Save Our Season

[Best Believe It]

Oddly, I'd keep playing Salah. I know he's been absolute arse this season, but the argument I have in my head, which may be beyond stupid, is that we need all the experience we can get at the moment. My only question is what then happens at right back, because Salah isn't going to defend anymore. So, I'd maybe go with the following:

Mama then Alisson
Gomez
Konate
Van Dijk
Kerkez
Gravy
Szobo
Wirtz
Salah
Ekitike
Chiesa

I'd probably play some variation of the formation Slot used against Frankfurt where Wirtz pulled out to the right, play a narrower front three with Chiesa and Salah coming inside and Ekitike dropping off, and using Kerkez for width whilst Gomez comes across to form part of a back three when attacking. It's not ideal, and it's not without flaw, but it might go someway to compensating for Salah and a lack of a proper defensive midfielder. Gravy and Szobo would need to be told to stay deep.

 

[tomasjj]

I'd have him on the left in place of Gakpo.
He'll make use of Kerkez's overlaps and has no problem tracking back to help out.
Also, I think he would interchange better with Ekitike when he drifts out left.

This. Wirtz starting position out left, Kerkez overlapping.

 

[Squiggles]

------------------Ali/Marma----
--Gomez---Konate---VVD----Robertson----
------------Endo--------Grav/Jones---------------
------------------Szobo------------------
-------Wirtz------Ekitke-------Gakpo/Chiesa

That's all I would be looking at starting any time soon. I'd take some ugly football if we showed some fight and had a plan. That team is capable of playing some decent stuff. We've just forgotten what a side with some balance looks like.

 

[Modo]

------------------Ali/Marma----
--Gomez---Konate---VVD----Robertson----
------------Endo--------Grav/Jones---------------
------------------Szobo------------------
-------Wirtz------Ekitke-------Gakpo/Chiesa

That's all I would be looking at starting any time soon. I'd take some ugly football if we showed some fight and had a plan. That team is capable of playing some decent stuff. We've just forgotten what a side with some balance looks like.

Slot would rather get sacked than play that team.

 

[tomasjj]

I think we need to Slot to come back, slap Wirtz, and tell him to act more German.
He's the least efficient German I've ever seen.

Wirtz needs movement around him. Not a bunch of lads all wanting ball to feet.

 

[Hyena]

Just had a wild idea that's bound to get everyone rubbishing me.

Salah on the left.

 

[Judge Jules]

It's not a ridiculous idea for a predominantly left-footed player, but I can't help feeling the yard of pace he's missing would hamper him there too. There have been calls in the past for him to play more infield and I was never in favour of that, as I thought it blunted the effect of the pace he used to have, but things might be different now. He's still a nuggety little bugger who's heckuva difficult to knock off the ball.

 

[Brizzle]

Just had a wild idea that's bound to get everyone rubbishing me.

Salah on the left.

I've been saying this on and off for over a year. Some of our best plays come when a wide attacker hits the byline and gets the ball straight into the 6 yard box. We should be open to trying this and mixing things up with Gakpo & Mo.

I remember Diaz deputising for Mo 2 seasons ago on the right and that change in approach can put opposition plans out of the window.