At this moment I think we have to be 4 2 3 1 or 4 2 1 3, as we have a weakness defending and covering midfield runners and that is why Szob has to play as a double pivot as he has the pace to cover those runs, obviously we morph into what we played last year when in possession with Grav the deepest and Szob in the slightly advanced Macca role.
All this is because Macca is a pale shadow of the player he was last season, both mentally and physically.
In the original post, I was referring to what we did last season, the little change of shape in midfield. We did that again on Sunday, but we were too far from each other.
I wasn’t talking about Wirtz. We’ll see how it develops, obviously he was signed to be a key player. Right now, Szobo is more meriting game time than Wirtz.
But both can also play in the same team. We have a few questions to solve. And things can change with time.
Mac is basically our only midfielder for control, maybe also Jones when he’s on it (consistency is his issue). When they’re all fit and in normal form, I think Jones is our 3rd choice for actually any of the two double-pivot spots. Be it Gravenberch (ahead of Endo) or Mac (ahead of Szobo).
Szobo has pace (or better to say, energy and stamina), but pace isn’t everything.
I know pace isn’t everything but his tracking of players is better than Macca and at time Grav, he seems more aware maybe because he has played the FB role
I’m not sure if tracking players is even the priority, we are very much a zonal side. I get the broad idea like, Szobo has legs and energy, why wouldn’t he play deeper to cover stuff defensively. But I think there’s danger in our possession game from deep with him in that role (without Mac) and a waste of his pressing (ability to really “cheat” the game off the ball) to have him so deep. He can pick out a vertical or long pass, but controling the game on the ball from deep (either slowing down or accelerating) is something completely different. Even Mac isn’t really amazing at that, but he’s our closest player (midfielder) to it. Jones is more for that role than Szobo I think.
We aren’t pressing and yes i understand zonal systems but when a player runs into the channel he has to be tracked atm we aren’t and it is causing us major issues.
Heard the exact same thing after Buvac left, in the first bad spells Klopp had…
We all know what followed.
Fact is, you have no idea, just trying to make yourself feel better by thinking you have figured it all out…
I find the term ‘Galaktiko’ a bit exaggerated, but I agree that it is difficult to discern a plan.
Some interesting comments btw
Edit
I feel like the plan was clearly that Isak was our no.1 target from the end of last season/start of the summer, even though we got him later and after Ekitike.
Ekitike was probably more down to Jota’s tragedy. I believed Jota was bound to stay and be the backup striker for this season. We didn’t want to settle for another striker of so-so quality, someone cheaper.
I don’t trust this theory of journalists digging out a few games of Ekitike on the left as a regular idea, at least so far. He’s fantastic technically and is high quality in linking up, so he can ordinate as a second striker alongside or slightly behind Isak.
But then that requires a proper 4-4-2.
First, let’s see how both do individually, who comes out on top. Right now, Ekitike has the edge, as he’s been here longer, had a better start, looks sharper and scored a few.
But it could turn out to be a bit of an Alvarez at City situation down the line (hopefully that means that one of Isak/Ekitike is our “Haaland”!).
Right now, no, I absolutely don’t see how you get Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Salah, Ekitike and Isak in the same team (which would have enough balance). And even longer term, I don’t really see Ekitike and Isak together. Unless we are playing lesser sides or chasing the result.
That is not even the most important right now, the team comes first. If someone or likely even a few from that group needs to be dropped in order to reach balance, you simply do it.
I feel at this point the quotation “opinions are like arseholes, everyone’s got one” is rather apt.
Same. I don’t think they all can play in a team with balance.
The solution is Wirtz behind Isak and Ekitike, Salah on the bench, alongside other forwards. Rotate them in for Isak/Ekitike based on form and fitness.
It’s time to deploy the new attacking talent we bought. Let’s give the triangle of Wirtz behind Isak and Ekitike a chance to work up an understanding. If they do, we won’t look back.
Szoboszlai plays in a two slightly behind Wirtz. On current form the other would be Jones, with Grav at the base.
Slot needs to bench Salah and find a solution along the lines of the above, imo.
Also known as Gladys and Mo
If we are employing zonal marking, could the large number of new players be an issue? I can remember when Benitez started, zonal marking was a new concept and the players were all over the place.
Corrected
I’ve heard them both to be honest, the former is more polite.
It’s really concerning, that Arsenal game aside (where I thought our game plan was really good and worked) we have looked so easy to play through all season. The amount of times we’ve ended up with the other team attacking and 20 yards of space in front of our 2 cb’s is shocking!!! Our midfield is the biggest problem in my opinion (tactically) it’s absolutely all over the place and adding very little creativity going forward as well as no solid defensive structure coming back towards our goal. I actually think we need a proper Mascherano style defensive midfield player in there who just sits and then Grav can play further forward or defend as the game dictates as he is such a good footballer. The 3rd spot could be Witrz if he reaches peak level, but currently Dom. I almost wonder if Endo needs to get a run as he’s the only specialist player in that position. Slot doesn’t fancy him though and he’s looked pretty average to be fair. Obviously DM is a priority (along with CB) as and when we can sign someone suitable, but from the current squad - who else can fill in. This is where we don’t have a James Milner type who can do a good job wherever he’s told to play (remember him doing quite well playing an entire season at LB?) We don’t seem to have that sort of player with the mentality and physical attributes to do that job on a temporary basis.
Thats the worst Gangnum Style dance I’ve ever seen
No not Endo.
Our biggest problem is our press.
Then our defence that retreats at an alarming allure.
Noone in midfield who works to slow the opposition down. High lines work well when you hunt in packs.
Well that’s the defence.
In possession we force it too much or pass it around at the back slowly. The number of times you see a defender look see the pass but instead of passing he looks away before turning back and playing the first option pass far too late and the opposition is in position for it. Absolutely crazy.
Talking about pressing it is very hard to do so when the opposition launches it at every opportunity and then their tactic after is to win the 2nd ball.
I watched the Adam Cleary analysis and it showed a graphic of their keeper, it showed him playing 1 short pass all the others were long and they only won the 1st ball twice which was out wide. They weren’t really interested in winning the 1st ball just the 2nd.
This is the textbook response to dealing with a team who presses high so is entirely on us to deal with. Under Klopp we actually adapted to the pressing really quickly, but were terrible at dealing with this response to it, and that was why he made a priority of Matip in his first summer.
I’ve seen Slot take some criticism for his comments about Utd playing this way. I genuinely dont think he means it like that. I think he is just ok talking about what he saw during the game and does it with Dutch frankness and when he’s talking about a game we lost it is far easier to interpret it as a Wenger like criticism of teams he sneered at for only being interested in defending. But this is where football management becomes a perception game. Eyes are now on him and people are desperate to find evidence of the pressure getting to him or him refusing to own his own mistakes. The “he’s cracking up” chants come up even without real reason, but it tends to only happen to people who are legit under pressure, and it becomes a reinforcing positive feedback loop. He needs to be pretty careful about how he talks about how other teams play over the next few months if he doesnt want this to snowball