Darwin Núñez must ‘ignore’ Jurgen Klopp and listen to Carlo Ancelotti to unlock Liverpool’s weapon

Darwin Núñez must ‘ignore’ Jurgen Klopp and listen to Carlo Ancelotti to unlock Liverpool’s weapon

Darwin Núñez has been a curious finisher since joining Liverpool. To move on, he may have to ‘ignore’ Jurgen Klopp and take Carlo Ancelotti’s advice.

Darwin Núñez is still adjusting to life on the English coast and to say his Premier League debut was a tumultuous one would be an understatement. Since joining Liverpool FC from Benfica last summer, the Uruguay international has established himself as a true agent of chaos, especially in the final third.

So far this season, no player in the division has averaged more shots per 90 minutes than Núñez, and he also tops the expected goals (xG) per 90 chart, ahead of Erling Haaland in second. place. He has a tendency to suck up chances close to goal by acting like a magnet in the penalty area, but his finishing proved unpredictable.

The South American missed the second biggest chance in the Premier League and tends to overdo it at times. Sure enough, Jürgen Klopp seems to have identified a problem in his behind-the-scenes conversations with Núñez. The Reds’ number 27 recently opened up about words with his coach in an interview with Sky Sports.

“He told me to be calm in games when it comes to finishing. He wants me to take one more second because if I throw my anger out or rush it, it’s always going to go wrong. He asks me to take one more second and I will score.”

In fact, Núñez has freaked out at times when presented with opportunities to find the net, so Klopp is right in that regard. In fact, he has racked up 36 shots after taking two or more touches in all competitions this season, scoring just one. When he has time to think, he almost seems to procrastinate, delaying the best action.

“Klopp knows my strength is my speed when I’m running in space. Also, he tells me that when I play I have to be calmer and move more,” Núñez said. “He tells me that I need it and that I’m a player with a lot of quality. So that’s more or less what he wants from me – and of course to score goals.

“He told me that in games I have to be calm when it comes to finishing. He wants me to take a second more because if I shoot in anger or rush it’s always going to go wrong . He asks me to take one more second and I will score.”

In fact, Núñez has freaked out at times when presented with opportunities to find the net, so Klopp is right in that regard. In fact, he has racked up 36 shots after making two or more touches in all competitions this season, scoring just one. When he has time to think, he almost seems to procrastinate, delaying the best action.

Those numbers change drastically when Núñez shoots with his first touch. According to Football Transfers, he has amassed 60 one-touch shots and hit 13 since joining Liverpool, which is a healthy return and perhaps offers a glimpse of his clinical advantage when reacting instinctively. It’s unclear how this relates to Klopp’s advice to ‘take one more second’, although it feeds into the same idea not to panic.

Shooting early is a trait Carlo Ancelotti loves. The current Real Madrid boss managed Everton just a few years ago and during his time at Goodison Park he improved Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s game remarkably by giving him finishing tips.

“Carlo Ancelotti is there for me every day to manage the first touch and be in the right areas of the penalty area. It’s good to know that what I work on in training ends up on the pitch,” Calvert-Lewin said at the time, before giving the example of Filippo Inzaghi, who represented AC Milan. when the legendary Italian coach was in charge of the San Siro team.

“That analogy with Carlo put more emphasis on being in the right place at the right time,” said the England striker. “Not to say I’m a copy of Pippo Inzaghi, but there are elements of his game that I have shown in my game, and that is his one-touch finishing and being in the right place to get the ball into the back. the net.”

Núñez already has one-touch finishing built into his game. Once he masters composure and the ability to score goals when he has time and space on his side, he will become the definitive striker at Anfield. Klopp already knows this, but when it comes to the details of how to achieve this, perhaps the Uruguayan should ‘ignore’ his coach and listen to Ancelotti.