cajoling, wumming in the hope someone argues with you, so you can extol your bullshit onto them,

I’m sure you do it for the attention you so obviously crave, there is not another poster on these boards that disagrees or has a totally different argument as much as you do on as many threads , seriously, it’s every f***in time,

To be honest I don’t know the actual stats of what Bobby’s schedule has been like last 5 years, but I will hazard a guess that it’s right up there near if not the top, all that travelling he has to endure for international duty, world cups, concaf, even meaningless friendlies, the amount of games he has played in upwards of 60+ a season, 38 domestic league, CL games, etc etc, with hardly a break in between seasons, he’s not super f***in man, he’s not super human, but he is super knackered, both mentally & physically,

It will be interesting when Jota is back, because I think the first player taken out of that front three will be Bobby, and that won’t be coincidental, he’ll be used as a sub and brought on late in the games to come, and after a few matches I bet we will see a better Bobby than of late, simply because of the rest he will get, but we will see, Jota though pivotal in his versatility won’t be the same Jota before his injury he’ll need a few games to get back to his best, we all just need to hope he don’t pick up another niggle in the interim,

I’ll say it again Bobby isn’t done, no where near it, he’s basically fu**ed, and needs a break that’s all, his confidence is low because he is tired, that smile he has isn’t there because he’s knackered, his brain is sending all the right signals but his body is slow to respond because he is burnt the F**k out !


Tell ye what then Heimy, let’s have a wee wager, a tenner says that Bobby Firmino next season is much better than the Bobby we’ve seen this season ? You reckon he’s done, I think not, so let’s see who is right ?

Any charity you want (except the Tory party) your wee mates !




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Can't wait to see a Bobby bicycle kick celebrating another goal and Sadio in the background copying him. Oh for the good old days!

Hands up, I'm a huge fan of Bobby so I'm biased.

With that out of the way, I think there's a couple of things at issue here. First, he feeds off of the crowd, the man loves scoring and assisting and embarrassing people to the roar of the crowd. I think no crowds has hurt him. Second, he's not a number 9, he's a false 9, he's a playmaker and presser first and a scorer second. When he's scoring it's a bonus, if he's not pressing or assisting then he's a passenger. I personally don't care whether he's scoring loads of goals as long as he's pressing winning the ball back and making those sublime passes. He does seem a little off, but to me, he gets the benefit of the doubt just like Mane and Salah do. If Bobby was as selfish for goals as Mo (not a bad thing) I believe he'd have far more goals, but his contribution to the way we play wouldn't be what Klopp wants it to be.

In my opinion, Bobby comes under far more (and undeserved) scrutiny than his teammates and that's kind of sad because he's a phenomenal player. But don't take my word for it....

"He deserves more credit than me and Mo, for sure," Mane told ESPN Brazil.

"But it is part of football, (people) always seeing the goals scored. But without Bobby, I don't see me and Mo score as many goals as we have, to be honest.

"He makes everything easier for us. Brazil are just lucky to have Firmino. I have always said to Bobby: 'You will have to change your nationality and come to Senegal'.

"For me, that would be a dream. I just love him. I think he is my favourite team-mate."

For me, there's no way I get rid...it's not like this team has any standouts this year. He's just in a line of lackluster looking performances in an off year. And for people thinking Jota is his replacement....nope, there's no way. Jota is backup for Mane and Salah. he doesn't work near as hard off the ball as Bobby does.

Time will tell. We could certainly benefit from bringing in another type of #9, but I don't think we need an out and out replacement...just another option.

“F**k Off Heimy” So Bobby sat around on his arse for three months did he ? didn’t train, didn’t stick to his personal training schedule mapped out for him by the sports scientists, didn’t keep his fitness levels up so as to be ready for the eventual  restart ,

It’s every topic Heimy, every thread everything anyone else says or has a opinion on that you have to pick Holes in it to cause discord amongst other posters, your not debating, your cajoling, wumming in the hope someone argues with you, so you can extol your bullshit onto them,

I’m sure you do it for the attention you so obviously crave, there is not another poster on these boards that disagrees or has a totally different argument as much as you do on as many threads , seriously, it’s every f***in time,

To be honest I don’t know the actual stats of what Bobby’s schedule has been like last 5 years, but I will hazard a guess that it’s right up there near if not the top, all that travelling he has to endure for international duty, world cups, concaf, even meaningless friendlies, the amount of games he has played in upwards of 60+ a season, 38 domestic league, CL games, etc etc, with hardly a break in between seasons, he’s not super f***in man, he’s not super human, but he is super knackered, both mentally & physically,

It will be interesting when Jota is back, because I think the first player taken out of that front three will be Bobby, and that won’t be coincidental, he’ll be used as a sub and brought on late in the games to come, and after a few matches I bet we will see a better Bobby than of late, simply because of the rest he will get, but we will see, Jota though pivotal in his versatility won’t be the same Jota before his injury he’ll need a few games to get back to his best, we all just need to hope he don’t pick up another niggle in the interim,

I’ll say it again Bobby isn’t done, no where near it, he’s basically fu**ed, and needs a break that’s all, his confidence is low because he is tired, that smile he has isn’t there because he’s knackered, his brain is sending all the right signals but his body is slow to respond because he is burnt the f**k out !


Tell ye what then Heimy, let’s have a wee wager, a tenner says that Bobby Firmino next season is much better than the Bobby we’ve seen this season ? You reckon he’s done, I think not, so let’s see who is right ?

Any charity you want (except the Tory party) your wee mates !




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You said he was burnt out, I pointed out he had a 3 month break from football a year ago, a good chunk of which was probably very light training, ie its not an excuse!

Hands up, I'm a huge fan of Bobby so I'm biased.

With that out of the way, I think there's a couple of things at issue here. First, he feeds off of the crowd, the man loves scoring and assisting and embarrassing people to the roar of the crowd. I think no crowds has hurt him. Second, he's not a number 9, he's a false 9, he's a playmaker and presser first and a scorer second. When he's scoring it's a bonus, if he's not pressing or assisting then he's a passenger. I personally don't care whether he's scoring loads of goals as long as he's pressing winning the ball back and making those sublime passes. He does seem a little off, but to me, he gets the benefit of the doubt just like Mane and Salah do. If Bobby was as selfish for goals as Mo (not a bad thing) I believe he'd have far more goals, but his contribution to the way we play wouldn't be what Klopp wants it to be.

In my opinion, Bobby comes under far more (and undeserved) scrutiny than his teammates and that's kind of sad because he's a phenomenal player. But don't take my word for it....

"He deserves more credit than me and Mo, for sure," Mane told ESPN Brazil.

"But it is part of football, (people) always seeing the goals scored. But without Bobby, I don't see me and Mo score as many goals as we have, to be honest.

"He makes everything easier for us. Brazil are just lucky to have Firmino. I have always said to Bobby: 'You will have to change your nationality and come to Senegal'.

"For me, that would be a dream. I just love him. I think he is my favourite team-mate."

For me, there's no way I get rid...it's not like this team has any standouts this year. He's just in a line of lackluster looking performances in an off year. And for people thinking Jota is his replacement....nope, there's no way. Jota is backup for Mane and Salah. he doesn't work near as hard off the ball as Bobby does.

Time will tell. We could certainly benefit from bringing in another type of #9, but I don't think we need an out and out replacement...just another option.

First sentence was enough thank you

Can imagine Bobby will be looking after his mate!!

Thought Bobby was poor last night, should have scored in the first half and his shot was going wide until the deflection, his confidence must be shot to pieces

You said he was burnt out, I pointed out he had a 3 month break from football a year ago, a good chunk of which was probably very light training, ie its not an excuse!

These are finely tuned athletes, sitting on their arse for 3 months wouldn’t be good for them anyway, let alone the fact it was the beginning of a world wide pandemic

If you don’t think all footballers currently aren’t playing well below their levels then you are just ignoring the obvious

You can tell with simply your eyes that football isn’t being played at the same intensity currently but the numbers back it up to, I was reading last week that the number of defensive actions is about a third down, the about of presses the same, sprints down by over 35%

That’s across all football

Maybe they are all using the same “excuse”

Have a read of this https://statsbomb.com/ you might find it interesting or in the least it may make you rethink reactive gestures

Thought Bobby was poor last night, should have scored in the first half and his shot was going wide until the deflection, his confidence must be shot to pieces

Imagine thinking Bobby was poor. He created some of our best chances, not to mention our second goal.

Or maybe people don’t understand the word poor anymore.

Imagine thinking Bobby was poor. He created some of our best chances, not to mention our second goal.

Or maybe people don’t understand the word poor anymore.

Agreed.

I've been quite critical of Bobby this season but thought he played well second half, link up play was good, and showed great skill to create his chance for the deflected goal.

Thought Bobby was poor last night, should have scored in the first half and his shot was going wide until the deflection, his confidence must be shot to pieces

Leave it out FFS.

These are finely tuned athletes, sitting on their arse for 3 months wouldn’t be good for them anyway, let alone the fact it was the beginning of a world wide pandemic

If you don’t think all footballers currently aren’t playing well below their levels then you are just ignoring the obvious

You can tell with simply your eyes that football isn’t being played at the same intensity currently but the numbers back it up to, I was reading last week that the number of defensive actions is about a third down, the about of presses the same, sprints down by over 35%

That’s across all football

Maybe they are all using the same “excuse”

Have a read of this https://statsbomb.com/ you might find it interesting or in the least it may make you rethink reactive gestures

, so playing too much is bad and playing too little is bad as well, I guess its just impossible to criticise Bobby then!!  What an utter load of nonsense the rest of the post was. There are plenty of players playing extremely well this season, the entire City team for example.

As for strikers, it doesn't seem to have affected Kane, Rashford, Son, Salah and many others as much as it has Bobby, again why is that?


Just stop making excuses for him please, he is in a terrible run of form right now, it does not take away from his previous contributions to the team and club, but on current form he should be dropped and I think he will be as soon as Jota is fully fit.

Agreed.

I've been quite critical of Bobby this season but thought he played well second half, link up play was good, and showed great skill to create his chance for the deflected goal.

I'll agree that his link up play was better, but his shooting was still utterly pathetic for a forward.

The only person that *needs* to talk about Bobby is Klopp.

Everyone else just *wants* to.

, so playing too much is bad and playing too little is bad as well, I guess its just impossible to criticise Bobby then!!  What an utter load of nonsense the rest of the post was. There are plenty of players playing extremely well this season, the entire City team for example.

As for strikers, it doesn't seem to have affected Kane, Rashford, Son, Salah and many others as much as it has Bobby, again why is that?


Just stop making excuses for him please, he is in a terrible run of form right now, it does not take away from his previous contributions to the team and club, but on current form he should be dropped and I think he will be as soon as Jota is fully fit.

Go look at the stats

You may learn something like

If you don’t want to then no problem, but don’t forget, knowledge is power.
All the information is out there for you lad, I’ve even given you a site to look at which shows you that intensity in all football is down this season

Go look at the stats

You may learn something like

If you don’t want to then no problem, but don’t forget, knowledge is power.
All the information is out there for you lad, I’ve even given you a site to look at which shows you that intensity in all football is down this season

Even if the overall intensity is down why is Bobby so much less intense/effective than other strikers. You have to admit he's in sh*t form for a long long time now. If not then no point continuing to discuss it.