07 Sep 2025 17:47:29
Ed001 it's early in the season but I would like to ask you a question about our midfield. With now having I would say a proper player maker number 10 do you think like last season when we played with a a 6,8 and a 10 is as suitable with Wirtz there or with all our attacking players we would be better off with two 6's as a double pivot to protect the back line more especially with how much our new fullbacks like to bomb forward.
{Ed001's Note - we seem to be playing with two 6s, so I would go with that too.}
07 Sep 2025 18:02:01
Ed09-You think Mac is going to be suited for that role long term or do you think we might need a more conventional 6 to play alongside Gravenberch long term I think Mac is far better higher up.
{Ed001's Note - I don't like Macca in that role, he is better higher up but that seems to be what Slot wants there.}
07 Sep 2025 18:16:07
Ed, do you not think that the 2 6's with Macca and Grav has a lot more to do with when we are in or out of possession? Cheers, man.
And like you, Macca is not good in the 6 position. He lacks the physicality and athleticism for that specific role esp. with the way Grav plays it, IMO.
{Ed001's Note - they both need to sit more and be more disciplined to give Wirtz more space.}
07 Sep 2025 20:19:08
I don’t think Mac needs to be that physical and fast playing in a double 6 there is less ground to cover. Mac so good, I think I will quickly learn to play that role well.
07 Sep 2025 21:01:42
@Man, we all saw Macca play the 6 in his first season under Klopp and he clearly could not play that role effectively cos well, he could not cover the ground required due to his lack of athleticism and engine, as that is not his game. It wasn't until Endo got up to speed that he and Macca started in the double pivotwhere both players flourished (esp. Endo) where our title challenge was built on, IMO. The evidence is there already.
So as Ed is saying, we need to essentially build a wall with both Grav and Macca behind Wirtz so "Flo" can play further up the pitch where he can do damage that many of us know he can do. Just my opinion;
07 Sep 2025 21:38:16
Ed, what do you think the future holds for Curtis Jones? Do you think he will ever be considered good enough to be more than a squad player or will he forever be someone that generally comes off the bench or plays when others aren’t fit?
He’s approaching his peak years now and I’ve always really liked him, but it feels like he could do more than simply fill in when others aren’t available.
{Ed001's Note - he will always be a squad player.}
07 Sep 2025 22:04:35
Do you think it’s a case of others being better than him or Slot just prefers others? As an example, I thought he turned the game for us against Arsenal and he clearly has ability.
07 Sep 2025 23:20:58
The term squad player has a different meaning now than it used to. There is not much ( if any) drop off now. You can make a case for any of the squad to start they all good enough. Curtis done brilliant when he came on v arsenal. Changed the game.
08 Sep 2025 00:02:39
Jones and Gomez are a couple of the best squad players around when fit. Most teams would love to have those two as options from the bench.
08 Sep 2025 03:09:39
Totally agree with Ed1 that he is better suited higher up the pitch.
But I think a big part of the reason why Dom was favoured there last season was because he has the legs to go up and down the pitch. Wirtz does too.
Macca is a great player and is impactful in a double pivot as well. Just that his strengths suit being higher up the pitch.
To be honest, I can see us selling Macca in the next summer window.
nothing to do with his play. But I am imagining he would command quite the fee and we could look to replace him with someone like Rogers who is a mix of Dom and Macca and could slot straight into the #8 the way we play.
08 Sep 2025 08:50:41
Rogers is a No.10, not an 8. I don't think we should be buying him for that pivot role at all. We need a more defensively aware player. Elliot Anderson/ Baleba would be best suited to the roles in my opinion.
08 Sep 2025 08:55:01
"But I think a big part of the reason why Dom was favoured there last season was because he has the legs to go up and down the pitch. Wirtz does too. ".
My sentiments exactly, Faith. Not saying Macca should be sold cos I love him to pieces ability-wise, Heis a fantastic. Im just saying that he isn't who you need in a double 6 partnership cos again, the athleticism and engine you need to play that position is simply not his game (the actual attributes Szobo possesses) cos those aren't his attributes. It's that simple.
08 Sep 2025 09:42:07
Replace McAllister with Adam Wharton and then you see the real Florian Wirtz in action.
08 Sep 2025 10:53:20
Wharton’s not as good as Baleba at that 6 role.
08 Sep 2025 11:35:16
Play a diamond 4 then they can all play. Gakpo, Ekitike, Isak and Salah share the front 2 positions, with Gakpo and Salah offering wider solutions if needs be. Width provided by the full backs.
It's more or less a 3412 but Grav instead of a CB pushing a little further forward. He will drop into the 3 when building from the back sending the CBs wide.
Just what I'd like to see, not what I think will happen.
08 Sep 2025 15:02:26
@threeps, I could be wrong but Im not sure you can play a diamond with wide players providing width. Normally with a diamond as much as I know it, it's the fullbacks that provide the width.
08 Sep 2025 16:04:08
@oilred, I said fullbacks providing width. There is no wide players as currently, you would have 2 players in the attacking positions but one or even both could go wider, or deeper, depending on circumstances, and that could easily be Gakpo or Salah (or even Ekitike or Isak) .
Think you misread what I put?
08 Sep 2025 21:02:33
Our title challenge was built upon Endo and Macca as double pivots, was it, Oli?
Last season, when we actually won the League, Endo started one game and Gravenberch started thirty seven.