Liverpool FC Forum

I know what you’re saying about Mo lads but it really isn’t as easy as you suggest. In 2 matches he scores very late against Bournemouth to guarantee the win given that we had been extremely vulnerable. Also last night very late on he puts across a great ball for Rio which results in a goal. I’m certainly not ignoring Dom’s brilliant contribution in the goal. Mo for a lot of last season would go through matches doing very little and then come up with a goal or an assist. His stats were incredible. By any standard a goal and an extremely important match winning assist in two matches for me a good enough reason to keep him on the pitch.

Ekitike is looking a real player. Long may his success continue.

Mo is certainly a match winner but he just looks lost this season like the team is not his anymore, not sure whether it’s no more Trent feeding him balls or there are new stars in the team. I do think he will need to rotate more this year, at the very least to save some milage in his legs. His ego won’t like it but that may just fire him up a bit as he plays better when he has a point to prove….he did previously anyway.

This deal Mo has got where he doesn't have to track back is one of the reasons 10 men can outplay 11. We are dragging off players in their early 20's like Ekitike and Wirtz and leaving on a 30 something who's got a doctors note not to run after the ball. Arne needs to man the eff up, playing Mo for every minute of every game even when he's having a stinker is actually getting embarrassing, it looks like he's terrified of upsetting him.

I agree on Wirtz causing a disruption in our midfield. There's a reason why we haven't had a real AM for so long, Klopp realized early on that we can't accommodate one. Having Wirtz in an AM role reminds me of the time we had Coutinho there. He was a phenomenal player for us but the midfield was too unbalanced with a player like him in it and that's why we never got an out and out replacement for him.

IMO we can't continue with Wirtz as a number 10 and we need to get back to our last season's midfield, but where does that leave him? He's clearly been brought in to play down the middle and I'm not sure he's the sort of player to play as a winger.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Tue Aug 26, 2025 10:53 pm wrote:This deal Mo has got where he doesn't have to track back is one of the reasons 10 men can outplay 11. We are dragging off players in their early 20's like Ekitike and Wirtz and leaving on a 30 something who's got a doctors note not to run after the ball.

Another thing worth mentioning is that we got rid of a lot of fighters in our team and brought none to replace them. I understand the reasoning behind selling Diaz, and Darwin was a flop that had to be moved on but both of them were fighters, pressed a lot, tracked back, made tackles etc. With them in the side having a luxury player like Salah was not a problem but now we have Gakpo who is similar to Salah i.e. useless outside of scoring and assisting and we have Wirtz who is simply too lightweight. So now that's 3 players that don't get stuck in and obviously we're not going to control games as well as we want to because of it.

I remember when we kind of used to whine about Hendo/Wijnaldum/Fabinho mid. But later realised how crucial those 3 were to the team.

Klopp kept it like that because it worked so well. They kept it tight in the middle and tracked back like possessed men. Had we swapped one of them for an attacking non track bully the midfield would've collapsed.

I don't know what the summer transfer plan was this season. I think Slot wants to play more attacking, expansive footy, heavy metalesque to some degree. He hinted that at post Bournemouth presser to carra/Nev.

If we are going to play like that then expect a return of Klopps first few seasons.

They only way Wirtz as 10 will somehow work is if we've  got x2 world class DMs. You're talking about Macha/Alonso levels.
Can Grav/Mac do all that dog work???

I'm hoping he pushes Wirtz further up, ain't seen him play at Leverkusen so unsure how he could do there.

The Wirtz issue is only one of a few going around as others mentioned.

damjan193 » Tue Aug 26, 2025 9:40 pm wrote:I agree on Wirtz causing a disruption in our midfield. There's a reason why we haven't had a real AM for so long, Klopp realized early on that we can't accommodate one. Having Wirtz in an AM role reminds me of the time we had Coutinho there. He was a phenomenal player for us but the midfield was too unbalanced with a player like him in it and that's why we never got an out and out replacement for him.

IMO we can't continue with Wirtz as a number 10 and we need to get back to our last season's midfield, but where does that leave him? He's clearly been brought in to play down the middle and I'm not sure he's the sort of player to play as a winger.

Wirtz has to be played in Bobby's old false 9 position, Ekitike one side of him Isak the other (assuming he signs). We aren't playing well, players are clearly out of form but the managers insistence on trying to fit square pegs into round holes is exacerbating our problems,

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Wed Aug 27, 2025 1:59 am wrote:

damjan193 » Tue Aug 26, 2025 9:40 pm wrote:I agree on Wirtz causing a disruption in our midfield. There's a reason why we haven't had a real AM for so long, Klopp realized early on that we can't accommodate one. Having Wirtz in an AM role reminds me of the time we had Coutinho there. He was a phenomenal player for us but the midfield was too unbalanced with a player like him in it and that's why we never got an out and out replacement for him.

IMO we can't continue with Wirtz as a number 10 and we need to get back to our last season's midfield, but where does that leave him? He's clearly been brought in to play down the middle and I'm not sure he's the sort of player to play as a winger.

Wirtz has to be played in Bobby's old false 9 position, Ekitike one side of him Isak the other (assuming he signs). We aren't playing well, players are clearly out of form but the managers insistence on trying to fit square pegs into round holes is exacerbating our problems,

If you're thinking about playing them in the same way we did with Firmino Mane and Salah then that won't work IMO. Ekitike might be capable of playing as a winger but he's just far more useful as a CF and Isak is only good as a striker. I'm not even sure Wirtz would work as a false no.9 tbh, I think we played him there for a bit against Palace and it didn't look good. The only way your suggestion might work is if Wirtz retains his AM position but has 3 midfilders in support behind him instead of two, with the two strikers in front of him. Width would be provided by the fullbacks only. Basically a diamond formation, which I'm not very fond of tbh, not even sure if anyone still plays that these days.

One thing's for certain, although I can see why we wanted and spent so much money on Wirtz, at the moment accommodating him is causing more problems than benefits.

It's early days but like many of you lads I've already got some concerns. I'll try and keep them brief.

On the Newcastle game ? . We got out muscled, basically bullied by the bar codes determination to get stuck in for a win, an over simplification perhaps but I thought overall were crying out for a midfield that showed more grit and determination to match Newcastle's physical approach. Only Virgil and Szob seemed to stand up to the test.

The New lads ?
Kerkez   So far he has failed to show me why he gets his name on the team sheet (fitness aside) ahead of Robbo .
Frimpong ? fking injured already
Wirtz Still scratching my head on this one . Undoubted ability, but if we're all being honest so far he's been miles away from expectations. I guess this is were Slott earns his wage on how he deploys and gets the best out of our record signing.
I like the idea floated by Yakka that Wirtz is given a go at the old Bobby Firmino role, some have disagreed with that suggestion, citing that other forwards may not fit the plan, my response to that would be they've got quality and will adjust.

OOP's almost forgot !
Konate !!!! , is he already learning his Spanish recent performances he's been miles away from even average. more than one quality CB is deffo required ,Don't forget Virgil is already 34 !

YNWA 

damjan193 » Wed Aug 27, 2025 12:38 pm wrote:

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Wed Aug 27, 2025 1:59 am wrote:

damjan193 » Tue Aug 26, 2025 9:40 pm wrote:I agree on Wirtz causing a disruption in our midfield. There's a reason why we haven't had a real AM for so long, Klopp realized early on that we can't accommodate one. Having Wirtz in an AM role reminds me of the time we had Coutinho there. He was a phenomenal player for us but the midfield was too unbalanced with a player like him in it and that's why we never got an out and out replacement for him.

IMO we can't continue with Wirtz as a number 10 and we need to get back to our last season's midfield, but where does that leave him? He's clearly been brought in to play down the middle and I'm not sure he's the sort of player to play as a winger.

Wirtz has to be played in Bobby's old false 9 position, Ekitike one side of him Isak the other (assuming he signs). We aren't playing well, players are clearly out of form but the managers insistence on trying to fit square pegs into round holes is exacerbating our problems,

If you're thinking about playing them in the same way we did with Firmino Mane and Salah then that won't work IMO. Ekitike might be capable of playing as a winger but he's just far more useful as a CF and Isak is only good as a striker. I'm not even sure Wirtz would work as a false no.9 tbh, I think we played him there for a bit against Palace and it didn't look good. The only way your suggestion might work is if Wirtz retains his AM position but has 3 midfilders in support behind him instead of two, with the two strikers in front of him. Width would be provided by the fullbacks only. Basically a diamond formation, which I'm not very fond of tbh, not even sure if anyone still plays that these days.

One thing's for certain, although I can see why we wanted and spent so much money on Wirtz, at the moment accommodating him is causing more problems than benefits.

I think it's a case of any port in a storm atm mate, that diamond formation as you describe it is deffo worth a go, Trent and Robbo used to provide most of our width back in Jurgen's early days so it's not that alien a concept to us, if you remember for about 3 or 4 seasons Robbo and Trent used to compete with each other to see who could top the assists charts. Frimpong and Kerkez are both young and athletic enough to do that same job, indeed that role would probably suit the pair of them down to the ground.
In the middle of the park is where we'd really gain, we'd have an overload with 3 CM's plus a baller in Wirtz....2 big, quick, powerful, skilful lads in Isak and Ekitike up top who both know where the net is......seems the obvious solution to me. At least in that formation players would be playing in positions and performing roles that suits them and their skilset. It's got to be worth a try. It can't be any worse than being embarrassed by 10 men.

                                                            ALISSON
                                                           
                           FRIMPONG         KONATE       VIRGIL       KERKEZ

                                                              RYAN G.

                                           DOM                                 MACCA

                                                              WIRTZ

                                               ISAK                       HUGO

Looks good to me....

Yup that set up would be ideal, gives us good protection in the middle

Slot won't drop Salah as long as hes fit. He even seems reluctant to sub him with any meaningful time remaining. Hes never given anyone a decent shot at showing what they can do in that position.

We have yet to find the right balance with the new lads in the team. The Italian fella should be training away so might get a surprise with him. Hopefully Guehi signs as well.

It was an ugly win but still a win. Have to trust Slot sees the obvious and we start to tighten up at the back. I would drop Kerkhez for Arsenal and maybe Wirtz if Mac is fit.