Exactly my thoughts, managers will come and go and they probably factor in a much higher risk of a managerial departure in the first 12 months compared to year 2 or 3 for obvious reasons with not really knowing how things will go until they're actually there and you're working with them so I'd say new manager will be expected to largely work with what's available to them early doors or accept the players that the team under Edwards will put forward and maybe further down the line you might expect they'll have more input on players. For Nunez the guy seems to be at a low ebb right now, things need to turn around for him or he will ultimately pay the price because it's very hard to rescue the situation once things get too bad and if the fans turn on your it's over. He's become a lightning rod for a lot of what is wrong with us with missing chances even if Salah is missing as many he has more credit in the bank (that's running low now with fans again to be honest so he could do with a few deposits soon). He scores that chance yesterday and we come back and win the game and he goes into the next name on a high, small margins can make a huge difference.
The two goals at Newcastle bought him a lot of credit this season. It was sensational finishing. Also the Forest goal in last minute was another big moment. He hasn’t scored though in the big games this season, in fact in those games he has missed sitters. Also the amount of times he is in an offside position is infuriating, similar to Cisse. He probably has half a yard on most defenders anyway. He is not the only one as since Christmas Salah in my opinion has been guilty even more when it comes to chances missed. After two seasons, you’d have to say the 85 million was not money well spent. If everyone is fully fit, I don’t think he starts and that for me is the biggest indication of where he is at. If Jota is fit all season he gets a lot less game time. If LFC are spending north of 50m, that player needs to be a cast iron success playing week in week out and being the difference. That was the impact Alisson and Virgil had after 1 season, never mind 2. I think he probably stays this summer as I expect Salah to leave and I don’t think anyone would pay close to 50m for him. He could thrive under a new manager as there is ability there however you just sense there is a just that missing ingredient to be at the Torres, Suarez and Mo level.
I know a lot of people don't much stock in goal involvement stats,and that's fine. Some concentrate solely on goals,I was always a bit sceptical of assist stats myself that didn't take the quality of the assist into account. But for anybody who does give that stat weight(and I'm led to believe Michael Edwards does), Nunez's goal involvement rate this season is better than any Firmino or Mane season for Liverpool. Maybe that might give us a bit more insight into whether he'll be a Liverpool player next season.
On the other side of the coin, Paul Joyce today says Nunez was a Klopp signing. The recruitment team wanted Nkunku.
That's not true tbf. Whatever about Bobby, Mane had 30 G/A in 18/19 and 32 in 19/20. Darwin has played less minutes than both of those seasons though
Wasn't there a stat last week that said he got the most scoring chances of strikers in the top europrsn leagues? And has the lowest conversion rate.
Bascombe out with something similar. Nasty development that, internal hit job on one of our players to distance themselves from him/clear the path to sell him. Neither looks good.
That was my first thought too,but apparently it's not new information,it was reported a long time ago so could it be the journalists taking advantage of the attention on him after last night?
Those said journalists know which way their bread is buttered, they don't do hit jobs unless instructed too.
By no means Nunez biggest fan but would hate to see him sold. Definitely deserves another season and who knows, he could flourish under new management. That Newcastle brace in James park was possibly the best moment of the season for me.
If he was to be on the market this summer, who would buy him for a fee for that Liverpool would take. I couldn’t see any of the teams in the PL wanting him that could potentially pay him. Bayern wouldn’t be in for him or Real Madrid, doubt PSG would either. Maybe an Italian club would take a punt on him. His contract is to June 2028, My guess is that if Edwards and new manager decide he is not the future, he’d be out on loan for a year or one of the Saudi club might be silly enough pay 85m for him. I’d say Edwards would take that no problem The goal involvements stat is a consideration however his conversion rate being one of the worst in Europe is definately something that would be a major red flag. The lads on Second captains talk about Big Chances Missed and the compilation of those for this season is hard to watch. Some of them are truely shocking. He stick away 3 or 4 of those easy chances and bang in the title race at this stage. A similar reel for Salah I am sure would be equally appalling in particular since he came back from injury
I would be shocked if Nunez moves on this summer to be honest, but in the same breath I don't think his conversion rate for goals is high enough for him to be the main striker next season, you would think Salah is the more likely, no new manager is going to want to shift his two highest performing attackers from this season. The stats are fucking weird and can be used to frame an argument whichever way your personal opinion sways, the 'missed big chances' being a prime example - there is only one player in the league ahead of him, and that chap isn't too shabby. Darwin seems to suffer both from being wasteful in front of goal & unbelievably unlucky, hit the woodwork twice as many times as anyone else. If half of them go in he would be up there with Foden, Salah & Isak for goals scored - and how many more points would LFC have is the unquantifiable. I think we have all seen enough of Darwin, and even those of us who love him can admit he isn't going to suddenly turn in Lewandowski over the summer break. Even with the variables in performance analysis, the laptop boffins in Edwards department can't fail to recognize that to date this season Liverpool are: 1. Top of the hit woodwork stats 2. Top of big chances missed 3. Top of the shots on goal 4. Second place in most offsides
If we go into next season relying on him to be our main goalscorer, then I don't think there's any supporter who doesn't think that would be a risk we shouldn't take. That's not something Klopp has done, we have Mo Salah. I wouldn't be shocked or anything close to it if he became our main goalscorer, but I wouldn't be confident going into next season with him being given that job.
If he was put up for sale thered be plenty of takers based on the fact he scores nearly 20 and creates havoc in the opposition box. He lacks the finer niceties of a top striker like first touch and positional awareness etc...but he'll score goals. At 85m with add ons we'd probably have expected a more refined player but he ain't developing that in his mid 20s...that ship has sailed. But if he plays 30+ games a season for your team they're not getting relegated if you've any half decent defense. That's worth 50m plus any day
Game inteliigence would seem to be the missing factor, of those 3 only Torres could hold a candle to Darwin physically. Size, power, pace but he lacks general game intelligence. His finishing needs work too. He chips when he should round, he rounds when he should chip, takes shots on from mad angles. I find he is at his best when it is less time to think and just whacks the ball at the goal. But lacks situational awareness and shot selection is poor. He is so frustrating though. I'd be happy with him supporting a main man in a way he is now. I wouldn't be putting all the eggs in his basket. If Salah is going I don't think Nunez is, but if Salah stays I am not so sure. I think we need a Rodri or Rice level midfielder thats a physical presence. We need more pace in the forward line too, Jota, Gakpo and Salah are lacking that only Darwin and Diaz have that threat.