Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino has come in for criticism from the media after a ‘lacklustre’ display against Fulham.
Firmino played the opening 51 minutes of the game before being replaced by Darwin Nunez. His replacement managed a goal and an assist after coming. This only served to highlight Firmino’s shortcomings.
As a result, the Liverpool Echo gave the Brazilian a four out of ten. They claimed that he ‘barley made an impact’ before being replaced.
Bobby was also given four out of ten by both the Evening Standard and The Daily Mail. The Standard reported that he was ‘never involved,’ whereas the Mail decried his performance as ‘lacklustre.’
Firmino misses chance to keep his starting spot
Saturday at Craven Cottage was a real chance for Firmino to lay down a maker for the campaign. Jurgen Klopp has clearly decided that Darwin Nunez should be allowed some time to settle in.
Thus, with Diogo Jota injured, Firmino has started the campaign as the manager’s first-choice centre-forward.
With a new contract potentially on the line, there was huge incentive for the 30-year-old to kick off the season with a bang.
Instead, near enough the opposite happened for Firmino. Not only did he fail to get any kind of footing in the game, but Nunez showed exactly why he should be considered the starter moving foward.
It would be wrong to write Liverpool’s number 9 off so early into the season. The whole team were off form against Fulham and he perhaps wasn’t even the worst of The Reds’ starters.
But with Nunez the shining light of the draw on Saturday, there will be a clamour for Klopp to start him next time out. That is likely to come at Bobby’s expense.
Klopp has never been one for knee-jerk reactions. Firmino’s contract won’t be won or lost on a display such as today. If he is aiming to extend his stay at Anfield beyond this season though, he’ll have to be better in the months ahead.
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