Over the past few weeks, there has been a debate over who the Reds should start up top this season – Roberto Firmino or Diogo Jota?
The tough decision comes after Portuguese Jota’s fine start to life at Liverpool since moving to the club for £40 million from fellow Premier League club Wolves, scoring 8 goals in his first 12 games for the club.
This form has led many to believe he should start over the current No.9 Roberto Firmino due to his lack of goals as of late – but this was brushed aside by TalkSPORT host Ally McCoist this morning…
❌ “Firmino is not a 30 goals a season man & he’ll never be one!”
🙌 “Goals aren’t his most important aspect of his value to Liverpool.”
🤦♂️“Jota’s been exceptional & then we delve for the negatives.”
Ally McCoist’s tired of people judging #LFC’s Firmino on his goal tally alone pic.twitter.com/qIhcy94Ffi
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) November 25, 2020
The £36 million Brazilian is not a goalscorer and it is not his main attribute for the side – McCoist is right in this statement that Firmino’s duty is not goalscoring, whereas his other qualities on the pitch are what makes him so important for the Reds.
As McCoist says, Jurgen Klopp doesn’t expect the goals to come from Firmino as we have both Sadio Mané and Mo Salah for that – Firmino’s ability to create and provide for them is what makes him so special to the side.
Does Firmino deserve more respect from fans?
Yes
No
I think simply because Firmino has the number 9 on his back that fans of other clubs immediately expect him to perform on the same level as the other strikers in the Premier League such as Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero, Jamie Vardy, Danny Ings, etc. that they forget the importance and quality that Firmino possesses in other areas of the game.
If you were to try and get one of the other strikers in the aforementioned list to try and doe what Firmino does game by game, I don’t think any of them would be able to do it as well as the Brazilian – he is selfless and hardworking and Klopp couldn’t ask for much more from him.
What do you think Liverpool fans, do you agree with Ally McCoist? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below…