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      Do we need to talk about Bobby?

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      what-a-hit-son
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      • t: @MrPrice1979 i: @klmprice101518
      Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Feb 22, 2021 03:04:49 pm
      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.

      Brian78
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #1: Feb 22, 2021 03:14:26 pm
      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
      0112358
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #2: Feb 22, 2021 04:00:55 pm
      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.
      Lallana in Pyjamas
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #3: Feb 22, 2021 04:08:29 pm
      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
      HScRed1
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #4: Feb 22, 2021 04:12:40 pm
      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.
      JD
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #5: Feb 22, 2021 04:20:30 pm
      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.
      Brian78
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #6: Feb 22, 2021 04:52:19 pm
      Bobbys walking around Kirkby now with his ears burning 😂
      « Last Edit: Feb 22, 2021 05:07:34 pm by Brian78 »
      0112358
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #7: Feb 22, 2021 05:27:13 pm
      Klopp should definitely propose to him to leave the national team. Like James Milner did some time ago. It did him good.
      Andyd
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #8: Feb 22, 2021 06:35:24 pm
      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.
      TheleftpegofRayKennedy
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #9: Feb 22, 2021 06:40:14 pm
      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.
      Lallana in Pyjamas
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #10: Feb 22, 2021 06:43:47 pm
      With Jota coming back it will allow Bobby to have a rest hopefully in the future -
      AlwaysTheKop
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #11: Feb 22, 2021 08:20:48 pm
      Even if Bobby was flying we still need a new striker.
      TheleftpegofRayKennedy
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #12: Feb 22, 2021 10:13:50 pm
      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. 
      DanMann
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #13: Feb 22, 2021 10:49:26 pm
      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.
      AussieRed
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #14: Feb 22, 2021 11:49:32 pm
      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!
      what-a-hit-son
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #15: Feb 23, 2021 01:45:09 am
      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
      HUYTON RED
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #16: Feb 23, 2021 01:48:53 am
      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.
      what-a-hit-son
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #17: Feb 23, 2021 02:01:41 am
      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
      ORCHARD RED
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #18: Feb 23, 2021 05:45:51 am
      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.
      brezipool
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #19: Feb 23, 2021 08:22:34 am
      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.
      Robby The Z
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #20: Feb 23, 2021 08:40:09 am
      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?
      Robby The Z
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #21: Feb 23, 2021 08:44:01 am
      Bobby is not washed up.
      Brian78
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      Re: Do we need to talk about Bobby?
      Reply #22: Feb 23, 2021 08:52:11 am
      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 😂

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