Impressive stats but where does he play in this Liverpool side?
He's a natural 10, in fact he's arguably the epitome of a 10, so does he play as a 10?
I've been saying all season that the Liverpool side that just cantered to the league title doesn't really make sense in a lot of areas. We had a supposed 'right back' who possesses the qualities of a 10 and gave up defending years ago (problem solved as he's just gone to Real Madrid); conversely, we had a Hungarian playing 10 who possesses the qualities of a full back. We had Gravenberch playing as a 6 when he isn't one; we had Mac Allister playing as a 6/8 hybrid when he's more of a 10; we had Salah as chief goalscorer and (NEW IN 2024/25!) chief provider, when he had previously shown little or no inclination to pass to anyone, especially if they were called Sadio; a Uruguayan striker whose most accurate shot of the season was when throwing a chair at Colombian fans; and a four-metre tall left winger.
So would the signing of Wirtz for the 10 spot begin to remould the side into one where round pegs go into round holes and square pegs into square holes? Especially with a right back in Bradley who actually shows enthusiasm for the defensive side of the game?
I've also seen mention of Wirtz being signed to play as a false 9. Seems a little unlikely to me.
As much as the Liverpool midfield/team this season made no real sense, it worked, and the instillation of more 'sense' might actually mess things up. Dominic's energy goes if he's the one dropped, though we surely make up for it by playing a right back who runs rather than walks.
I don't really understand why Slot doesn't just try Mac Allister as a 10, move Ryan to the left-sided 6/8 and buy a proper defensive midfielder as a 6.
Maybe he'll have to do just that if Wirtz pulls a Zubimendi and says he's not ready to give up the lederhosen for a ska era pair of purple Sta-prest, before signing for Arsenal in the next window.
I'm not sure about little fellas in the English top flight, but Neves and Vitinha just ran rings around the rest of Europe so maybe a little fella is the way forward. At least until James Tarkowski kicks him up the arse.
That’s an extensive break down of Liverpool’s current line up! Wirtz is a 10 on paper but at Leverkusen he’s preferred to play off the left. I know Gakpo is there, but I’d be inclined to suggest they swap him out for Wirtz and leave the midfield as it is. As you say, it’s a delicate mix that just about works. I’m also a huge fan of Szoboszlai and i think he’ll grow into a more attacking role. He was an excellent box to box playmaker in the Bundesliga.
Yikes. I was already thinking Wirtz seems a bit of a Coutinho reboot, and as good as Coutinho was, nobody ever seemed to know what his best position was, or where to play him.
I see Gakpo as quite similar in style to Isak, so I don't know why he couldn't be coached to play through the middle, which would save LFC another 100 trillion on Isak, but Cody seems to prefer the left. I don't like four-metre tall wingers, it makes no sense to me. But Slot seems okay with it.
I'm a big fan of Diaz. His workrate is unbelievable, as is his ball manipulation. Too many people citing statistics these days. We've become obsessed by them. There are too many intangibles in football for it to be boiled down to a few 'key metrics'.
De Bryne made the transfer quite easily
Very true. Plenty of Bundesliga stars have thrived in the Premier League. I expect Wirtz to do the same.
Impressive stats but where does he play in this Liverpool side?
He's a natural 10, in fact he's arguably the epitome of a 10, so does he play as a 10?
I've been saying all season that the Liverpool side that just cantered to the league title doesn't really make sense in a lot of areas. We had a supposed 'right back' who possesses the qualities of a 10 and gave up defending years ago (problem solved as he's just gone to Real Madrid); conversely, we had a Hungarian playing 10 who possesses the qualities of a full back. We had Gravenberch playing as a 6 when he isn't one; we had Mac Allister playing as a 6/8 hybrid when he's more of a 10; we had Salah as chief goalscorer and (NEW IN 2024/25!) chief provider, when he had previously shown little or no inclination to pass to anyone, especially if they were called Sadio; a Uruguayan striker whose most accurate shot of the season was when throwing a chair at Colombian fans; and a four-metre tall left winger.
So would the signing of Wirtz for the 10 spot begin to remould the side into one where round pegs go into round holes and square pegs into square holes? Especially with a right back in Bradley who actually shows enthusiasm for the defensive side of the game?
I've also seen mention of Wirtz being signed to play as a false 9. Seems a little unlikely to me.
As much as the Liverpool midfield/team this season made no real sense, it worked, and the instillation of more 'sense' might actually mess things up. Dominic's energy goes if he's the one dropped, though we surely make up for it by playing a right back who runs rather than walks.
I don't really understand why Slot doesn't just try Mac Allister as a 10, move Ryan to the left-sided 6/8 and buy a proper defensive midfielder as a 6.
Maybe he'll have to do just that if Wirtz pulls a Zubimendi and says he's not ready to give up the lederhosen for a ska era pair of purple Sta-prest, before signing for Arsenal in the next window.
I'm not sure about little fellas in the English top flight, but Neves and Vitinha just ran rings around the rest of Europe so maybe a little fella is the way forward. At least until James Tarkowski kicks him up the arse.
That’s an extensive break down of Liverpool’s current line up! Wirtz is a 10 on paper but at Leverkusen he’s preferred to play off the left. I know Gakpo is there, but I’d be inclined to suggest they swap him out for Wirtz and leave the midfield as it is. As you say, it’s a delicate mix that just about works. I’m also a huge fan of Szoboszlai and i think he’ll grow into a more attacking role. He was an excellent box to box playmaker in the Bundesliga.
Off the left?
Yikes. I was already thinking Wirtz seems a bit of a Coutinho reboot, and as good as Coutinho was, nobody ever seemed to know what his best position was, or where to play him.
I see Gakpo as quite similar in style to Isak, so I don't know why he couldn't be coached to play through the middle, which would save LFC another 100 trillion on Isak, but Cody seems to prefer the left. I don't like four-metre tall wingers, it makes no sense to me. But Slot seems okay with it.
I'm a big fan of Diaz. His workrate is unbelievable, as is his ball manipulation. Too many people citing statistics these days. We've become obsessed by them. There are too many intangibles in football for it to be boiled down to a few 'key metrics'.