Recent Performances Show Why Liverpool Still Need Nabil Fekir

Recent Liverpool performances against Manchester City, Arsenal and Red Star Belgrade have shown us that The Reds are still missing that world class creative talent that can unlock tight defences.

It’s true that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has a thrilling front three and in Xherdan Shaqiri he has added a bit more of an attacking threat from midfield. But at key times this term, they’ve still lacked that attacking midfielder who has the vision and ability to play the right pass that breaks down stubborn, tight defences.

In their Champions League defeat in Belgrade, Liverpool bossed possession and had more efforts at goal. Unfortunately for them they didn’t create enough clearcut chances and in truth they actually only had the same amount of shots on target as their hosts.

Klopp and Liverpool’s recruitment team have done wonders in recent windows. They’ve vastly improved the backline with the additions of Andrew Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson. Obviously Mohamed Salah has added more goals to the frontline and the squad now has a greater strength in depth.

The one thing that the Merseyside giants haven’t done is successfully replace creative maestro Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian, who left for FC Barcelona in January, did posses the knack of finding the forwards with sublime balls that would simply miss out opposing defences. Liverpool no longer have a star of that calibre in their team to create those chances in the biggest of games.

For me, that’s why the Premier League club should once again look at bringing in Olympique Lyonnais attacker Nabil Fakir.

A move for the French World Cup winner fell through during the summer. It was speculated that the Anfield club’s medical department weren’t overly happy with his medical report.

This season Nabil has played in seven Ligue 1 games, contributing to his team’s cause by scoring twice and setting up two assists. In the Champions League the Frenchman has made three appearances; scoring twice and creating two assists.

Fekir was in stunning form as Lyon beat Manchester City at the Etihad in September. He set-up Maxwell Cornet to score the first, then grabbed the winner himself with a neat low finish from distance. When you consider that Liverpool couldn’t make the breakthrough against City during their league clash at Anfield, it should tell you how good the twenty-five year old is that he managed to cut open the Citizens twice.

Nabil’s average passing success rate in the Champions League is up at 87% so far during this campaign. Last season, he scored over twenty goals (mostly from an attacking midfield position) and had nine assists to his name.

At Liverpool, Fekir would give The Reds an extra dimension from deeper positions. He would also give the attacking positions more versatility; he is excellent as a number ten, can play on the right, as a makeshift centre forward or even as a creative number eight in the engine room.

You’ve got to think that his ability to find a through ball and provide accurate well driven-in crosses would also have Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Salah rubbing their hands with glee as they think of the possible ammunition that Nabil could provide them if he were in a Reds jersey.

You then add the fact that if he’s not setting up chances, then he’s got the ability to put them away himself!

To win major trophies, you need top class players that can unlock defences in big games and create chances for your forwards. At times that just doesn’t seem to have happened for Liverpool this term. That could change if they go back in and finally sign Nabil Fekir.

 

One Response to “Recent Performances Show Why Liverpool Still Need Nabil Fekir”

  1. there is really a need for liverpool to buy fekir what an attacking machine he is

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