Roberto Firmino

[RedReet]

I mentioned similar over the summer. All our rivals have a striker that's good for 20/25 possibly even 30 goals over the season, Firmino brings a lot to our team but so far, he hasn't displayed enough ability in front of goal.

You could argue that if our main front 3 all contribute 15/20 goals each then you don't need all the goals coming from a single striker HOWEVER, you'll find that those strikers can often be the difference between a draw and a win when one moment of class finishing changes the game.

I wouldn't say its a priority - a couple of really good CBs, a proper DM and a commanding GK for me are bigger issues in the squad - but I think we'll always fall a little short if Firmino is our main #9.

Why does it have to be the striker (or Firmino) that makes the difference? Like any good poacher Salah followed in Firmino's lob against Watford and finished it off. That should have been the winner. Mane, taking up a forward's position finished off a move against Palace, securing the 3 points. I'm sure there are other examples.

Despite our relatively poor start, we're still 3rd highest scorers in the league, despite this so called striking handicap.

I can see a case for this argument if the goals for Mane and Salah dry up. In that scenario, we need a CF to step up and make the difference and if Firmino falters, then maybe we need to look at other options. For now though, I don't see it as being a big issue, especially considering our two best players have missed a combined 6.5 games and we've yet to field our strongest attack in teh league.

[Kenneth]

We seem to be set up to create chances at the expense of conceding chances. Oversimplification of course, but even if we are scoring OK, we're missing **** loads. I don't think we score enough for the chances that we create, this has to be something to do with creating chances for wingers and other players who are by nature midfielders, they aren't clinical.

[Fosterbloke]

I think he'd be a brilliant Platt/Lampard type player.

[Kenneth]

Why does it have to be the striker (or Firmino) that makes the difference? Like any good poacher Salah followed in Firmino's lob against Watford and finished it off. That should have been the winner. Mane, taking up a forward's position finished off a move against Palace, securing the 3 points. I'm sure there are other examples.

Despite our relatively poor start, we're still 3rd highest scorers in the league, despite this so called striking handicap.

I can see a case for this argument if the goals for Mane and Salah dry up. In that scenario, we need a CF to step up and make the difference and if Firmino falters, then maybe we need to look at other options. For now though, I don't see it as being a big issue, especially considering our two best players have missed a combined 6.5 games and we've yet to field our strongest attack in teh league.

Are we there yet?

[danperkins]

Seems to be alright. Square pegs, round holes and all that jazz. I will just be repeating myself if I say anything more about the Firmino debate.

[Bender]

Firmino seems to have lost his mojo

[baitman]

i think maybe mad albert has passed the 'kid chasing bubbles' mantle onto wandering bobby.

[RedReet]

Have I made missed something? I thought he did OK yesterday.

Are we there yet?

Without Mané, a case could be made as the system was set up for him and Salah to exploit the space left by Firmino. Regardless, he's still our best option there and it's no surprise our poorest attacking performance of the season came when he was dropped for Sturridge.

[Kenneth]

I'm certainly not suggesting that we have better striker options available, but I'm still flummoxed by the fact that we don't.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Thought he was good against United, he game into it more after half time, worked his bollocks off and was as likely as anyone to break through.

[danperkins]

I'm certainly not suggesting that we have better striker options available, but I'm still flummoxed by the fact that we don't.

[baitman]

Thought he was good against United, he game into it more after half time, worked his bollocks off and was as likely as anyone to break through.

several times the ball went across the goal mouth and no striker was anywhere near it.

[RedReet]

several times the ball went across the goal mouth and no striker was anywhere near it.

People need to stop judging him as a traditional CF, that isn't his role.

With Roberto Firmino, people say he does not score enough. He is the best player without scoring with how well he reads the game for the benefit of others. Outstanding!

But then what if he starts thinking ‘oh, I need more goals’ and starts shooting from all over the place when usually, he would play a clever ball and make a run to open up space.

Firmino is in the top ten for chances created in the league and bar Kane (who would shoot from a k/o), Salah has had most shots on target in the PL. This isn't a coincidence. Salah and Mane were to be our main attacking threats this season, with Firmino supporting them. If the stats were the other way round, 1 in 2 ratio for striker and winger creating chances, less of an issue would be made of it, but it seems every time we don't score Firmino is always going to take the brunt of the blame.

[gratziani]

Against United we created 3 clear cut changes , Matip , Salah from the rebound and Can.

As a collective we are not clinical enough whether that is Firmino or other players.

Fine margins in these games and we should have scored at least one of them.

[RedReet]

Against United we created 3 clear cut changes , Matip , Salah from the rebound and Can.

As a collective we are not clinical enough whether that is Firmino or other players.

Fine margins in these games and we should have scored at least one of them.

As I mentioned previously, we've been the better team in basically every game we've played this year, it's only a matter of time before we start putting away some of these chances. Get through Spurs unscathed and I can see our form picking up.