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Can Arne Slot Discover the Best of Darwin

Arne Slot’s Tactical Vision for Liverpool’s Attack

The overall 2023/24 season of the Uruguayan striker, Darwin Núñez, can be looked upon in a few different lights. For the Liverpool fanbase that backed and supported the former Benfica hitman, they must have seen an ultra-talented young man that was dropped into a system not designed specifically for his skillset. For those that wanted a prolific endeavour, there would have been a desire for a new marksman to be targeted by the new Sporting Director, Richard Hughes. This is an emotional and instinctively erratic individual that was struggling with the language, moved around the offensive line, with coordinated attacks often limited to what Trent Alexander Arnold or Mohamed Salah could deliver. Repetition in play is often mundane in modern football and something frequently levelled at Manchester City. The difference, however, is that the Premier League champions allow certain pieces to carry out their duties with tactical training and decisions repeatedly undertaken away from match days. The ongoing argument has been whether to play the 6ft 2inch forward as either a central or left sided attacker, which much like with Cody Gakpo, limited both continuity and form. Sadly, the back end of the season saw many of the Liverpool first team suffer with form and confidence, as fatigue across a gruelling season told on an overplayed and injury ravaged squad.

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The Role of Darwin Núñez in Liverpool’s New Formation

Simply put, I believe that in narrowing the build-up involvement of the soon to be 25-year-old, it can thereby allow him to concentrate on the finishing off chances. Despite sporadic periods of rock and roll football being pleasing on the eye, dominance and possession of the ball needs finesse and efficiency in the final third, as low block enterprises sit and wait to spring counter attacks. By employing the £85m signing into the central areas and pushing him onto the defensive line more, he can open avenues for others and become more consistent and clinical in the 18-yard box. The moments of bursting runs and traveling from wide areas will often fail to deliver clear opportunities, whereas after viewing the hattrick for his national team this past midweek (against Mexico), that simplicity in finishing is something that can to be embedded into his domestic game. In a system built upon a 4-2-3-1 formation, the alterations in on and off ball situations should not alter the position of the central striker and though goals aplenty will be expected from various attacking players, the centre forward needs to become the new point of the Merseyside spear

Comparing Darwin Núñez to Past Liverpool Strikers

Despite the same nationality being shared with the former brilliant red, Luis Suárez, Núñez does not possess the same explosive and all-around game of the former Barca man, which means his own game needs to be mirrored more to another former Anfield predator, Fernando Torres. Once upon an Anfield time, the Spaniards electric game was built upon isolating opponents and getting rapidly into goal scoring positions, before clinically dispatching for his side. That type of outlook would better suit a powerful and ultra quick striker, such as Darwin, who has all the attributes to penetrate and make chances that can be replicated at the AXA Training Ground. This type of striking refinement is now a much-required need, in what could prove to be the most pivotal period in the Uruguayans elite level career

Strategic Adjustments for Liverpool’s Forward Line

Though the frustrations from the support are understandable, this is a young man that was brought in on the cusp of a regression heavy season, where the famous false nine endeavour was modified for something not utilised since the days of Daniel Sturridge. I would expect great things to happen under a more regimented system of play and with regards to Arne Slot, he himself is under real scrutiny to deliver. A major part of his appointment will no doubt be to extract the best game from Liverpool’s current number nine, something I believe he will achieve based upon his previous good work in the Eredivisie.

Preseason Preparations: Setting Up Darwin Núñez for Success

After a season that was at times underwhelming, for a Premier League forward to end the campaign with 31 goal involvements is undeniably impressive. The wish is for an instructive preseason to be undertaken by the new coaching staff, one that may enable Darwin to find his scoring touch. If the new leadership were able to extract the best game of the man in question, that may just create something truly deadly.

Steven Smith

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