Liverpool proceed to be linked with a transfer for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush – and it’s simple to see why they’d have an interest within the Egyptian.
Solely Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush have reached double figures for objectives and assists throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues this season.
Odd, isn’t it? Often, Salah is an unique group of his personal. However his worldwide teammate gatecrashed this one simply in the future after the Liverpool No. 11 turned the primary participant to register at the least 10 objectives and 10 assists this time period.
Marmoush then matched Salah’s feat by scoring a free-kick towards Stuttgart. It was the third successive recreation through which he’s scored a free-kick.
It was additionally one more reminder of why Liverpool are seemingly within the Eintracht Frankfurt ahead.
However why would the Merseyside membership be contemplating a transfer for him? They’re fairly stacked in assault.
Arne Slot has Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and, when match, Federico Chiesa at his disposal.
The very fact Salah’s present deal expires on the finish of the season doesn’t actually influence Marmoush both given he’s not likely a proper winger, in order that shouldn’t be used as a cause to push forward with a transfer for Frankfurt’s No. 7.
Why Liverpool would need Marmoush
For starters, Marmoush can play throughout the ahead line.
At Frankfurt this season he’s been paired in assault with Hugo Ekitike – one other participant Liverpool will doubtless be linked with in some unspecified time in the future – however he does appear to favour the left channel.
The Reds have an array of forwards who can function in that function. It’s protected to imagine Diaz and Gakpo are the left-wing choices whereas Nunez and Jota are vying for the No. 9 function.
If you happen to needed to place Marmoush in a kind of classes it’d most likely be the latter, despite the fact that he’s not essentially led the road at membership degree as a striker and his finest kind has are available a two-man assault.
So why may he be profiled as a No. 9 for Slot’s table-toppers?
Jota is harm inclined, he’s not getting any youthful and he doesn’t have a long-term deal at Anfield. There’s no escaping that.
His present deal expires in two years and there’s been no speak of a brand new one. He’ll desire a pay rise given his significance to the group however can Liverpool actually log off on an improved deal given his age and harm document? He isn’t precisely dependable.
Then there’s Darwin.
He’s stepped up within the absence of Jota over latest weeks however the reality he’s into his third season with the membership and nonetheless not a assured starter can’t be missed. He scored a purpose towards Aston Villa however then missed two large probabilities.
He isn’t precisely dependable both, simply another way altogether to Jota, and with Slot craving management and consistency, there’s an argument that the No. 9 is the antithesis of this.
Nonetheless, Marmoush does share some similarities with Nunez – each are fast, each favour the left aspect and each are quantity shooters. Nonetheless, the Egypt worldwide isn’t as erratic. And that could possibly be a key issue.
A transfer for somebody together with his profile is smart.
He’s bodily, he’s obtained the peak to cope with the rigours of the Premier League at six foot and he’s been a twin purpose menace for Frankfurt over the previous two seasons.
He’s deceptively quick, each with and with out the ball, and he’s impressively robust.
What coaches have stated
In a latest recreation towards Bayern Munich – a recreation through which he scored two and assisted one other – he bullied Dayot Upamecano. Afterwards, Vincent Kompany singled Marmoush out for reward:
“Marmoush is a participant who’s solely going to get higher with time. What he did for Ekitike’s purpose just isn’t regular.
“To push previous Upa with power, nobody did that earlier than for the entire season.
“After which to make the proper resolution on the finish, the standard in his strike, and the pace. Generally he appears to be like fairly relaxed, then when he will get going, he’s actually quick.”
Dino Toppmoller, the Frankfurt boss, summed up his model of play completely:
“He’s accountable for producing hazard up entrance. Taking pictures in objectives and establishing others. He’s very tough to defend as a result of his tempo and how briskly he can run.”
Liverpool need harmful gamers within the ultimate third. It is so simple as that.
The proof
When taking a look at his numbers, he ticks bins galore.
The truth is, his underlying numbers have at all times been good. His output was simply inconsistent. That might’ve been tied to age or just because he wasn’t given common minutes on a constant foundation.
Throughout his season with Stuttgart, he racked up 1,600 minutes. He scored three objectives from an anticipated purpose (xG) price of 5.1. Marmoush had an xG per 90 of 0.3 from 2.74 pictures and an anticipated assists (xA) per 90 common of 0.11.
It was a restricted pattern dimension, however he was impacting within the ultimate third.
At Wolfsburg, his xG per 90 was 0.37 from 2.95 pictures.
For individuals who keep in mind the attacking mannequin Liverpool appeared to favour throughout Michael Edwards’ first stint with the membership, these numbers tallied up with that.
The problem for Marmoush was that, in each of those campaigns, he underperformed.
He was judged on output moderately than his underlying numbers. He then made the swap to Frankfurt and exploded.
Throughout 3,200 minutes because the begin of final season, the attacker has an non-penalty xG per 90 common of 0.40 from 3.6 pictures. He additionally has an xA per 90 common of 0.3.
In fact, there are some considerations when taking a look at him as a participant and as a purpose menace.
There’s a reluctance to make use of his weaker foot, for instance.
Throughout the previous two seasons, simply 10 % of his efforts within the Bundesliga have been by way of his left foot. He’s at all times making an attempt to get the ball again onto his stronger aspect and this will make him a bit predictable.
It was a problem with Luis Diaz for fairly a while, although he seems a lot happier to make use of his weaker foot now.
Regardless of this, Marmoush continues to be one thing of a various shooter.
1 / 4 of his makes an attempt have come from exterior of the penalty space. However if you’re scoring free-kicks in three successive video games, you’re going to be given the license to shoot from distance. You’d’ve earned it.
This might be an space of his recreation that Liverpool would wish to work on in order that good conditions aren’t wasted with poor selections. These aren’t disastrous numbers but when Slot is in search of management, you don’t need your No. 9 taking 25 % of his complete pictures from 18-plus yards.
For context, Jota has tried only one shot from exterior of the field this time period whereas Darwin is at 36 % following the flurry of efforts towards Villa. Three of his 4 pictures from exterior of the field this season arrived in that win.
One factor to notice with Marmoush although is he likes to take his pictures pretty early and this can be a trait shared with Jota. Goalkeepers can’t set themselves.
Towards Bayern Munich, for instance, per FotMob, one in all his objectives had an xG worth of 0.18, however his shot placement turns this opportunity into one with an xG-on-target worth of 0.73.
He took it early and this caught Manuel Neuer out a bit.
It’s additionally well-struck, arduous and low. It’s a Jota end, isn’t it? The Portuguese ahead is broadly considered being the most effective finisher on the membership, so why wouldn’t you need one other participant like that?
Marmoush wants this transfer
There’s quite a bit to love about him.
Whereas signing him within the quick time period could seem a bit extreme, in the long run – with uncertainty surrounding Diaz and Jota – it may show to be a shrewd, proactive signing.
He’s a little bit of a late bloomer after a stop-start profession and might’t move up a chance to signal for a Premier League title contender, can he?
Marmoush must benefit from the curiosity in him – and it must be Liverpool who profit.
