Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: How Luis Diaz became the Premier League's most feared winger

 

It felt like a matter of when and not if Liverpool would move for Anthony Gordon during the summer transfer window. His arrival likely would’ve spelt the end for Luis Diaz at Anfield.  

 

The Colombian had been a little inconsistent in front of goal following his January 2022 arrival from FC Porto. His end product needed to be improved. He’d spurn good chances and he wasn’t contributing creatively. It would’ve been difficult to nail down exactly how he’d improved as a player since the switch to Merseyside.  

 

Diaz was reportedly courted by Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona during the summer and a move appeared to be on the cards. However, it now looks likely that he will pen a new deal with the 2019/20 Premier League champions after a blistering start to the campaign.

 

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: How Luis Diaz became the Premier League's most feared winger

 

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The Liverpool No.7 has three goals and an assist in his opening three games. To put this achievement into context, Diaz didn’t score his third goal in the Premier League last term until early November and he didn’t reach four goal involvements until Boxing Day when he assisted in the win over Burnley.  

 

He’s failed to hit double figures in the English top-flight following his move from Portugal. In fact, he’s only struck double digits on one occasion since moving to Europe. And that arrived during an extremely hot streak in the first half of the 2021/22 season. Before moving to Liverpool, Diaz had 14 goals and four assists in 18 appearances in the Primeira Liga.  

 

Diaz hadn’t been able to recapture that form at Anfield and there weren’t any real guarantees he would be able to replicate it. He seemed to lack a ruthless streak.  

 

That isn’t a criticism that can be levelled at him now.  

 

 

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The Colombia international has three goals from his eight shots in the Premier League. He’s racked up an Expected Goals haul of 2.16, a total that only Mohamed Salah can better in the Liverpool team.  

 

Only six players have an Expected Goals total of over two in the Premier League this term from the opening three matches. Diaz is in a fairly exclusive club.  

 

What is interesting, though, is that Diaz’s xG per shot total of 0.27 is the highest among the Liverpool attackers. It is actually higher than what Erling Haaland (0.26) is averaging. It highlights how he’s now getting into dangerous areas on a regular basis. And he’s finishing with supreme confidence.  

 

His performances have seen him earn an average WhoScored rating of 8.26, the highest of any Liverpool player. In fact, it is the second highest rating in the Premier League with only Haaland (8.84) and his back-to-back hat-tricks having a higher average.  

 

So what is the secret behind his dramatic turnaround? How has he gone from frustrating to utterly devastating?  

 

Is it pure luck? After all, finishing can be streaky. Sometimes a player will have a hot streak with everything going their way. Other times, a player won’t be able to buy a goal. Same chances, different outcomes. Confidence plays a part. As does momentum. And luck needs to be factored in.

 

But there’s more to it.  

 

In a recent article for the Daily Mail, Lewis Steele revealed that Arne Slot has been conducting one-on-one sessions with the 57-cap international. The focus had been on his off-the-ball positioning as well as timings - when to shoot and when to pass.  

 

 

And though the sample size isn’t the largest, there are signs that this is paying dividends. There’s been a marked increase in his threat and that is tied to the positions he’s taking up and his final-third decision making.  

 

The desire for Diaz has always been for him to get close to the numbers posted by Sadio Mane. The former No.10 averaged 16 goals per season across his final four years on Merseyside. He supplemented Salah and this was the base for Liverpool’s title challenges. If Diaz can hit 15 this season, and Salah continues to be Salah, the Reds could be in contention for an unlikely title push. Nottingham Forest are going to have a task on their hands this weekend if they’re going to stop the in-form left-winger.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: How Luis Diaz became the Premier League's most feared winger