I think he tires later parts of games thus making him irrelevant at times. But that’s also he runs alot. I remember (maybe wrong) that Lallana and Gini had the same issues of running out of steam as the game progresses but somehow Klopp whipped them into shape especially Gini who together with Hendo became the key engineroom in midfield.
If he can do that, he will go up another level. Willingness and capabilities are there.
at the risk of invoking the wrath of the forum, have we had a worse (pre anointed) POTY?
im really not on the Soboz train like some, really odd choices with the ball, strange positioning, eratic pressing, he busts a gut, but its inconsistent, if you played with him, youd never know if he was going to cover a space or not.
its not an all out attack on the guy, still definately in the first 11, just his season is being well overated
He has dropped off in the last couple of weeks but he is well a truly the POTY, whether he is worse than others says a lot about our players this season.
But he is deserving of it IMO.
He was doing this tonight in the first half, probably the slowest of the players to move the ball. Though he wasn’t the worst player in General.
If he passes to one of our players it is bonus, no matter how long he takes 
id give it to Wirtz, even when Wirtzs out of form, hes still one of the better players on the park.
FWIW, im not judging by recency bias, i think Doms been good, just not worth the plaudits coming his way.
If we had 11 players woth Szobs fitness and energy, we would be a lot better.
He isn’t perfect, which player is?
I do think Wirtz is a brilliant player and has quality, but he is struggling due to iur tactical setup and the players around him, but mainly the 1st bit.
He is inconsistent. I have said elsewhere that he seems to taper off over matches but that’s also because I think he bust his guts out running. As with Klopp’s teams, they are imperfect individuals playing in an almost perfectly balanced system allowing everyone to be part of a machine. Right now, the team is imbalanced, players are getting pulled out of position at times and that takes the wind out of the runners. Its his responsibility as much as the manager’s to bring him to the next level because the willingness and capabilities are there.
Wirtz our player of the season?
Nah, disagree.
What I want from Dom is more bravery on the ball. Hard to tell if this is him, or whether it’s instruction from Slot. But several times a game he looks up, sees a forward pass on, often a pass that could really open up an attacking move, and he turns it down, in favour of playing the ball back or to the side. It’s really infuriating
Other than that, I want to see him playing a double pivot with Gravenberch. I think that’s his best position.
He’s been the player that has delivered a number of clutch moments. Who else would even be in the discussion? Ekitike, Wirtz and Kerkez have all had solid seasons but other than that you’d be hard pressed to think of anybody else who’s performed anywhere near expectations.
He was good earlier on in the season, but has been shite for ages bar the free kicks.
Technically quite poor at times and one of many in the squad who is a bit of a fanny when competing for the ball.
Still, one of the better players in this dismal season.
I believe it’s one of the reasons why we felt the need to add Wirtz between the lines as a big creative source for the short and long term.
Szobo’s pressing and off the ball work was very important last season when he played the single #10 role, he was basically our second striker. But on the ball… not enough really. It led to him telling Slot (and he also said it in one of those 1v1 interviews with Hargreaves) he actually prefers playing deeper, when he has more of the pitch ahead of him. Playing back to goal (or on the half turn) in the possession phase for a protagonist side isn’t easy. It’s not for everyone.
Szobo’s position going forward and our midfield evolution overall will be interesting to follow, what we do with all of this (connected to the attack of course).
I’d say Szobo’s best role is the right sided #8 spot in a 4-3-3 structure (but we currently don’t have a player who I’d fully trust to be the single pivot #6). It allows him to show the dynamism he can bring to a game.
I don’t want Szobo too high nor too deep. Objectivelly, we won the league with him playing higher, so that’s where we know he can do it to a certain level (in some pressing aspects among the best in Europe). As one of the double-pivots, he still needs to prove it. We need to prove it.
I’m very happy with his individual season overall and I think he’ll be here next season.
theres a shock.
who then?
can only be him or Dom.
not a stacked field, thats for sure. but to me, unless you are handicapping the decision by saying Wirtz was bought for ‘x’, or his ceiling is higher… all things being equal, the stuff Wirtz has done, even though its been far from where we want it to be, but the stuff hes done, ahead of Dom, for me
i already said.
Wirtz for me.
even though its not been anything to write home about from him either… at least you can see the class shining through
Problem with judging Dom is Slot decides to shove him back as the emergency right back any chance he gets. It worked for a game or two but like Fabinho in Central defence it was an emergency not something to be relied upon and yet he kept doing it. I don’t blame him if he has dropped down to the levels of the rest.
Several players need a reset.
my biggest thing is the inconsistency of his running.
you never know if hes going to make a run or not, so if your playing with him, itd be hard to know what to do…
Gravenberch, i know you dont like him, but at least hes positionally consistent, so you know he’ll always be doing ‘x’, Macca, same…Dom just seems like anarchy on the park.
100%. it might seem like im getting stuck into the lad, but its more a result of tactical confusion than anything else
It’s only recent over a few topics, from what I remember we agreed on many different things.
It is probably Szoboszlai, yeah. And I don’t think Wirtz is even a close second or alone in second place. Virgil has been still largely quality (few mistakes more than before, like being a tad late in challenges or a bit too relaxed in some moments) and I’d say Ekitike’s also had a better season than Wirtz. Alisson is up there also.
I was absolutely delighted with us getting Wirtz so that’s coming from a “fan”. It’s not been all bad, but that there’s no hiding that the level he’s produced this season is not serious enough to be player of the season. And he’s also said it a few times. Nice on the eye, skills and stuff isn’t enough in this case. Not enough substance.
And on the Szobo at RB thing, he’s played 10 of 47 games at RB. Some not even full games. I don’t think that’s the reason for certain drop in form here and there. Because it also happened in successive games in midfield or offensive midfield. We did make some confusing decision in a few games in a row recently around the Forest defeat, between Szobo and Jones.