The Donkey

[Hansern]

And this is why
Haaland 16
Darwin 9
Watkins 13
Jackson 7
Isak 10

It isn't rocket science to understand why players who score more aren't scrutinised as much as those who score less.

And this is why
Haaland 16
Darwin 9
Watkins 13
Jackson 7
Isak 10

It isn't rocket science to understand why players who score more aren't scrutinised as much as those who score less.

Lets be clear this isnt a comparison against Haaland. That would be foolish and very wrong.
But its not rocket science to look beyond the numbers either:

Haaland a goal every 99 mins
Darwin a goal every 163 mins
Watkins a goal every 171 mins
Jackson a goal every 235 mins
Isak a goal every 119 mins

Isak and Haaland takes penalties.

Only 5 players in the league have got more assists then Darwin as well. Missed chances aside. Darwin doesnt get the credit he deserves imho, and is having a pretty good season in all honesty.

 

[keniget]

You say that but few players have built up such a level of good will despite struggling after a big money move.

Nunez has gotten a TON of support in the ground. Most Liverpool fans are willing him to come good. All the pundits I've seen on TV have backed him to come good (including former strikers).

I don't really know what more you can ask for. He has become a bit of a meme player, sure, but that's because he's done meme worthy things.

There is no great conspiracy and there is no anti Liverpool bias at play.

 

[Hansern]

Nobody has said that there were either. But he still doesnt get the credit he deserves as a Liverpool player.
Generally because his game as evolved a lot over this league campaign.
If you disagree you disagree.

A goal every 163 mins is a 20 goal a season striker.

 

[doctor_mac]

One of the massive differences between the two is that Haaland is at the apex of a team that tears teams apart and serves him a succession of high quality chances. Darwin's chances are often manufactured himself or are chances on the break when he has much to do. I'm not saying Darwin could do what Haaland does, but I know damned well that Haaland couldn't do what Darwin does for our team.

 

[StevieM]

Watkins is having a fantastic season.

13 goals and 12 assists in the EPL.

 

[StevieM]

One of the massive differences between the two is that Haaland is at the apex of a team that tears teams apart and serves him a succession of high quality chances. Darwin's chances are often manufactured himself or are chances on the break when he has much to do. I'm not saying Darwin could do what Haaland does, but I know damned well that Haaland couldn't do what Darwin does for our team.

I dunno mate - just because managers deploy them differently doesn’t mean they couldn’t perform differently.

We move the ball quickly and directly - Haaland would feast off that and likely be much better at linking play than at City, who specifically don’t give him the ball unless it’s seemingly a goal scoring opportunity.

I’d be interested to see how many touches Haaland gets per game compared to others - feel like a high percentage of his touches are actually goal attempts rather than say passes.

Also think Pep likes him because of his movement and ability to occupy CB’s - in that respect him and Darwin are alike.

 

[Hansern]

Watkins is having a fantastic season.

13 goals and 12 assists in the EPL.

He’s having a great season. 13 goals and 10 assist is fantastic.

 

[rubans]

Some Villa fans have been on his back about his finishing stats too. Crazy I know as I think as he has been great.

 

[binomial]

Darwin is phenomenal. Is there anything this man can’t do? He looks the part, he feels the part and he is the part.

Top scorers in the league now. 2nd best defence in the league. Is our defence still better than our attack? Hmmmmm.

 

[Mystic]

Put simply the issue I was raising here is that commentators lead with this rhetoric that Darwin is a Jekyll and Hyde striker, who sometimes is sublime, but is mostly ridiculous. Yes commentators also say that when it clicks he'll be deadly etc etc, but I'm fed up of hearing it, they all treat him as a bit of a meme, and fail to appreciate how good he currently is, that's the issue.

Nunez is currently playing very well, and he's a huge factor in our recent success, winning us multiple points on his own. The best strikers are the ones who create the most chances, and Nunez definitely does that. All strikers miss a lot of sitters in the process, thats the nature of them throwing themselves at every half chance but for some reason, it's only Nunez that's getting this mockier of being a fluff merchant, and that's all I was taking offence at.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

Speaking about attack, nobody gonna discuss about our defence ?

2nd best in the league.

 

[Hansern]

Speaking about attack, nobody gonna discuss about our defence ?

2nd best in the league.

Getting in a midfield that can move and run works wonders for the rest of team.

 

[keniget]

One of the massive differences between the two is that Haaland is at the apex of a team that tears teams apart and serves him a succession of high quality chances. Darwin's chances are often manufactured himself or are chances on the break when he has much to do. I'm not saying Darwin could do what Haaland does, but I know damned well that Haaland couldn't do what Darwin does for our team.

Oh, come on. He's missed a succession of open goals / gilt edge chances.

Also, by all accounts we are one of the highest creators and scorers in the league so it's not like he's playing with a bunch of chumps.

Otherwise, yeah, he's improved a lot this season and we've seen some very good all round #9 play from him (e.g. vs Brentford).

 

[doctor_mac]

Oh, come on. He's missed a succession of open goals / gilt edge chances.

Also, by all accounts we are one of the highest creators and scorers in the league so it's not like he's playing with a bunch of chumps.

Otherwise, yeah, he's improved a lot this season and we've seen some very good all round #9 play from him (e.g. vs Brentford).

Yes, and we've just seen Haaland misses gilt edge chances too. Haaland does not play wings, he doesn't do the work that Darwin does. He sits on the shoulder and takes great chances. Darwin has also been pretty unlucky with a bunch of his chances too. Look, you clearly like this narrative too, so by all means, you and Gerry stick to it.

 

[keniget]

Yes, and we've just seen Haaland misses gilt edge chances too. Haaland does not play wings, he doesn't do the work that Darwin does. He sits on the shoulder and takes great chances. Darwin has also been pretty unlucky with a bunch of his chances too. Look, you clearly like this narrative too, so by all means, you and Gerry stick to it.

Dunno, Im not comparing him to Haaland though, yall are.

 

[moron]

Yes, and we've just seen Haaland misses gilt edge chances too. Haaland does not play wings, he doesn't do the work that Darwin does. He sits on the shoulder and takes great chances. Darwin has also been pretty unlucky with a bunch of his chances too. Look, you clearly like this narrative too, so by all means, you and Gerry stick to it.

Tell em doc, tell em !!!!

 

[Farkmaster]

Yes, and we've just seen Haaland misses gilt edge chances too. Haaland does not play wings, he doesn't do the work that Darwin does. He sits on the shoulder and takes great chances. Darwin has also been pretty unlucky with a bunch of his chances too. Look, you clearly like this narrative too, so by all means, you and Gerry stick to it.

The "narrative" about Nunez surrounds his goal scoring, as it has for every striker.

It's like saying that the narrative around race cars is how fast they go. It's not really even a narrative, other than if you think that a child counting is, in it's own way, a short story that ends with 10.

 

[doctor_mac]

The "narrative" about Nunez surrounds his goal scoring, as it has for every striker.

It's like saying that the narrative around race cars is how fast they go. It's not really even a narrative, other than if you think that a child counting is, in it's own way, a short story that ends with 10.

Wow, wrap up an obtuse argument in some facetious sophistry and this is what you get. There is quite clearly a narrative that comes up every time Darwin misses a chance in a way that isn't true of others. If you think that's untrue then I'm unsure if we have any basis for a conversation on the matter.

 

[Hansern]

"He has to adapt... to even consider that finish is madness."Michael Owen reveals concern over Darwin Nunez despite stunning finish in Liverpool win over Brentford.

Weird that a great finish and goal is met by a «you should have scored in a different way»…

 

[LarryHagman]

Nunez is having a good season, he's on a great run of form. But he has provided oppo fans with some laughs along the way.

Haaland's just come from about 4 years out injured and he's still the top scorer in the League this season, and has 73 in 79 for City before yesterday. So, he's earned some slack.

I agree that Nunez does more to help his team-mates prosper but Haaland usually just scores for himself. Job done.

I don't think we need compare, happy with Nunez in this form. Long may it continue/improve.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

lol @ this thread

Hey might as well talk about Hojlund too. 👻👻

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

Getting in a midfield that can move and run works wonders for the rest of team.

Wrong answer.

It’s all cos of Endo-san.

🤣🤣

 

[Frogfish]

BTW for those that said he should have passed to Jota ... I've just watched it back from numerous angles, at no time was Jota on-side, VAR would undoubtedly have given it as off-side had Nunez passed it to him.

Watch here with the best angle from about 5:07


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8IOwI_VvEs

 

[rurikbird]

lol @ this thread

Hey might as well talk about Hojlund too. 👻👻

Looks like @Hansern was right - Hojlund is a future top-class striker.

 

[Frogfish]

Interestingly I've just heard that Haaland is 3rd in the 'goal conversion' rate for the PL at around 23% (31% last season). Issak 29% and Jota 25%.

 

[Hansern]

Looks like @Hansern was right - Hojlund is a future top-class striker.

I think its way to early to tell in all honesty. His stats are still pretty poor and general link up play isnt good enough.
He might develop into a top class striker but the goalstreak he's on feels a bit lucky and abnormal.

Yesterday he was gifted a goal you dont even see at U-9s and then got shot at for the second.

 

[Modo]

This fire needs some gasoline:

SoT = shot on target
G = goals
Sh = shot
90 = a number

Haaland is a better goalscorer than Nunez
Jota owns both of them
And Hendo is stinking up the place at Ajax

 

[binomial]

This fire needs some gasoline:

SoT = shot on target
G = goals
Sh = shot
90 = a number

Haaland is a better goalscorer than Nunez
Jota owns both of them
And Hendo is stinking up the place at Ajax

These stats fucking suck tbh with you Modo, decimials.....fucking decimals UGHHHH.

Much prefer when KB does his crazy chart shit.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

Anyone considering a career in data science, piece of advice, run a mile.

 

[Brizzle]

The positive is that he is in a vein of form where he is starting to finish chances. I think he has benefitted from rotating across the positions with Jota, and not feeling the pressure to be the focal point of our attack. That will change now that Mo is back. The negatives are that none of our attackers will really feel any desire to make runs down the right. The positives are that Mo & Darwin link up very well, and if Mo is linking up with a confident Darwin, then that could be potent.

As always - I'd rather Darwin was in our team than any of our opponents. With Jota likely out til mid/late April we are going to need to start Darwin in every league game that we can.