Mikel Arteta’s ‘cheating’ is tipped to push Arsenal down to fourth as the Gunners are defended over Thomas Partey and Liverpool fears are allayed.
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Allaying Liverpool fears
Some brief Liverpool transfer thoughts midway through the window if I may hopefully allay some of the fears of out nervous Nellie fans on here every other day.
1. Liverpool and Slot seem to have a plan of what they want to do this summer. Wirtz says one of his main reasons for choosing Liverpool above other clubs was the clear vision Slot presented to him about how Liverpool would play next season and where he, Wirtz, would fit in. He approved of this vision and spoke of the “freedom” it would offer him to play.
2. We don’t know what this vision is for sure but there are some clues.
3. We have signed two fullbacks with massive engines and pace to get up and down the touch line replacing a relatively immobile Trent and a slowing down Robbo. Clearly Slot wants his fullbacks to operate the full length of each flank.
4. We can assume his two most valuable attackers will be Salah and Wirtz. Wirtz has always performed best in the inside left position, Salah previously was an out and out winger who cut inside but his progression as a footballer has been towards chance creation also from an inside right position.
5. Put these two things together and what do you have: two fullbacks operating the length of the pitch and two creators/scorers operating in the half space behind a solitary 9.
6. What are Liverpool in the market for currently: a number 9 as a top priority it would seem to the extent of being willing to break transfer records to land Isak or Ekiteke as an alternative.
7. Who are Liverpool willing to sell this summer: Nunez – to be replaced for his continued underperformance as a 9 and curiously Diaz who played very well last year as a winger and a 9.
8. My impression is Liverpool are moving away from out and out wingers in their system to a narrow front 3 of Wirtz/Gakpo, Isak/Ekiteke, Salah/AN other. For my money Elliott is he is willing to stay is the ideal back up and successor to Salah in this system.
8. For me Liverpools transfer business to date makes all kinds of sense if you consider the above setup. When attacking a midfield 3 eg Gravenberch/MacAllister/Szobozlai will supply the forward players. Gravenberch and centre backs progressing the ball through our half, MacAllister and Szoboszlai through the opposition half.
9. On the left MacAllister/Kerkez/Wirtz from a triangle and on the right Szoboszlai/Frimpong or Bradley/Salah. Fullbacks can overlap or underlap to provide variation. Imagine trying to defend against that for 90 minutes with Isak or Ekiteke as a striker also…good luck with that.
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10. There is some business to be done: the aforementioned number 9 and Isak is the prime target here but Ekiteke working under Slot with his history of developing players could be brilliant too; and some business at centre back. For me that is just simple replacement and one more back up. If Real want to stump up for Konate this summer then replace him (probably with Guehi) and if not and they want to sign him on a free next summer and Palace are demanding big money for a player in the final year of his contract then why shouldn’t we sign him next year on a free with a nice signing on bonus just like Real will be doing to us. One young centre back with potential to develop and the squad is set for the next 2 years.
So yeah, I really think Liverpool, Slot, Hughes and Edwards have a plan this summer, know what they want and aren’t messing around anymore. Don’t panic fellow fans, they’ve got this.
Dave LFC
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Klopp never ‘cheated’ like Arteta
Aman postulates that Ekitike or Wirtz could go the way of Carroll and also names Sanchez as a premier league flop. He clearly doesn’t remember Sanchez at Arsenal somehow.
Every player he names was either signed in a different era or signed by Man Utd; who famously have one of the worst and least developed data departments amongst the big teams.
It is totally possible that one or both transfers won’t work out for Liverpool but looking at the last few years or purchases, the only clear failure who the data team pushed for was Keita. Nunez was a Klopp signing and Chiesa was a cheap punt with little downside. If this is your only hope for Liverpool not doing well then you might be disappointed come the end of the season.
That said there is a genuine risk of two things; defensive injuries derail the season. VVD is getting older, Konate and Gomez love an injury and who knows how Kerkez and Frimpong will handle all the games and the more intense Christmas schedule. Also – Mo goes to AFCON in January. He’s proven over a decade that he’s virtually irreplaceable so that could also prove an issue if they go deep in the tournament. Off the top of my head I’m not sure any other big 6 team has such an influential player going to AFCON but could be wrong?
