Florian Wirtz

[justme]

Its a shame Leoni got injured or we didnt get Guehi.. with playing Ekitike on the left and Wirtz as the front player.. You could have allowed Ekitike to get in the box from wide and kept the width with Kerkez.. Leoni or Guehi could have covered the left side and Graveberch could have dropped into a defender role. He played like that against Palace late in the second half when were pushing for an equalizer.

[Steveo]

Nobody knows how devastating we would have been had Klopp been able to keep Coutinho and still add the 3 key players that we did.

Very easy to look at how we improved on a side with no defensive at all.. no world class (best in the world imo) defensive rock at CB - or a world class DM OR the best keeper in the world.

I am stating it openly - we certainly don't get beat 3:1 by Real. I fancy us to beat them.

[justme]

Coutinho went to shit when he left.. is career was finished.. and wasn't it you Steveo who praised Carvalho?? hes proved to be rubbish as well. Doesn't even start games for Brentford

[jozza800]

Nobody knows how devastating we would have been had Klopp been able to keep Coutinho and still add the 3 key players that we did.

Very easy to look at how we improved on a side with no defensive at all.. no world class (best in the world imo) defensive rock at CB - or a world class DM OR the best keeper in the world.

I am stating it openly - we certainly don't get beat 3:1 by Real. I fancy us to beat them.

Where would he have played?

[Steveo]

In many areas - but primarily where he already did for us. Rotation and the ability to switch styles would have been epic,

As I say comparing our vulnerability with no Virgil - Fabinho or Alisson to the side with all 3 and then suggesting Coutinho was perhaps part of the issue is erroneous.

Mané - Bobby and Mo all with less burden too - more rest and the net result - with the 3 WC players we captured from Coutts fee also having less burden as a result of more choice, more creativity and less running from the collective.

Had we kept Coutinho and bagged the same players we did with the Barca dosh - we are a next level side. Capable of mixing it with anyone in the biggest games. Never felt like even at our peak that we hot there.

[Steveo]

One option - Playing as the left-sided (No. 8), he could have been positioned perfectly to link up with Robbo. When Robertson bombed forward, Coutinho could have dropped deeper to cover the space or push into the half-space, allowing Sadio Mané to stay wide or run in behind.

Would have moved from being one of the front three (the attack), to being a progressive and decisive player in the midfield, turning our engine room into a truly elite creative force.

Could have hugely benefitted most of the team to negotiate the marathons Klopp’s teams played - 60 plus game seasons etc - at intensity without the boom and bust cycle of injury, fatigue

[justme]

If we had kept Coutinho we would have not been able to play with Wijnaldum Henderson and Fabinho. one would have to be dropped..I doubt he would have replaced Mane or Bobby. so no place for him in the starting 11 consistently

[jozza800]

He would have been a lovely option to change the side up a little more if needed.

Loved him it bits whilst he was here but I have it agree with justme, I don't think he'd have been a regular in the 18-21 side.

I think if you put him in the front 3, you lose that explosive some of that explosive counter attacking threat.

If you put him in the midfield 3, you lose the stability and pressing, whilst also likely bunting Trent/Robbo's attacking threat.

He would have likely been used as a better alternative to Shaqiri or The Ox.

It might be the same with Wirtz. And would have been the same had Jurgen signed Wirz. However the difference being that we don't play the same way as we did under Klopp and that Slot likes to use a number 10.

[justme]

I personally think we bought Wirtz to play in the false 9 cause if you watched us last season in 3/4 games we played with 4 midfielders. I think in the Newcastle game and maybe the Man-city game.. Dom was the main attacker in a couple of games . And as well in the Villa game we played that way. Hes been tried in a 3 and at the weekend out on the left.. Its not worked yet. If we come up against a team like PSG further in the competition in Europe , id not be surprised to see us play like that..

Going forward if we stick to the traditional 4/3/3 he will be benched. or play in games against lower teams in the league. where we may get away with him in a 3..

[Steveo]

If we had kept Coutinho we would have not been able to play with Wijnaldum Henderson and Fabinho. one would have to be dropped..I doubt he would have replaced Mane or Bobby. so no place for him in the starting 11 consistently

Perhaps but Klopp is on the record saying he tried everything to keep him.

Now I accept that might well have just been diplomatic media talk, but Klopp made him captain and his form went off the charts. Might not have needed to play the 3 you mentioned religiously - who believes that midfield with no Virgil and no Alisson wins the CL and a title with 97 and 99 points..?

I say we are a next level side - like a prime Barca, Real or Milan if we kept Coutts and added as we did. I think it would have made that much difference. I suggest 3 or more European Cups and at least as many titles.

[Steveo]

He would have been a lovely option to change the side up a little more if needed.

Loved him it bits whilst he was here but I have it agree with justme, I don't think he'd have been a regular in the 18-21 side.

I think if you put him in the front 3, you lose that explosive some of that explosive counter attacking threat.

If you put him in the midfield 3, you lose the stability and pressing, whilst also likely bunting Trent/Robbo's attacking threat.

He would have likely been used as a better alternative to Shaqiri or The Ox.

It might be the same with Wirtz. And would have been the same had Jurgen signed Wirz. However the difference being that we don't play the same way as we did under Klopp and that Slot likes to use a number 10.

Absolutely like that - like a Shaq only levels above. And would have seen many more minutes - a benefit to other player….but also I believe his role may have been tweaked. As mentioned David Silva was used to great effect at City and won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five League Cups…. Not bad when you have the foundation behind you.

[miller0863]

I thought that about Wirtz as a false 9 too justme but then we bought two CF’s for £190m.

[Steveo]

Yep Ekitike and Isak.

To be fair we sold Diaz and Darwin and tragically lost Jota..RIP - that’s changed the thinking surely

[justme]

Diaz wanted out.. we wanted Nunez out. so both needed replacing.. I think Ekitike can play off the left..we have 4 forwards.. and Wirtz makes a 5th more of 10.. but likes been mentioned. by me and some others..have doubts he can play that role.. Obviously we can see teams will defend deeper against us this season. its happened in quite a few games already.
So maybe Wirtz was brought to unlock the defence.. I still have huge hope for him. once he gets into the grove.. Hes only played an handful of games anyway..

[justincredible]

We gave Nunez 3 years. Surely we can afford Wirtz at least 3 months, lol...