It hasn’t been the begin to the season that Arne Slot might need hoped for at Liverpool, with a shaky begin, albeit a successful begin, now previous a three-match dropping run that has accentuated the issues operating by way of the squad.
However adversity is there to be overcome in soccer, and the Premier League champions have a lot high quality and confidence in themselves. Teething issues after a summer season spending spree are to be anticipated, and now the onus is on returning to motion after the October worldwide break with contemporary impetus and focus.
Chelsea struck late to win towards the Reds on Sunday, however there isn’t any hiding from the dearth of attacking coherence within the second half. Some followers have been confused by Slot’s choice to maintain Federico Chiesa on the bench.
Slot should use Federico Chiesa
Final summer season, Liverpool’s solely addition, bought from Juventus for a cut-price £12.5m price. The versatile ahead has lengthy been extremely regarded for his technical high quality and efficiency within the ultimate third, however accidents have eaten away at his one-time prodigious potential.
However he scarcely performed final 12 months, with health issues and criticisms from Slot maintaining him on the fringes. Excluded from Liverpool’s pre-season tour throughout the pond, Chiesa’s time on Merseyside regarded to have wrapped up.
And but he stayed, and but he now performs an enormous function at Liverpool, one of the harmful and efficient attacking threats throughout the opening months of the season.
Liverpool’s Frontline in 25/26 (all comps) | ||
|---|---|---|
Participant | Apps | Targets (assists) |
Hugo Ekitike | 10 | 5 (1) |
Mohamed Salah | 10 | 3 (3) |
Federico Chiesa | 6 | 2 (2) |
Cody Gakpo | 10 | 2 (2) |
Alexander Isak | 6 | 1 (1) |
Rio Ngumoha | 5 | 1 (0) |
Knowledge by way of Transfermarkt | ||
This revival is good to see. Will it final? Slot continues to be hesitant in giving Chiesa a star function, and on condition that Mohamed Salah’s eventual departure will warrant a big-money substitute, Chiesa would possibly discover his renaissance is short-lived.
As a result of Rio Ngumoha has already disrupted FSG’s switch plans, and his rise to the highest might come on the expense of the Italian’s recreation time.
Rio Ngumoha might finish Chiesa’s Liverpool profession
Liverpool poached Ngumoha from Chelsea in 2024, and what a coup it’s turning out to be. John Terry knew it, saying he was “gutted” to look at the electrical winger go away for a Premier League rival.
However Chelsea’s loss is Liverpool’s achieve. The 17-year-old Ngumoha confirmed flashes final season, beginning for the seniors within the FA Cup towards Accrington Stanley, and now he has raised his recreation beneath Slot’s wing, having featured 5 instances already.
His dribbling and directness have been met by promising bodily development that has not but completed.
Ngumoha will proceed to be guided by way of adolescence, however the coaches are very a lot conscious they’ve a prodigy on their arms, with the lad’s long-time youth coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst saying, “I do not say it calmly, he is among the greatest academy skills I’ve come throughout, and I’ve seen some prime gamers grow to be superstars.”
The composure and consciousness to search out area and rating towards Newcastle in August tells of the potential, and although he predominantly performs off the left flank, Ngumoha’s bearing is such that he might play throughout the frontline, an artwork mastered by teammate Chiesa.
Chiesa, 28 this month, will play an enormous half at Liverpool this season, however it’s troublesome to see him attain the very best degree in Slot’s squad. This, nevertheless, could not be additional away from Ngumoha’s pathway, for the “horrifying” expertise – as mentioned by reporter Lewis Bower – is considered as a one-of-a-kind prospect.
It is loopy to assume that Ngumoha solely turned 17 in August, 4 days after firing the winner into Nick Pope’s web. One of the best, certainly, remains to be to come back from this one, and as he develops right into a Premier League starter, and hopes of Chiesa establishing himself in a fair greater function at Liverpool are prone to come to nought, unhappy as that could be.
