Liverpool had a storming start to the season, setting the tone with a scintillating 4-3 away victory at Arsenal, and netting an impressive 19 goals in the first seven games. At one stage pundits wondered whether we would hit the magical 100 goals mark, but hampered by injuries and an inability to break down massed defences, we fell some way short of that.
The Reds finished up with 78 goals, only 8 behind scoring leaders Spurs, who were aided in no small part by a ludicrous 13 goals in their final two games against Leicester and Hull City sides embodying every ‘on the beach’ cliche.
Only a few weeks ago I wrote how someone had apparently stolen Liverpool’s goals, as the Reds suffered a relatively barren spell in front of goal after the turn of the year. However, a change of formation from Jurgen heralded the 4-0 thumping of West Ham and then, after a nervy first 45 minutes against Middlesbrough, the floodgates opened and thanks to goals from Gini, Phil and Adam Lallana, we sealed fourth place with a 3-0 win.
But who were the stars overall last season in the Reds’ attack?
Let’s get down to our individual forward ratings for the 2016-17:
Philippe Coutinho – 8
Am I being slightly harsh here? I considered giving Phil a 9, but too much of the frustrating inconsistency that has marked his time at Anfield crept in again for my liking. Much like the team as a whole, he started with a bang and five goals and five assists in the first 11 games, including several classic long-range strikes. Shortly afterwards, however, an ankle injury robbed him of over two months of football, and when Phil returned the sparkling form that had Reds fans drooling had evaporated.
His first nine games back yielded only one goal, but once Phil was back in the groove he returned to his early-season form, delivering seven goals and two assists in the final nine games – a crucial output in us clinching fourth place.
The Little Magician remains a vital cog in our attack, and fingers crossed the Barcelona rumours prove to be just hot air, and we get to enjoy the Brazilian’s skills for a while longer, at least.
Goals: 14 Assists 9 (all competitions)
Sadio Mane – 9
My Player of the Season for us, too. I don’t care if he had to go to the AFCON and also got injured for a bit, the guy was a revelation in his first year, when many were thinking Southampton had just done us over again for another £30m.
Mane exploded into life at Liverpool, with a debut goal in the opening-day thriller with Arsenal; and went on to score five times in his next nine games. He reached a level of consistency Coutinho could not match – for the rest of the season he never went more than two games without a goal or an assist, and if it weren’t for that tragic knee injury against Everton, Sadio would comfortably have been our top scorer.
Expecting big things from the 25-year-old next season.
Goals: 13 Assists: 8
Roberto Firmino – 7.5
Bobby at times endured a frustrating season last year. Whilst his work rate, effort and pressing were always impressive, for a player who was the focal point of our attack most of the season, his finishing and goal return were ultimately a little disappointing.
11 league goals in 35 starts leaves a lot to be desired when compared to the front men of our rivals, like Harry Kane, Diego Costa, Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez, all of whom scored 20 or more goals (several of those in fewer games, too).
Bobby has been a great buy so far, and fits into our team and Jurgen’s work ethic perfectly, but is not an out-and-out goalscorer in the mould of Robert Lewandowski or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (linked with us here ) who Klopp has had before.
His best role may prove to be in the one he played the last two games of the season, where he was partnered with more of a goal-getter in Daniel Sturridge and had less of a scoring burden on himself. Only Jurgen knows what he has planned for next season, but we can be sure Bobby will be a major part of it.
Goals: 12 Assists: 11
Daniel Sturridge – 5
Another season without Luis Suarez alongside him; another season as a shadow of the player who used to partner the mercurial Uruguayan to such devastating effect.
Injuries are now sadly more of a rule rather than the exception when we talk about Daniel Sturridge, and this season was no different as he missed 11 league games with various ailments, only making 7 starts and scoring three goals.
In fact, it took until the last two games of the season before Sturridge looked anything like his former self, a striker who when fit and on form is undoubtedly as good as any in the league.
Those two appearances may have gone some way towards saving his Liverpool career, when until then he seemed destined for the exit door. Jurgen’s plans for him remain to be seen, but given Sturridge’s injury record, if a club like West Ham offer anything around the £25m mark it may prove too tempting to resist.
Goals: 7 Assists: 1
Divock Origi – 6
The 22-year-old Belgian got a run in the first team last season thanks to injuries, but unfortunately failed to make the most of it. He still has youth on his side, but after a run of four straight games with a goal in late 2016, he only netted three more times over the last five months and went missing in games far too regularly.
Origi has pace to burn but didn’t offer the same non-stop running that Firmino did in the same position, and his finishing was wayward at times – he looked more likely to smash one in from unlikely angles like his goals against Sunderland and Bournemouth, than slot away a more orthodox chance or one-on-one.
Origi will be retained this summer, but may have to be content with cup football next season, alternatively Jurgen may feel a season on loan at another Premier League club could do him good.
Goals: 11 Assists: 4
Ben Woodburn – 6
The precocious 17-year-old was given his chance in the first team squad by Jurgen this season and didn’t disappoint, scoring a debut goal against Leeds in the EFL Cup to become our youngest-ever scorer
Looked slightly over-awed in his handful of league appearances and hopefully next season he can kick on and play the same way he has for the juniors/reserves rather than, understandably given his age, looking happy to just be in the side. Will be all the better for his experiences in 2016-17.
Goals: 1 Assists: 0
Danny Ings – 4
A lost season for the former Burnley man, who has shown flashes of ability in his few appearances for us so far. Has the all-action work rate that Jurgen cherishes, but two ACL injuries in a row do not bode well for Ings. Netted four times in four games in Premier League 2 on his initial return from injury, and made a couple of cameos as a sub in the EFL Cup, but another knee injury in November meant last season was a write-off.
Ings now has an uncertain future, and only Jurgen will know if that future lies at Anfield or elsewhere.
Goals/Assists: 0
