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Who is the most important of our front three?


El Rojo
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Who is the most important of our front three?  

114 members have voted

  1. 1. Three magnificent footballers, but if you could only keep one, who would it be?



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3 hours ago, stringvest said:

I agree, for his first few years here, Firmino was fantastic, linking up the play, pinching the ball, leading the press etc - it didn't matter that he wasn't scoring bucketloads of goals, because his other contributions were so important.  Unfortunately the last time he could do that with any consistency was at least two years ago; he's clearly the least mobile of our forwards, he's slow and he's the one getting the ball pinched off him on almost every occasion.  He contributes almost nothing.

 

Unfortunately, in their desperation to be right about Firmino, others just can't or won't see what Jota brings to the team.  I can't remember the last time I saw one of our forwards play with such energy and stamina.  Not only that, comes deep for the ball, he links the play, he goes out wide on both wings, and he even (as on Sunday) makes crucial interceptions in our own defence.  I agree with you about the Keegan likeness; for me the similarities are clearest when he is being harried and often fouled - unlike Firmino, who will just stumble over and give possession away, Jota - like Keegan - almost takes it like a personal affront, and gets his head down and battles to retain possession, and usually wins those battles.  Sometimes, like Keegan, those battles would be better not fought, and a simple ball to a teammate would be wiser, but you can't help but love his refusal to give in.  Of course, his spring, and his heading ability are very similar to King Kev's.  He's a menace.  

 

That said, I often get accused of sentimentality when lauding Keegan, but the big difference between then and now is that Keegan dragged that whole team, who were struggling up front, to another level, and was the catalyst for our most successful period.  Jota doesn't quite have to do that, what with our forward line already with a solid claim to be one of the very best.  

It's not about being right. It's simply that Jota very clearly is so much better not trying to replicate what Firmino does; dropping deep, trying to link play, creating space for others, basically playing false 9. He's a bonafide finisher. He has something like 10 goals with his right, 10 with his left, 10 with his head, which is crazy. He belongs in the box and further up the pitch as much as possible, like Salah would. I wouldn't want Salah doing what Firmino does, like I don't want Jota to do what Firmino does, because they do something else. They aren't mutually exclusive. We saw Jota, Firmino and Salah play great football together, notably against Man United. The balance was great. 

 

Now Firmino is clearly less good than he used to be and his contract is running out. I think he'd be useful to keep because he offers a different profile and we could just let him leave for free, but It's also true now that if you have technically gifted players like Elliott and Thiago in midfield who can progress the ball, you don't need a false 9 as such. We can easily play with 3 strikers, 3 real goalscorers. It lessens the need for Firmino and that's fine, it's an evolution of the team, but if you don't have him on the pitch, you need real creativity in midfield. There's games where we have had the Mane, Jota, Salah front 3 and it's brutal to watch because we're just hoofing it to them and trying to find them directly, hoping they create something themselves. 

 

It's all about balance, it always was. 

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12 hours ago, El Rojo said:

I don't think anybody in their right mind would deny that Jota is now in our first choice front three with Salah and Mane. Up to Diaz to stake his claim now and also for Bobby to show that he can still have a role. 

 

The timing of Origi's latest injury couldn't have been worse. He would have started most games over the last two months. He's unlikely to see many minutes with us again before a summer departure, I reckon. 

 

I like Minamino, tidy (if lightweight) little player and he's been good value, but again, hard to see him featuring much now with everyone back. 

Minamino is a very useful squad player,mainly for cup games and european dead rubbers and substitute appearances. For 7.5million he is well worth keeping. He cost a fraction of Oxlade's value yet has contributed ten times more already this season and probably last also. Not everybody can be a starter.

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8 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

It's not about being right. It's simply that Jota very clearly is so much better not trying to replicate what Firmino does; dropping deep, trying to link play, creating space for others, basically playing false 9. He's a bonafide finisher. He has something like 10 goals with his right, 10 with his left, 10 with his head, which is crazy. He belongs in the box and further up the pitch as much as possible, like Salah would. I wouldn't want Salah doing what Firmino does, like I don't want Jota to do what Firmino does, because they do something else. They aren't mutually exclusive. We saw Jota, Firmino and Salah play great football together, notably against Man United. The balance was great. 

 

Now Firmino is clearly less good than he used to be and his contract is running out. I think he'd be useful to keep because he offers a different profile and we could just let him leave for free, but It's also true now that if you have technically gifted players like Elliott and Thiago in midfield who can progress the ball, you don't need a false 9 as such. We can easily play with 3 strikers, 3 real goalscorers. It lessens the need for Firmino and that's fine, it's an evolution of the team, but if you don't have him on the pitch, you need real creativity in midfield. There's games where we have had the Mane, Jota, Salah front 3 and it's brutal to watch because we're just hoofing it to them and trying to find them directly, hoping they create something themselves. 

 

It's all about balance, it always was. 

You cant really even talk about Thiago much because he hardly plays. How do you even plan around such a player? His talent is not in doubt,his availability always is.

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11 hours ago, lifetime fan said:


The greatest. 

His second spell had him as a totally different player. Less of a goalscorer and more of a modern number 9. He also schooled a young Mr Fowler. Rush's career cannot be summed up by just stats,and this is the mistake of these statisticians. King Kenny doesnt always make these lists but was the greatest player ever to wear our shirt.

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