Florian Wirtz

[miller0863]

Well.

Wtf

Early days obvs but we have changed formation/tactics to accommodate the great man and er… yeah wtf?

What exactly is his role, 10? Well he struggling big time so far to find a teammate with a forward pass for someone who cost over £100m and we changed our formation for.


No seriously, needs to get his shit together pronto because it ain’t working as yet.

[justincredible]

Stay off the pints pal...
He's class....
Let him bed in, ffs...

[justincredible]

His first competitive game n all like...
Let him get a feel for the PL...
It's a big step up....

[justme]

I don't think we've changed formation..Still think our best line up in midfield is Gravenberch. Macca and Szoboszlai..
I think its more likely Wirtz will play as the false 9 in games..
Not easy to come into a team and settle down straight away..To me if we get Isak... we'll have 2 forwards in Ekitike and Isak.. Ekitike will also play on the left...

so against better teams . we'll probably play a kinda of 4-4-2...but the 2 being 10s or deep midfielders.. so in a sense 4 midfielders.. Wirtz being the main forward in there... Not sure he'll work in a 3. but time will tell

[Kev0909]

You mean I should take him out my fantasy team

[Crimson Dynasty]

I'd still have him in the lineup ahead of Szobo.

That's just me.

He (Szoboslai) was much less error-prone today compared to the Community Shield game and a little steadier, but he always seems that little extra you need in games against deep lying teams, which I think Wirtz would provide.

Today was probably not a great season-opener for him, but I'm still more bullish on him becoming a major part of our spine going forward and a field general tying the defense with attack, in the mold of Stevie and Xabi in the past - especially with Grav and Macca backing him up in that pivot.

He'll get much better in games going forward.
And Szobo is a great alternative to have for every other game or to bring on later on.

[faridtoxteth]

He struggled a bit with the intensity of the game, like many players who come from German league, even Ekitike mentioned that in his interview, how fast and physical it is, the lack of space.
Wirtz to me is like Bobby Firmino who for a long time was underappreciated by people on here who didn't understand his position in the team.

[miller0863]

Well we have changed formation because we didn’t play with a 10 last season. We have been ridiculously open through the midfield during pre season, on Sunday and today.

Lovely little club Bournemouth but they are not going away to Chelsea, Arsenal and City this season and causing them anything like the problems they caused us today.

[justme]

impossible not to play without a 10 when your midfielder goes forward.. we played a 4/3/3.. Cause our front 3 was Gakpo
Ekitike and Salah.. and 3 midfielders ( i know i am sounding obvious) we did play a bit with a false 9 or 10 what ever you wanna call it.. last season in games..I think Szoboszlai played it in 2/3 games. I could be wrong but Wirtz too me looks like a Firmino type player...but again its all conjecture

[Kev0909]

So miller, is he the new Ozil ?

it is a bit mad playing with 2 AMCS to be honest, in Szob and Wirtz, jones isn't exactly solid either.

Should've got a boss 6 to balance it out with grav at his side.

if the midfield is weak, then we're doomed because we've not got the numbers in there with wirtz I take it ?

[miller0863]

Not saying he won’t come good, just that it could be with being sooner rather than later as we are going to concede a lot more goals, playing like we are to accommodate him.

[Kev0909]

Not saying he won’t come good, just that it could be with being sooner rather than later as we are going to concede a lot more goals, playing like we are to accommodate him.

with grav in the side i'm sure it'll balance more, better if we had a boss no6 too

[miller0863]

Yep

[justme]

Adding to my last comment. Szoboszlai may have played the main centre attacker last season out of necessity Cause Jota wasn't available and Nunez was out of favour. Im forgetting Diaz was also favoured as the number 9. So time will tell what actually will happen. and we'll probably learn in the next game when Gravenberch is available. one of out of the 4 will be dropped.. or all 4 will play and we'll go in with either Ekitkie on the left or Gakpo

[miller0863]

Ekitike, Salah and one more. Then we should have three midfielders