11 Jan 2025 14:31:36
Decent performance. I have to wonder though, would you start giving Danns/ chiesa more chances off the bench than nunez?
Dont think nunez had a bad game btw.
{Ed025's Note - i thought he did Dean..
11 Jan 2025 14:50:57
No. Nunez definitely had a bad game. You don't play at Striker for LFC and miss all those chances against a team from (I don't know which) division.
11 Jan 2025 14:52:31
Nunez is a dog of a striker the sooner we get rid the better, he is embarrassing. Give Chiesa a go and Danns in the FA Cup games maybe.
11 Jan 2025 14:55:07
I thought Nunez was unlucky.
It’s not his fault the goals aren’t 10 foot higher.
11 Jan 2025 14:59:07
Nunez was awful as usual.
11 Jan 2025 15:00:54
He wasn’t bad Dean but it was Accrington Stanley…
We scored four goals and he played number 9 and got none.
I want him to do well but I just don't see him progressing since he joined a few season back.
Standards and expectations are high, I think we should expect more than what he’s offering.
11 Jan 2025 15:11:36
I’d say a typical Nunez performance, half decent link up play at times, loses possession at times when he shouldn’t, gets in good positions to score, but doesn’t.
Agree on Danns, I’d have more faith in him finding back of the net if he has the chances Nunez has.
11 Jan 2025 15:17:00
Let's be honest, there's no point keeping Nunez around if we don't think he has a chance of becoming a regular starter. His confidence and form aren't going to improve as a bench/ rotation option and Danns can do that job.
11 Jan 2025 15:21:48
For the sake of nunez's career he has to leave he is going backwards and looks like every drip of confidence has drained out of him. I would easily start danns over nunez he gives us balance because I believe he can head the ball, linkup, and finish better than nunez.
11 Jan 2025 15:29:38
I was a big fan of Nunez and defended him up until only very recently but the lad hasn’t developed into what we thought he would and just needs to be moved on! He is a Liverpool player and should be supported and respected but I think most agree that he isint at the level we need in our number 9 and likely will not reach that level.
On a positive note there was some decent performances from squad players today including Endo, Tzimikas and our younger players.
11 Jan 2025 15:30:29
That was a really poor team we faced today and until Chiesa and Danns came on (and Jota got pushed higher up) we looked poor. Ngumoha is a kid, but offered zero threat. Needs to release the ball faster. Elliott just offers nothing nowadays other than the occasional half decent switch of play. And Nunez just seems to fall apart in front of goal even if he’s having a good game in general.
You saw with Danns how easy it was to find space in their box and remain composed. Then you saw with Chiesa what Elliott and Ngumoha needed to be doing first half. He had 5 shots in 45 minutes, scoring one, hitting the post with another, drawing 2 good saves from their keeper and having another blocked. Nunez didn’t hit the target in 3 attempts, Ngumoha had 1 shot blocked and Elliott had one tame shot caught.
The starting front 3 were poor and other than Ngumoha who had every right to struggle to make an impact at 16 years old, they let themselves down. Nunez at least got a nice assist, but Jota had to charge through from midfield and Trent had to score from 20 yards to bail them out and prevent us going in at 0-0. Chiesa showed today he deserves minutes ahead of Elliott and Nunez. He was our biggest threat on goal by a mile. I was pleasantly surprised because I was just giving up on him to be honest!
11 Jan 2025 15:31:30
Danns has a great habit of being in the right place at the right time in the box. Unfortunately nunez is exactly the opposite.
11 Jan 2025 15:35:16
Danns looks a real threat. He’s chomping at the bit he should be getting more minutes.
11 Jan 2025 15:44:06
When Nunez has a scoring opportunity it's more of a shock if he actually scores right now.
Him wasting guilt edged chances is expected nowadays. He is of no use to us as a 9. Unless he becomes a midfielder like joelinton then it's best he leaves.
11 Jan 2025 16:37:22
Darwin’s been a one goal in two games level striker before for his clubs, and about one in three at international level. So he has been fairly prolific in lower standard football. For us he’s gone to one in four. Firmino was one in three, and wasn’t very clinical towards the end of his time with us.
I can’t see us evolving the system to suit him any better, and there’s less supply coming in from the left side since Robbo has dropped off. I think it’s a hard role, as much of what’s expected is link up play and creating for the two wider forwards, but when there is a chance you have to be very clinical.
He probably isn’t going to make it, but I’m not sure style wise who’d suit us and can be that clinical central striker who’s happy to share the goals with two others.
11 Jan 2025 16:46:24
We also have to consider that Nunez is a $100million striker. He’s also had a full season under his belt, but still hasn’t found his goal scoring form. I think we have been patient with him, but perhaps it’s time to cut our losses. Diaz can cover D. Jota until the remainder of the season if a buyer does come in. Hopefully Hughes can pull a miracle out of the hat and sign K. K - who can rotate with Gakpo for the right wing position.
11 Jan 2025 17:11:27
If Danns took Nunez spot in the squad would we really be much worse off? I’m not one for advocating chucking youngsters in but honestly I think Nunez has shot his bolt.
I don’t buy into this “Captain Chaos” nonsense and he runs around a lot. I’m pretty sure a young lad like Danns eager to put a marker down would equally run as much and maybe score some goals into the bargain.
11 Jan 2025 17:19:54
Looking at the premier stats only Mbeumo and Cunha have the type of goal output for players we could afford, and Cunha hasn’t been around for long so there isn’t much track record. Quite versatile as well.
Not sure how clinical either of them actually are, but they seem to fit the profile. Harry Kane would have been great before he went to Bayern.
11 Jan 2025 17:22:34
Ngumoha had got threat though MK. looked as likely as anyone to do anything against their packed defense in the 1st half. We were struggling to break through until we caught them on the break and Trent scored a Trent. Yes he could release earlier at times but great to see a kids actually wanting to take the game by the scruff. Very good debut.
11 Jan 2025 17:29:23
I thought Nunez looked lost today and made some peculiar movements, dropped deep when midfield was already stacked and ran in behind very few times, at one point I thought he was running away from the ball?
Having said all that I do think there is a good player in there and he could easily tare it up in another league or in another team but that isint a reason to keep him.
11 Jan 2025 17:44:38
*Sorry everyone, I meant Gakpo and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (wishful thinking if it happens) can cover the left wing position.
11 Jan 2025 18:09:32
Florian Musiala, it was good for a 16 year old, but you have to include that caveat. You could see the potential. But if we’re objective and don’t get drawn into hype, he didn’t actually create a single shot for a team mate and his only shot was a tame effort hit straight into a defender. He was running down blind alleys. But his touch and speed in take on attempts was really impressive. If his decision making and movement can be coached he has all the raw skills to be a good player. But we can’t really sit here and pretend he looked like scoring or creating a goal at any point because it’s just not true. The compliment we have to pay him though is that he was worrying them enough that they doubled up on him within 30 minutes because they could see he was a tricky customer.
11 Jan 2025 19:02:21
Spot on, MKS. Ngamoha (spelling) didn't offer any actual chance/ opening creation in his time on the pitch. Sure, good dribbling ability and all that with gpood speed of execution BUT all that said, if you can't hurt the oppo. (which he didn't) then, he it's all flicks and tricks. More coaching is required to make all that talent count.
11 Jan 2025 21:13:04
Harsh on a 16 year old. His first appearance for the senior team is more about gaining experience than execution (as a wise man said on this very forum last week) . Give him a chance to develop. - in 5 years time (at the ripe old age of 21) we might be saying we have a very good player on our hands.
@MKS, think your precis of the game was pretty good. The one thing I would add is the context. I think it was a case of (unintentional) relaxation of our normal levels of intensity as we were playing weaker opposition (no disrespect to Accrington intended) . In matches like these it’s not uncommon for the performance to be a bit ‘loose’.