Bobby Firmino issued the perfect response to his World Cup snub with the opener against Southampton ahead of the tournament start.
It’s a performance that led Pat Nevin to liken the Brazilian to an octopus due to his ability to link-up play across the forward line.
“If you got 3v3 at the back, Liverpool will get chances. Southampton are going to have to look at that,” the commentator told BBC Radio 5 Live (via BBC Sport).
“It’s Firmino cleverness, he knows where to go, he knows where the spaces are, he goes between the centre backs and the midfield and nobody picks him up.
“He’s like an octopus, his tentacles are all over this game.”
The Merseysiders find themselves 3-1 up against the South Coast outfit at a time when other results appear to mostly be going the Reds’ way (at the time of writing).
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With a contract due to expire in 2023, our recruitment team will have some serious thinking to do in terms of considering an extension for the former Hoffenheim man.
Given three midfielders are leaving in the same window, we can hardly afford to add a new forward to our shopping list (though we may be inclined to argue that Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez are enough cover for the position).
Assuming there’s a considerable degree of confidence in the 31-year-old continuing to come up with the goods in the next year or two, we’ve certainly no problem in delaying our goodbyes for a player who has been nothing short of an integral servant for the club.
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