21 Mar 2026 07:17:12
Quick thing on formation and accommodating Wirtz.
For me this was one of the biggest factors affecting our form this season along with a noticeable drop in fitness.
In simple terms, I find it astonishing the ‘elite’ management didn’t recognise earlier that playing Wirtz in a 3-man midfield with 3-strikers ahead was crippling our play.
Against the stronger teams we were too easily played through or out-fought.
And against the bus-parkers we nullified any space in the attacking 3rd.
With the players we have in their current form, we should stick with 2 up top with the fullbacks providing the width.
3 in midfield with Wirtz free to initiate the press when out of possession.
In possession Wirtz to float and find pockets and link the play.
Getting Wirtz consistently registering 8/10 performances is key.
{Ed001's Note - isn't that what they had bought for? If you look at the players bought, that is very much the system best suited to them.}
21 Mar 2026 08:25:11
I don't understand why Arne Slot needs to shoehorn players into his system. Great managers of the past are able to change the system with the players they have. Managers who try to force their way end up with the boot.
21 Mar 2026 09:13:25
It's the most obvious thing in the world. Every Liverpool fan on here, in the ground, online, and that random window cleaner from Formby last week, has been saying it since pre-season.
But the man who picks the formation has done it twice in 40-odd games.
21 Mar 2026 09:44:30
41212 narrow diamond, with both fullbacks bombing forward. When everyone is fit, it gets all our best players on the pitch (not including Salah, but he and Gakpo can sub on for the front two when needed).
21 Mar 2026 09:49:40
I spoke to that window cleaner on Wednesday, LFC8. He's kin livid, mate.
21 Mar 2026 09:56:54
Formation doesn't matter if you don't do the basics right. We've done the basics right less than half a dozen times all season.
Hard to construct a coherent narrative that our problems are down to trying to accommodate a specific player under those circumstances, imo.
21 Mar 2026 10:18:56
Slot's focus is the Champions League now. Hopefully, we'll secure top 5 and play out of our skins in the CL.
He won't want to leave having won nothing this season and failed to get into the Champions League.
21 Mar 2026 10:36:13
The setup must be 442. Salah gets closer to goal, Wirtz gets the freedom of the left-inside-left position he frequently shone in. Gravyboat can play in centre with Mac ahead, and Dominic plays right midfield. The change I'd make is playing Gomez at RB with Szobo ahead. Please don't play Scrabble at RB.
21 Mar 2026 10:47:16
? He will be Rome! You owe him 2 weeks windows. Stop hiding behind the couch when he knocks on.
21 Mar 2026 10:48:27
Wirtz played as a 10 early in the season, and he was bullied off the ball. Then shunted to LW, and he was not fast enough. Then he was injured a bit. He is a 10, but needs better protection.
The main thing he and the players have needed is time and fitness.
He has played better in the second half, but still looks like an academy player out there, about to get blown over by the wind. Next season he will be better for it.
21 Mar 2026 10:51:30
I think there have been a number of issues, but the main one for me is the back line.
I think Slot would like the back line to play higher (he's always telling them to push up during games), but VVD won't risk the ball in behind, so drops too deep too early.
It just means we can't get pressure on the ball, and leaves a huge hole in the middle of the pitch between the midfield and the defence. A ball through the lines opens us right up. A long ball, even if we win the first header, is dropping into the space in front of the defence where we have no players to win second balls.
We need to close the space all over the pitch, get pressure on the ball, play higher up the pitch but with a team structure, then we'll win the ball higher and Wirtz can do his stuff.
Against the low-block teams it's even more important, because when we lose possession it's too easy for them to get out, so they make it all the way to our defensive third with one or two players attacking. Then we win the ball back, and we have their whole team to play through. Play higher with a more cohesive, aggressive press, win the ball higher, and our most talented players will have more space to play in better areas of the pitch.
I'm no tactical genius, but that's what I consistently see when I've watched Liverpool this season.
21 Mar 2026 10:51:36
Ed001,
That would be giving Hughes and Edwards far too much credit assuming they actually had a plan for what they were buying.
But the 4222 set up does fit the squad now very well. And might be a way to get one more year out of Salah rotating with Isak and Ekitike in the front 2. We just need to bin off Mac Allister and get someone far more solid to sit next to Gravenberch.
{Ed001's Note - it would be Hughes mainly, but I do believe that was what they had sat down and discussed and agreed upon with Slot as the plan going forward. I have no idea what happened since, I know someone who is adamant that Slot was actively sabotaging the team in order to get the bullet, so he could then put the blame on the recruitment. I find that a little difficult to believe, though I can see why the suggestion as there are issues with Slot being apart from his family.}
21 Mar 2026 11:03:58
Something Red, in my opinion, when you're constantly playing the wrong formation for the available squad, players out of position and a very unsuitable style for the league, I'd say even top players will eventually even struggle to get the basics right.
You can clearly see that players have been fed up with it for a long time, and nothing has changed bar a couple of games here and there.
Yes, there are a lot of problems like the higher-up clowns leaving us with an unbalanced squad, players not putting in enough effort etc, but for me, Slot has been the biggest bottleneck the whole time, as he still has a very capable group of players available to him. A different coach could have us fighting for the title.
21 Mar 2026 11:18:52
Ed 001, I agree that is difficult to believe but watching this crap the whole year makes it seem real. It is so disappointing as we made a major squad transition this year, but are still so talented we should be challenging for the league and UCL.
Why wouldn't Slot just express his desire that he needs to go home? It is so selfish to sabotage the team over his personal interests. This is why more than anything else, he has to go.
{Ed001's Note - I find it difficult to believe he would do it, to be honest. I just can't see it. I would expect him to say he wanted to go if he did, he seems like the kind of guy who can be blunt and just say so.}
21 Mar 2026 11:55:45
Very interesting Ed, I'd be very surprised as well as despite all the failings on the pitch and training field Slot does seem like a decent bloke.
Maybe at the start of the season, given we were off the back of the league win an Isak wasn't fit, we went with the same system as last year. And then when results started turning bad Slot didn't want to try integrating the new system and rather stuck to what he knew?
{Ed001's Note - that sounds more plausible to me.}
21 Mar 2026 12:45:17
He did something like that last season, started with Darwin in the 9 with Salah and Diaz either side, but eventually reverted to a false 9 with Diaz dropping deep and Salah and Gakpo narrower. More like the players were used to under Klopp.
At the start of this season, I was intrigued as to what system he was going with, as Wirtz could play the false 9, but you don't buy Isak if you're not playing with a proper 9.
Wirtz was never going to fit into a midfield 3, so I was interested to see how he would make it work. The answer is, he hasn't. ?
21 Mar 2026 15:46:34
"Slot's focus is on the Champions League." Imagine being that out of touch with reality to think that might happen.