Don’t know what people are worrying about. Last year we had Nunez and Jota but still ended up playing Diaz at CF a decent amount. In the past we’ve had to shift Mane and Salah into that role too.
And in the vast majority of those times the general formation/set up has largely remained the managers preferred way and players have been moved within it.
As others have pointed out it seems Slot is looking to his fullbacks to provide the width, much in the same way Klopp did earlier on, with the wide forwards playing more narrow in possession. To that end I think you could easily see Ekitike, Isak and Salah playing together. Equally form, fitness and general rotation means we’ll see one of Ekitike or Isak start on the bench from time to time, same way one of Diaz or Gakpo often do. But both will still get plenty of game time in a 60-ish game season.
Highly doubt we see a huge change in general formation/set up but more of an adjustment in how he wants some roles to be played. And having been forced into playing Diaz as a CF at times last season I bet Slot is elated at the thought of having the challenge of balancing minutes between Isak and Ekitike.
I agree that it doesn’t help trying to label a formation as if it’s rigid. We will likely set up differently 2 consecutive weeks, and as you say make a change mid game.
But none of that explains how we could make such a change mid game when our bench will lack any wide type forwards. If we move to having a number 10 - the alleged chat with KdB suggests that - then that is max 4 attacking positions on the field, and we’d have Mo, Flo, Co, Hugo, Isak. 5 for 4 positions. Would Szobo be part of that group as an AM? Perhaps. If we were playing with 3 forwards, that works better with our numbers but then messes with our width. Where is our width of there’s an injury to Mo or Gakpo? Isak??
I feel its an easier switch to move a WF central than it is to move a CF wide, with width becoming our new problem.
Edit: I could very well be a little unfair to Ekitike and Isak here, treating them as true CFs when in fact they have the type of attributes that might work out wide just as well.
I’ll be gobsmacked if this happens. PIF won’t sell him at all in my opinion. Can see them dragging it out and showing how they will do what they want even if it’s to the detriment of the team and Eddie Howe. It’s a big if but if they do say they’re open to a sale I think they’ll insist on £150m and I don’t think we’ll pay that.
But that’s sort of my point. If the width is coming from a more typical overlapping fullback, rather than that weird inverting thing we were doing with Trent the past couple years, those wide forwards can tuck in more.
Those wide forwards are less “chalk on their boots” winger types and more inside forwards that give room for an overlapping full back. The pace of the fullbacks we’ve bought, plus the natural games of Robbo and Bradley suggest that’s where our width will come from.
Sure, on turnover situations you might see Mo or whoever is on the left pull out wide for those quick releases but they’re looking to drive in field anyway rather than create width by going on the outside.
I think Ekitike has both the pace and ball carrying skills to operate in that way but in possession he’d be far closer to our central forward than the touchline.
Also , We need the likes of Mo to be closer to goal. Having quality attacking talent around him like Wirtz and Isak should in theory allow more place to Mo to do what he’s so good at. Score and create goals. There were a few times last season where sides double marked Mo and got him marked out of the game by forcing him too wide. Having fullbacks who can offer width like Bradley and Frimpong allows Mo to be more central and linkup with Flo and the CF more.
BREAKING: Alexander Isak says NO to Saudi Arabia and ONLY WANTS LIVERPOOL! Isak has already turned down proposals from Saudi as there’s nothing at all ongoing with Al Hilal at this stage.
I love the additions we’re making. Teams will want to double up on Mo. Flo. Isak (if he comes). The space that the likes of Cody will have is going to be insane. Runners from deep like Szoboszlai, Mac, Kerkez, and Frimpong are going to be running into empty spaces.
