‘I’m not at my best’: Liverpool forward opens up on difficult season | OneFootball

Liverpool centre-forward Roberto Firmino had admitted that this season has been difficult for him on the pitch and vowed to keep trying to improve.

Firmino says that he is not playing as well as he has been in previous seasons and recognises that he has not been providing enough goals and assists for Liverpool.

The Brazilian international says that his desire is to keep developing as a player and that there is no lack of motivation on his part to return back to his best.

Speaking to ESPN Brazil, as transcribed by the Liverpool Echo, Firmino spoke honestly about his performances. “It’s been a difficult season for me.

“We have to be sincere, there’s no lack of hope for improvement. My desire is to evolve and grow every day. There’s no lack of motivation for me. I charge myself a lot.

READ: €30m price tag reportedly placed on Liverpool target’s head

READ: Simon Mignolet on Liverpool star’s struggles this season

“I know that I’m not at my best moment compared to the last few years. I always want to be helping with goals and assists, but that hasn’t been happening, unfortunately.

“I know the reality. I know that this year we’re not doing well. But we can reverse it. We still have chances to qualify in the Champions League. We have a final against Real Madrid and everything is still open. We will fight until the end.”

ANFIELD WATCH VERDICT

Firmino’s statistics have been going down over a number of seasons. In the 2017/18 campaign, Firmino scored an impressive 15 Premier League goals whilst also providing seven assists for his teammates. He then followed that up with 12 goals and six assists the following season, before only managing nine goals and eight assists last term in the Premier League. The number looks set to be lower again as he sits on six goals and five assists with seven games left to play before the end of the current campaign.

This suggests that Firmino has been regressing over the last three or four years, making the current season rather unsurprising. However, it only takes one moment to spark a run of form and Firmino has shown in the past that he is capable of scoring and assisting goals at a good rate – even if that has dwindled of late – so the return of the forward at his best should not be ruled out yet. Hopefully, Firmino will be able to find some form between now and the end of the season to give himself the best chance of next year not being as difficult to score and assist goals.