2025/26 Season

[DerKrampus]

I'm just going to watch us until we play better, and when they do, I'll enjoy watching us.

[rudedog]

Trent
Diaz
Jota
Nunez
Elliot
Tsimikas
Quansah

7 players departed this summer that were all regulars from Klopps team, it’s no massive surprise that we’ve looked disjointed this season.

Looking back, it seems odd that it was almost universally accepted that we would just absorb these losses and integrate a bunch of new players without too much fuss. Has any other title winning team done this before and were they successful?

[Charly]

Ill hold my hands up as I was frustrated last season with Dom in an attacking sense and thought Wirtz was perfect as a counterpoint. But its cleat to me now that Dom is vital in that position despite not having those attacking qualities. We lose so much not having him in there.

Id rather Jones was RB, but Gomez has always done really well as a fullback. And if Grav is next in line as CB, then Im not sure why we go with Dom there. I dontbthinknit helps that he doesnt trust Endo either. I guess the killer here is Konate's form this season.

[Norbs]

Jones at RB and leaving Szob in midfield makes much more sense and then bringing Gomez in to defence while fit makes more sense than putting Grav there

It's contrived and over thought

[Exiled_red]

Thats not flexibility. That feels more like panic.

Our two best midfileders moved into defence while our midfield is being overrun.

All while we have a backup rb and centreback on the bench,leaving us with jones macca and wirtz in midfield, which is about as lightweight as it gets.

Its makes our summer transfer activity loom a bit ridiculous that we dont have a trusted backup at right back, Dm or centre back.

Slot needs a bit more faith in Gomez and Endo, or why didnt we replace them in the summer? Frimpong just looks odd at this point. Was he signed as a RB?

While I would question the decision of moving 2 of our best midfielders into defence and weakening the midfield by doing so, I'm not sure it was done as a panic, Gravenberch has been moved into CB a few times when for example Konate has been on a yellow and we are chasing the game. Similarly Szoboszlai going to RB has been done albeit as an emergency measure in a couple of games which actually worked out. I think both individually are planned changes designed to get as many of our best (attacking) players onto the pitch when we need a goal. Gravenberch is considered at CB for better ball playing skills than Konate and it is probably anticipated that Szoboszlai at RB will be doing more defending that attacking, so they are calculated risks. I don't think it is about not trusting players I think it's about the situation in the game and trying to be aggressive and win the game.

Had the scoreline been different e.g. if we had been winning I think more cautious subs would have been made e.g. Gomez if Konate had to come off, Endo in midfield, I don't think it's that Slot doesn't trust them I think it is they don't offer much in an attacking sense when you need a goal.

I agree the Frimpong situation is a bit odd, I was assuming it was a fitness issue, when he has played recently it has tended to be further forward than RB, not sure if that is to try and get him used to the physicality without having the defensive responsibility or something else.

[Charly]

I think Slot wants flexibility in the team, e.g. moving Gravenberch to CB, Szoboszlai to RB, while we might start with 4-3-3 or similar I wouldn't be surprised to see us shift formations during matches to a 4-4-2 diamond or even playing with wing backs with Gravenberch dropping into a back three at times

Thats not flexibility. That feels more like panic.

Our two best midfileders moved into defence while our midfield is being overrun.

All while we have a backup rb and centreback on the bench,leaving us with jones macca and wirtz in midfield, which is about as lightweight as it gets.

Its makes our summer transfer activity loom a bit ridiculous that we dont have a trusted backup at right back, Dm or centre back.

Slot needs a bit more faith in Gomez and Endo, or why didnt we replace them in the summer? Frimpong just looks odd at this point. Was he signed as a RB?

[Exiled_red]

I think Slot wants flexibility in the team, e.g. moving Gravenberch to CB, Szoboszlai to RB, while we might start with 4-3-3 or similar I wouldn't be surprised to see us shift formations during matches to a 4-4-2 diamond or even playing with wing backs with Gravenberch dropping into a back three at times

[Cerbie]

We're not going to go for a 442 diamond or anything radical like that. The whole club set up is revolved around 433 from bottom up.

That's an Amorim level of inflexibility, surely?

The current strategies aren't working as well as they did last season, so we need to adapt. The diamond is an option we could consider with the squad we have. I'm not saying we can't revert to 433 once the squad are sufficiently fit and drilled to be effective in that setup.

And yes, I know we are a point off the top, and the sky isn't falling in.

[labourRed]

We're not going to go for a 442 diamond or anything radical like that. The whole club set up is revolved around 433 from bottom up.

[Cerbie]

As a number of people have said, I'd go with a 4-4-2 midfield diamond formation against most sides. Okay, they didn't say that I would go with that, rather that they would, and I agree with them. Not agree that they would, but that it's a good idea.

------------------Ali/mam

Frim/brad Gomez VVD Kerkes

-----------------------Grav
Dom----------------------------------???
-----------------------Wirtz

---------Ekitike----------------Isak

Edit: that formatting was a pain in the arse, I wish I hadn't bothered.

I can't see the downside to trying the 442 with Wirtz at the top of the diamond. Mac is first choice for the left side when fit, but Jones could fit in there too. For low block teams, we could have Ekitike at the top of the diamond and Wirtz on the left as an alternative.

[The_weatherman]

I'm going to be tranquil about things, it's rare for teams to win back to back titles, no matter what anyone says, we are in a huge transition. Outgoings were Diaz, Trent, Quansah, Darwin, Tsimikas, Elliott and Jota died, this is a really huge upheaval for the squad. Players are losing relationships and friendships and mourning a friend.

Incomings are Isak, Hugo, Wirtz, Kerkez and Frimpong, Kerkez and Wirtz are 22 so they are really young still, but at the same time we are bedding them in, we're changing playstyles.

I'm looking at it like we're now beginning another team cycle, winning last season should have relieved some pressure off Slot, not add to it. It's not the end of the world if we don't win it back to back, long term, we'll be fine.

[Kenneth]

As a number of people have said, I'd go with a 4-4-2 midfield diamond formation against most sides. Okay, they didn't say that I would go with that, rather that they would, and I agree with them. Not agree that they would, but that it's a good idea.

------------------Ali/mam

Frim/brad Gomez VVD Kerkes

-----------------------Grav
Dom----------------------------------???
-----------------------Wirtz

---------Ekitike----------------Isak

Edit: that formatting was a pain in the arse, I wish I hadn't bothered.

[Buzzo]

You guys are so cute!

[Buzzo]

I have a time saving 'random ignore' feature where I skim read the first sentence or so, jump to conclusions about what the rest says and then respond.

[Paul12]

Can't believe the negativity on here. Yes we are not playing well as a team and some individuals are under-performing and there are some quite serious issues with the way the team is currently set-up, but there have been only 7 league matches played, we are second in the league and five of our seven games have been against teams in the top eight. It is simply too early to write the season off. Yes, it MIGHT go pear-shaped...but that is true of any season at this stage. It could also be another good season.