I think a football team is like an ensemble cast at a TV show – any group of humans living and working together for an extended period of time naturally separates into a variety of personalities and characters, each occupying their own niche: the funny one, the quiet one, the insecure, the jerk... In some way, it finds its way onto a football pitch – some players become leaders, some assume roles in a supporting cast, some become antagonists. And since every season the cast of characters changes due to transfers in and out, the roles shift as well. Here are my expectations for our attacking players this season:
Luis Diaz – I love watching him play and it's obvious teammates love sharing the pitch with him as well. This is a player who doesn't hide or hold back anything; he enjoys every moment and puts his heart and soul into every dribble, run and pass. I think even though positionally Diaz has replaced Mane; in terms of the "cast of characters" on the pitch he is actually a Firmino replacement – a selfless hard worker and tireless creator, the motor and the heart of the team. Like Firmino, I don't think his main contribution will be measured in goals, although he will hopefully get a good number of them.
Darwin Nunez – knock on wood, but it looks like the hardest period of adaptation is already past him and the game-winning contributions in the Charity Shield showed that mentally he has already mostly adapted to being an LFC player. Tactically, the possibilities of this team playing with a proper #9 for the first time in years look tantalizing and at this point the new system spearheaded by Nunez looks to be very much the Plan A. Watching Darwin and Haaland side-by-side in the same game it was rather obvious which one is further along in terms of adapting to the system (or rather the system adapting to them – something Klopp is clearly more willing to do for Darwin than Pep for his big new striker). Get ready, everyone – this season will have a new star! For the business-minded among us (@Woland?), maybe it's time to invest in Charles Darwin t-shirts.
Salah – I think one subplot people don't talk about is the future rivalry between Mo and Darwin to be our top goal scorer and simply The Main Man up front. I think for several reasons this has every chance to be a very much good-natured one, without the undercurrent of tension we at times felt between Mo and Sadio – they are from different continents and different generations, it looks like after signing the new contract Salah embraced his role as one of the senior leaders in the team and he knows he needs Darwin to succeed to win more trophies here and cement his legacy. The fact that Salah gave Nunez a chance to score a penalty for his first goal, the "talk" between the two after which Nunez felt more at ease in the team are all good signs – nevertheless this will be a real rivalry that will hopefully spur both players to score and contribute more. If I had to bet, I think Nunez will score more, but Mo will win on G+A.
Firmino – many of us were hoping for a "swan song" of a season for Bobby, but from looking at the preseason games while he looks fairly sharp, he also looks like an older model that's on the way to becoming obsolete – a slower Luis Diaz, a smaller Darwin Nunez. I expect a bit-part role, basically replacing both Origi and Minamino and being used in specific games and situations. His experience and positional know-how, particularly in terms of pressing, will be his main asset and something the younger strikers will do well to learn from.
Jota – hard to say since he's been injured, but I think he will need to prove himself in a new system that will be increasingly fine-tuned for a Nunez type rather than a Firmino one. Not many teams regularly play with a "fox in a box" type of striker, but good "foxes" can be valuable.
Elliott – another player like Diaz, who is universally loved and is emanating just ridiculous amounts of positive energy on and off the field. Many of us thought about the possibility of a switch to a 4-2-3-1 system and what it could mean for a player like Elliott – well, so far there has been absolutely no indication that Klopp is thinking in this direction. Attack-minded RCM position in 4-3-3 is clearly the one for Elliott and he will probably rotate and compete there with Hendo and a few others. I expect a big season – he has everything to make that position his own.
Carvalho – I think he will be Klopp's go-to Plan B player; someone with the brain and the technique to find unconventional solutions when usual things are not working. Klopp will not burden him with too many defensive responsibilities or try to "toughen him up" – his job will be picking the lock when the team can't break through the door.
Kaide Gordon – he's been injured and mostly forgotten, but I remain a believer. Out of all Academy attackers, he is the one with the best chance to break through to the first team this season and with his qualities he would bring something different to the mix.
Luis Diaz – I love watching him play and it's obvious teammates love sharing the pitch with him as well. This is a player who doesn't hide or hold back anything; he enjoys every moment and puts his heart and soul into every dribble, run and pass. I think even though positionally Diaz has replaced Mane; in terms of the "cast of characters" on the pitch he is actually a Firmino replacement – a selfless hard worker and tireless creator, the motor and the heart of the team. Like Firmino, I don't think his main contribution will be measured in goals, although he will hopefully get a good number of them.
Darwin Nunez – knock on wood, but it looks like the hardest period of adaptation is already past him and the game-winning contributions in the Charity Shield showed that mentally he has already mostly adapted to being an LFC player. Tactically, the possibilities of this team playing with a proper #9 for the first time in years look tantalizing and at this point the new system spearheaded by Nunez looks to be very much the Plan A. Watching Darwin and Haaland side-by-side in the same game it was rather obvious which one is further along in terms of adapting to the system (or rather the system adapting to them – something Klopp is clearly more willing to do for Darwin than Pep for his big new striker). Get ready, everyone – this season will have a new star! For the business-minded among us (@Woland?), maybe it's time to invest in Charles Darwin t-shirts.
Salah – I think one subplot people don't talk about is the future rivalry between Mo and Darwin to be our top goal scorer and simply The Main Man up front. I think for several reasons this has every chance to be a very much good-natured one, without the undercurrent of tension we at times felt between Mo and Sadio – they are from different continents and different generations, it looks like after signing the new contract Salah embraced his role as one of the senior leaders in the team and he knows he needs Darwin to succeed to win more trophies here and cement his legacy. The fact that Salah gave Nunez a chance to score a penalty for his first goal, the "talk" between the two after which Nunez felt more at ease in the team are all good signs – nevertheless this will be a real rivalry that will hopefully spur both players to score and contribute more. If I had to bet, I think Nunez will score more, but Mo will win on G+A.
Firmino – many of us were hoping for a "swan song" of a season for Bobby, but from looking at the preseason games while he looks fairly sharp, he also looks like an older model that's on the way to becoming obsolete – a slower Luis Diaz, a smaller Darwin Nunez. I expect a bit-part role, basically replacing both Origi and Minamino and being used in specific games and situations. His experience and positional know-how, particularly in terms of pressing, will be his main asset and something the younger strikers will do well to learn from.
Jota – hard to say since he's been injured, but I think he will need to prove himself in a new system that will be increasingly fine-tuned for a Nunez type rather than a Firmino one. Not many teams regularly play with a "fox in a box" type of striker, but good "foxes" can be valuable.
Elliott – another player like Diaz, who is universally loved and is emanating just ridiculous amounts of positive energy on and off the field. Many of us thought about the possibility of a switch to a 4-2-3-1 system and what it could mean for a player like Elliott – well, so far there has been absolutely no indication that Klopp is thinking in this direction. Attack-minded RCM position in 4-3-3 is clearly the one for Elliott and he will probably rotate and compete there with Hendo and a few others. I expect a big season – he has everything to make that position his own.
Carvalho – I think he will be Klopp's go-to Plan B player; someone with the brain and the technique to find unconventional solutions when usual things are not working. Klopp will not burden him with too many defensive responsibilities or try to "toughen him up" – his job will be picking the lock when the team can't break through the door.
Kaide Gordon – he's been injured and mostly forgotten, but I remain a believer. Out of all Academy attackers, he is the one with the best chance to break through to the first team this season and with his qualities he would bring something different to the mix.
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