It’s too early to say, with more discipline Szoboszlai could be just what we need in ‘the 8’ role.
He steps into Macca’s and Wirtz zones too often and has a tendency to over commit in defensive situations. Show him some videos of Hendo for this.
With ball he’s far too negative. Surely just some encouragement to play the pass quicker and forward would do here.
As for his screamers he’s scored 16 in 109 matches he’s not a reliable goal threat. It’s not worth talking about.
He’s a good set piece candidate and takes our corners and a fair few free kicks and I can not see him being taken off those duties, unless he is more of a threat with his head ( which I doubt above all as the smaller slower Macca is very good in this area). In fact this heading ability is probably all down to aggression.
I think it’s obvious he, Szoboszlai, wants to be here and wants to be and do the best he can for the team and club. Use this to get the best out of him.
It’s strange how at RB he gets so much more right than in positions further forward. It proves he has the right skills in his locker. I’m no coach but surely a good coach could funnel his skills to be a better more reliable player.
With Szobo injured and Grav banned, I assume that means Macca and Nyoni behind Wirtz automatically next game. Finally what I and probably some others wanted to see. I think that is our best midfield to get the best out of Wirtz so he can´t really have many excuses if he doesn´t perform better.
Have to say, Macca was reasonably decent again against Man City. He´s been our strongest midfielder in my view.
I think the hope is gor Wirtz not to come back as deep with a proper cm pairing behind him.
At this point, i want to drop Wirtz and have him come off bench around 60-65 min mark. And start Dom or even try Macca at 10 ( this only if someone like Camara comes in)
Not bad if/when those who are injured return. We also need 2 of that 2nd line to match what they did in their previous club as well as Rio hopefully raising his game with more experience.
We do however need a strong reliable midfielder who can control the game and allow those attackers to perform to their best.
Yeah, the case of Szoboszlai is interesting. He’s a piano player rather than a carrier, and that creates a form of imbalance. It forces Wirtz to carry the piano for the moment, because someone has to. Barcola, Isak, and (don’t forget) Ekitike are genuine piano players. Ngumoha shows signs of being able to play it as well, but that’s for the future, he isn’t a permanent starter for now.
So, for the carriers, who do we have?
Upfront: Koumas and Munoz.
Central Midfield: Macca, Grav, Trey, McConnell, Endo.
So, if Trey can develop into the player we hope he can be, and McConnell continues to develop as well as he does right now, we should be ok until next summer (it all depends on injuries, as always). If the quality needs to be enhanced by then (ie. replacing Endo, because I hope that Macca will stay beyond next summer), I’m quite confident that the club will move for a solid midfielder who can play as the most defensive one of the three. It’s probably our next critical spot for a key move.
(I moved the conversation into this thread, rather than continuing in the Barcola thread.)
I think Endo’s basically already been replaced. Nyoni is now our 4th central midfielder in the pecking order to put it that way, he might get a certain amount of Jones’ minutes, depending how much he merits them with time. Endo will obviously be used more in real emergency. If we make a serious central midfield signing, it will be interesting what happens to someone else other than Endo.
Yeah agreed, Endo is now probably fifth in the pecking order (or sixth if you take Szoboszlai into account). McConnell will probably receive more minutes than him, as it’s more interesting at this point to help him get first team experience.
Endo will maybe leave us next January, who knows, but most certainly during next summer.
Because of injuries and suspensions, Nyoni will get a chance to prove age is nothing but a number. And put pressure on Grav and other CMs to keep performing at a high level.
I think all we need is one more addition to central mid group.
Nyoni vs LASK
It´s so simple what he does - turn forward and pass it through the lines to our attacking player in a good position. Yet so few midfielders do it. So much needless sideways and back nowadays. He´s not exactly Modric but I think he brings something unique in our team. I want him to play more and due to circumstance he probably will.
Some things that stood out¨:
0:50 - Jacquet was the more advanced player to pass to but he passed to Wirtz, our playmaker. I liked that, even if Jacuet was probably a better option.
1:18 - Fucking beautiful. He plays with his body opened up and on a swivel towards their goal, so he gets the ankle and takes 2 or 3 players out the game by firing it into Wirtz. A lot of midfielders would have gone sideways.
1:39 - Again, nothing immediately on. A lot of midfielders would have gone sideways or back but he keeps his body open and waits for the option forward to appear.
The other thing with Trey, he moves the ball with a minimum of touches either 1 or 2 touches.
Also, how many times did he find Wirtz with a line breaking pass.
I feel as he matures he will be immense as his game intelligence for a 19 is top drawer, just imagine what it will be like with a few more years under his belt.
The more I watch Szoboszlai and Wirtz play for both Liverpool and their national teams, the more concerned I am about their ability to play together in the same XI. Granted, I might be looking at everything through Klopp-tinted glasses but when I look at this team, I’m getting the feeling that balance would improve if Szoboszlai was playing behind the striker, with two midfielders behind Szoboszlai who are a bit more physical and conservative, so to speak.
In a way, I look at him as some rich man’s version of Wijnaldum, who’s able to press the hell out of people, be everywhere and score the odd goal. I genuinely don’t know what kind of defensive midfielder specifically we’d need to be able to fit Szoboszlai and Wirtz in the same XI and make everyone playing well - I don’t see it happening at the moment.
Also, I think Endo is nearing the, erm, end of the road at Liverpool, while I still don’t see what the fuss is all about with McConnell, I’m afraid. I wish both of them nothing but the best but I don’t think that they have the quality needed to succeed at Liverpool (with McConnell, it’s about lacking physical qualities, in my opinion). For all of his inexperience, Nyoni looks like he belongs at this level and that his physical and mental qualities are both ahead of his age.
I was very encouraged by how often he found Wirtz. In contrast Szobo barely passes to Wirtz at all. If we want Wirtz to thrive, it´s step one.
Not sure how good Nyoni will be but in terms of his role and the type of player he is, he´s exactly what we need in there. Even at this young age I think he can play an important part in the side.
But what would be the point of Szoboszlai behind the striker?
Is he going to score 10 goals a season or create loads for our attackers? I think not based on his time here so far.
I actually think he´s more a fancy on the eye Henderson than a Gini. Runs a lot, good kicking technique, crosses well, jack of all trades type, can´t play in a two, not a player to run a game with the ball, I think he, like Hendo isn´t great in a midfield 2 and needs to be in a midfield 3, not behind the striker. Hendo was a better passer tbh.
