Arne Slot admitted he was left consuming his phrases after Darwin Nunez‘s wondergoal in opposition to Bournemouth, with the Liverpool head coach happy together with his work charge.
Nunez made his first begin of the season in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Anfield, marking it with a spectacular objective curled in together with his left foot.
It got here in a robust efficiency from the No. 9, who appears to have taken Slot’s feedback on board about contributing off the ball as a lot as he does within the field.
However in his post-match press convention, the top coach revealed his speedy response as Nunez lined as much as shoot for his objective – one which many followers have skilled over the previous two years.
“My first intuition when he shot was ‘why does he shoot?’,” Slot informed reporters.
“I wished to say ‘why don’t you retain on dribbling?’, as a result of he made the ball free and I believe the defender was on the bottom.
“However then it was a fraction of a second later once I noticed the ball went in off the put up.
“I used to be like ‘OK, possibly you’re a higher soccer participant than I used to be previously’. Sensible choice from him!”
Slot bowed to Nunez’s higher judgment in that occasion, however it’s crucial that the Uruguayan continues to comply with his directions as a way to preserve his place.
Within the buildup to Saturday’s sport, Slot defined how Diogo Jota was extra of a pure “nine-and-a-half” whereas he noticed Nunez as a “goal man,” however the latter confirmed on Saturday that he’s snug dropping deep and urgent excessive.
“That’s what I seen as nicely,” he replied when requested about Nunez’s work charge particularly.
“In fact, I play a striker as a result of I like him to attain objectives; I play a winger as a result of I like him to help or to attain objectives.
“As a result of if you wish to win a sport, it’s essential rating objectives.
“However it additionally helps if you happen to preserve a clear sheet. We simply spoke in regards to the leadup to each objectives [for Luis Diaz], Ibou was concerned on this, however conserving a clear sheet, Darwin can also be concerned on this.
“So in the beginning they must work actually onerous for the group after which to start with of the season it was Mo who made the distinction, with Lucho, then it was Cody, and Diogo has been concerned in objectives.
“In the present day it was Lucho and Darwin. That’s all we wish to see.”
As Slot famous, the first function of Liverpool’s central striker will likely be to attain objectives, and discovering the again of the online in his first begin ought to stand Nunez in good stead.
The continued goal will likely be to take action persistently, with the Dutchman hinting that he could also be given an opportunity to construct on this in opposition to West Ham on Wednesday night time.
“I believe you get consistency by two issues, work charge and group efficiency,” Slot defined.
“If the group efficiency isn’t constant it’s so troublesome for a person to be constant as nicely.
“We simply must create our habits day-to-day on the coaching floor and within the video games to get this consistency, as a result of whereas working in your habits you create consistency.
“That’s what we attempt to do day by day and he confirmed at present sport, possibly he can present it on Wednesday once more, however let’s wait and see.”
Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth
