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Florian and the (Slot) Machine

I think they intend on playing him on the left. Musiala stays in the middle

I'll take your word. Can't say I'm familiar with Wirtz at all but it sounds like I should be excited.

Also can't blame Wirtz for thinking Slot is a superior manager to Kompany. But his trophy case will definitely be a lot fuller if he goes to Bayern, just due to the competitive landscape.
 
I think they intend on playing him on the left. Musiala stays in the middle

It'd be nice if Slot could make that Wirtz presentation publicly available because I don't quite get how he fits in here. On the left I guess, which makes sense with someone like Kerkez who can cover the whole flank, but it does leave Diaz and Gakpo on the outs.

If we have fuck you money to spend, it feels like Kvara - not to keep banging on about him - would have made more sense in terms of fit.

Anyways, how he fits in aside, do I waste my time watching YT compilations or not? I still struggle to believe this is on.
 
It'd be nice if Slot could make that Wirtz presentation publicly available because I don't quite get how he fits in here. On the left I guess, which makes sense with someone like Kerkez who can cover the whole flank, but it does leave Diaz and Gakpo on the outs.

If we have fuck you money to spend, it feels like Kvara - not to keep banging on about him - would have made more sense in terms of fit.

Anyways, how he fits in aside, do I waste my time watching YT compilations or not? I still struggle to believe this is on.
That's why I believe Diaz is being sold.
I think Wirtz is meant to rotate with Gakpo and Szobo because he covers two positions.

And Salah will rotate with himself.

Will be an interesting summer.
 
That's why I believe Diaz is being sold.
I think Wirtz is meant to rotate with Gakpo and Szobo because he covers two positions.

And Salah will rotate with himself.

Will be an interesting summer.
I think szob rotates with Macca and wirtz tbh. Deeper as a 2nd pivot (like the Brighton game), or the AM.

I think we're going to have an insane level of technical and tactical flexibility next season
 
I think they intend on playing him on the left. Musiala stays in the middle

He has played 9 games on the left in his entire career. That won’t be the position for him.

He’s got over 100 G/A in 150 games as a 10.
But he can also play as a deep 9 I reckon.

If we sign him he’ll play central. Not out wide.
Szobo will rotate as an 8. Elliott will be sold.
 
I think all this talk of him playing off the left, no.10, false 9 is just daft. We've obviously got an idea and a plan of where his strengths will help us. He's such a versatile player that i'm sure it'll be a number of roles he could be asked to play
 
He has played 9 games on the left in his entire career. That won’t be the position for him.

He’s got over 100 G/A in 150 games as a 10.
But he can also play as a deep 9 I reckon.

If we sign him he’ll play central. Not out wide.
Szobo will rotate as an 8. Elliott will be sold.

His starting position might be in the middle but he drifts out wide and cuts in a whole lot.
Don't believe me, look it up on YouTube.
 
His starting position might be in the middle but he drifts out wide and cuts in a whole lot.
Don't believe me, look it up on YouTube.

It’s because Leverkusen play with 2 x 10’s.
3-4-2-1.

He’ll be a 10 if he signs for us.
He can play anywhere in attack though and that’s obviously great in terms of us being unpredictable, interchange positions and movement during games.
 
Based on what I've seen from Wirtz he seems to be more "comfortable" playing on the wing and cutting in.
Is it possible that we're buying him to replace Diaz?
Possibly, there's a lot of noise in Spain now about Diaz. I'd be happy with this, I don't see it though, we never break the bank by that much.
 
I kinda can. We went giddy with the Caicedo bid, have spent fuck all since, got decent CL money (most comes from the group-stage), plus title winners to boot. That combined with the Saudi interest in some players we can offload, and Barca linked with Diaz.

Also Wirtz is the right profile to appease the likes of FSG, albeit it's a big sell. I just don't believe for a second there wouldn't be this much noise without us knowing the parameters of the deal and being able to get close to meeting them. The club pulled out of Bellingham deal as soon as it became clear the deal was financially unworkable for the club (on one player). We seem to be beyond that stage with Wirtz if reports are to be believed. There may be some compromise at striker, but I do think the money should be there for one big signing.

This is what Fergusson used to do so well. When the right player came up (Rooney, Ferdinand, etc), they went all in, even if they were already reasonably strong in that department and it contributed to him maintaining his grip on the league what seemed like an endless nightmare. I suspect our recruitment team envisage Wirtz as having the same kind of impact on our attack as VVD did on our defence. For me it's just important to get a second contract out of them to maximise the value. If you lose the cunt to Madrid in 5 years for nothing then it's cost £25M a year or whatever, which changes things, but that's the risk.
 
I kinda can. We went giddy with the Caicedo bid, have spent fuck all since, got decent CL money (most comes from the group-stage), plus title winners to boot. That combined with the Saudi interest in some players we can offload, and Barca linked with Diaz.

Also Wirtz is the right profile to appease the likes of FSG, albeit it's a big sell. I just don't believe for a second there wouldn't be this much noise without us knowing the parameters of the deal and being able to get close to meeting them. The club pulled out of Bellingham deal as soon as it became clear the deal was financially unworkable for the club (on one player). We seem to be beyond that stage with Wirtz if reports are to be believed. There may be some compromise at striker, but I do think the money should be there for one big signing.

This is what Fergusson used to do so well. When the right player came up (Rooney, Ferdinand, etc), they went all in, even if they were already reasonably strong in that department and it contributed to him maintaining his grip on the league what seemed like an endless nightmare. I suspect our recruitment team envisage Wirtz as having the same kind of impact on our attack as VVD did on our defence. For me it's just important to get a second contract out of them to maximise the value. If you lose the cunt to Madrid in 5 years for nothing then it's cost £25M a year or whatever, which changes things, but that's the risk.
The elephant in the room is Salah. This could be the direction Slot wants to go in with Mo. leaving in 2 years. A more fluid attacking midfield rather than being solely dependant on the forward line.

Even if Wirtz did leave for RM on a free in 5 years, if in the meantime it's won us 3 x PL and 2 x CL in that time, then it's money well spent.
 
Wirtz seems like a bit of a luxury signing. I've no issue with it if it doesnt prevent us from buying a number 9. But if its a case of wirtz OR a number 9 then surely a number 9 should be priority.
 
Wirtz seems like a bit of a luxury signing. I've no issue with it if it doesnt prevent us from buying a number 9. But if its a case of wirtz OR a number 9 then surely a number 9 should be priority.

He's probably a replacement for Jota AND Diaz.

The 9 will replace Nunez
 
Wirtz seems like a bit of a luxury signing. I've no issue with it if it doesnt prevent us from buying a number 9. But if its a case of wirtz OR a number 9 then surely a number 9 should be priority.
I quite agree, however Wirtz might be so good that we break the rules
 
I think our plan for Wirtz is a false 9. Think how Dembele leads the line at PSG - two footed, insanely technical and creative, no big athletic build, but that doesn’t matter. That’s how Wirtz will play for us - the chief creator and playmaker in the middle with most direct goal-scoring threat coming from the wings.
 
I think our plan for Wirtz is a false 9. Think how Dembele leads the line at PSG - two footed, insanely technical and creative, no big athletic build, but that doesn’t matter. That’s how Wirtz will play for us - the chief creator and playmaker in the middle with most direct goal-scoring threat coming from the wings.
Think we will use him as either as an 8/10 or a false 9. Do think we will need a striker of some sorts though. Can't run through an entire season with a false 9 setup. A fit Jota would go a long way to that, but that's obviously not going to happen. Maybe Danns impresses enough in preseason to be given a shot.
 
I dont see Wirtz as a luxury signing at all. Its a signing with the potential impact like a Alisson at GK or Virgil at CB.
Just a generational World class player and talent at 22 years old.
I agree I think he's an essential signing. A luxury signing to me is buying someone you don't necessarily need. Like Chiesa for instance.
 
Wirtz seems like a bit of a luxury signing. I've no issue with it if it doesnt prevent us from buying a number 9. But if its a case of wirtz OR a number 9 then surely a number 9 should be priority.
I think the recruitment team is just playing the market smartly. The #9 market isn't very good tbh. No genuinely great striking talents since the 1999/2000 class. The likes of Ekitike and Sesko are interesting players, but not really the kinds you want to spend 80 million on. The risk is you end up with another Nunez.

On the other hand, the AM position is stacked with some amazing talent presently across Europe. Wirtz, Bellingham, Musiala, Yamal, Palmer are all super talents. Even the second tier players like Simons, Akliouche, Nico Paz, Gibbs-White, Rogers, El Khanouss are quite interesting. And there are a bunch of younger players coming through who look very exciting - the likes of Mastantuono, Lorran, Kendry Paez

All in all, it seems the really great talent coming through is at the AM or WF position. Wirtz really headlines that class of players - so if you're going to spend big money on an attacker, you might as well do it on someone like him, than a player you're not really fully convinced by.
 
I think our plan for Wirtz is a false 9. Think how Dembele leads the line at PSG - two footed, insanely technical and creative, no big athletic build, but that doesn’t matter. That’s how Wirtz will play for us - the chief creator and playmaker in the middle with most direct goal-scoring threat coming from the wings.
There's a difference between the two though. Dembele has ridiculous pace and strength and can beat a man. Wirtz is nothing like that in terms of style of play.
 
I agree I think he's an essential signing. A luxury signing to me is buying someone you don't necessarily need. Like Chiesa for instance.
Well we don't need him do we? We do need a number 9. If we got a quality striker why would we need wirtz?
 
There's a difference between the two though. Dembele has ridiculous pace and strength and can beat a man. Wirtz is nothing like that in terms of style of play.

Firmino wasn’t very pacey and was the anchor of our best ever front 3. I think close control, ability to hold up the ball and thread through passes to wingers and midfield runners are the main requirements for a world-class false 9. And Wirtz can certainly “beat a man” on the dribble - he’s one of the best dribblers out there!

I think as CB I would much rather deal with a traditional striker than someone like Wirtz. In fact you say an attacker like that would be a defender’s Wirtz nightmare!
 
Yeah I've got to say for me Wirtz looks like a 10 and nothing but a 10. Which is fine as far as that goes because Szob isn't really creative enough for that role, but it doesn't seem on the face of it like a really pressing need.

But I've been saying for a while now that I think we'll play quite differently once Slot has been able to bring in his own players and I think Wirtz should be seen in that light. I think we'll be much more fluid and technical.
 
Well we don't need him do we? We do need a number 9. If we got a quality striker why would we need wirtz?
Well we could do with an attacking midfielder though. Especially one who can also play on the left. If Diaz leaves.
So yeah, he's a luxury signing if Diaz stays.
 
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