29 Aug 2024 11:53:00
I hope we don't sell Nunez. I know he gets a lot of stick but I genuinely believe he's got potential to get a good few goals given a run in the team and a bit of coaching. Get someone like Rush to work with him, help get rid of the rough edges.
29 Aug 2024 12:21:46
In theory it is great to have 6 and 7 attackers to call “Strength in depth” but let’s be honest the lad wouldn’t want to sit like a duck and wait for his chances. He will mostly leave in the winter or next summer.
29 Aug 2024 12:40:06
I’m with you Barr. I think his critics are very small minded and in search of instant gratification.
I think there is a real player there with Nunez with all the ability to be one of the best strikers in the world. He’s raw and he needs to work on a few things but given an arm around the shoulder and proper coaching I think he could be something very special.
I’d rather he does that with us than with someone else because for me it’s just a matter of time and patience.
29 Aug 2024 12:42:42
I don't think he fits in to slotts style to be honest and even if he were just to be a bit of a poacher let's be hosnest, mo doesn't like to pass anywhere near the box and Diaz gets very few assists so i don't think he would get many chances.
29 Aug 2024 12:50:28
Surely we need Nunez, we only have to proper CF, and Jota is injury prone. Also, people are ignoring the elephant in the room. Chiesa signing adds depth and cover for mo, but he is likely a mo replacement for next year, so we need to keep hold of our attacking players.
29 Aug 2024 13:01:17
There was an interview with Wayne Rooney and Daniel sturridge where they were asked about Nunez and if his issues are simply down to his natural ability and Liverpool should cut their losses.
Rooney completely disagreed and said all the problems that Nunez has cancelled be fixed with the right coaching and said no player is naturally good or bad it's down to how many hours you want to put in to get better.
Sturridge agreed and then even detailed how he had a similar problem earlier in his career and fixed it by asking the reserve keeper to run shooting drills with him after practice so that he could learn to instinctively know where the corners where depending on how he was running.
I have also heard an extremely gifted former Italian national say the same thing, it was all practice and time. He didn't believe any of it was genetics at all.
Tl:Dr I believe the right coaching will fix Nunez and hed be an excellent goal scorer.
{Ed077's Note - He's had time under Klopp and co, and Bielsa is the NT manager. Let's not pretend like he's some 21 year old kid. I personally like watching Nunez play, he's a pure Chaos machine but he needs to improve and fast before it becomes too late. (If I was in charge of transfer dealings at Liverpool I wouldn't think about Nunez, unless it was a ridiculous bid but also if I was at any other club, he would t be a player I'd consider signing this window)}
29 Aug 2024 13:11:47
As per comments on this forum for the past couple of years I’ve never really been convinced by him. He’s not a youngster, has played international football regularly and has had a couple of years to assimilate and thrive. His awareness is poor - way too often caught offside - and his finishing is poor. He is better finishing when he doesn’t have time to think but if he has half a second to weigh up alternatives his decision making is pretty poor.
That said, 36 hours before the close of the window isn’t the time to decide to get rid of someone but if he does stay I think he is in the ‘last chance saloon’.
29 Aug 2024 13:32:33
It didn’t help that he was signed at the same time that City signed Haaland and was pitched as Nunez vs Haaland. That just put way too much pressure on him and he blew up and got sent off in his first home game.
He’s an emotional player who let's his emotions get the better of him whether that be lashing out at a defender or tightening up in front of goal and I think that red card really affected him.
Like I said, I think if he gets a cuddle from the manager and calms down a bit I think he can be something very, very special.
29 Aug 2024 13:51:08
I am firmly in the Darwin Defence League. I think he deserves this season under Slot and I believe he has all the attributes to be as good as Edison Cavani, if not better.
Yes, he might not be 21, but like Lucho, he was a late starter.
Let's be honest, his first season was not helped by the entire season being wrecked by the midfield collectively losing its legs. He stood no chance of being a success. Klopp had to play Gakpo in false 9 to just get through the season.
And last season, he was doing well, like the team was, until the last international break when the team collectively ran out of steam. His G/ A until the international break was pretty decent - even with all the misses/ woodwork connections.
By the way, I partly disagree on his lack of decision making. He's very precise with his assists. He hardly gives the ball away - a lot less than Jota and Salah btw.
It is his finishing that needs tightening. It is small margins. He hit the woodwork 9 times last season. Some repetition. Some mind/ breathwork. Learning to slow down. This all comes with maturity and coaching. Let's see what Slot can do with him.
Slot himself has said that he likes a little less chaos. I genuinely believe that Slot's tactical tweaks will allow Darwin to narrow/ refine his game and tighten up his finishing.
Lastly, with Trent playing in his best position, we may actually see a decent supply line for Darwin's other strength - crosses - something that we just didn't do at all last season.
Ignore the rivals. Join the Darwin Defence League. It's a lot more fun.
29 Aug 2024 13:58:23
It’s said that Nunez needs coaching and Slot is a great coach so it should be a match made in heaven.
I like Nunez and I really hope this is the season it all comes together for him.
He’s got the international break to get lots of training in under Slot.
29 Aug 2024 14:00:11
After seeing him play in the champions league before we signed him, i thought, now that's a player right there. What a handful. We need to sign this guy. Now since we signed him, I personally have no regrets at all. Yes, he can improve, as he has age on his side. And to be honest, his stats haven't been the worst in the world either. New country, new language, arguably the most competitive league in the world. I'd be happy giving him this year going into next before even thinking about selling him. With the right coaching, he'll be a monster (and not herman)!
29 Aug 2024 14:30:53
Nunez is going nowhere. Made up rubbish online or his agent trying to pull a fast one to get clicks, me thinks.
29 Aug 2024 14:39:42
I think it’s time to admit he’s not going to be a 20 goal a season striker. He’s got the talent and potential but not thar clinical edge. Can it be coached into him, maybe, but it hasn’t been yet. Love watching him play and we don’t actually need to replace him with all the talent. we have and the goals they can score, so if the right bid came I’d sell him, but, equally if he stays he’ll be great and frustrating for another season. Personally I think this is the year Jota stays fit, fulfils his potential and bangs 25 league goals in.
29 Aug 2024 14:40:42
I agree Nevada, it’s practice and training until it becomes a second nature, it is however up to him to put the effort him. So I guess we’ll see if he has it in him….
29 Aug 2024 15:14:39
I agree with the general consensus here - I really like Nunez. Pure chaos to defend against and the guy never stops. Is actually pretty good too at holding on to the ball and rarely gives it away through a poor pass either
Yes, he needs to be more clinical at times but still has decent numbers for us and, if we're honest, the sheer amount of times he's hit the woodwork would indicate that he's close to clinical lol - I mean, those two finishes to win the game at Newcastle were superb and if he could do that every time would be one of the best.
That being said, he gets good numbers as it is and creates so much hassle for the opposition defence and is also pretty decent with creating chances for others - I think he's a great option to have and will only get better if he puts the work in as discussed in this thread.
29 Aug 2024 15:37:34
Hoody, I disagree and here's why. Darwin has shown he can be a 25 or even a 30 goals a season CF since he did that with Benfica so that's a fact that we can all "admit" from the off.
Now is he going to be a 25 a season CF for us? Well, I can say yes and no. Yes cos had he simply scored 7 or even 10 more goals (something he easily could have done last season with the amount of chances he created and couldn't put away, he would be a 25 goal CF right there. No cos well, he could not take the chances obviously which essentially, is where the main problem is.
So what am I saying? Darwin already improved from his first season overall (game improvements, goals, assists, chance creation etc. ) into last season, something many on here proclaimed (with no proof) he wouldn't do so that's already a win for him overall, IMO. Therefore moving forward, he just needs to improve on other aspects of his game as well as being clinical more consistently. That's it for me. Let's see what happens before making future proclamations about the future we know nothing about. That's all Im saying.
29 Aug 2024 15:53:59
My take on Nunez: He is what he is, fast, strong, explosive, aggressive and can score goals. What he isn't is, clinical, technical, skilful or particularly disciplined. I think too many people focus on what he is not as opposed to what he is and if what he is can help the team over a season. that's a one for Slot to decide and if he see's him as an asset for how he intends to set us up and what other options he wants in our arsenal when plan A isn't working.
For me and from what I have seen is his pace, power and aggression frightens the life out of people, If Slot can find a way of using that and him in a way that creates space for others to capitalise on then he is an asset to the team.
He will never be a Fowler, Rush, Torres or Suarez, but he doesn't have to be to be effective for the team.
29 Aug 2024 16:18:53
Or perhaps he didn’t suit klopps style of play.
29 Aug 2024 16:56:01
He still has so much potential. Remember we are not a club that buys superstars, we make them and he has all the ability to become another one and I believe he can.
Here one for youz when was the last time LFC bought a 20 goal a season player? Not produced one from the youth set up, actually bought one?
29 Aug 2024 17:32:30
I think we need to remember he came into a team with no midfield in his first year and in his second year then guy who fought to buy him checkout in December time.
He hasn't had a settled and organised season yet. Football players aren't robots they get affected by lack stability just like anyone who else.
30 Aug 2024 05:26:21
nunez is def teachable. under bielsa he has made changes to a number of things eg the way he shapes his runs in behind. However they play to his strengths eg quick balls for nunez to run in behind. But that requires midfield to time their passes early which in turn could explain why he is caught offside so much for us. He has improved as a player but i suspect he is one of those players who needs to "feel loved" and thus gets down on himself when he misses chances. Needs to be more of "a goldfish" which is tricky to teach someone and im not sure if his south american background would help him to seek that sort of teaching. If he doesn't manage to overcome that then he might well never reach his potential
also regarding Salah, it looks like he is making much more of an effort to bring others into play when he gets near the box. im anticipating less goals but more assists from him this year.