As the new Premier League season is getting around the corner, and the teams are kind of done with their businesses, we can look at some of the key players that can make a difference in their new club and get off to a flying start in a whole new setting! Let us begin by looking at the new summer signings of Liverpool and the key players who can make a difference at Anfield, going into the new season. We will be analysing each aspect of the game and how the players can really put in the value to each of the new sides they have signed for.
To begin with, the Reds have signed 3 players majorly this summer- Fabio Carvalho, Darwin Nunez, and Calvin Ramsay. They have also had outgoing players majorly in the form of Origi, Mane, and Minamino. Here, we will be looking at Fabio Carvalho and Darwin Nunez, and we will also discuss why we should keep an eye on both of these newbies as the new season is about to commence.
Darwin Nunez
The Uruguayan is one of the marquee signings this summer. A lot of hype was around the player before his transfer to Merseyside was sealed, given his successful last campaign. And even today, after the deal is done, the 23-year-old #9 remains in the thick of the conversations, as one of the major reasons for Liverpool to buy Nunez was also because of Haaland’s Manchester City move.
Having said that, many see this debate – Nunez vs Haaland, as a cop-out or “utterly pointless” because they think that Haaland is clear and Nunez does NOT “fit the bill” to be a striker in a Liverpool side.
To address this, you could surf through this article- “What can Darwin Nunez bring to Anfield?”- if you have not already. Mainly because, I will be going in-depth with this analysis as he has also played some of the minutes as a Liverpool number 9 already in the preseason games and so this analysis would be focused on how he performed in the Reds XI, and what he can work on and basically the Eye Test.
So, now you all know from the last article as to why I think Darwin Nunez would perform well on English soil. To brief it out, it is mainly because of the fact that his playing style is a mixture built on the gameplays of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez- and also some of the individual repertoire of skills that Nunez already possesses.
We have already been blessed with his A-star performance in Liverpool’s preseason game against Leipzig. Although it was more of a statement than a performance from the Uruguayan, he still managed to silence his haters and that was the highlight of it all. But why the hate? You may wonder… For context, the opposition fanbase hated the comparison that was being drawn between Haaland and Nunez.
So Man City signed Erling Haaland from Dortmund and then, Liverpool took to the transfer market and bought Darwin Nunez in reply. The media outlets made a mountain of the hill, and a whole narrative was built out of it- “Haaland vs Nunez: Premier League 2022/23 is getting hot”.
To be honest, it is fair to say that Haaland has built a consistent reputation of being a beast, for almost 3 years running now. And the states alone are enough to prove that. But after watching the preseason games it might take a lot to ignore the whole “Haaland vs Nunez” narrative because the Uruguayan is doing bits! Here’s how…
See, Nunes is an out-and-out number 9, that is for sure, but in the recent Liverpool games, he has shown versatility in his movements. Dropping deep, staying up front while working through those offside traps, and most importantly being constantly on the move- not being a stray in the thick of the play.
Yes! It is true that his finishing was off in the preseason games against Manchester United and Crystal Palace, but I would see that as a stage when a player comes out of the vacation zone after the season-end break. It was a whole lot of new change to settle in for him, and he also trained in only one of the sessions with the full squad before the United clash in Bangkok.
However, the Leipzig game on the other hand was a good ‘preseason’ spectacle of Nunez’s abilities. I mean, there is still a lot to work on for the coaching staff and the player himself, because he surely has not hit his best form since coming into Klopp’s side. It is easily visible in the way he is making runs in behind the opposing defences and also there seems to be something off about his finishing.
But then again, we must also know that he has just come into the squad- done training and bonded- just 2 weeks back and despite settling in being a time-taking process for some, Nunez still hit 4 goals in a single preseason game against Leipzig the other day. He is not the complete striker, but he sure could be a beast of a goalscorer going into the new season if certain aspects of his game are worked upon. And one thing is for sure, in the Community Shield on Saturday, the majority of the eyes will be on the “Haaland vs Nunez” battle!
Fabio Carvalho
The 19-year-old, born in Portugal, played a key part in Fulham’s promotion charge during the last championship season. And it was enough to gather all the attention, as many big clubs vied for the youngster’s signature, but it was Liverpool who stood out among the thick of the challenges
Fabio Carvalho was born in Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon. From a very early age, he got enrolled into Benfica’s youth team- he was just 7. Having been able to kickstart his career at such an early age, the young attacking midfielder further got the benefit of time and patience to work on his skills.
Can see why Liverpool are opting for Fulham’s Fabio Carvalho. You basically won’t find a bigger goal threat among U21-players in that position anywhere. pic.twitter.com/lgSJWDvRg1
— Marcus Bring (@MarcusBr22) January 25, 2022
The versatile young midfielder has a knack for picking up the right passes for his teammates. Not only that, his ability to play a supporting role to the forwards has caught the eye of many.
Now, if we look at him, he is able to play in a much deeper midfield role as well as in the wider areas of the pitch. Compared to his early Benfica days or even Fulham days, in just a couple of preseason games that he has played for his new club- Liverpool- we are able to witness a whole new sense of maturity which stands out in a way he moves on the pitch or even get behind in the spaces. In a Liverpool jersey, Carvalho looks comfortable already- and here’s a breakdown as to why I say that.
In the first preseason game against Manchester United, Carvalho was playing on the left of the midfield behind Luis Diaz. During the match, there were instances when the young Portuguese midfielder took it upon himself to make a run forward and score a goal on the counter to lower the deficit. Although the goal never came, the intent shown by the 19-year-old was more than promising. In another instance, Carvalho was also spotted playing a role of a deep-lying midfielder. He dispossessed a United frontrunner, and then carried the ball out of his own half to start a fresh attack.
Just 19, and he showed some of the experienced lots as to how you can add value to the side by putting in bits up front in the attack, as well as in the defence. With such an array of skills and high-quality play style at such a young age, it will be foolish to not put Fabio Carvalho’s name on the list of “The New Signings to look out for” before the start of the new season.
