Before Sunday’s big game, Liverpool’s new signing, Fabio Borini, called the clash with Manchester United, ‘my biggest game’. After it, however, I have little doubt that he’ll be feeling disappointed – not just with the result, but also with his own performance.
“These are the games that every player wants to play. For the crowd, for the atmosphere, for the result that you want to get and for the actual football you’re playing on the pitch because it’s something that you never feel again probably.” (Source: The Daily Mail).
It’s one of the biggest fixtures in Liverpool’s calendar. It’s one that both sets of fans wait upon with baited breath. I have no doubt that Fabio Borini is keen to take part in these kind of games. I am, however, growing increasingly concerned with his ability to influence them. I worry he’s just another badly judged Liverpool signing.
This may seem like a harsh, snap judgment based on his early performances. His defenders will be keen to signpost his age. Yet he’s remarkably experienced, given the fact that he’s only 21-years-old. Before joining Liverpool, he had already made a handful of Premier League appearance when he was at Chelsea as a teenager. He played in the play-offs for Swansea City and he’s got bags of Serie A experience. He’s young, yes, but he’s hardly the raw, unearthed talent that some fans are keen to make him out to be.
Others will argue that Brendan Rodgers is doing Borini a disservice by playing him out of position down the wings. Again, however, I’m not so sure that this is a fair comment. I find it difficult to believe that there are many coaches out there that know Borini better than Brendan Rodgers. The two have had their careers intertwined and if former Swansea City coach believes that the Italian will serve Liverpool best out on the wings, then we should trust his judgment.
The fact is, however, he’s not getting the basics right at the moment. Whilst he’s a good worker, he looks a little overawed by the situation. Misplaced passes against Manchester United cost Liverpool in the final third (particularly during the first half) and that’s one of the reasons they came away with a poor result. Beyond his pace, is he really much of an improvement on Dirk Kuyt?
Would Liverpool fans really prefer to have him in the side over Andy Carroll? I find that hard to believe.
Without wanting to be too critical (I’m sure he can add something to this Liverpool side as a squad player), I feel like he’s been forced into prominence too quickly. As a result, Liverpool may suffer.
What’s your take? Am I being too harsh on Borini? What will his contribution be this season?
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Odd comments. While Borini hasn’t scored or produced any obviously memorable highlights you can already see his strengths. More than once he ran exceptional lines into space behind the united defensive line and drew the pass. It might not be frequent enough to get much attention and it’s nothing like the clever nutmeg of Suarez or driving power of Gerrard but still, if you actually take some time to analyse what Borini is doing there is plenty of good work. He found space consistently and was involved in a number of our good chances. certainly his final pass or occasional touch let him down but this is a game of small margins and you have to look a bit deeper if you want to get a true picture of how well a player is doing. Borini is one good touch away from a goal or assist and while it was his own mistake that denied him a better shooting chance on one particular occasion he did 90% of what was required of him. That last 10% is the small margin that makes all the difference and I’m convinced that he’ll make it up.
Excellent analysis Adam. Far too often fans don’t watch players when they don’t have the ball.
I was one of the very few whom stuck up for Lucas in his first few years and more recently for Henderson. I only hope you’re also right about Borini 🙂
I rather fear that he is yet again simply one player brought in with a new manager ; a manager who had not seen his new charges play. I recall all the hype that he was the man to ” solve Liverpool’s scoring problem”. He has hardly done that and all talk of final passes etc seems irrelevant as his is supposed to be the FINAL pass of all – the goal! We continue drifting quite toothless and all I can hope is that the Academy boys will find their feet before too long! It would be rather nice to win a game.
DROP HIM – INDER TOO MUCH PRESSURE HE CANT HANDLE AT PRESENT – TOO EARLY TO SAY IF HE MAKES IT BUT MORE A KUYT THAN A TORRES – NOT WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED BRENDAN. We need a killer striker and suarez must play second fiddle to him – Diego Forlan type
Suarez IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH to build a team around
Borini just isn’t that good! He does make some good runs off the ball but he doesn’t do a lot with the ball …… surely a premier league player must have more than he’s got.
Put simply, Carrol is a far better player Borini.
i believe rodgers might have known borini too well also rodgers have really knows the scoring problem Lfc were facing before the end of last season before he (rodgers)sign borini and with rodgers have’nt got another striker at then he allowed Andy Carroll to leave is something that is very hard to think of,personal i really knows that rodgers was not ready to work with Carroll and even remain silent on Clint Dempsey who could help the situation now for our club,well let us pray that we start winning so that we can be at the mid table by January transfer and if they ( rodgers and co )will like to change their mentality in transfer business.
People are quick to look at goals and assists first and foremost and fair enough but we’re 5 games into the season give the lad a chance its not like we’ve been scoring left right and center anyway. His runs and his movement are what make him a big improvement on Kuyt and Carroll (who had no movement at all). Goals will come he has all the qualities of a great striker, people need to stop trying to find a scapegoat already.
Undeniably, Liverpool have assembled quite an array of mediocre footballers who are competing among themselves to determine who is the worst of the lot. To-date, each player has contributed one pathetic performance after another. The jury is still out as to who would finally be crowned THE WORST OF THE LOT!
every website i go on to read about lfc today, youve allready appeared on the comments critiscising liverpool, god i feel so sorry for you.
your over compensating fella, all this hatred over and over is clearly just repressed affection. be honest, you care more about liverpool than any other football club dont you?
yeah you claim to be a united fan or everton fan(or whoever), but who cares what happens to them, lets talk about liverpool. all the time you talk about us, just stop being so immature, admit you wish you were a kopite and stop with this silly behaviour. if you apologise, we may forgive you.
give the kid time to settle in and get to no his team mates, imagine the pressure of moving to a new city, new country(i no he has lived in england before), a new job with new colleagues who’ve all known each other for years, and then all the pressure of being understaffed in his department so he’s expected to pick up the slack.
He’s only young and to be fair still fairly new to the squad, hes improving i think, against bern he got into good areas, put off the cb on goal line for coates goal, intercepted to pass to hendo to set up the shelv.
against united he was inconsistent but showed some great direct movement that we’ve lacked. a better understanding in the whole squad and his goals and assists will come.
Fuck u motherfukers liverpool where robed by that naai incompedend english referees motherfucker he is amel se ma0 se poes naaaaaaaaaaaair tjek. Mu don’t win leuges thy bbeen given it due to ref dicions fa must investigat all fruadz
Totally agree with both of you, and I think I was the other one who stuck for Lucas as well. People forget that apart from Gerrard, Carra, Cole and Pepe, all of our players are in their 20s or younger. Borini is still learning his game and will not peak as a striker for another 6 or 7 years. Not even Ian Rush looked brilliant in his first season. He is working hard and getting in to the right positions.
Can I just mention that despite the results so far, I really like what Brendan Rodgers is doing. To throw Suso on the pitch on Sunday took real guts. But it is that sort of action which the fans will respect and we all want to see. For me, the kids coming through will be worth more to us and give more than some has been we pick up on the cheap in January.
The owners have to back B Rodgers heavily in January as G Souness, J Barnes, A Hansen and M Lawrebson have said for numerous years the club needs some heavy investment in playing staff. Yeah we are playing great football, but there is not enough attacking quality to finish of the chances and that was our problem last season. Yet we had bellamy, Kuyt, Carroll and Maxi at club who scored 40% of our goals last season. The owners need to give B Rodgers £75-£90M in January to bring in 5 players:
1: B Matuidi(25) Of PSG For £11-£14M to come and compete and cover Lucas. DM
2 3 and 4 : Are three Athletico Bilbao players who should be brought to club for combined total of £53M
2: A Herrera (23) Young,Mobile creative Alonso type player AM for £14-£17M
3: I Munian (19) Young,pacey,quick skillful lef winger/forward LW/LWF for £15-£18M
4: F Llorente(27) Powerful,Strong, Technically gifted striker who is good on floor and air FD/ST for £14-£18M
5: A Lennon(25) Of Tottenham, T Walcott(23) Of Arsenal Or Pedro (25) Of Barcelona : One of these players should be brought for £10-£18M
These players would get club back challenging the two manchester clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle and Tottenham for top 1-4 positions but at moment we are top 12-18 side.
And its not B Rodgers fault, he is implementing his philosophy to club and its working but if some of the players are simply not good enough and he needs class, quality players to be brought in and his philosophy would work wonders for our club over next 5-15 years
agree with ur comment regarding quality players to workout BR’s philosophy..the problem with us is quality players apart from suarez& gerrard..if we can find another 2 or 3 quality players then we all can look how quikly BR’s system will make bcoz those players know how to implement a system of their own that’s what we call “quality”..No matter whoever coach barcelona they’ll find their own rhythm 4 success since they have quality players…so better sign some quality in January then let’s who is going to criticize LIVERPOOL FC
pls tell all dis ref not to be doing us 419, and liverpool onners should see wt it cost by not sining any striker, dey must be stupid, lack of strikers killed sundays mach.
personally um ok wt borini,..he is yung & is in the process of learning,..the writer i doubt if he is a lfc fan,..tryn 2 destroy the yung man’s spirit, & the faith we fans hv in our yungsters
I do believe all of the ideas you have offered to your post.
They are really convincing and can certainly work.
Still, the posts are too quick for newbies. May just you please extend them a bit from
subsequent time? Thanks for the post.