I do see Wirtz and Soboszlai as the 10’s in a 4-2-2-2. Might even leave a pathway for Elliot to remain in that formation too as a backup. We’ve played that formation before the previous season in a couple of games and have looked fine doing it. I don’t think the balance of the team is going to be an issue with that. Keeping in mind that both Dom and Wirtz can provide more support to the wingbacks if needed as well.
I didn’t even realise Jen Chang was on the mod team!
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If we’re relying on Newcastle to actually complete a deal for another striker before we can sign Isak, I don’t think we’re signing Isak.
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To be fair the diamond was the last time we played two strikers in 13/14.
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Has Callum Wilson’s deal with West Ham been finalized? Maybe he could go back
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Maybe Micky Quinn is still available? 
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Well, we won’t be offering that.
Now we’ll see where his priorities lie.
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Isn’t that the Saudi club that was supposedly interested in Nunez.
Smacks of desperation that. Pay him silly money, essentially from the same pockets, to try to keep him from coming to us whilst also then blocking a potential avenue for us to make a sale.
If I was him I’d be kind of pissed off at them trying to buy off my career like that. I mean I’d be fucking minted and living in a desert but I’d have a pretty big solid gold bee in my massive diamond encrusted bonnet about the whole situation.
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It’s a test of character. If he takes that money to essentially go into semi-retirement at 26, he was never right for us.
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Stick him on the negotiating team.
600k a week…to paraphrase, that buys alot of principals…
its too good to turn down…lets say we offer 200k a week which is obscene by most peoples standards, this is 3 times that much…
its multi generational wealth for him and virtually his extended family
its too much money to turn down unfortunately
10 milliona a year is alot, 30 million a year though…
It’s 6 times because it’s tax-free. But he already rejected it.
However, Isak could earn tons of endorsements with us. Salah is estimated to make £1m per week, although his wage is only £400k. Isak is likely to be the second hottest player and soon the hottest, so he could earn tons of money with us.
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It all depends what he sees for himself. Come to Liverpool. Win the big prizes. Compete at the highest level. Make tens of millions of pounds, and then, after he has done the lot, if he is so inclined the Saudi money will still be there toward the end of his career.
Or take the Saudi dough now?
I’m chilled. If he goes there now, I’m happy to wish him well while recognizing he wasn’t for us. But if he sticks to his guns, he either comes to us, for a record fee; or he remains an unhappy player at Newcastle, because they priced him out of the move.
We’ll see what’s what soon enough.
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I think I said about a week ago that there was a 10% chance of an Isak signing.
Now I’d say it’s closer to 50%, and if we sell Diaz or Nunez, it’ll go up to closer to 75%.
In that final scenario, the only way it doesn’t happen is if Newcastle manages to persuade him to stay for a massive wage increase. I don’t think he’ll go to Saudi and I doubt anyone else will come in for him. I also don’t think Newcastle will keep him against his wishes on his current deal - even as that is their right - as I think the squad will turn on him and it’ll quickly become toxic.
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The worst kind of gilded cage
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The Saudis really are glacial when making moves. I’ve noticed this.
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We did have periods when we played 4-4-1-1 under Klopp, Firmino alongside or slightly behind Sturridge, or Salah. I’m just saying that the diamond structure is very rare in football. One could argue that a 4-3-3 with a false #9 isn’t too dissimilar to the diamond, but if we talk about the Milan 04/05 type of diamond (a clear #10 and two clear strikers) - that is very rare.
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