One year ago today, Liverpool lined up with Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Luis Diaz in their front three as the trio have been hugely missed
One year ago today, Liverpool’s front three exhibited exactly what they are missing at this moment. The ability to press like a Jurgen Klopp side, force mistakes from defenders and be extremely difficult to play against was very much on show in a 2-0 victory against Leicester City.
Something else that is missing from that match last year is the trio of Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino – three players who could slot straight back into Klopp’s side, especially with the current form of Liverpool.
This season has been one to forget for the Reds so far and it has been made worse by the fact key attackers Diaz and Jota have been injured since October while Firmino has made just 13 Premier League appearances.
The burden on Mohamed Salah to score goals for Liverpool has never been so strong and, with just seven league goals to his name this campaign, the Egyptian is in need of help. Especially when he looks across the pitch and sees young players who are trying to adapt to a new team and new league.
Liverpool’s win over Leicester this time last year saw Salah being able to be taken out of the starting XI as the rest of the front three got the job done and all three points were taken. This term, it is almost impossible to take the Egyptian out of the team even if his form has dipped.
Straight away it was clear Diaz would fit into Klopp’s side like a glove with his willingness to charge down defenders and that is exactly what he did against Brendan Rodgers’ side. Being able to collect the ball from deep to then have the bravery to beat a man and stretch the opposition is something the Reds have missed dearly during his injury this term.
Darwin Nunez has faced plenty of challenges since his big-money arrival from Benfica in the summer while Cody Gakpo has barely been in England for a month, yet still, so much is expected of them. With both only 23 years of age, there is so much more to come and the Reds know that.
One of the reasons for the huge level of expectation among Liverpool fans may be because of the instant impact made by Diaz after he arrived from Porto at the end of the January window in 2022. The Colombian slipped straight into the team and provided the boost the Reds needed to lift the FA Cup and Carabao Cup while reaching the Champions League final and finishing second in the league.
Diaz’s importance only increased further when Reds hero Sadio Mane departed for Bayern Munich in the summer. The left side of the front three was in more than safe hands – until injury truck four months ago. To make matters worse, Jota was sidelined with a serious calf injury just a week later.
The 1-0 win over Manchester City at Anfield in the middle of October was arguably Liverpool’s best performance of the season and the Reds showcased exactly the type of pressing that they have become so famous for. Losing Jota to serious injury in the dying stages put an ill feeling on the result and only now is Klopp expecting his Portuguese forward to return to training.
With the small matter of Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 on the horizon, Jota will be a welcome addition to the squad – alongside Firmino, who is also thought to be on his way back to full fitness. Liverpool may well look like the Reds of old with their forward line flying.
Firmino’s return isn’t being spoken about with as much enthusiasm as that of Diaz or Jota, but the Brazilian has seven goals in 13 league games this term. No one knows how to play in a Klopp front three like Firmino and he will be key in helping to integrate the likes of Nunez and Gakpo into the side.
Speaking about the 2-0 win against Leicester one year ago today, Klopp said at the time: “We were the clear better side. We created much more chances. Could have scored more. I saw a lot of good things.”
On his attacking options, he added: “Diogo is in a really good moment. I love all these boys because what they potentially have is incredible. Bobby Firmino – what a player he is. He forever will be really helpful and useful for us.”
Then came an interesting admission which gives the game away about how important Liverpool’s missing stars really are. Klopp went on: “But over the years, when you play with the same front three, all of a sudden the opponents can adapt to it a little bit better. We need to have options, how we can do it slightly different. With Diogo coming in and Luis [Diaz]…come on, what a performance!”
Clearly, the returns of all three men cannot come soon enough as Klopp tries to turn a sorry season around and finish it with momentum for 2023/24.
