In the event you had been to obtain a listing of important squad necessities from Arne Slot, a goalscoring striker could be proper close to the highest.
Now, it’s possible you’ll assume that may be a given for any coach. But in an period of false nines and inverted trendy wingers whose job is to attain as a lot as it’s to create, it’s not all the time the case.
The 2024/25 title-winning marketing campaign was an ideal instance. The central strikers in that squad – Darwin Nunez and the late Diogo Jota – scored solely 11 of Liverpool’s 86 Premier League targets (12.7%), with 52 of them (60%) coming from the vast forwards Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and, in fact, Golden Boot winner Mohamed Salah.
It turned clear very early on that Slot wasn’t eager on his current striker choices, with Diaz frequently taking part in down the center.
That Liverpool cruised to title quantity 20 with out a striker able to hitting double figures was not solely spectacular however in stark distinction to Slot’s beforehand profitable groups.
A hanging theme
At Feyenoord, the prolific Santiago Gimenez scored 23 targets in all competitions in 2022/23, going at a price of 1 in two within the league as Feyenoord lifted the Eredivisie trophy.
The next marketing campaign he prolonged that to 26, with Slot this time lifting the Dutch Cup. Earlier than the Mexican’s arrival, Slot’s first season in Rotterdam noticed loanee Cyriel Dessers introduced in as a standard centre ahead.
The Nigerian scored 20 in 41 appearances throughout all competitions, taking part in a significant position in Feyenoord reaching the Europa Convention League ultimate.
In his single season as supervisor of AZ Alkmaar – through which AZ had been extremely difficult Ajax for the title till COVID-19 arrived – Slot acquired the easiest out of teenage striker Myron Boadu, who hit 20 targets in all competitions.
The theme right here is clear – till arriving in England, Slot has all the time had a pure finisher spearheading his groups. Enter the room, Ekitike.
An funding in Slot’s participant improvement
The 23-year-old French striker has been signed from Frankfurt in a deal price £69 million, with a possible £10 million in add-ons.
That Slot needed a brand new striker was well-known earlier than the window opened and the unbelievably tragic circumstances with Jota. The best goal was Alexander Isak, however the switch door was shut and locked with the important thing thrown away by Newcastle, for now at the very least.
And from the alternate options accessible, Ekitike has been judged as the subsequent best choice.
Regardless of his apparent expertise, the scale of the payment has raised eyebrows contemplating the nonetheless uncapped Ekitike has solely had one high-scoring season and didn’t make the grade at PSG.
He bagged 22 targets final marketing campaign, however within the years earlier than that, throughout his time in Germany, Paris and at Reims, his numbers stood at 4, 4 and 11 targets, respectively – though the latter season was interrupted by a hamstring harm.
Nevertheless, however the crazily inflated striker market, that is an funding within the long-term, not simply the now.
What’s extra, it’s an funding within the confirmed observe document Slot has of creating gamers and taking them to the subsequent stage. This contains strikers that the Dutchman has chosen himself, who match the stylistic calls for and techniques of his groups.
Sharpening the attacking edge
The proof is within the proverbial pudding. In his season earlier than becoming a member of Feyenoord, Gimenez scored simply 9 targets for Cruz Azul. For Dessers, his tally the 12 months earlier than linking up with Slot was seven.
For Boadu, it was a mere three – and while he was a teen, he hasn’t hit double figures since.
There is no such thing as a doubt that Ekitike is now one of the thrilling younger strikers within the recreation. Beneath Slot’s tutelage, it doesn’t appear too hyperbolic to assume that Ekitike might develop into one of many world’s greatest within the subsequent three to 5 years.
Typically, Slot desires his centre-forwards to do their greatest work between the parameters of the 18-yard field – to be direct and a penalty field goal. To not hesitate to shoot on aim.
If a cross is performed in or an clever by means of ball threaded, his striker is anticipated to be there. Taking a look at stats from FBrefin comparison with different comparable strikers, Ekitike is within the 94th percentile for each shot-creating actions and touches contained in the attacking penalty space.
That could be a large field ticked.
Nevertheless, the identical stats reveal that he’s solely within the seventy fifth percentile per 90 minutes for non-penalty targets, suggesting that there’s improvement nonetheless to come back.
It has been reported that he typically snatches at probabilities and must develop into extra environment friendly in entrance of aim. This shouldn’t be stunning for a younger ahead, and followers must be crammed with anticipation about how Slot could make Ekitike extra scientific – to not point out the educational he’ll get from the likes of Salah.
Enhancing link-up play
The one full season Ekitike had at Frankfurt additionally displayed how good he has develop into together with his link-up play with fellow forwards, creating a robust understanding with first Omar Marmoush after which Jean-Matteo Bahoya and Ansgar Knauff.
Certainly, it wasn’t simply the targets however the assists – 12 of them – that made final season the most effective of his profession to this point. This undoubtedly is one other large attraction for Slot.
The Dutchman likes technical forwards who’re good with the ball at their ft and might deliver others into play. To work seamlessly inside an attacking trio or quartet.
Will probably be attention-grabbing to see how Ekitike is ready to break down low-lying Premier League defences together with his quick ft, motion and passing.
If Slot may also help him type the identical kind of instinctive understanding with the likes of Salah and Florian Wirtz, he might be lethal.
Studying to do the soiled work
A lightning-fast ahead who’s supreme with the ball at his ft and enjoys beating a person, Ekitike will provide actual choices on the break, once more providing Slot one other string to his attacking bow.
That might be invaluable in tight matches towards the larger sides and within the Champions League. As might the flexibility to carry up the ball and press – options of his recreation that Slot will virtually actually take a look at enhancing.
What’s noticeable from assessing Slot’s utilization of forwards is how onerous he expects them to work out of possession.
At Feyenoord, Gimenez wasn’t only a finisher. He all the time ran his socks off for the workforce, urgent defenders and difficult for the ball, be it to deliver others into play or to win a free kick.
I used to be on the Feyenoord recreation towards Bayern Munich within the Champions League final season (which the Dutch facet gained 3-0), and it wasn’t Gimenez’s two targets that stood out – it was the unbelievable, relentless work price.
After all, taking part in for a extra front-foot Liverpool facet is a distinct kettle of fish, however Ekitike can be anticipated to do the soiled work that trendy strikers are sometimes requested to do, one thing that wasn’t actually a part of his job description in Germany.
At 6’2″, Ekitike has top and is deceptively good within the air, and Slot will certainly assist him to make use of that body towards aggressive and canny Premier League centre halves.
Out and in of the highlight
As soccer followers, we are able to’t assist however get carried away by a high quality younger participant with actual potential.
The hype round Ekitike is comprehensible. But it could be that Slot, as a superb man-manager, takes the 23-year-old out of the firing line extra frequently than we would assume in his first season, as he adapts to the rigours and pressures of such an intense league and the expectations of being a Liverpool centre ahead.
To once more take the instance of Gimenez, Slot solely began him in 9 of his first 20 Eredivisie video games. Certainly, it wasn’t till early February that he performed his first full 90 minutes.
We might discover that Ekitike is initially given a extra gradual introduction and be rotated, particularly with the likes of Wirtz and, in the event that they keep, Diaz and Nunez, accessible.
There was a protracted queue of golf equipment lining as much as tempt Ekitike, an distinctive expertise who might someday develop into world-class.
If his decision-making in entrance of aim is half nearly as good as his alternative in coaches, Liverpool followers might quickly be including a brand new title to their very own listing of legendary strikers to play for the membership.
your blog is fantastic! I’m learning so much from the way you share your thoughts.