Liverpool forward Luis Diaz has really kicked onto another level this season under Arne Slot. With nine goals and two assists in 20 appearances in all competitions, his numbers have been elevated to a new level.
Playing mainly off the left but sometimes through the middle, Diaz has become much more decisive in the final third. Perhaps benefiting from the more controlled style of play that Slot has implemented, he looks a lot calmer when the chances present themselves — and he is getting more clear-cut opportunities to shoot too.
Diaz has not always been so confident, however. Danilo Pereira played with him at FC Porto, from whom he signed for an initial fee of around $47m (£37m/€45m) in January 2022, and he helped coax the best out of the Colombian when he arrived from South America.
"What always struck me most about Luis was his dribbling, his ability to change direction, his ball control and technique," Danilo has told FourFourTwo. "He dribbles like no one else — that’s his greatest quality. Players who are very fast often mess up when they’re dribbling at high speed. He doesn’t — the speed with which he executes his moves is far above average."
"He was a bit afraid to shoot, always wanting to pass," Danilo added. "I told him, 'Look, you’re a player who has to decide games — you have to take risks. You can’t always play simple, afraid of making mistakes'.
"He said, ‘I’m scared, I don’t know what people will say if I shoot’. I told him, ‘Well, if you shoot and it’s a goal, what are they going to say? They’ll all celebrate with you!’.
Luis Diaz won the penalty that led to Mohamed Salah scoring Liverpool's second goal vs Man City.
Luis Diaz won the penalty that led to Mohamed Salah scoring Liverpool's second goal vs Man City. (Image: Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
"After that, he started shooting more. Because he dribbles very quickly, that opens up space for shots. It was something he improved a lot as he gained confidence. I think he already had the ability — he didn’t use it because he was afraid."
Diaz was a regular goalscorer when he was at Porto but since he arrived at Liverpool, it took some time to click. While he was always threat, there wasn't always end product — though he did have a major injury and his parents were kidnapped, which are mitigating factors in why his numbers weren't consistent.
"One of his first games was against Benfica — I remember thinking, ‘This guy doesn’t realize who he’s playing against, how important this game is’," Danilo said. "Against our rivals, he showed a lot of confidence, trying his tricks. You could see the quality he had, and his potential to improve."
Liverpool.com says: It's been great to see Diaz hit new heights this season. If he can get to 20 goals across the course of the campaign, that would be a really solid return and exactly what he needed to deliver. That should be possible with so many matches still left to play.