The Bigfooty Liverpool Thread - Champions of England

[jod23]

Did you watch the video? He even concludes it remains to be seen but Mo's offensive numbers are way down. His defensive numbers are deplorable but that is nothing new.

The explanations are right though. Ekitike, Isak and Wirtz get in his way a bit. Whereas last year he used to work off Szo a lot who basically was a decoy for him all season and also TAA finding him in and behind and between the lines etc.

This season Dom isnt playing the same position, no TAA and Isak, Wirtz and Ekitike all take up space and want the ball and want to score etc. The system doesnt help Mo at all which in turn means his attacking numbers take a dive.

His defensive work is similar to last season, expected. Also the goal he shows about Cucurella ending up playing the ball in to score and that Mo tracks back then kinda stops. He does say that you cant expect your best attacking player to just end up in the oppo box stopping a full back from crossing.

We need an outlet, once a player is attacking that deep, we have three mids and a back four to deal with that, then when its won, we need an outlet. If Mo is that deep too, we're gonna win the ball, hoof it up field and it will just come back. We're not Stoke.

Mo isnt suddenly shit but a change of personnel and game style has not done him any favours, or the team really cos we're shit this year.

 

[jod23]

We ran the least by design. Klopp was run through the wall, whereas Slot is be smarter and run around the wall.

Whilst I don't agree with everything Slot has done, I think his tactics last year were sound.

Running around the wall isnt working cos we're not scoring goals.

 

[Mr Meow]

Running around the wall isnt working cos we're not scoring goals.

Poor finishing rather than chance creation has a fair bit to do with that. Hell, we've won the xG battle around 9 games in a row, including a couple where we lost by 3 goals. Execution of finishing/final ball and defending in either box: that's been a huge, huge factor.

 

[CFC_JP]

Yeah all this moving on from Mo and he's suddenly shit now is bullshit IMO. Has he been at his best this season? No. But literally nobody in the squad outside of Dom and Ali can say they've been any good this season so he's not alone.

Plus losing TAA and a new shape, way of playing has not helped Mo at all.

Again he isnt the problem as to why we've been garbage this season.

We get that Jod however, at 33 years of age and horribly out of form and with 2 young strikers just come in Mo either needs to start finding form quick smart or warm the bench. Just to be clear my belief is that there are a number of factors why we are where we are however our biggest issue is the back 4. This is no different to ronaldo's 2nd spell at manu. Great player but too old to still be able to compete at the level he is accustomed to.

 

[peternorth]

MO’s post today - no Liverpool kit, pretty certain that is not the Liverpool gym, not sure he is coming back

View attachment 2494940

no shoes in the gym, little care about foot protection. Hes gone

 

[Zidane98]

I'm going to Fulham @ home and the legends game mofos.


I hope I aren't going to a relegation battle......................

 

[peternorth]

I'm going to Fulham @ home and the legends game mofos.


I hope I aren't going to a relegation battle......................

12 april 2026?

 

[Zidane98]

Yeah all this moving on from Mo and he's suddenly shit now is bullshit IMO. Has he been at his best this season? No. But literally nobody in the squad outside of Dom and Ali can say they've been any good this season so he's not alone.

Plus losing TAA and a new shape, way of playing has not helped Mo at all.

Again he isnt the problem as to why we've been garbage this season.

I think as fans we can't continue to expect that Mo will keep performing at world class levels perpetually. While he's a terminator it is shown that nobody beats age in the PL, especially in attacking roles. Doesn't matter who you are. He's already done so much for the club and is up there with Rush, Gerrard, Daglish.

If we're being honest there are signs of decline with Mo this season. Not beating players like he used to, snatching at chances. Some of this could be due to the team setup too. I believe his outburst is because he's a winner and is showing his frustration because he can't get on the pitch and help his teammates win.


Whatever happens I don't want to be that club where we hang on to our legends far too long and they finish up as a shadow of themselves. Whenever Mo leaves whether that be in January next year or July 2027 I want him to finish up on a high performing well. We're too big of a club to keep club greats when they are on the decline.

 

[Zidane98]

12 april 2026?

Yep. You going?

 

[SC_Power]

I think using Wirtz as a mid/forward between the lines with Ekitike left of him and Mo right of him can work. No central no. 9 gets Mo off the touchline.

I think Slot is getting closer to making this work.

Wirtz has to be supported by three other mids. It is not that he does not defend, he does, but he plays too far forward to support a double pivot of Mac and Grav or whoever.

And on top of that Szo must be on field and must be in the midfield.

So it essentially becomes a 4-4-2 with Wirtz (or Jones as we saw against Milan, or Szo) playing a very forward 10 role (although Jones and Szo are more all action).

We still have not seen this formation although we are getting very close.

If you want to bring Mo (and Ekitike) in off the touch line then I think you need wing backs overlapping.

So I’d say a 3-5-2 works, with two mids behind Wirtz.
Bring Guehi in January (who is at ease in a back 3) and this might be the way forward.

 

[jod23]

Poor finishing rather than chance creation has a fair bit to do with that. Hell, we've won the xG battle around 9 games in a row, including a couple where we lost by 3 goals. Execution of finishing/final ball and defending in either box: that's been a huge, huge factor.

Disagree. XG is whatever but I watch the games, we're not creating big chances. I havent gone away from any of the losses thinking we were unlucky or if only we had put away those three 1v1's we fluffed. Like we create next to nothing.

 

[jod23]

We get that Jod however, at 33 years of age and horribly out of form and with 2 young strikers just come in Mo either needs to start finding form quick smart or warm the bench. Just to be clear my belief is that there are a number of factors why we are where we are however our biggest issue is the back 4. This is no different to ronaldo's 2nd spell at manu. Great player but too old to still be able to compete at the level he is accustomed to.

Oh he's not in great form, he needed to swallow his pride, realise his form is shit and wait his turn on the bench to get in the XI. But great players always chuck hissy fits when they have to go to the bench. Look at Gerrard, Rodgers wanted him to be more of a bench player and come on and impact games, less starts. He hated that idea and ended up leaving for America. Yet had he stayed and helped off the bench, he would have played under Klopp and perhaps had a revival of sorts late in his career.

Mo could still help us, even if its from the bench. But who knows what happening at the minute. So many ridiculous rumours out there on the internet right now.

 

[Cooldude]

I'm going to Fulham @ home and the legends game mofos.


I hope I aren't going to a relegation battle......................

Legends game may legit be the better watch, probably gonna see Gerrard there and if Xabi is unemployed then I'd invite him

 

[RossFC]

Slot says Cheisa is fit. Endo out for 3 weeks with an ankle injury, Gakpo's injury is a muscle one.

Isak had a knock and will be assessed. No update on Frimpong.

Slot also says he will have a big talk with Salah today which will shape his future at the club.

 

[Mr Meow]

Disagree. XG is whatever but I watch the games, we're not creating big chances. I havent gone away from any of the losses thinking we were unlucky or if only we had put away those three 1v1's we fluffed. Like we create next to nothing.

We've had a lot of even games based on general play/chances, or ones we've edged without actually dominating. To be one of the very best teams you do dominate a fair chunk of matches, so of course that means we've dropped off in that area.

However that doesn't mean our final ball/finishing of chances hasn't dramatically dropped off; likewise our capacity to not concede from those situations in our own box. It's extremely naive to dismiss those as huge factors. They were areas that saw us win a lot of the even battles last season, where now we usually draw or even lose those.

 

[QuietB]

If you want to bring Mo (and Ekitike) in off the touch line then I think you need wing backs overlapping.

So I’d say a 3-5-2 works, with two mids behind Wirtz.
Bring Guehi in January (who is at ease in a back 3) and this might be the way forward.

Fringpong and Kerkez are the wingbacks.

I'm not sure about a back three - I prefer the system where the midfield 3 (Mac - Grav - Szo + Jones) covers for the bombing wing backs. Truth is they are not really going to get any further forward than Robbo and TAA did in their prime, they just need the space to operate down the byline, Kerkez is a very left footed player which means he needs to be crossing on his left. And currently Gapko in particular, but also Mo (on the right) are blocking that space.

IMO Liverpool's biggest failure in the first 10 weeks or whatever was that Slot inserted Wirtz in the midfield paired with a double pivot behind him. This meant Szo was shoehorned in somewhere else, right back a few times, and the back 4 did not hav the protection from the midfield they are used to.

Wirtz in my opinion, who plays way too far forward to assist/protect the back 4 was the key problem in Liverpools early set up - there were too many attacking players on the pitch - a front 3 + Wirtz.

That is why Wirtz has to be included in the front 3 and not the midfield. Liverpool have looked much more stable since Slot has been doing this.

The attack is still not working properly - you can see the players are not on the same page. But it will grow.

 

[JayPea14]

Fabrizio announced that Salah is in the squad overnight. Also this:

 

[Zidane98]

Slot says Cheisa is fit. Endo out for 3 weeks with an ankle injury, Gakpo's injury is a muscle one.

Isak had a knock and will be assessed. No update on Frimpong.

Slot also says he will have a big talk with Salah today which will shape his future at the club.

Endo should be sold for whatever we can get in January alongside Baj.


Basically two squad members offering nothing.

 

[RossFC]

Endo should be sold for whatever we can get in January alongside Baj.


Basically two squad members offering nothing.

I reckon we could get 10mil for Endo, and buy Stiller in the summer for 32mil.

 

[JLC]

Endo should be sold for whatever we can get in January alongside Baj.


Basically two squad members offering nothing.

Chiesa and Endo need to be sold as we are wasting visa spots. It's like when we kept Adrian for far too long. But I fear we are holding to make a profit on each.

In respect of Chiesa mainly because Slot clearly doesn't rate him.

But then we are thread bare on attackers.

 

[Zidane98]

Bajectic must be 43 years old. How can a young player be barely able to get on the pitch for nearly 2 years straight now?

He makes Gomez look like a solid dependable footballer.

 

[Zidane98]

Some reports in France linking us to Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes.

Definitely a talent. Not sure if this means we have moved on from Guehi or we are signing both and Ibou is going.

 

[RossFC]

Salah and Chiesa return to make the bench.

 

[Mr Meow]

Well chosen lineup (accepting that Robbo needs a rest after the Inter effort).

Szobo has been terrific on that right flank (pseudo midfielder/winger) the past 4 games. Jones is working with Gravenberch better than Mac was, but the latter is useful in attacking areas. Wirtz can push forward to link up with Ekitike and give us an outlet on the left flank.

If Konate plays like he did against Inter, and not like he did against Leeds, then we should be in business. Brighton can be a handful though.

 

[Zidane98]

Hugo !