#4 Firmino and Coutinho need their mojo back; Lallana a misfit in the front three
Roberto Firmino had two golden opportunities to score against Chelsea, both of which he scuffed in spectacular fashion. On a rainy night, when the need to break down the best defence in the league is a must and such chances should be made the most of.
However, Firmino skied the first shot as he rushed, when he had all the time in the world to take down the ball and pick a spot to place the ball. In the second instance, his header in injury time was aimed straight at Thibaut Courtois; if hit either side of the keeper, it could have been the winner.
Philippe Coutinho’s return to Klopp’s side has certainly benefited the Reds but the magician needs to get his mojo back. In this game, he was mediocre, and guilty of misplaced passes, taking too much time on the ball and not shooting when there were chances from the kind of range he prefers.
Liverpool will need the diminutive Brazilian to rediscover his form and scoring boots if they are to keep rivals from gaining any more ground on them.
Adam Lallana has been played in the front 3 in the absence of Sadio Mane due to AFCON and it would suffice to say that he hasn’t exactly flourished.
The Englishman was amongst the form players back at the end of 2016 but the change in position has not benefited him. He is his usual industrious self – taking down long balls with deft touches, wriggling out of tight spaces and running all over the pitch and helping out the defence. But his penetration in the final third has been lacking and that is where Liverpool need him the most.
