Sadio Mané goalscorer against Villarreal
Credit: AFP
Forget the “MFS”, the famous attacking trio Mané-Firmino-Salah. The latter made the happiness of the Reds for several seasons, but if the African duo is still essential – 50 goals between them this season including 30 for the Egyptian -, the Brazilian, not spared by injuries, has fallen back in the hierarchy over time. We would then be tempted to speak of “2 + 1”, a duo plus a player a little further back. But at Liverpool, especially this season, you actually have to talk about a ‘2+1+1+1+1…’
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Because behind the two finalists of the last CAN, there are people. Of the world that marks. Arrived this winter from Porto, Luis Diaz has all the potential new starter in the attacking trio. Since signing, he has made seven appearances in the Premier League and three in the Champions League. A successful integration, since the Colombian has scored three times in nine league matches, in addition to an achievement in C1.
Diogo Jota has to deal with this new competition and has been scoring slightly less in recent weeks. But his effectiveness is no longer to be proven, with 15 goals in 30 Premier League matches this season, when he, like Diaz, immediately got into the swing of things when he arrived in the summer of 2020. Firmino has less impact in the league (5 goals), he remains valuable in the Champions League, where he shook the net five times in six games. And then, how not to mention the “supersub” Divock Origi. Mr. important goals, like that of the victory in Milan in C1, or that of the break in the derby against Everton on Sunday, one of his three achievements… in six league matches.
Jürgen Klopp and Divock Origi
Credit: Getty Images
All these beautiful people have actively participated in making Liverpool the best attack in the kingdom so far (85 goals). To allow him, too, to join the last four on the European scene. To offer him, finally, two finals of National Cups. Several elements make the Reds in the running for a historic quadruple. But this wealth of the offensive sector is preponderant.
Additional scorers
And make no mistake about it: it is not a question, here, of speaking only of quantity of achievements. But also of their complementarity. Beyond the Origi case, who knows how to come up when the Reds need him, everyone is able to compensate for the absences or mishaps of others. When Mohamed Salah went three league games without scoring between mid-March and early April – which had never happened to him this season – Jota scored… three times in a row, something he hadn’t done since the end from last year.
When Liverpool had to compose without its two stars, parties to the CAN, others took over, like a certain Takumi Minamino, whom we had not mentioned so far. However, the Japanese is one of the players who allowed his people to qualify for the Cup finals, by scoring in the famous trap matches: four FA Cup games for three goals, five League Cup for four achievements. Efficient.
Diogo Jota celebrates with Takumi Minamino (Liverpool)
Credit: Getty Images
We have a lot of great players
So many players who – icing on the cake – offer very different tactical options to Klopp. Jota and Mané, to name but a few, can evolve on one side as well as at the peak, a position where Diaz is pushing the Senegalese. Which benefits everyone. “We have a lot of great players who deserve to start”acknowledged Firmino on this subject. “I’ve known Sadio for almost six years, and he’s never needed competition to give the best version of himself. I’m not sure bringing in Luis Diaz has affected his game. But playing in the axis is also very suitable for Sadio”, explained for his part Jürgen Klopp in a press conference in mid-April.
But the words of the German technician after the victory against Everton are certainly the most evocative. “Divock Orgi is a fantastic player to me, I know it sounds ridiculous given the playing time I give him, but he’s a world class striker. He’s our best finisher, he always has been, everything the world will tell you. You see him doing amazing things in training, but he’s not in the squad because other players have qualities as well.”
Other teams in Europe are also well armed on paper. But few can claim to be able to count on everyone to this extent, regardless of how long they play. Liverpool may be on course for the best season in their history. And it’s really the business of everything is a group… which is attacking.
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