When Darwin Nunez arrived early last summer in a big money move from Portuguese giants Benfica, it was amidst an air of hesitation from Liverpool fans who were not truly confident in the move. Couple this with the fact that Erling Haaland made his big money move to Manchester City, and the pressure ratcheted up on the big Uruguayan.
The Liverpool attack was in a state of flux as Luis Diaz was still fresh to the side and club legend Sadio Mane would depart for Bayern Munich. There was apprehension from some media and fans that after only 2 years in Portugal, the step up to Liverpool could be overwhelming for a young player.
He got off to a flying start with the club as he bagged a goal and an assist on opening day at Craven Cottage. Any confidence that built was washed away by a brutally terrible red card against Crystal Palace that saw the fiery Nunez clearly baited into a reaction.
It was a patchy run from then on out. At the World Cup in December, Uruguay went home at the group stage with Darwin not netting a goal or making a huge impact.
As we look back, 12 months later, some of those consternations were proven to be true. His first season at Anfield saw Nunez bring a return of 15 goals and 4 assist across all competitions. In January, the club reinforced the attack further with the addition of Cody Gakpo.
A front 3 of Cody Gakpo-Darwin Nunez-Mo Salah was the planned set up. However, as he settled, Gakpo showed an affinity for the false 9 role in Klopp’s system. He brought an element to the game that Darwin could not.
Nunez uses his physical tools and spirit to do a lot of his work. As such, he began being utilized out wide instead of through the middle.
His blistering pace on the outside proved to be troublesome for many defenders, but it was the end product that typically left more to be desired. However, he was still capable of brilliance like this.
With both Diaz and Diogo Jota returning from injuries down the stretch, the left wing became a contentious spot as it became 3 men for the one role. Unfortunately, Nunez became the odd man out as he was relegated to substitute duty on most occasions.
However, the reasons for optimism to expect a bounce back from Darwin next season are beginning to pile up. The first and obvious one is he has another pre-season and off-season to integrate himself with the system and his surroundings.
While that may sound trivial, being comfortable and set off the field could have just as big of an impact as what happens between the lines.
Players minds and temperaments are unique places, and the language barrier I’m sure did not help with this either. In terms of on-field changes, the acquisitions of attack-minded midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai should have every forward at the club excited.
Mac Allister and Szoboszlai are the kind of forward thinking passers that could potentially unleash a player like Darwin Nunez. Combined with the ever present passing prowess of Trent Alexander-Arnold, and things could shift quickly.
Nunez’s first year with Benfica saw him score 14 goals. He then exploded in Year 2 with 34 goals that facilitated his Liverpool move.
I would not be surprised to see this kind of turnaround for the Reds. Perhaps 25 would be a more realistic number. That would be a great return and would give everyone at the club confidence that Darwin could do this.
The biggest hold up for this is him playing on the wing. He needs to be played up top through the middle. Gakpo was utilized dropping deep last season because the midfield was weakened and needed all the help it could get.
With reinforcements arriving, the Dutchman’s services won’t be needed to drop deep any longer. Get him back out left where he can cut in as he loves to do. At worst, he can be a super sub that spells Darwin.
But, Nunez has to be the spearhead of the attack. Give him a proper run of games to build on his foundation and grow confidence. If goals don’t come, there are still other forwards on this team that can step in. We will never know what he can become if he becomes a rotational piece after only one season.
Aside from Mo, his physical talents are unmatched in the attacking ranks. It’s time to take the shackles off and let him run. It could mean amazing things for the club.