When Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz for a then club record fee, the German playmaker arrived having been given assurances of his tactical role as the Reds’ No. 10.
It was a bold tactical plan, one which both Wirtz himself and Arne Slot have since confirmed was discussed before his signing. Reports suggested it was one of the reasons the 22-year-old committed to Merseyside over becoming Kevin de Bruyne’s heir at Man City.
Pre-season and the opening games of the season saw Wirtz, who played most often for Bayer Leverkusen and Germany from a left-sided position rather than purely in the centre, in the No. 10 position as Slot adjusted his midfield from a 1-2 setup to a 2-1 setup to accommodate the new man.
It meant that one of last season’s midfield trio, who complemented each other admirably, had to make way. Injury and lack of form for Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai being asked to do the okey-cokey and play right back, centre midfield and sometimes No. 10 all within the same match, means we don’t exactly know what the preferred midfield three is now.
Indeed, we don’t have any idea what the actual plan is here.
The question, increasingly, is whether Slot has a plan to accommodate Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak and Mo Salah in the same side?
To be frank, it doesn’t really seem possible unless you shift Ekitike – arguably the most in-form player this season – to the left, and drop Cody Gakpo. Not many would be against at least seeing that.
But what was the plan originally?
Because signing Ekitike, Isak and Wirtz seems great in theory but in practice it doesn’t really seem plausible. It is very much a Real Madrid Galactico era problem.
Once Ekitike came in and looked so strong as the No. 9, it became hard to see how he and Isak fitted in.
Yes, of course, players rotate and need rest, but right now how can Slot justify Isak starting ahead of Ekitike?
Side note but you can say the same for Milos Kerkez starting ahead of Andy Robertson. The Hungarian has shown no reason why he should be starting every single game ahead of the experienced Scot, who would at least provide continuity and experience in a team that’s being reshaped.
Signing good footballers but do they fit the system?
Liverpool, be that Richard Hughes, Michael Edwards, Slot, whoever, have signed a trio of very good footballers, but is there actually a plan for how to get the three of them playing alongside each other?
What was the plan if Wirtz was to be the No. 10? And now, why is Wirtz, the man around who this new team was going to be reshaped, being benched?
What must he be thinking? What must Ekitike be thinking?
What must the existing Liverpool players be thinking? Seeing those three arrive but seemingly with no idea how it’s going to work.
We’re 12 games into the season, Isak’s ‘pre-season’ is over, yet our last two games have seen Wirtz and Ekitike on the bench and there are no signs of what the actual plan is.
Is the plan to hope Isak starts scoring, then to bring Wirtz in at that point? But that wouldn’t exactly make sense to get Isak up to speed without Wirtz then change it again.
For what it’s worth, Wirtz hasn’t actually been bad and the problem hasn’t been Wirtz. The problem has been the change in system to accommodate Wirtz into a role that he isn’t exactly familiar with and seems a bit utopian.
Wirtz behind Ekitike, Isak and Salah; would that really work?
Wirtz behind Ekitike and Isak, moving to more of a 4-diamond-2; would that work? How do you drop Salah after paying him £400,000 per week?
Again, what was the plan there? What is the plan going forward?
The biggest worry – Slot’s blindspot
Perhaps most concerning, other than there being no signs of an actual plan, is that Slot is publicly declaring that things aren’t as bad as they seem.
After recent defeats, he has indicated that the players must believe in the tactics and all will come good, that we aren’t far off last season’s level.
Which is alarming, given the complete and utter lack of control and stability that has disappeared from this team.
Last season’s success, and pleasant surprise, were the controlled methods and approach so quickly getting its rewards. Now, it’s frantic, transitional, wide open – everything Slot himself said he didn’t want.
Again, that surely isn’t the plan? Just like Wirtz as a sub surely isn’t the plan.
Szoboszlai playing three positions every match; surely not the plan.
Kerkez, renowned as an overlapping, marauding full back, playing mostly as a third centre-back; surely that wasn’t the plan? And if it was, why?!
Playing Curtis Jones and Wirtz as a two-man midfield against Man United; that surely wasn’t the plan? Why on earth was it?
Was the hierarchy’s plan to sign great footballers misaligned with the head coach’s plans for his system?
What was the plan? What is the plan? It becomes less clear with every performance, for us and the players.
Fan Comments