Liverpool continue to be linked with a move for Hoffenheim star Roberto Firmino, and reports this week suggest the Reds have stepped-up their scouting efforts in a bid to learn more about the exciting Brazilian attacker.
Earlier in March, reports claimed that:
* Liverpool plan to make a €14m offer at the end of the season.
* The 22-year old is allegedly a 'top target' for LFC.
This week, German newspaper Bild revealed that Liverpool scouts watched Firmino in Hoffenheim's recent 6-2 victory against Wolfsburg, a game in which the attacker scored:
"In the game against Wolfsburg, representatives from Chelsea, Liverpool, AC Milan, and Schalke were there to watch Firmino"
LFC scouts also watched Firmino score another great goal against Mainz last weekend. The Brazilian is in stunning form this season. His stats so far:
* 19 goals/12 assists in 28 games.
* Overall: 31 goals/assist in 28 games.
* Goal every 1.4 games.
* Goal/Assist every 0.9 games
* League Only: Goal/Assist every 94 mins.
31 goals/assists? That's a brilliant achievement in one of Europe's best leagues, so it's no surprise that Rodgers is interested.
When asked recently about the interest of 'top clubs', Hoffenheim manager Markus Gisdol told SportBild:
"Roberto is currently in excellent form. He fits the way we like to play football, but he has a contract here, so I'm not worried"
When pressed about how Hoffenheim would cope if Firmino left, Gisdol added:
"He is irreplaceable, and no club in the world can directly replace their best players when they leave"
Gisdol was pressed again about Firmino's future after the Wolfsburg thrashing, and when asked if Firmino's departure is inevitable, he told reporters:
"Not at all. Of course we know how the transfer market works, but players who have proven themselves and fit well into our system, we basically want to keep here."
Like Coutinho, Liverpool's current Brazilian magician, Firmino dreams of playing for the Brazil national team, as he told Bild recently:
"Playing for the national team is one of the biggest dreams of my life. If and when that will happen, others decide. I just have to work hard with my club"
Last season, Firmino managed only 5 goals and 2 assists, so it seems like he is playing out of his skin in a bid to make the Brazil World Cup squad. The upswing in end product this year is significant - will Firmino be able to maintain this kind of record for Liverpool, or is he just trying extra hard because the World Cup is on the horizon?
If LFC are going to spend €14m on an attacking player, then it should be on someone with (IMO) incredible creative stats, but there's a strong possibility that Firmino could end up being a one-season wonder. After all, in the two two seasons prior to this one, the Brazilian managed only 12 goals and 5 assists in 67 appearances.
How will he react if he doesn't make the Brazil squad? Will he still be massively motivated next season? Given his creative output, €14m seems like a decent price, but with Chelsea also hovering around, we could be looking at another Willian/Salah situation.
If Firmino wants to break into the Brazil squad, though, going to Chelsea is not going to help that happen. He'll just end up nailed to the bench like Salah. At Liverpool, he'll have much more chance of playing regularly.
Author: Jaimie K
Earlier in March, reports claimed that:
* Liverpool plan to make a €14m offer at the end of the season.
* The 22-year old is allegedly a 'top target' for LFC.
This week, German newspaper Bild revealed that Liverpool scouts watched Firmino in Hoffenheim's recent 6-2 victory against Wolfsburg, a game in which the attacker scored:
"In the game against Wolfsburg, representatives from Chelsea, Liverpool, AC Milan, and Schalke were there to watch Firmino"
LFC scouts also watched Firmino score another great goal against Mainz last weekend. The Brazilian is in stunning form this season. His stats so far:
* 19 goals/12 assists in 28 games.
* Overall: 31 goals/assist in 28 games.
* Goal every 1.4 games.
* Goal/Assist every 0.9 games
* League Only: Goal/Assist every 94 mins.
31 goals/assists? That's a brilliant achievement in one of Europe's best leagues, so it's no surprise that Rodgers is interested.
When asked recently about the interest of 'top clubs', Hoffenheim manager Markus Gisdol told SportBild:
"Roberto is currently in excellent form. He fits the way we like to play football, but he has a contract here, so I'm not worried"
When pressed about how Hoffenheim would cope if Firmino left, Gisdol added:
"He is irreplaceable, and no club in the world can directly replace their best players when they leave"
Gisdol was pressed again about Firmino's future after the Wolfsburg thrashing, and when asked if Firmino's departure is inevitable, he told reporters:
"Not at all. Of course we know how the transfer market works, but players who have proven themselves and fit well into our system, we basically want to keep here."
Like Coutinho, Liverpool's current Brazilian magician, Firmino dreams of playing for the Brazil national team, as he told Bild recently:
"Playing for the national team is one of the biggest dreams of my life. If and when that will happen, others decide. I just have to work hard with my club"
Last season, Firmino managed only 5 goals and 2 assists, so it seems like he is playing out of his skin in a bid to make the Brazil World Cup squad. The upswing in end product this year is significant - will Firmino be able to maintain this kind of record for Liverpool, or is he just trying extra hard because the World Cup is on the horizon?
If LFC are going to spend €14m on an attacking player, then it should be on someone with (IMO) incredible creative stats, but there's a strong possibility that Firmino could end up being a one-season wonder. After all, in the two two seasons prior to this one, the Brazilian managed only 12 goals and 5 assists in 67 appearances.
How will he react if he doesn't make the Brazil squad? Will he still be massively motivated next season? Given his creative output, €14m seems like a decent price, but with Chelsea also hovering around, we could be looking at another Willian/Salah situation.
If Firmino wants to break into the Brazil squad, though, going to Chelsea is not going to help that happen. He'll just end up nailed to the bench like Salah. At Liverpool, he'll have much more chance of playing regularly.
Author: Jaimie K
If we are going to sign another attacking midfielder this coming summer then he would be competing against Coutinho. It think those who have written Luis Alberto off never thought about the amount of games we will have to play next season...
ReplyDeleteSo my question is, why would we go and sign another attacking midfielder when Alberto is waiting for his opportunity? Ah yes, we signed a very talented youngster last summer just in order to send him packing without even seeing what he is capable of. UTTER MADNESS!
I would definitely have him for 14m. I get your point about playing for his world cup place, but it could just be that he is improving. Two seasons were un-remarkable at the age of 20/21, which can be the way for a lot of players. I've seen him playing this season only on Bundes highlight shows, but the bits I have seen he looks quality.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen him play but his stats are fantastic, playing for a small team in Germany. To do so well in such a tough league 'physically', Is very promising.....................well worth scouting him further!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, seems to do well across the Bundesliga and not just feasting on bottom feeders. Seems to be a bigger version of PC...which would be nice. I would add him if we could. Hoffenheim isn't going anywhere. But if Chelski want him, then their deep pockets will probably win out. I don't buy the argument that players only up their game just to make their world cup squad. It happens every 4 years. They get paid to play pro every year. I understand the prestige of the WC, but there are prestigious cups to play for every year...which pay more.
ReplyDeleteYeah that's a good point, Alberto could turn out to be anything. By no means should we write him off. But maybe 6months out on loan would answer some of the questions about him.
ReplyDeleteBut there is something special about the WC. Sure there are more lucrative yearly competitions. But it's most footballers dream to share the stage with the best players from every league in world football. The fact that it happens only every four years just makes it even more prestigious.
ReplyDelete21 seconds in to that video. Anyone else notice that football players tend to dress like complete bell ends?
ReplyDeleteWhy this point of view that he should come to us rather than Chelsea because he'll be sure to get matches at Anfield. He should sign for us in the summer because he will be playing for the Champions of England (and Wales) and he'll get game time if he is good enough to displace the likes of Coutinho. He should sign for us because he'll be part of the history of the greatest club in the history of football. He should sign for us because he wants to play at the top top level with top top team mates. He should sign for Chelsea because he wants a lot of cash without doing something for it. Read yesterday that Torres is among the top 20 earners in world football today. That's almost as big a joke as Andy Carrols transfer free
ReplyDeleteIf you found that offensive just wait until Warrior get into their stride with the next Liverpool kit. We must be due another soon it's been several weeks since the last one.
ReplyDeleteI've known about Firmino for a long time now I have been impressed with him this season. He seems to be more mature than our own Brazilian no 10.
ReplyDeletePlus he can play in all attacking positions...no brainer to me.
Sign him up Brendan!
Chelsea will outbid us and get him to make sure we don't, just like Salah.
ReplyDeleteSalah is sitting on Chelsea's bench rotting away. Who cares!
ReplyDeletesend alberto to swansea on loan and buy firmino...as simple as that
ReplyDeleteWhere is the proof that Ilori is injured? Let me guess: some random on twitter said so? Please provide proof that he's injured.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be a booking because defenders are not allowed to dive in front of a player if they have cannot reach the ball. Outside the area it's generally seen as impeding an opponent.
ReplyDeleteHe has to touch the ball, otherwise he unfairly impedes and disadvantages an opponent. Which is a foul, end of.
This guy's stats are really good in a attacking sense, but a facet of his game that isn't mentioned or highlighted here is his defensive qualities. He presses the ball really well and puts a fair few tackles in for a attacking player. He could be a alternative to Hendo, as some competition or help Hendo realise he needs to improve his shooting/goal output to be a permanent fixture in the team (this also applies to Coutinho).
ReplyDeleteWe will have more games next season and this current squad doesn't have quality of depth. We bought Aspas and Alberto to make the numbers up and use as squad players (this was mentioned by BR). As we have progresses more rapidly than expected, the fringe players might be moved (dependant on money available in the summer).
Think his pubes will turn grey before he breaks into the Chelsea starting 11.
ReplyDeleteIf he had deemed it accidental he would not have given the penalty, Raphael moved his hand clearly towards the ball. reversing its previous movement.
ReplyDeleteNot hard to tell at all.
Johnson's was more accidental But he did move towards the ball and could easily have been penalised. The fact that he was looking away at the time probably saved him. Rafael wasn't.
He looks good, IMO there's no such thing as a one season wonder, racking up a tally like that doesn't happen if you don't have ability, it's confidence that players lose, and BR has shown us he can fuel players with confidence, definitely worth an offer
ReplyDeleteI don't understand this one season wonder tag in the article? He moved from Brazil to Europe, needed time to adapt in new surrounding as a teenager. He is 22yrs old for F-sake, at 21yrs his form improved as he developed and he's learning a European style of play. This article makes out he's done a Clint Dempsey.....
ReplyDeleteWill a link do? Will it be accepted as other links don't. Anyway it is betinfo.com. It actually makes sense w[once you give it any thought. He plays his best game and much better than his CB partner and then is left out of the whole squad for the rest of those games.
ReplyDeleteI have in response to the other. It wasn't easy finding details. Took five mins once I had looked at the squads that he didn't even take part in. A bit of logic lead me to type in to a well known search engine "physio table spain". And it was the second site. A site set up to track the suspensions and injuries of players for betting purposes. Read the key at the bottom and it's clear.
ReplyDeleteHah...just heard the Messi wants $35Mil a year from Barca...seems Neymar is currently making more than Messi!!! This can only mean trouble for Barca...team focus will be swept away at just the critical point of the season. This ought to be fun to watch. How could Barca pay Neymar more than Messi anyway? It's a bit like killing the goose who laid the golden eggs, cracking the eggs to make an omelet and then dropping the omelet pan on the floor. What idiots.
ReplyDeleteWhere are the two replies I sent earlier?
ReplyDeleteGoogle physio table spain and look at the second site and then Granada. It even says when he got injured last month. Be sure to read the key.
I have posted the proof. I posted it twice earlier. Betinfo. com I have put a space so that it doesn't have to be Assessed. It's there.
ReplyDeleteHi Jimmy, this article is very odd. You clearly need to do a little bit more research into Ilori and the terms of his loan, as well as Alberto. You are an odd boy. Still banned off twitter?
ReplyDeleteRomulu is the Brazilian we need tough as nails. Work rate like Craig Johnstone but top skills like most Brazilians. He is unusual for a Brazilian player in his bottle and work rate.
ReplyDeleteWhen are you going to stop going on about posts 'disappearing' (with the implication that they're being deleted), when you know full well (as I've explained it to you), that Disqus is glitchy, and posts sometimes vanish for a few minutes then return. Also, your post may be in moderation if it contains a link as all posts with links get held back (for spam purposes).
ReplyDeleteIn any event, BetInfo? Are you serious?
That link you posted doesn't point to a story about Ilori anyway.
Mainly because I knew that you would try and belittle anything that proves you wrong, But I do apologise about the inference. I would try and blag that I hadn't meant to but I did. Hands up.
ReplyDeleteAs for the link it is a list of all the Primera teams and players they have out. Ilori is it it under Granada. Read it again.
As for the veracity of the source are you saying all the players they compiled are not injured or suspended? Have you got a source that says it is due to form or attitude or anything like that? So surely that site is better than nothing?
Honesty when you actually think about it it makes no sense that he would have such a good game and then be dropped from the match day squad for weeks. Not even a sub.
14.3RecioM222-014.3 s
ReplyDelete14.3PitiM185-1
14.3Yacine BrahimiM261-414.3 s
21.2Tiago IloriD20-1
4.1Odion IghaloF81-0
If you google physio room spain and click the betinfo you will get the right page.
I haven't argued that he's not in the team due to form or attitude. If Ilori was injured, then it's highly probable that at lease one reputable source would have some info about it. BetInfo is not a reputable source. To me, it looks like guess-work from them. How is it that a betting site would know Ilori is injured, but no other news source on the planet has that info?
ReplyDeleteYeah I am looking myself and finding nothing but that one. Granada seems to not be very well publicised and a player who played two games may not be the story anyone is after.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fair shout about betinf perhaps being guesswork although you could argue that at the least it's more a logical conclusion. Whoscored has him as making more tackles, interceptions etc and then he is not included in the next game squad? A player going for game time not even on the bench after not only being the best defender in that game but also getting a very very good assist. Seems too weird.
Perhaps as a betting firm or connected to one they have done the leg work that reporters haven't. If you think about it betting firms have more to win and lose on these kinds of things.
Ill keep looking. And sorry for dickishness it is not intentional just comes naturally.
There seems to be a LOT of really good players around at the moment.
ReplyDeleteHopefully we get this guy if we really are interested, but I think LFC is about to become as attractive a place to come to play football as any outside of Barca, Real, Bayern.
Young players can see the evidence in how we now promote a lot of young talent to first team and we have an academy bursting at the seams with super young players. I really think we are on the verge of supplying top talent for the first team from within our ranks, and that means we can, in a few years, limit purchases to really top, top players like Gerrard.
Who wouldn't want to play with our front 3 and Coutinho at the moment. And Gerrard.
We should break the bank for one centre half - I would choose Chiellini or Bonnuci
I agree with you that it's a logical conclusion that he's injured. That definitely could be the case, and as you say, Granada is not a high profile team. Still think it would be reported somewhere, though.
ReplyDeleteAll I have found is another dodgey website that said "sidlined" "unknown."
ReplyDeleteI don't use twitter but looked there. There were a few in Portuguese, but I don't speak it and one Red that said he has resumed training from a hamstring injury. But like you say I would like something more official. I suppose if it is true then he will be back soon and then perhaps we will know what was what. Sick of looking now as the silence is bizarre.
I hope LFC can get Alberto Moreno next season.IMPORTANT IS WORK HARD AND ALL OUT TO GET HIM.
ReplyDeleteFor me....LFC good enough if they can get sign Alberto Moreno,Jan Vertonghen,Ross Barkleys and Luis Muriel or Alvaro Morata.Very good enough.Please release out ASAP for VICTOR MOSES.Sell out Iago Aspas, and fabio Borini.
ReplyDeleteI would keep Borini seeing that we will be back in Europe next season. There's something about Alberto that i'd like to see him stay for a 2nd season. Should be interesting with players like Suso, Ibe and Wisdom coming back stronger and hopefully better.
ReplyDeleteSuggest you read the online version of El Ideal, an established broadsheet in Andalucia that covers Granada CF in detail
ReplyDeleteThey have been reporting for weeks that Ilori is suffering from a hamstring injury on his left leg
Don't suppose you'll give Greg an apology now.......
Is it all in Portuguese Thomas?
ReplyDeleteNever mind Thomas this is from said publication.
ReplyDelete"CÁNOVAS. The Catalan striker Francisco Medina 'Piti' and English central defender Tiago Ilori center today have reconfirmed the Granada CF and low for the match against Elche. Both continue to recoveries from injury, so they can not go out there. In the case of 'Piti' should be noted that it was a precaution, since the interest of former footballer Rayo Vallecano would be heading to Lucas Alcaraz."
Some points:
ReplyDelete1. I would like to have this debate at the end of the season when we know our fate. For example we could finish 4th and ManU win the CL, or we could win the PL - quite a big diverse possibility of outcomes.
2. We need to learn something from Spurs. They sold their best play and bought 7 expensive replacements. Integrating that amount of change is very hard. My preference would be to buy 2-3 top class players who would be automatic first team starters, and then 1-2 bench warmers at best. By keeping our best 15-16 players, this should provide a sufficiently strong enough squad of 21 odd players plus youngsters for the rigours of next season.
3. We bought quite a few players in the summer transfer season. None of them are playing regularly in the closing stages of season. This could be critically viewed as a waste of potential investment. We need to learn lessons from this as well.
4. From 2) above we need to work out who from our strongest first 11 we can put out are the weaker links. To me, this would imply a central midfield scoring dynamo and defensive improvements (LB, CB). Therefore, that is where the bulk of the money should be spent for the 2-3 top class players.
5. The bench warming money should then be spent on SAS back-ups. If we do achieve something special this year, it would be a kick-in-the-teeth for either of SAS to be benched next year. So again team harmony should come ahead of buying random talent.