In his latest column, John Aldridge praises new signing Victor Munoz and reflects on Liverpool's transfer for Bradley Barcola
Liverpool have completed a £123m deal for Bradley Barcola
Liverpool have completed a £123m deal for Bradley Barcola
View Image
Victor Munoz made the difference once again for Liverpool on Saturday. And while it is very early days for the summer signing, I like what I have seen from the Spaniard so far.
He might only be small, but he has something about him and doesn’t get bullied when on the ball. And he took his equaliser against Nottingham Forest very well.
I have been impressed with his intensity and his willingness to keep running at defenders, and that reminds me of Luis Diaz a little bit. He puts everything into his game.
Munoz is still young and just getting started in the Premier League, so he is only going to get better.
His pace is a massive asset to a forward line that was becoming a bit slow, and he has that unpredictability you sometimes need as a winger.
There were a few other players who did well at the weekend, with Florian Wirtz among them. He was unlucky not to claim a goal to go along with his assist.
I believe people have been far too quick to judge him, although I suspect all will depend on his partnership with Alexander Isak.
Isak got his goal and is working on his relationships with the team, but it would help if he moved the defenders around more. He has to start moving in front of and around the centre-backs and full-backs rather than just depending on getting quality balls into the box.
Look, I was a striker who, like Isak, needed service, and the reason I scored as many goals as I did was down to the excellent supply line I was so often given.
But it feels Isak has more in his locker regards movement. That will help him score more often.
I wouldn’t be too bothered about the debate over how many touches he has. I didn’t get many and scored often, and the same can be said of Erling Haaland.
And another positive for Isak is that he didn’t get down having spurned a couple of chances before scoring. He kept at it and that’s what you need as a striker in his position.
Barcola fee raises questions
Bradley Barcola’s big-money move to Liverpool is another example of how the current transfer market is barely making any sense.
The inflation in fees has become ridiculous. I wouldn’t be surprised if in 10 years someone is on the move for half-a-billion pounds.
And it’s not just Liverpool doing it - look at Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and the money Chelsea are putting around.
Then there’s the question marks over our recent big-money recruitment.
When Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz came in last summer, everybody was expecting us to win the Premier League again. Except it doesn’t really work like that.
And it has led to some claims that our transfer business last summer makes it the worst window in history.
I’m not sure I’d go that far, but it does mean there is added pressure on Liverpool to get things right this time around, not least when you look at their record of the recent past with Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Fabinho, Luis Diaz and many others.
I’m sure there will be more business before the window closes on Tuesday night, but I’d still like to see a defensive midfielder arrive.
A younger, slightly better version of Wataru Endo - and, believe me, that’s no slight on the Japan international - would be ideal.