0/1
Pass accuracy
67%
Key passes
1
xA
0.01
Big chances created
0
Duels won
0/3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Jota did not take a single shot on goal in 60 minutes and only created one chance, which had an xA value of 0.01, whilst he also lost 100% of his duels.
This shows that he offered very little in the final third, as either a scorer or a creator, and that led to him being withdrawn from the match at 1-0 with 30 minutes still left to play.
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Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The Portuguese dud produced this performance off the back of missing one 'big chance' and completing 25% (2/8) of his attempted passes in 67 minutes in the defeat to Fulham in the previous match.
Liverpool striker Diogo Jota
His last two outings as a starter in the centre-forward position suggest that it is time for Slot to ruthlessly ditch him from the team to unleash another player in that role, whilst they also suggest that Liverpool should be in the market for a striker this summer.
Why Liverpool need to sign a striker this summer
The Reds need to go out and land a new number nine when the summer transfer window opens for business because they do not currently have a reliable option in that position.
Slot has a number of players who can play in that role but his best two finishers out of the lot - Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo - are wingers by trade, rather than natural centre-forwards, as you can see in the table below.
Liverpool's striker options
24/25 Premier League
xG
Goals
xG differential
Luis Diaz
10.60
11
+0.40
Diogo Jota
8.26
6
-2.25
Cody Gakpo
6.35
8
+1.65
Darwin Nunez
5.30
5
-0.30
Federico Chiesa
0.46
0
-0.46
Stats via WhoScored
Diaz and Gakpo are the only two options on the list that have outperformed their xG in the Premier League this season for Liverpool, whilst Jota has underperformed his xG by the most.
It was recently reported that the Reds are interested in a deal to sign Alexander Isak from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, and he would be a huge upgrade on what the club currently have at their disposal.
The Swedish star scored 21 goals from 20.29 xG in 30 appearances in the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign, to go along with two assists.
So far this term, the former Real Sociedad dynamo has scored 20 goals from 16.28 xG in 27 appearances in the top-flight, which speaks to his consistency and his ruthlessness in front of goal for the Magpies.
newcastle-united-champions-league-alexander-isak
With this in mind, Liverpool must pursue a deal for a new striker, whether that is Isak or a similar talent, to give themselves a reliable and consistent number nine in the 2024/25 campaign, allowing them to permanently move on from Jota as a starter.
Sadio Mane Liverpool graphic
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