Nunez's make-or-break season off to a bad start
Faith that Darwin Nunez will eventually come good at Liverpool is starting to fade after another poor performance.
Ryan Gravenberch’s performances so far this season are perhaps the ultimate proof that it is unwise to rush to judgement on any player.
But, even for the most patient of supporters, there is only so much grace that can be extended to a signing before consistency of performance is demanded.
And with Darwin Nunez almost two-and-a-half years into his Anfield stay, surely now is a fair time to offer a verdict on what is being served up.
Unfortunately for the Uruguayan, the conclusion of the majority at this point would be a negative one, the reasons for which were underlined by yet another poor showing against Bologna on Wednesday.
In a game where Liverpool desperately needed a focal point to hit in order to bypass their opponents’ man-to-man press, the theoretically imposing Nunez was nowhere to be seen.
The striker won just two of the seven duels he contested as he was bullied by Bologna’s centre-backs, and fared no better in keeping possession when he got it, completing a paltry four of 12 passes attempted.
For Arne Slot, who has regularly reiterated the importance of individual battles to winning matches since arriving at Anfield, that cannot have been an easy watch.
Of course, it was said around the time of the Dutchman’s appointment that getting more out of Liverpool’s No.9 was a key area of focus, yet there has been little evidence of any success thus far.
In fact, it could even be argued that Nunez has regressed, with a shift to a more controlled style of play serving to underline his weaknesses rather than emphasise any strengths.Â
At this early stage, it appears that the striker was far more suited to the chaotic brand of football seen in Jurgen Klopp’s final season, with his penchant for playing on instinct meshing well with his manager’s forward-at-all-costs mantra.Â
In that environment, Nunez was consistently able to produce remarkable numbers of shots every time he played, a trait that was often touted as proof that he would ultimately come good for Liverpool.Â
But the early signs suggest that even this promising attribute is fading under Slot, with a shots per 90 figure of 2.71 in the Premier League this term way down on the 4.71 and 4.47 of the previous two seasons respectively.
Meanwhile, Nunez’s frustrating tendency to be caught offside when running in behind, inconsistent finishing, and carelessness in build-up remain - and each was a feature of his performance against Bologna.
As was the case with Klopp, Slot is certain to keep working to fix these issues in the months ahead, not least because he desperately needs to ensure that the centre-forward workload does not entirely fall on Diogo Jota.
And it will certainly help that Nunez retains the support of the Anfield crowd, who continued to chant his name regularly even during Wednesday evening’s forgettable showing.
However, improvements need to be sought quickly as a campaign that was considered make or break for the forward’s Liverpool career continues.
That is because, nine games in, there have been few indications that the problems of the past have been ironed out sufficiently to bring about a bright Anfield future.
I'm not in the ditch Nunez camp...yet. He's in a good environment for a metamorphosis. So, I'm still in the patience mind-frame. I saw that off-side as not entirely his fault. It takes two to tango in a finely timed pass to feet against a trap.
Slot's credentials are accumulating as his
tactical philosophy settles in. Slot's
football brain is impressive and you
accurately pointed out the contrast with
Klopp's approach. Still, the juggling act of
squad rotation to ameliorate schedule fatigue (injury exposure) is a bigger challenge than most realize. Only a talented manager and staff can pull it off with consistency. So far, Slot has done a good job.
I am bored of his act. I hope Freddy Cheisa gets a chance as I’d love to see him work the middle with Mo and Company setting him up. He just needs to get his legs up to speed.