The next Roberto Firmino is here and he’s everything Michael Edwards dreamed about | OneFootball

Michael Edwards will have dreamt about the second coming of Roberto Firmino, now he's here.

When he left Anfield, we all knew there will never be a no.9 like Bobby. He was one of a kind.

While the Brazilian was a talented goalscorer, what truly made him special at Anfield was his selflessness.

Rather than focusing purely on scoring himself, Firmino was often the glue that facilitated Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.

His intelligent movement and ability to drop deep created space for the duo to exploit.

It was the humility that he played with, and the flair that he had. All the while playing with that iconic toothy smile. Firmino was the best of us.

There's no surprise that since his departure Liverpool still haven't really been able to replace him.

What truly set Firmino apart and the element of his game that Liverpool are missing the most right now is his pressing.

Few players in modern football were as relentless as he was. It's probably why Edwards loved him so much, and decided to name his dog 'Bobby' in his honour.

Firmino’s pressing wasn’t just about chasing opponents for the sake of it. He was innately brilliant at timing his press perfectly.

He just had an awareness for anticipating when to make his move, when to cut those passing lanes, and force mistakes at exactly the right moment.

Firmino was the brilliant cog in Klopp's gegenpress machine, he became the engine that sparked attacks and created turnovers high up the pitch enabling the Reds to play their heavy metal football.

His absence has left a void in Liverpool’s ability to suffocate opponents and regain possession in the final third. Arne Slot's side are struggling in the pressing side of their game.

But that could be fixed by going back to where it all started for Liverpool and Firmino - Hoffenheim.

The German side is where Firmino first made his mark in Europe and right now they are also the club that has one of the best pressing systems in Europe's top five leagues.

Currently, Hoffenheim have the highest PPDA and the most pressing sequences in the Bundesliga as per Opta Analyst.

At the apex of this pressing machine is Fisnik Asllani, who is quickly developing a reputation as one of the most underrated attackers in the league - just like Firmino was.

Asllani has 17 goal contributions for Hoffenheim this season, averaging a goal or assist 0.81 per 90 minutes.

He is more than just an attacking player though. Like Firmino Asllani is comfortable with his back to goal, he's extremely technical and brilliant at linking up with his teammates.

© IMAGO - Fisnik Asllani Liverpool