Florian Wirtz - Welcome to LFC

[Mark79]

that still only gives us 4 senior players for 3 spots, while discarding a promising young academy graduate. i'm not commenting one way or the other on the transfer, but it doesn't seem to add up to playing with more centre backs to me. my 2p.

That’s what I mean by not going ‘wholesale’ with 3 CBs.
It’s still only 2 starting CBs, with the DM becoming the 3rd when the team is in possession.

It may not be something we continue with, but it is something we trialed.
But it’s as close as we’ll get to 3 at the back imo.

We did start seeing 3 at the back at times in possession towards the end of last season.

Gravenberch falling back almost between the CBs with both full backs going high and wide.

[Corndog]

Wirtz is strong on the ball, he wonÂ’t have a problem physically.

Most of the truly great sides in the last 15 years actually plays with 2 CBs as the last line on the halfway line even if the formation graphic at the start of the game didnÂ’t show that.

A static formation graphic is actually a very poor proxy for the positioning of players in football because the game is so dynamic but itÂ’s the only proxy there is so people understandably overestimate its importance.

Far more important is the style, the types of passes played, how conservative or risky a team is, how rigid/flexible they are.

The best style/idea in football is total football because if executed properly, every player should understand and be able to play every position and is encouraged to do so if game situations require it. Gakpo and Diaz constantly swapping last season was a good example of it.

[little dave hedgehog]

That’s what I mean by not going ‘wholesale’ with 3 CBs.
It’s still only 2 starting CBs, with the DM becoming the 3rd when the team is in possession.

It may not be something we continue with, but it is something we trialed.
But it’s as close as we’ll get to 3 at the back imo.

that is not the idea i'm pushing back on. original post now quotes kennel.

[Kenneth]

Wish I'd never asked.

[Mark79]

You're welcome

[rudedog]

Wish I'd never asked.

It’s raised some valid points

[Norbs]

It's not a new concept for us, Henderson used to drop back to cover the full backs, effectively giving us a back 3

[RedReet]

Regardless of who this 3rd CB is, where does Wirtz come in to the equation, to get back on topic?

[Corndog]

If the team plays with a midfielder just in front of or between the CBs, it allows the team to keep szobo and Macca in the side as well as add Wirtz ahead of them and then have 2 forwards of gakpo/diaz and Salah.

ItÂ’s the only way to keep all of the main 3 CMs and both the new fullbacks in the side together and it would allow wirtz to play an advanced position centrally which is probably his best position.

Such a set up probably also mitigates a need to even sign a more traditional centre forward although the club may still move for one even in such a scenario anyways

[RedReet]

Seems like a lot of concessions just to get Wirtz into the side IMO. Not only are we stifling Gravs attacking abilities and ball carrying skills, we're moving two forwards from their strongest positions.

Wirtz was brought in to supply more goals. I'm not sure playing him in place of a CF and playing Dom and Grav in more disciplined roles necessarily helps that.

[Mark79]

I think Wirtz plays on the left of our front 3. That allows him to play in the same areas of the pitch as he has for Leverkusen and Germany. It doesn’t make him a winger. He’ll be able to drift across the middle, Kerkez will provide the width.

Means we’re not having to drop a midfielder to fit him in too.

[ame]https://twitter.com/mrsilentmoves/status/1936495246231171531[/ame]

[vlahka]

It's not a new concept for us, Henderson used to drop back to cover the full backs, effectively giving us a back 3

And we also have Endo whos done well when hes pushed back there. Plus Nat Phillips, the greatest english defender in the league.

[Irishnev]

I think Wirtz plays on the left of our front 3. That allows him to play in the same areas of the pitch as he has for Leverkusen and Germany. It doesn’t make him a winger. He’ll be able to drift across the middle, Kerkez will provide the width.

Means we’re not having to drop a midfielder to fit him in too.

https://twitter.com/mrsilentmoves/st...95246231171531

It’s what I think as well but he has said that he sees himself as a 10 and Slot said he’d be our 10. I think Szozbo brings the most energy to the midfield so he is still needed, we could form a box with Grav and Mac + Wirtz and Szozbo ahead and the width coming from Kerkez and Bradley/Frimpong

I don’t see anyway for us to move to a back 3, Slot has never used it as a starting formation and he openly said one of the reasons he came was because his set up was similar to Klopp. There are times when we have to chase a result or when in possession that we go to a back 3 but never as a “from the start” way

[Corndog]

I think Wirtz plays on the left of our front 3. That allows him to play in the same areas of the pitch as he has for Leverkusen and Germany. It doesn’t make him a winger. He’ll be able to drift across the middle, Kerkez will provide the width.

Means we’re not having to drop a midfielder to fit him in too.

https://twitter.com/mrsilentmoves/st...95246231171531

I think this will happen too depending upon the opponent.

Will mean gakpo or Diaz or both miss out though.

I can also see games where Wirtz plays in a 3 in front of Macca and gravenberch and szobo is on the bench and vice versa. There are lots of different options but if I had to guess now, I think he will mostly play centrally but yes drift out to the left and back in again, he favours that side so he can cut in on his right foot.

[Norbs]

I think Wirtz plays on the left of our front 3. That allows him to play in the same areas of the pitch as he has for Leverkusen and Germany. It doesn’t make him a winger. He’ll be able to drift across the middle, Kerkez will provide the width.

Means we’re not having to drop a midfielder to fit him in too.

https://twitter.com/mrsilentmoves/st...95246231171531

Would Salah be described as an inverted winger on the right side?