2018/19 Season Report Card - Roberto Firmino

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Maybe it’s just me, and this might be an unpopular view, but I never felt like Bobby fully got going this season. He was good, but he only reached the heights of the 17/18 season in fits and starts. 

 

You know his attitude and commitment is always going to be there, but I felt like he suffered early in the season, initially from not having much of a break over the summer, and then from Klopp changing the system to 4-2-3-1.

 

Bobby as a number nine in the front three is brilliant. I wouldn’t swap him for any centre forward in the world. Genuinely, there’s no-one I’d rather have. He’s perfect for how we play and is vitally important in so many aspects of our game. 

 

Bobby in any other role though just isn’t as effective. With Klopp using Salah up top and Firmino behind, it just never looked right to me. It never looks right when Bobby goes out wide either, although his phenomenal work ethic does make us stronger defensively than when Mo is out there.

 

I quite liked the tactic of switching them over late in games when we had a lead, but I’m not keen on us starting that way.

 

To me, Bobby is just not the same when he isn’t the number nine and the fulcrum of our attack. He sets the tone and everyone plays off him. When he wasn’t in that role we still got results because we’re a great team, but it wasn’t as free flowing as last season.

 

 

Firmino still had his moments, with a late winner against PSG and a hat-trick at home to Arsenal the obvious highlights, but in general this year’s Bobby wasn’t as dynamite as last year’s Bobby. 

 

He got off to a slow start and prior to that hat-trick against Arsenal on Dec 29 he had only scored six goals. While his contribution to the team can’t simply be measured in goals *cough* Harry Kane *cough*, six goals in 26 games isn’t what you’d expect, especially after how many he scored the season before.

 

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[aws]

Agree with that assessment. Neither he nor Mo found their real form consistently last season and I remember we all spent the first few months waiting for them to click like the previous season. It happened in fits and starts but luckily Mane stepped up to fill the breach. 

[sir roger]

Yes , it was more like the season he had in 2016/17 rather than the stellar one in 17/18.

 

Like you Dave , a bit worried about all three of the musketeers ( and Allison ) still playing until nearly mid-July.

[dave u]

Not really worried about Alisson so much. A few weeks off should sort him out as his fatigue will be mental rather than physical. It's the tired legs of the forward lads that concerns me as they've played solidly for two years now with virtually no break.

 

We've been lucky so far with them not getting injured much, but this year it could catch up with them (and us).

[LFC 6 Times]

Agree with a lot there, Firmino was biggest victim of Klopp switching systems, Bobby was pulled all over the place often in game, glad we’ve gone back to 17/18 template, never liked Mo centrally or Bobby fucking around on the wing or in the 10. Boss player, boss personality but definitely need more goals out of him, should be looking for 20+ from Bobby next season.

[Butch]

Love Bobby, he's fantastic. We really do have a really good side now with top players in every position. Good Times indeed. 

[Grinch]

The front three is just better with him in it.