Let Darwin Cook
As we approach the business end of the football season, the inevitable injury bug has already reared its ugly head. Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa have missed some game time over the last few weeks. It’s unfortunate, particularly for both players looking to shed their “injury-prone” reputation. However, the glass-half-full perspective would be that some fringe Liverpool players would be given a consistent run, particularly Cody Gakpo, and of course, Darwin Nunez. With the Uruguayan being a polarizing player for the Liverpool faithful, now is the chance for him to seize the starting striker spot in Jota’s absence.
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“Chaos Ball”
When comparing Nunez to Jota, they offer different and somewhat contrasting skill sets that are valuable to any manager. With the Portuguese starting off as the first choice, Jota, while solid, hasn’t necessarily locked down that striker spot before picking up the injury. Indeed, Nunez’s most valuable attributes remain a constant. His raw running power, effort, and directness proved instrumental in the win against Chelsea and the draw against Arsenal. As someone who has been critical of Nunez in the past, I find it great to see him slowly getting accustomed to Arne Slot’s system. There is a thought that he can cement himself as a genuine first-choice option even when Jota returns.
The unpredictability and desire that our number 9 brings to the table is something unique to him in the football landscape. We Liverpool fans fondly refer to as “Chaos Ball.” If both Nunez and Arne Slot can find a way to refine this “chaos” and use it for the betterment of the squad, then the Reds will be more than a match for any squad in the world.
A Clean Slate For Darwin
Considering the regime change after nine years under Jurgen Klopp, this season presents itself as a fresh start for everybody on the Liverpool squad. For Nunez, after 2 hit-or-miss seasons under our legendary gaffer, it’s another period of adjustment for him, but also a clean slate for the Uruguayan. With all the pressure of being a big-money signing under the Klopp era now essentially swept away, we might just see the best out of Darwin Nunez. A fresh start under a new gaffer along with the weight of expectation lifted off of his shoulders a little can only help.
A relaxed Nunez can spell trouble for the rest of the Premier League and can be the difference for Liverpool lifting silverware this year or failing to meet expectations.
A Modest Prediction
As is American Scouser tradition, I’ve got to end this piece with a prediction. Throughout the 2023/24 season, Nunez finished with 18 goals in all competitions paired with 54 appearances. This season is a big one for the Uruguayan no doubt, as he’s looking to finally cement himself as a regular in the starting eleven, and win over the doubters.
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I’d say he finally breaks the 20-goal mark this season and scores 25 in all competitions. Such is Liverpool’s attacking depth that rotation could probably get in the way of Nunez scoring more, but it still presents a solid improvement over the prior year. As Liverpool fans, the best we can do now is take a step back, give the lad a chance (myself included), cross our fingers, and let the man cook.
