I always imagined Wirtz in the Firmino role in a 4-3-3. He does it slightly differently to Bobby but he has all the skills the imagination and can score goals to boot. But he needs to monster wide forwards to help him. Salah and Gakpo aren’t those. Could put Hugo on the left and Alex on the right, but will that work? They both prefer to play down the centre. Unless we’re talking about having them as a two and a 4312. But then that messes with our pressing pattern.
Yesterday I saw a photo on Twitter of a bloke and Slot at Manchester Airport. He was on his way home; I don’t know if the photo was actually taken yesterday or if it’s been edited with AI, but if it’s genuine, I don’t think we should expect him to be dropped during this international break.
We’ve really fucked up the squad balance. Good players aren’t enough. They have to fit together. To compound the problem, we had squad depth and we jettisoned that.
And now our bench looks threadbare. Slot is using fewer subs and the wrong subs at the wrong times. And keeps reducing the effectiveness of our current best player by putting him in right back with a right back clearly available on the bench.
Apologies, many people have made these points (including myself) ad nauseum.
Just venting at this point.
27 out of 31 matches… Usually, the team with more possession runs less, that’s true, but I don’t think that Klopp’s side were ever outrun in this many matches in any season while he was still here.
I saw that as well, and just assumed it was shit stirring. It is possible that Slot may make a home visit during the break. If nothing else, there are a couple of Netherlands friendlies where a chunk of squad will be playing.
You certainly have more faith than I do. They handed us a football lesson, twice, last season.
Thinking about it, that should have been a wake up call, (to me) that we were faltering. I took it as the PL was shit. Which it is, but being so comprehensively outplayed by them was a sign of things weren’t right.
I think if Stevie comes in the key issue is who he brings with him as having the right assistant can help bridge that gap.
I think the bigger benefit from Stevie taking over is that the club can be much more visible in it’s recruitment of a permanent option. A lot of candidates may not wish to tbe seen throwing their hat in the ring while someone on a permanent deal is doing it.
If they sack him it needs to be today or tomorrow as inter break.
I just have a feeling they wont.
This season will just fizzle out otherwise. Its still savable - just - at the moment but only if theres a change
