OPINION
Roberto Firmino has had a bit of an up-and-down season for Liverpool, but he appeared to be back to his best in the Reds’ 3-0 win over Watford on Saturday.
The Brazilian got himself on the scoresheet late on with a headed goal to secure victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side, bringing an end to a run of seven Premier League games in a row without scoring for the 27-year-old.
And Klopp defended Firmino from recent criticism of his form after the game: “It all depends to what you want to see, what you expect, with what you compare it to,” he told the Express.
“In the game against Fulham 20 German coaches were in the stadium – I’m not sure how the critics were but when I saw them and we had a drink together, they were saying ‘Bobby Firmino! What a player!’
“Because of the small things he’s doing, he’s working so hard, he’s here, he’s there, he’s got six goals but he opens 5,000 gaps for everybody. He’s doing the job – that makes him so unbelievably valuable for us. I’m really happy for him.”
The German is absolutely spot on in his comments, here. Firmino has had his fair share of criticism this campaign, with some of it justified, but he remains one of the most important players on the pitch for Liverpool.
The Brazil international, on a reported £180,000-per-week at Anfield [Source: Spotrac], makes things happen for the Reds and is key in creating space for others.
As Klopp says, he creates numerous chances for his team mates. Out of the club’s lightning front three he is undoubtedly the most vital in terms of how the team plays, and he influences the performances of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane far more than they do his.
Klopp’s comments are a reminder that an attacker’s contributions cannot be measured solely in how many goals they score.
Firmino is more than just a goalscorer for Liverpool and that has been shown time and time again. Just because he isn’t quite as prolific as last year doesn’t mean he’s not a key man for the Reds.
Perhaps the critics should leave their knives at home next time the Brazilian fails to find the back of the net, because he is a superb all-round player who deserves credit for his selfless role in the team.
