Roberto Firmino - signed the silky swine
- Thread starter LeTallecWiz
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I read it was half if we qualify for CL in next two seasons and half when he makes 100 appearances.
Good sensible stuff.
Recruitment is open for another 2 weeks mate chillHow in the fuark have I been left out of the DA...for the second year in a row?!?
Dammit Oncy.
Count me in chief.
Rapping Ryan APPROVES
I don't think the goals issue is a real problem, I think in this system he'll score more goals anyway, but his movement off the ball is similar to Suarez' particularly the types of runs he makes when further forward. I think he'll be part of the front three, I don't think it's a given he'll play in behind.
[article=http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-roberto-firmino-new-ronaldinho-5938549]
Born in the stunning coastal city of Maceió in the state of Alagoas, Firmino fell in love with football as soon as he was old enough to play it.
His mother, Cícera, recently told a local TV station that she would often catch the youngster sleeping with his ball, and that he would often sneak out of the house – sometimes as early as 5am – to practice. His nickname as a child was rachinha – "kick-about".
As he entered his teens, Firmino was playing for Independente, an amateur youth side. But greater things beckoned and at 14 he was taken for a trial at of local professional team Clube de Regatas Brasil (CRB) by Dona Cícera.
He did enough to be accepted into the club's youth system and featured in interstate tournaments as well as the local league. But according to his first coach, he was yet to become the flair player that caught the eye of the Liverpool scouts.
"When he played for me, he was a defensive midfielder," Guilherme Farias told GloboEsporte earlier this month.
"He only became more attacking when he moved on. He wins the ball just as well as he uses it."
There was only one potential stumbling block as Firmino worked his way up through the age groups: his bank balance. He said this week that he was born into a "modest family", but the reality appears to have been a touch more stark.
"At the time, his dad was unemployed and they were very poor," says Farias, who became something of a fairy godfather to the youngster.
"I helped him pay for travel to tournaments in São Paulo. I helped him find a sponsor, too. I knew it would be worth the effort."
CRB, however, would not get to benefit from the generosity of their youth-team coach. Firmino was offered professional terms by the club but turned his nose up at the contract (the proposed wage was "very low", admits Farias).
After a trial with Série A giants São Paulo came to nought, Firmino made his way to Figueirense, then in the second flight. The rest, as they say, is history: playing further forward, his slick footwork and eye for a pass attracted scouts and Hoffenheim swooped.
Firmino's star has risen swiftly since then, but for all his flashy tattoos and crowd-pleasing style ("Ronaldinho has always been my inspiration... I model myself on him" he says) he remains down to earth and almost timid in front of the camera – not that he sees this as a weakness.
"Being shy has never held me back," he said this week.
"I'm not used to doing press conferences and I don't like giving interviews. But on the pitch I transform. I become a different person."
Those who know him well are certainly in no doubt over his ability.
"He's a fantastic player with phenomenal intelligence," Marcellus Portella, a family friend who has been watching Firmino since he was 13, told Globo.
"He dribbles well and has had vision of the game since he was young.
"He'll do really well [in England]."
Firmino himself will be hoping a move to Anfield helps him fulfill his ambition of winning trophies – something that has eluded him thus far.
"I don't like to lose," he told reporters in Brazil ahead of the Seleção's Copa América game against Paraguay at the weekend.
"I always want to win games... and titles. I think it's time to take the next step."
Liverpool fans will be hoping Firmino will help them do just that.[/article]
Born in the stunning coastal city of Maceió in the state of Alagoas, Firmino fell in love with football as soon as he was old enough to play it.
His mother, Cícera, recently told a local TV station that she would often catch the youngster sleeping with his ball, and that he would often sneak out of the house – sometimes as early as 5am – to practice. His nickname as a child was rachinha – "kick-about".
As he entered his teens, Firmino was playing for Independente, an amateur youth side. But greater things beckoned and at 14 he was taken for a trial at of local professional team Clube de Regatas Brasil (CRB) by Dona Cícera.
He did enough to be accepted into the club's youth system and featured in interstate tournaments as well as the local league. But according to his first coach, he was yet to become the flair player that caught the eye of the Liverpool scouts.
"When he played for me, he was a defensive midfielder," Guilherme Farias told GloboEsporte earlier this month.
"He only became more attacking when he moved on. He wins the ball just as well as he uses it."
There was only one potential stumbling block as Firmino worked his way up through the age groups: his bank balance. He said this week that he was born into a "modest family", but the reality appears to have been a touch more stark.
"At the time, his dad was unemployed and they were very poor," says Farias, who became something of a fairy godfather to the youngster.
"I helped him pay for travel to tournaments in São Paulo. I helped him find a sponsor, too. I knew it would be worth the effort."
CRB, however, would not get to benefit from the generosity of their youth-team coach. Firmino was offered professional terms by the club but turned his nose up at the contract (the proposed wage was "very low", admits Farias).
After a trial with Série A giants São Paulo came to nought, Firmino made his way to Figueirense, then in the second flight. The rest, as they say, is history: playing further forward, his slick footwork and eye for a pass attracted scouts and Hoffenheim swooped.
Firmino's star has risen swiftly since then, but for all his flashy tattoos and crowd-pleasing style ("Ronaldinho has always been my inspiration... I model myself on him" he says) he remains down to earth and almost timid in front of the camera – not that he sees this as a weakness.
"Being shy has never held me back," he said this week.
"I'm not used to doing press conferences and I don't like giving interviews. But on the pitch I transform. I become a different person."
Those who know him well are certainly in no doubt over his ability.
"He's a fantastic player with phenomenal intelligence," Marcellus Portella, a family friend who has been watching Firmino since he was 13, told Globo.
"He dribbles well and has had vision of the game since he was young.
"He'll do really well [in England]."
Firmino himself will be hoping a move to Anfield helps him fulfill his ambition of winning trophies – something that has eluded him thus far.
"I don't like to lose," he told reporters in Brazil ahead of the Seleção's Copa América game against Paraguay at the weekend.
"I always want to win games... and titles. I think it's time to take the next step."
Liverpool fans will be hoping Firmino will help them do just that.[/article]
steady
Ryan Babel
Ppl asked me about Firmino... He's super talented, but i dont know where LFC could play him as they have Coutinho...
So that's where Lippy's got to. 😉
Liverpool FC have agreed a deal to sign Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim for an initial fee of around £21 million, it was confirmed this morning.
Reds’ fans are excited about a 23-year-old creative Brazilian international who it is hoped will bolster Liverpool’s Champions League hopes for next season – certainly his Bundesliga stats are there to back those claims up.
No midfielder in the Bundesliga over the last two seasons has been involved in more goals than the Brazilian, with Firmino scoring or assisting 44 goals in Hoffenheim over the last two campaigns. In fact, across Europe’s top five leagues only Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez has been involved in more goals from midfield than the new Reds player over the same time period.
The obvious creativity that the Brazilian brings doesn’t stop there either. The 23-year-old has completed 27 through balls in the Bundesliga over the past three seasons, more than any other player in the league and Reds’ fans will be happy to know that he also possesses an impressive 69.8% pass accuracy inside the opposition half.
When Firmino is compared against Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana, Liverpool’s current armoury of creative players, it becomes more clear to see the assets that the midfielder will bring to Anfield.
First of all, Firmino managed 10 assists in the Bundesliga last season, which is three more than the closest Liverpool player managed in their respective league. In fact, all three of Liverpool’s creative players that were analysed only managed a total of 15 assists between them, showing that the Reds’ new signing could be a crucial creative asset.
The good news doesn’t stop there for Liverpool fans. The Brazilian manages over four successful take-ons per game – which is more than any of the Reds’ players in question – and also plays more than 25 forward passes per game, with only his fellow countryman Coutinho managing to better those figures.
While he’s not the out-and-out goalscorer that Liverpool are still on the hunt for, the Brazilian’s record for goals isn’t exactly one to be sniffed at. He scored as many league goals last year as Sterling with 7 and the season before he enjoyed his most fruitful campaign in front of goal, scoring 16.
A lot has been said about the 23-year-old’s attacking prowess, but actually his defensive statistics also help him to stand out above Liverpool’s current crop of creative talent.
Firmino made 37 interceptions in the Bundesliga last year – more than double the figures any of the Liverpool players produced – and also managed 30 clearances, with the closest Reds player on that front being Lallana with 17 clearances.
He may not be known for his heading ability, but with winning 37.2% of his aerial duels he yet again is streets ahead of the numbers his new teammates managed to produce last season. Firmino also won 69 tackles in the league last season, which is 20 more than Coutinho who was top of the Liverpool men.
How many goals did Suarez scored before coming to Liverpool?
Liverpool FC have agreed a deal to sign Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim for an initial fee of around £21 million, it was confirmed this morning.
Reds’ fans are excited about a 23-year-old creative Brazilian international who it is hoped will bolster Liverpool’s Champions League hopes for next season – certainly his Bundesliga stats are there to back those claims up.
No midfielder in the Bundesliga over the last two seasons has been involved in more goals than the Brazilian, with Firmino scoring or assisting 44 goals in Hoffenheim over the last two campaigns. In fact, across Europe’s top five leagues only Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez has been involved in more goals from midfield than the new Reds player over the same time period.
The obvious creativity that the Brazilian brings doesn’t stop there either. The 23-year-old has completed 27 through balls in the Bundesliga over the past three seasons, more than any other player in the league and Reds’ fans will be happy to know that he also possesses an impressive 69.8% pass accuracy inside the opposition half.
When Firmino is compared against Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana, Liverpool’s current armoury of creative players, it becomes more clear to see the assets that the midfielder will bring to Anfield.
First of all, Firmino managed 10 assists in the Bundesliga last season, which is three more than the closest Liverpool player managed in their respective league. In fact, all three of Liverpool’s creative players that were analysed only managed a total of 15 assists between them, showing that the Reds’ new signing could be a crucial creative asset.
The good news doesn’t stop there for Liverpool fans. The Brazilian manages over four successful take-ons per game – which is more than any of the Reds’ players in question – and also plays more than 25 forward passes per game, with only his fellow countryman Coutinho managing to better those figures.
While he’s not the out-and-out goalscorer that Liverpool are still on the hunt for, the Brazilian’s record for goals isn’t exactly one to be sniffed at. He scored as many league goals last year as Sterling with 7 and the season before he enjoyed his most fruitful campaign in front of goal, scoring 16.
A lot has been said about the 23-year-old’s attacking prowess, but actually his defensive statistics also help him to stand out above Liverpool’s current crop of creative talent.
Firmino made 37 interceptions in the Bundesliga last year – more than double the figures any of the Liverpool players produced – and also managed 30 clearances, with the closest Reds player on that front being Lallana with 17 clearances.
He may not be known for his heading ability, but with winning 37.2% of his aerial duels he yet again is streets ahead of the numbers his new teammates managed to produce last season. Firmino also won 69 tackles in the league last season, which is 20 more than Coutinho who was top of the Liverpool men.
Coutinho won more tackles than Sterling last season? Really?
Fucking loads.
They must mean winning a free-kick for your team. Sterling did try hard by getting assaulted numerous times, but for some strange reason which I'm beginning to now understand, the referees just shrugged it off.
Isn't that literally every footballer in 2015
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