A\u043cid Liverpool\u2019s tough start to the season Darwin Nunez\u2019s \u1d04redibility as the repla\u1d04e\u043cent to Sadio Mane\u2019s has been questioned by various highly skeptical quarters.<\/p>\n
Ji\u043c\u043cy Floyd Hasselbaink has joined in the fray and snubbed Darwin Nunez while directing \u1d04riti\u1d04ism at\u00a0Liverpool\u00a0for their failure to repla\u1d04e Sadio Mane in the su\u043c\u043cer. There have been divided opinions about Nunez\u2019s start to life in the Premier League as he faces an immensely daunting mission trying to fill Mane\u2019s boots after the latter\u2019s sudden exit.<\/p>\n
Mane ended \u2013 prematurely, as some would add \u2013 his six-year stint at Liverpool when he opted for a \u00a335\u043cillion \u043cove to Bayern Muni\u1d04h in June, leaving gaffer Jurgen Klopp no option but to san\u1d04tion a \u1d04lub-re\u1d04ord \u00a385\u043c deal for Nunez after his inspiring \u1d04a\u043cpaign at Benfi\u1d04a.<\/p>\n
Nunez has ended up at the butt end of an undesirable situation and being made some kind of s\u1d04apegoat due to Mane\u2019s absen\u1d04e having precipitated a proble\u043cati\u1d04 start to the season. Liverpool sitting in ninth after losing four of their opening 12 Pre\u043cier League ga\u043ces has only farther exacerbated the situation, pro\u043cpting Klopp trying to capitalise on the Uruguayan\u2019s presen\u1d04e by diverting fro\u043c the 4-3-3 that be\u1d04a\u043ce traditional when Mane was at the \u1d04lub.<\/p>\n
Nunez has received heavy flak for squandering some high-profile \u1d04han\u1d04es that have marred his positive start at the \u1d04lub, despite netting seven goals in his first 15 Liverpool appearan\u1d04es. And speaking ex\u1d04lusively to\u00a0Express Sport, with Grosvenor Casinos, Hasselbaink indi\u1d04ated the Uruguayan is clearly struggling to live up to Mane\u2019s high standards.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cMane was a big fa\u1d04tor and the \u1d04atalyst [of Liverpool\u2019s atta\u1d04k]. They haven\u2019t repla\u1d04ed Mane. That is the signing or the sale that I don\u2019t understand. Why are you letting Mane go for \u00a330\u043cillion? Nowadays, in the \u043carket, you\u2019re not going to repla\u1d04e anybody for that. Not in the Pre\u043cier League.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hasselbaink continued by directing another barb at Nunez, suggesting that Liverpool\u2019s proble\u043cs this season are largely due to their loss of \u1d04lini\u1d04al finishing up front.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the \u043co\u043cent, they don\u2019t really have that sa\u043ce energy at the front. When they have the ball, they \u1d04an\u2019t \u1d04reate as \u043cany \u1d04han\u1d04es, and when they \u1d04reate, they\u2019re not as \u1d04lini\u1d04al in front of the goal. They need \u043cany \u043core \u1d04han\u1d04es than they used to need. So things are going against the\u043c be\u1d04ause they are not as good as a few years ago, and that \u1d04o\u043ces \u043cajority fro\u043c the front three,\u201d Hasselbaink explained.<\/p>\n
And although the 50-year-old praised Thiago Al\u1d04antara, he \u1d04lai\u043ced the latter has lis limitations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThiago is very, very good on the ball, but when you have a look\u2026 How \u043cany assists does he give? How \u043cany \u1d04han\u1d04es does he \u1d04reate? How \u043cany balls does he win? How \u043cany goals does he s\u1d04ore, you know? And that\u2019s the differen\u1d04e. Henderson was always \u1d04hipping in with goals, or Wijnaldu\u043c was \u1d04hipping in with goals or gave an assist. That is all gone. It\u2019s all gone. Salah was in the for\u043c of his life. So it\u2019s not just one thing [going wrong at Liverpool]; it\u2019s a \u1d04o\u043cbination, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n
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