Jose is not the only Aldo in the headlines this week.
Liverpool legend John Aldridge is also making waves after tearing into summer signing Roberto Firmino for an apparent lack of commitment in tackles.
After shining in the Reds’ 4-1 over Manchester City, Firmino’s form has dropped a little bit and he was substituted after just an hour of Liverpool’s surprise 2-0 defeat to Newcastle at the weekend.
And Aldridge, who made 83 appearances for Liverpool, was not happy at the Brazilian’s showing on Sunday afternoon with Christian Benteke also coming in for criticism from the former Republic of Ireland international.
“Roberto Firmino is playing as if something is wrong, mentally and physically. He’s been absolutely redundant the last two games after such a great display at Man City,” Aldridge wrote in his Liverpool Echo column. “It can’t just be the fact his mate Coutinho has been missing.
“Christian Benteke played badly – he was stood outside the box when two good crosses came in, one from Moreno – but it was Firmino who made him look worse. Everything Benteke needed from him was absent in a horrible display.
“He needed him to be the link man but he wasn’t there. Benteke won his flick-ons but he was nowhere near him.
“Firmino was the missing link and things improved when Adam Lallana, who played well, came on. It was like chalk and cheese.
“The Brazilian also pulled out of a challenge that was 55-45 in his favour. Liverpool fans won’t accept that. I’ve been going for 50 years and I know it’s unacceptable.
“If the ball is there to be won you win it. He’s going to have to learn to get stuck in.”
