Luis Díaz does not stop dazzling at Liverpool and this Wednesday, at 2 pm, will have a new opportunity to show his talent, this time, in the first semi-final of the Champions League, against a Villareal that has been strengthened by beating Bayern Munich and that is not going to give up an inch.
The peasant not only quickly adapted to the team led by German Jürgen Klopp, but has also found a complement to his talent there. In other words, Diaz gets the most out of Liverpool and the team also gets the best of him. A relationship in which the English press is already beginning to find great benefits.
“Business classes should look into Liverpool signing Luis Diaz for £37m. Offer”trilled the British ESPN account on Friday.
(Also read: Colombia National Team: what should be the profile of the new coach?)
This is how Luis Díaz sees his own evolution
One more hug between the coach and the footballer.
Diaz himself explained, in talks with the club’s official media, how his adaptation is going. “In the beginning, I think it was more about him telling me what I’ve been doing so far. He was trying to convey to me that it was all about him continuing to do what he was used to. He wanted me to know that I had been performing very well so far and that I should try to continue doing more of the same: playing my football with joy and happiness, obviously incorporating preferred tactical plans and instructions into my game.”said.
How much has the Díaz changed who dazzled in the 2021 Copa América, but who later did not have the same brilliance in the tie, until the one who today arouses praise in Liverpool?
Klopp has known how to exploit what he had already shown in the Colombian National Team and in Porto: a player who goes well along the line, who knows how to associate himself with the side on his side and who sometimes heads towards the center to take advantage of the power of his shots.
(You may be interested in: Liverpool, an author team (Último tango)
But to that, in addition to demanding sacrifice on the brand, something that he had already worked on in the National Team and in Porto, Klopp has been adding other elements.
“(Hardest) Tactically, the way we prepare and the fact that I also have to defend could be the most difficult so far. However, I have that aspect in my game, as I spent some time playing in Porto and I think I managed to recover and learn a lot there. But I will continue to improve here as well, for sure,” Diaz explained.
Luis Díaz is no longer just a stripe man
Díaz has more participation in the game, not being so limited to the line.
Although he has started from that same position, he associates himself much more with midfielders, especially Thiago Alcántara, who gives him the most play. Compared to the National Team in the tie, on average, with a cut-off date of last Saturday, he has almost 12 more interventions with the ball (see graph).
By leaving the band and looking for more inside play, Díaz also has more possibilities to finish off the goal.
With almost the same minutes on the pitch, on average, as he had in the tie, his scoring frequency with Liverpool, at least in the Premier, is much better: 196 minutes, against 386 in yellow. Of course, we must also take into account the drought of the National Team, which left it without a World Cup.
(In other news: The U-20 women’s team, one point away from the World Cup, but wants to win)
Klopp, whenever he can, praises him. “Luis Díaz is a top and world-class player. For me it is a joy to work with him every day, and I am more than happy that we have decided to sign him in January”he explained. And the Colombian has helped Liverpool keep fighting for everything.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Sub-Editor
@josasc
#Luis #Díaz #numbers #explain #incredible #performance #Liverpool
