Rio Ngumoha finally made his first Premier League start for Liverpool, against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.
To say it’s been a long time coming would be a bit of an understatement. The youngster looked sharp in pre-season and netted the winner for the Reds in the second game of the campaign, coming off of the bench to curl home a stoppage time goal against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Arne Slot’s side have been in dire need of pace in attack all season but, until Sunday, Liverpool boss had resisted the temptation to use Ngumoha from the off in the Premier League.
In hindsight, people will argue that it was a ridiculous decision to wait so long. Ngumoha replaced Florian Wirtz on Liverpool’s left flank, with the German moving into a central area. While Tottenham named a weakened starting XI, the 17-year-old was still up against seasoned veteran Pedro Porro.
Ngumoha’s full debut could have gone one of two ways. He could have embraced the responsibility and thrived under the pressure. Equally, he could have tried to do too much and wasted the opportunity. In his 65 minutes on the pitch, he definitely did the former.
Ngumoha was the main man in attack for Liverrpool. You had World Cup winners and £100million-rated players looking to get the ball to him as quickly as possible. He had the trust of his teammates from minute one. The 17-year-old was full of confidence and Liverpool, a team lacking self belief right now, relied heavily on the fleet-footed youngster. Perhaps a little too much.
It was a glimpse of what the attack might look like next season. According to reports, Liverpool are looking at a number of pure wingers. Those who pick up possession and want to beat their opponents in a foot race, either going outside or on the inside. The Reds lack blistering pace and a directness in their forward line. It’s one of the main reasons as to why so many have wanted to see Ngumoha in the starting XI this season.
Cody Gakpo has been in possession of the left-wing role for large periods of the campaign. He’s much-maligned, largely because of his obsession with picking the ball up in wide areas before cutting inside and looking to get a shot off at goal. The idea is positive but he tends to have his shots blocked.
There’s no guile or nuance. It is entirely predictable. With Ngumoha, however, it is the complete opposite. He is unpredictable.
He played the role of a traditional winger against Tottenham, despite needing to cut inside to be on his favoured, stronger foot.
His use of the ball was efficient, completing 90% of his passes and 100% of his attempted take-ons. Ngumoha did two things in possession, he retained the ball and he progressed it. His aggression when in possession made him one of the standout performers at Anfield on Sunday.
Wayne Rooney heaped praise on him, saying on Match of the Day: “Ngumoha is direct and positive. It is a joy to watch these young players willing to take the ball.”
SBK betting offer: Bet £10, get £40 in free bets
Eligible readers* interested in this SBK betting offer can follow THIS LINK or click the image below.
New UK customers only. Min £10 first deposit using Debit Card or Bank Transfer. Place a bet of £10 at min odds of 2.0 and get a £10 Football Bet Builder token upon settlement. A £10 Multiple token, a £5 Horse Racing Multiple token and a £5 Football Bet Builder token will be credited after 24 hours. A further £10 Free Bet token will be credited 48 hours after the qualifying bet has been settled. Full T&Cs apply, 18+. GambleAware.org.
Slot also spoke fondly about Ngumoha after the game.
“I think he enjoyed it as well and I enjoyed it also,” he told reporters.
“He’s developed very well throughout the season, a 17-year-old first of all coming to the first team, getting your minutes more and more and more, now his first in the Premier League.
“He already had his first starts in the League Cup and FA Cup but now also in the Premier League.
“I think he can look back on a very good game today. He was a constant threat. I think you could also see in the end just before I took him off he got more and more tired, which is completely normal. But that was definitely one of the positives to take from today, his performance.”
Ngumoha, a natural ball carrier, interpreted the role of left-winger differently to Gakpo and Wirtz. For example, when Wirtz was deployed there against Galatasaray, he dropped deeper and looked to cut inside a little more in possession. That’s his game. He’s a ball-to-feet player.
Ngumoha, on the other hand, wanted to stretch the play. He wanted to be involved in the final third. It’s why his and Wirtz’s heat maps look so different, despite playing the same role on paper. But this might explain why Liverpool’s performances have been so inconsistent this season.
Every player executes a role differently. They have strengths and they have weaknesses. Yet Slot cycles through players in different roles without tweaking everything else. There’s a reaction to every action. Ngumoha held the width and it freed up space in central areas.
When the left winger cuts inside, someone else needs to keep the width. Liverpool seem set up for a winger like Ngumoha but they’re only just really using him in March.
He can’t singlehandedly save the season but he could be used as a blueprint for how the system might work next season.