Liverpool have been floating on a cloud throughout the previous few weeks, sauntering into the ascendency in each the Premier League and Champions League. Arne Slot is loving life in considered one of England’s most vibrant and bouncing cities.
If solely the season led to November, eh. Slot, nevertheless, will communicate no false pretences to his squad. The street forward is lengthy and bumps are unavoidable.
The Dutch boss has inculcated into Anfield a method of soccer that gives extra management than that of his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp. The Reds nonetheless retain a lot of the German’s trademark type, however this amalgamation of tactical philosophy is paying dividends.
One factor Liverpool are missing, nevertheless, is a scientific centre-forward. Diogo Jota is a high-class goalscorer however too repeatedly injured, whereas Darwin Nunez, for all his praiseworthy effort, has but to reveal a prolific facet for the Merseysiders.
Liverpool chasing new striker
As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are rising as a shock candidate to signal Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, who has earned a fame as one of many Premier League’s foremost strikers lately.
Isak is contracted to St. James’ Park until 2028, so it’d really feel just like the Magpies aren’t beset with any pressing have to money in on their prized asset, however there are whispers of a stand-off, with Eddie Howe and co looking for to tie the 25-year-old all the way down to a bumper new package deal.
Arsenal are in want of a quantity 9 and have been routinely linked with the Sweden worldwide this yr. One recent report suggests that Newcastle would entertain presents within the €120m (£101m) ballpark.
This may make Isak Liverpool’s club-record acquisition, taking him above Nunez, who’s into his third season at Anfield however is but to show himself because the high-output goalscorer the membership crave.
How Isak compares to Nunez
Nunez has performed 110 matches for Liverpool and has chalked up 36 goals and 19 assists, marking his aim contribution price at a clear 0.50 per recreation.
That is not unhealthy in any respect, however, by comparability, Isak has posted 40 goals and seven assists throughout 78 Newcastle appearances, that means his price is marked at 0.60.
After all, Isak leans much less closely into the inventive facet of his recreation than Nunez, who ranks among the many prime 18% of centre-forwards throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous yr for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
Shot-creating actions are items of play that result in a shot. These embody moments comparable to a cross, take-on or foul being drawn.
However Isak is what Liverpool want: a central striker with a “world-class” placing skill, as pundit Harry Redknapp has praised him, with tempo and athletic prowess apart from.
That is to not say that Nunez is not able to enjoying a outstanding half in Slot’s thriving system over the approaching years, however for all his huff and puff, the Uruguayan merely is not lower from scientific material.
When comes the purpose that his tenacity shouldn’t be sufficient? They are saying that the 25-year-old is at his greatest throughout instinctive phases, however so too is Manchester Metropolis’s Erling Haaland, and the ball-striking polarity is stark.
|
Darwin Nunez: PL Stats Comparability |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Match Stats* |
22/23 |
23/24 |
24/25 |
|
Matches (begins) |
29 (19) |
36 (22) |
8 (4) |
|
Targets |
9 |
11 |
2 |
|
Assists |
3 |
8 |
1 |
|
Photographs (heading in the right direction)* |
2.9 (1.3) |
3.0 (1.3) |
1.4 (0.8) |
|
Large possibilities missed |
20 |
27 |
1 |
|
Go completion |
67% |
72% |
75% |
|
Large possibilities created |
11 |
11 |
2 |
|
Key passes* |
1.0 |
0.9 |
0.4 |
|
Dribbles* |
0.6 (49%) |
0.4 (43%) |
0.8 (75%) |
|
Whole duels received* |
2.8 (38%) |
2.4 (38%) |
3.5 (39%) |
|
Stats through Sofascore (* = per recreation) |
|||
Liverpool might want to spend money on a premium goalscorer sooner reasonably than later. Mohamed Salah has scored ten goals and supplied ten assists throughout 17 matches in all competitions this season, however can be out of contract in June and nonetheless hasn’t signed a brand new deal.
Klopp once claimed that Nunez is “unstoppable” on his day, however such days appear to be few and much between, together with his three-goal haul throughout 14 matches (albeit simply seven begins) below Slot’s wing leaving loads to query.
Why Alexander Isak would full Liverpool
Plainly Isak can be the icing on the cake. His prolific skill within the ultimate third is aware of no bounds, and he harvested 25 goals across 40 fixtures for a struggling United facet final season.
After a gradual begin this yr, Isak has discovered his toes and notched in 4 successive matches for Newcastle, vitally scoring in victories over Chelsea (within the Carabao Cup) and Arsenal (within the league).
He additionally proved to be among the many most scientific strikers within the Premier League final yr, together with his skill to complete his possibilities one thing that might elevate Slot’s already-flourishing frontline after which some.
It’d even see him change into Liverpool’s best centre-forward for the reason that days of Luis Suarez. Nunez, Suarez’s countryman, felt like a pure successor upon his arrival, however it hasn’t been the case.
Suarez plundered 69 goals and 39 assists throughout simply 110 Premier League matches for the Reds, which is marked as a contribution price of 0.98.
A once-in-a-lifetime quantity 9, he was merely mesmerising, fairly rightly dubbed a “legend” of the sport by football scout Jacek Kulig after his illustrious escapades with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
As soon as peculiarly described as a “unicorn for his mixture of size & technical ability” by correspondent Kev Lawson, Isak has the color and verve to change into a centre-forward for the ages at Anfield.
If FSG are decided to improve on Nunez, that is the transfer to make.
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