Liverpool just about got past Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Reds went 1-0 down following Callum Wilson’s simple tap-in, and it was only thanks to some incredibly suspect Cherries defending that Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were able to help the Anfield outfit complete their comeback.
The final score was 2-1, but Jurgen Klopp’s men should have arguably won more comfortably. They had 14 shots overall, of which six were on target, but they failed to put their opponents to the sword.
Roberto Firmino, more than anyone, was to blame for their lack of a clinical touch in front of the target. The Brazil international missed two glorious chances that would have put his side in a far more commanding position, but he was unable to convert with either.
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The 28-year-old is an important player in this side due to his work-rate and link-up play, but questions still remain over his ability to put the ball in the back of the net. This season, he has managed just eight goals in the Premier League, which for a striker playing for a side that is 25 points clear at the top of the table is underwhelming.
That is in contrast to reported Liverpool target Carlos Vinicius (O Jogo via Sport Witness). The 24-year-old currently plays for Benfica in Portugal, and he has been on fire so far in their top-flight this term – he has 15 goals in 14 starts.
Those strikes have come from just 47 shots as well, which is one every 3.1 efforts. Firmino, meanwhile has amassed 87 attempts on goal, meaning he scores once every 10.9 shots. The difference between the two is glaring.
Vinicius has recently responded to the speculation linking him with the Merseyside club, saying he is happy with the reported interest (Record via Sport Witness). He would likely cost a significant amount – he has a release clause of €100m (£87.3m) with his current employers – but he offers a stronger guarantee of putting the ball into the back of the net than what Klopp currently has at his disposal.
It is all well and good for Firmino to be a team player, but that should not come at the detriment of scoring goals. It may not have cost them this time around, but it could do in the future.
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