Exploring Liverpool’s goalscoring struggles and lack of the 20 mark

You can argue that shoulda’s, woulda’s, coulda’s all day also presuppose the fact that there is only one game left. In a season that has promised much but delivered mixed results, Liverpool FC’s recent woes in attack have been a major talking point. While Mohamed Salah continues to shine as the club’s leading goalscorer and has continued to step into the spotlight, the inability of other forwards to consistently hit the back of the net in recent times has proved a stumbling block in their quest for domestic success and European.

Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s Egyptian maestro, proved his worth again with an impressive tally of 25 goals and 13 assists in all competitions. Averaging 0.74 goals per 90 minutes, Salah’s incisive strike remains a beacon of consistency in an otherwise unpredictable front line. Even he thought he had a bit of a dip, although the Egyptian king operates on a different plain. However, a closer look at the team’s overall performance reveals a worrying reliance on its scoring prowess.

Darwin Nunez, the Uruguayan striker, showed flashes but ultimately fell short of expectations, scoring 18 goals and matching Salah with 13 assists. His goals-per-90-minute ratio stands at a modest 0.54, reflecting a season of adjustment and missed opportunities. He’s been on that 18-goal mark for far too long and they say he’s not even in the squad now. Similarly, Diogo Jota’s campaign has been plagued by injuries, a significant factor limiting him to just 15 goals and a higher goals-per-90 rate of 0.79 when he has played. Jota’s ability to find the net when fit suggests that had he maintained his fitness throughout the season, reaching the 20-goal mark would have been within reach. A fully fitted Jota is brilliant to imagine. Then so is a unicorn.

Dutch import Cody Gakpo also disappointed in his first full season. With 16 goals and six assists less than expected, Gakpo’s transition to the English game has been less than smooth, highlighted by his 0.49 goals per 90 minutes – a figure that needs improvement if he is to justify his potential and price tag. He has been good recently and deserves a place in the starting lineups. Huge early drops mean he should be at twenty too.

Luis Diaz rounds out the discussion, contributing 13 goals and five assists. Although his goals per 90 are below 0.33, his work rate and ability to create chances have been one of the few positives in a challenging season for the Reds. Diaz’s efforts and waste combined mean that while his overall effort cannot be questioned, a more clinical edge in front of goal is desperately needed from that side. A quality that Liverpool have sorely missed this season and you doubt if Diaz will ever be able to truly deliver.

Liverpool’s season has been a story of what ifs. The club’s defensive vulnerabilities have often been exposed, but it is the attack that will leave fans pondering the biggest questions. Salah alone cannot carry the team’s scoring burden and the inability of Nunez, Jota and Gakpo to consistently support him has been Liverpool’s Achilles heel.

If Jota had avoided the treatment table, if Nunez had found his tractor boots more often, and if Gakpo had followed through on his promise, the narrative might have been different. The Reds found the net, but not with the consistency or clinical finishing required at the highest level. As Liverpool look to rebuild and challenge again, finding a solution to their goalscoring conundrum will be key. Ensuring more players can reach that magical 20-goal mark will be crucial to success in future campaigns. We should have had at least four, but here we are.