Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino: The World-Class False Number 9

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Liverpool's Roberto Firmino: The World-Class False Nine

Roberto Firmino arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2015 from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim. The Brazilian impressed in German outfit and Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rogers brought him to Anfield for £29 million.

The Brazilian leads the attack for Liverpool along with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. But Firmino is the one who works selflessly, which ultimately leaves Salah and Mane to shine on the pitch and gain the spotlight.

Jurgen Klopp has hailed Firmino as “The most important player for Liverpool” on several occasions.

Roberto Firmino, who’s given the nickname ‘Bobby’ by Liverpool fans is a complete entertainer. Bobby is prominent in his creativity, link-up play, goalscoring ability, and work rate.

A tricky player who also possesses dribbling ability makes unorthodox and trendsetter goal celebrations and scores no-look finish.

But the other side of Firmino’s game is the selfless role he plays in the team.

‘Bobby’ Firmino’s contribution for the Reds

Liverpool Boss Jurgen Klopp recently stated:

Mo gets a lot of attention and rightly so. But Bobby, for people with football knowledge, I’m pretty sure when he finishes playing people will write books about the way he interpreted the false-nine position.

People who have followed Liverpool and closely watched Liverpool’s game under Klopp will surely understand why Klopp rates Firmino at the top.

In Klopp’s system of gegenpressing, Firmino is the most important player.

To play the role of Modern-day false no. 9 is not an easy task, it involves understanding the game, timing, versatility, and traditional striker roles like a hold-up. And also requires in team’s pressing and defensive sides of the game.

And Bobby is surely a technically gifted player with footballing intelligence, who mastered the role of False no. 9.

Firmino is unabating with the ball and also off the ball. His ability to impact the game in many ways makes him one of the best attackers of the game.

The work rate of Firmino is immense, looking into his stats (as per FBref.com) the number of tackles, interceptions, blocks, and pressure on opposing players looks impressive, while the Brazilian’s defensive work is as sublime as some of the best defensive midfielders of the English League.

Firmino has a fine score of 19.31 per 90 minutes in pressure applied to opposing players per game, which shows the amount of tireless work the Brazilian does.

And he still has managed to find the back of the net 93 times in a total of 303 games so far.

Firmino, the odd one out from the famous trio of Liverpool.

Liverpool trio - Firmino, Mane, Salah.

In Attack, it is always Salah and Mane who get the limelight with the number of goals the duo scores. But it is Firmino who is the connector/creator for the African duo.

On the pitch, spectators have often witnessed how Firmino analyses the situations.

It is often seen, there are situations where Firmino could score but he generously lays off to Mane or Salah because they were in better positions to finish it off.

It is time the world wakes up and appreciates Firmino as the Greatest False Nine.

Firmino has established himself as a crucial member of the Liverpool squad and has set the benchmark of false nine at a new height and altogether on a different level. Thus, Roberto Firmino might not be one of the greatest of all time but he surely is one of the best team players you could have in your side.

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