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Florian and the (Slot) Machine

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He's definitely a good player technically, and yeah, we're utter shite and don't have any discernible style of play, but I just don't see where he fits in. Combine that with everyone in the league reverting to Stokeball this season and he's just getting dominated every game.

I actually thought the City game might suit him. A more tactical, technical game under the lights with the whole world watching. Nope. Absolutely bullied by some stump who's shunted out to right back because he's not good enough to play anywhere else.

I'm calling it. I had high hopes, but this isn't going to work. Dud.
 
I think it was Carragher that said it. Someone did anyway. But this wasn't a Liverpool signing. We rarely sign the big money star. We usually sign a player the level below and turn them into that star. Coupled with the fact he's not really a Liverpool style player. He should've joined City or Arsenal. Bayern actually. He should've stayed in that farmer's league. The pace and the physicality is too much for him here.
 
I don't know anymore. There are games where it looks like it's going to happen for him but then he turns into a shit Lallana again.

On one hand, it's easy to forget how young he is but on the other hand, Bundesliga tax is crazy these days. Look at that fake Xavi at Spurs or the new gimp Chelsea bought, both expensive and useless so far
 
Too early to jugde.
Super talented, needs to be the main man, playing off the left.

Slot not making it easy faffing about with his lame style every other game.
 
Woland said:
I think the only place for him is the Bobby roll with Ekitike and Isak ahead of him, our solid midfield behind and the wingbacks wingbacking like they used to wingback when we were good.

But that involves benching Salah and Gakpo and won't happen for ages
Click to expand...

I tend to agree but Isak and Ekitike are number 9s and not wide attackers. So we'll have a system with 2 number 9s and a false 9.

Would like to see Slot try it though because Wirtz getting the ball to Mo and Gakpo hasn't given us much success
 
Tinto said:
I tend to agree but Isak and Ekitike are number 9s and not wide attackers. So we'll have a system with 2 number 9s and a false 9.

Would like to see Slot try it though because Wirtz getting the ball to Mo and Gakpo hasn't given us much success
Click to expand...

Yeah it's not ideal is it. I dunno what else they were thinking when they bought everyone though.
 
He has to play false 9 behind Isak and Ekitike, hopefully Egypt go all the way in the AFCON.

He's done ball all so far, at least that might give him a chance. Don't want him in midfield, he's a weed. I was surprised he seemed to be in the top 3 in last Sunday's MOTM thread, a lot of straw-clutching going on.
 
If we were hellbent on a 10-type player, and I've seen little to suggest we should have been, then we could have landed Semenyo and Cherki, or signed up Diaz and signed Cherki. Both would have been preferable to anything we've seen so far, sadly. Now we're just clutching that there's some payoff down the line, which isn't impossible. Performances that peak at fine or good aren't good enough. But I don't think his physicality is the only thing holding him back—none of Palmer, Foden, David Silva, or Modric are exactly brick shit houses, and they've made it work in the Premier League, so there's more to it and things within our control. Whether that can be done with the current individuals in the squad is another matter and one I'm doubtful over.
 
I'd say that fundamentally he isn't currently strong enough for this league. I'd say you can fix that but then I read that he wasn't strong enough for the bundesliga either and that's a concern. Of those you mention there he'd probs be most comparable to Silva or Modric, what with Palmer being a striker and Foden being quick and a winger. Neither Silva nor Modric relied on pace, but look at the profile. Silva got here a few years later into his career... Maybe that counts for something? I dunno but in that position I think that it does. Modric left Spurs for Madrid aged 27 after a season in which he'd scored 3 goals and got 2 assists. All of this is a) clutching at straws but also b) a shocking oversight by the spreadsheet lads if it does indeed turn out that he's a world-beater by the time we've had enough and let him leave, cos these kids only blossom from their mid 20s.
 
Woland said:
I'd say that fundamentally he isn't currently strong enough for this league. I'd say you can fix that but then I read that he wasn't strong enough for the bundesliga either and that's a concern. Of those you mention there he'd probs be most comparable to Silva or Modric, what with Palmer being a striker and Foden being quick and a winger. Neither Silva nor Modric relied on pace, but look at the profile. Silva got here a few years later into his career... Maybe that counts for something? I dunno but in that position I think that it does. Modric left Spurs for Madrid aged 27 after a season in which he'd scored 3 goals and got 2 assists. All of this is a) clutching at straws but also b) a shocking oversight by the spreadsheet lads if it does indeed turn out that he's a world-beater by the time we've had enough and let him leave, cos these kids only blossom from their mid 20s.
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Strong off the ball physically and strong on the ball are different things, aren't they? Coutinho was shorter and was more slight than Wirtz, but you could see from day one that he was going to succeed here because he knew how to take care of the ball in the PL. Silva and Modric could do that to. They both took their time, though. PL defenders may be faster and physical, but they are not the superhuman defenders Wirtz is making them out to be. Hopefully, Wirtz realizes that.

You knew Torres was going to succeed when Chelsea defenders were physically challenging him; he stood up, adjusted his hairband, signalled John Terry to stop yapping, and went at them with the ball.

Harvey Elliott and Yossi Benayoun arent exactly physical specimens. But they were more impressive in their first few games for us than Wirtz.
 
Yeah there's definitely an element of him not receiving the passes and his teammates not really knowing his game yet.

But maybe they're not passing to him because he has all the physical presence of a popcorn fart in a snowstorm. He'd probably only get shoved into row Z if he got the ball anyway.
 

View: https://x.com/OptaAnalyst/status/1988229459590201491

Most Shot Involvements Without a Goal or Assist: Florian Wirtz (28)

It’s been a tricky start to life in England for Florian Wirtz. The Germany international signed for Liverpool in the summer from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal that could be worth £116 million, but he’s yet to show the form that made the Reds so keen to secure his signature.

Some of the criticism of Wirtz has been warranted, but a lot seems harsh on a young player acclimatising to a new country. The fact of the matter stands, however, Wirtz hasn’t yet delivered in the Premier League.

Across his 11 league appearances for Liverpool, none of his 16 chances created have assisted a goal, which is hardly on him, but he’s also recorded 12 shots without success.

Also 22 years old in his first season at Arsenal, Thierry Henry struggled at the start of his Premier League career, with just one goal and no assists in his first 12 appearances. But then things started to click, and we know the rest…
 
Woland said:

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ1K0MLClSg/?igsh=MWt6bnh5MjI3ZHJkdQ%3D%3D
Click to expand...

That "highlight" reel is unreal. Ahem.

Yeah i know he does look lightweight, but my god the team is so dysfunctional.

He sets up more chances than anyone else, they are butchered and to add the cherry on the cake he's getting himself in position for a tap in, regularly, and seeing his team mates spunk the opportunities left right and not centre, rather than just lay it on a plate for him.

I really feel for him.

I hope it comes good for him soon, i really do. We're letting him down badly.

Slot must shoulder a large portion of the blame, and he needs to sort it out sharpish, or it will be someone else's job very soon.
 
I see all that but I also see the passes into feet or behind the player when it should be in front. I see the lack of pace a physical presence which is needed in the modern game. We are already carrying one weak defensive player and another makes us crumble. Football needs that balance between front foot and back foot performers. We are wayyyy too heavy on the front. Here we are playing one because of what he earns and another because of his fee and it’s fucking us up.
 
MomoWASright said:
I see all that but I also see the passes into feet or behind the player when it should be in front. I see the lack of pace a physical presence which is needed in the modern game. We are already carrying one weak defensive player and another makes us crumble. Football needs that balance between front foot and back foot performers. We are wayyyy too heavy on the front. Here we are playing one because of what he earns and another because of his fee and it’s fucking us up.
Click to expand...
You're conflating Wirst with Salah and IMO that is unfair and wrong. They are two separate issues. Salah's lack of defensive contribution (or any contribution at present) and the lack of finishing for chances created by Wirst or a lack of acumen to find him when he's well placed for a tap-in (or at least a higher percentage shot).

And you can't run around the field as much as Szobo does (which Wirtz near equals in kms per match) if you're slow. Neither of them are expected to chase down wingers with their pace, the press is to cut out passing lanes forcing mistakes/turnovers. Which they both do.

We are going through matches with 10 players so it's not surprise to see us struggling to not only win games but to compete. Salah is not contributing goals, assists or in defence and everyone can see he is desperate to change the narrative which is resulting in poor decision making and staying higher and higher up the pitch.

He is being mercilessly (and deservedly) slated in the media and on forums. He can't go to AFCON fast enough. At least then we'll have some semblance of balance and someone who contributes to the midfield/defence, no matter who is in that position (Gakpo, Frimpong, Isak or Ekitike).
 
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