06 Mar 2026 12:21:50
So I presume that Slot will leave in the summer as I can't see his stay being prolonged with everybody deriding our form after last year, and then if Alonso came in would we revert to a back 3? If Konate were to stay it would almost be inevitable as we would have 5/ 6 CH's all competing for 2 places if we didn't.
06 Mar 2026 13:35:08
I'm not convinced they'll get rid of Slot if he gets top 4 (is top 5 a given yet?).
Slot staying wouldn't be my choice, I might add, but if they do part with him, I think it'll be Iraola.
06 Mar 2026 14:22:32
Alonso isn't wedded to a back 3. He played a back 4 when he was coaching Sociedad B and then at Real.
06 Mar 2026 15:02:39
I know he reverted to a back 4 at Real, but with the number of centre halves we will have, I can't see Leoni and Jacquet sitting on the bench for weeks on end. If we played a 3412 formation, it would allow both Isak and Ekitike to play up front with Wirtz in behind and would strengthen the midfield.
06 Mar 2026 15:09:58
Why is everybody so obsessed with Alonso and a back 3? Yes, he has played a back 3, but he has also played a back 4. He is a quality manager, and, as such, he plays the formation that best suits the players that he has available - something hopelessly missing this season.
I expect Konate to leave, and possibly Gomez too, which would leave 3 CB's (2 of which are young and recovering from serious injuries and the other will be 35), plus a few promising U21's that we have signed recently.
If that was the case, then I would expect us to sign 1 CB in the summer, leaving us with Virg, Leoni, Jacquet +1 (plus U21s). With 4 first-team CB's, I can't see us moving away from a back 4 on a regular basis whoever is in charge.
06 Mar 2026 15:13:14
That is correct, PB. Alonso, even in in-game situations, would rotate btw a back 3 and a back 4 depending on the situation. Having Hincapie, who can play in a 3 at LCB and a 4 at LB, definitely helped. Same with Frimpong.
Should Alonso come in, he will be on favorable terrain regarding some players, and on friendly terrain with the fans, imo.
06 Mar 2026 15:34:59
Looks like at least Konate is off, probably Gomez too. Which would mean we only have 3 CB's. Would need another one just to play a back four.
06 Mar 2026 16:00:05
If the rumours are true, we are offloading nearly all of our wingers. Wirtz has said the main reason he came to Liverpool was because he was going to play as a number 10, and when fit we have two world-class strikers.
Our best player this season, Szoboszlai, has said his preference is to play deeper in a double pivot, and our two fullbacks are really wingbacks.
Add that playing Van Dijk in the middle of a back 3, with young pacey centre halves either side of him, will add a couple more seasons to him, and all point to a 3-4-1-2 formation..
06 Mar 2026 18:24:33
You're talking like we've got 5/6 first team CB's competing. That's not the case at all. We've got 1 leaving, 1 on his final year, and 1 who spends more time on the physio table than the pitch. Konate's refused his latest offer, apparently, and Real are back in for him. He's gone. Virgil's on his last year, 35yrs old, and very unlikely to be getting an extension. Somebody will be playing his understudy, and will be more than happy to do so. Gomez is cooked.
He can't make it to the shops without picking up an injury, and has zero reliability. Leoni's coming back from a major ACL tear. He's only due back in August. He was never a starter, only brought in as an up and comer for back up initially. Jaquet is more established than Leoni, of course, but still only 20 and has only played 1 and a half seasons of top flight football. Trust me, keeping a couple of 20 year old centre-backs happy is going to be the least of Alonso's worries.
06 Mar 2026 18:24:50
I know Isak hasn't been fit, Molby, but when he was, I hoped and thought Slot would play Wirtz behind Isak and Hugo. I'd still like to see it when Isak is fit.
I'd like to see us bring in a specialist 6 in the summer. If that means moving on Grav, I'm ok with that.
He's not an 8. If he doesn't see himself as a 6, then good luck to him.
We need better balance, and w Macca deep and Grav pushing up, we have zero bite and protection for the defense. A lot of our issues seem clear, yet we keep making the same mistakes.
06 Mar 2026 19:27:20
We definitely need a specialist 6 to play alongside Szoboszlai, would be my preference.
One with energy, pace and power.
We have definitely missed energy and desire to win the ball back all over the pitch, but particularly in midfield.
For me, if you control the midfield, you control the game.
Our midfield has resembled the hole in the middle of a doughnut this season.
06 Mar 2026 19:42:51
Mac Allister, Gravenberch and Jones out. Stiller, Anderson and Wharton in would give us better balance and more dynamism in midfield. Szoboszlai needs to ditch the arrogance, too. He puts in the running and has a good shot when he can make the space to get it off, which is not often enough, but he doesn't have a killer pass, and his decision-making in the final third leaves a lot to be desired.