Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has told Sky Sports’ Super 6 podcast (via Liverpool Echo) that the club needs to sign a goalscorer.
The Reds’ title defence seems over given how they’ve fared over the past couple of months, winning only two of their last ten Premier League matches. They are currently sixth in the standings with 40 points.
Carragher says that the Reds need a proper goalscorer to lessen the scoring pressure on the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
He said: “Liverpool definitely need to bring a goalscorer in. I don’t know exactly what position for, whether that’s a centre-forward or a midfielder.
“At the moment they are massively reliant on Salah and Mane – nobody else looks like they’re going to score. Jota has been a miss, but whether Jota would ever be first choice in a Liverpool team – I’m not sure yet. He made a great start when he came in.
“I think they need to add goals to the team, whether that’s a midfield player who can score goals because it looks like (Georgino) Wijnaldum is going to move on or it’s a case of doing something different through the middle.
“You look at Bobby Firmino and Liverpool’s attacking players, they don’t actually have a striker. Jota is not a striker, same with Mane, same with Salah.
“They have Divock Origi but he’s nowhere near good enough. And a lot of the time he plays out wide because he can’t play as a centre-forward.
“So Firmino plays that role but we always talk about him being a ‘false nine’, he’s not actually an out-and-out striker.
“I think Liverpool could do with bringing a striker in, just to shake things up and primarily someone who gets goals. I think there’s too much pressure on those two players at the top of the pitch to score goals. If they don’t score, Liverpool don’t look like scoring.”
SL View
Liverpool are extremely reliant on Salah and Mane for goals. Ever since the former joined the club from Roma, the duo have netted almost 45% of the club’s tally (197 out of 438).
Firmino was previously prolific, but his output has dropped significantly. Jota was scoring at a good rate before he got injured and his absence has been felt.
When you look at the bench, there isn’t a prolific attacker with Origi hardly finding the net all season.
In order to challenge Manchester City, Liverpool certainly need to make some additions to their squad and another goalscorer is a necessity given that only Salah has been particularly prolific for them this season.
Someone like Wout Weghorst would be a solid addition to the Reds’ squad. The Dutchman has grabbed 19 goals in 27 matches for Wolfsburg this season.
As far as goals from midfield are concerned, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is capable of scoring from distance. He proved that against Crystal Palace in December and Brighton & Hove Albion last season.
The Reds could also try and sign Tomas Soucek who has been among the goals for West Ham United this term.
