Florian Wirtz - Welcome to LFC

[SB]

He might count as homegrown but he’s Dutch so can’t be British?

The Dutch said similar but Shhteve McLaren disagrees .

[Corndog]

I don’t think wirtz will play false 9. I think he will play as a number 10 and slot will either play Diaz in front of him or play Salah and Diaz up top and fit szobo into the midfield too with gravenberch sitting just above two CBs

[SB]

I don’t think wirtz will play false 9. I think he will play as a number 10 and slot will either play Diaz in front of him or play Salah and Diaz up top and fit szobo into the midfield too with gravenberch sitting just above two CBs

So Dom misses out most likely if he plays Wirtz as a No10?

[SB]

……… Diaz……………….Mo………….

…………………Wirtz ……………………


…..Macca……..Grav………Dom…….


Kerkez……Virg……Ibou…….Frimpong


………………….Ali………………………

[banditos]

……… Diaz……………….Mo………….

…………………Wirtz ……………………


…..Macca……..Grav………Dom…….


Kerkez……Virg……Ibou…….Frimpong


………………….Ali………………………

No change in formation and he slots into a position that noone else has performed well in of late, one which he is perfectly suited to. We may end up switching to a 343, but I think this will be our preferred formation initially. Gakpo.and Bradley could be first choice though.

[red g]

……… Diaz……………….Mo………….

…………………Wirtz ……………………


…..Macca……..Grav………Dom…….


Kerkez……Virg……Ibou…….Frimpong


………………….Ali………………………

**** me, Have to be some player to break into that 11

[Corndog]

……… Diaz……………….Mo………….

…………………Wirtz ……………………


…..Macca……..Grav………Dom…….


Kerkez……Virg……Ibou…….Frimpong


………………….Ali………………………

Yea exactly and the thing is, most teams will sit back against LFC so really it will be kerkez and frimpong up high and wide with only konate and VVD back on the half way line

[SB]

No change in formation and he slots into a position that noone else has performed well in of late, one which he is perfectly suited to. We may end up switching to a 343, but I think this will be our preferred formation initially. Gakpo.and Bradley could be first choice though.

Yeah there’ll be games for Cody & Connor so that was just an example.

**** me, Have to be some player to break into that 11

100%

Yea exactly and the thing is, most teams will sit back against LFC so really it will be kerkez and frimpong up high and wide with only konate and VVD back on the half way line

It’s an exciting prospect isn’t it.

[RedReet]

Been thinking about the false 9 thing. It worked before with Firmino as there was a lot of space for him to occupy, with Henderson and Gini sitting much deeper. I'm not sure how effective it will be with Szoboszlai already occupying those spaces, with MacAllister and Grav also pushing up more than their predecessors. There are even plenty of games when Virg and Konate are knocking the ball about, deep into opposition half, so not that much space to operate.

As much as I see the logic in it, I'm actually not sure how much it will improve us as a team, if at all. It seems like a good option because A, it worked with Firmino and B, CF is our weakest position on paper, but again, how much does it improve us and is it a better option than having a recognised no. 9 there?

I suppose the other argument is that we played Diaz there as a false 9 and Wirtz would be an upgrade on him, which is fair enough. However, the way many people talk, PSG away might be our sliding doors moment, that Slot (Edwards, Hughes?) formulated the blueprint for this new look Liverpool team that night. Well what's often forgot about was how bad Diaz was that night and just how much more dangerous we looked when Nunez came on. Even though he was struggling for form, just having a recognised no. 9 stretching play instantly transformed the team.

I suppose the more obvious answer is he'll play a variety of positions and everyone will be right, but I've already wrote the post now.

[Big-Red-Ed]

But all the talk was that Slot spoke to Wirz about a definite plan of how to use him. Which suggests and over arching playing style with him at the helm rather than something fluid from week to week

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[Corndog]

Wirtz will make a difference in tight areas, his close control and dribbling is insane.

I wouldn’t characterise Diaz as playing false 9 when he played centrally last season. He didn’t come as deep as Bobby did and would also make runs beyond the defence.

The PSG games are the outliers. Those are the games when you may want forwards stretching the defence with runs beyond because there will be space on the counter. City and Arsenal will also have a go but most other teams will set up conservatively.

I expect Slot will change lineups and tactics for those games.

[peterbread]

Are we ignoring the fact the club is looking for a new 9 with all this formation talk?

[SB]

Are we ignoring the fact the club is looking for a new 9 with all this formation talk?

Well I asked the question earlier in that if Wirtz is to be played as a No10 is that in place of Dom?

[peterbread]

Well I asked the question earlier in that if Wirtz is to be played as a No10 is that in place of Dom?

Seems the most likely scenario. A midfield three of Alexis, Gravenberch and Wirtz. His pressing stats are very good and wins the ball high up the pitch. So we don’t lose what Dom brings.

Then you have Endo, Dom and Jones to rotate the three. Makes a big difference and gives Slot the chance to rotate more which he has admitted he needs to do more.

I’ve also seen mentioned a possibility of him playing on the left of the front three and moving infield to be a 10 when we have the ball and that gives Kerkez the change to overlap and provide the width. Which fits with Diaz being unofficially available at the right price.

Who knows how we’ll play but I doubt he’ll be a false 9 simply because the club wants a top 9 to replace Nunez.

[banditos]

Are we ignoring the fact the club is looking for a new 9 with all this formation talk?

Even if that is true, who's to say it's not just to give us options. Plan B as it were.