Joe Cole shares his perspective on Liverpool star Darwin Nunez while invoking Chelsea legend Didier Drogba as an example
Former Chelsea icon Joe Cole believes Liverpool star Darwin Nunez can improve on his finishing like Chelsea legend Didier Drogba. Nunez has been in spectacular form for the Reds so far this season but he tends to miss chances.
Liverpool defeated Toulouse 5-1 in their Europa League Group E fixture on Thursday at Anfield. The 24-year-old played a pivotal role during the game and scored a fantastic goal in the 34th minute.
However, the Uruguay international took the spotlight after his fantastic run ended with a glaring open-goal miss. Ryan Gravenberch capitalized on the miss with a goal after the ball hit the post and ended straight at him.
Cole told TNT Sports (h/t Liverpool Echo) that Nunez can work on his finish like Drogba did, after joining Chelsea. He said:
“He [Nunez] gets an A* in every part of his game, and his performance tonight was also fantastic but his finishing is a C at the moment – but that’s something he can work on. It’s something that often comes later on in strikers, something that they work on later like Didier Drogba. When he arrived at Chelsea, he wasn’t as polished as when he became the legend.”
Examining Darwin Nunez’s contributions and playing style
Liverpool signed Nunez from Portuguese side Benfica for an initial £64m during the 2022 summer transfer window. The 24-year-old faced criticism for the lack of goals and a high proportion of missed chances during his first season. The Uruguayan contributed to 15 goals and four assists in all competitions as the whole team struggled with form. The decent output and the factors surrounding the last season raised questions about whether critics treated Nunez poorly.
Many fans and football pundits believe that the unnecessary criticism is due to comparison with Manchester City poacher Erling Haaland. The Norwegian counterpart is an excellent goal scorer but he is playing at a more established team.
"He's a happy boy!"
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 27, 2023
Jurgen Klopp doesn't care that Darwin Nunez hit the post against Toulouse#BBCFootball #lfc #UEL pic.twitter.com/h83UQbJ1Cy
The Citizens won the treble last season, and Haaland has the sole job of providing output to the team. Haaland’s non-contribution to other aspects of the game is well-known.
Whereas, Nunez has more to his game with his link-up play, work rate, and movements to create spaces for other forwards. The Uruguay international has 12 appearances while contributing to five goals and five assists in all competitions this season.
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Cole makes a valid point as Nunez tends to miss easy chances while having an uncanny knack for scoring tough goals. The Uruguayan can become more threatening than he already is if he can be more composed in front of goal. Rest assured, the 24-year-old is already a massive fan-favorite for his overall contribution, and we expect more goals from him.
