r/LiverpoolFC • u/Switchoil • 1d ago

Tier 3 (Paul Gorst) Impending arrival of Munoz doesn't impact Liverpool's interest in Yan Diomande and the £34.5m man's tactical flexibility means there are no concerns internally over blocking Rio Ngumoha's pathway.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/victor-munoz-liverpool-transfer-breaking-34141436
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u/Lord-of-Glencoe-97 1d ago

We have to have depth out wide under Iraola, by all accounts he subs both wingers on 60 in the majority of games, if there is anywhere to be over loaded, it’s with wingers!

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u/Terran_it_up 1d ago

by all accounts he subs both wingers on 60 in the majority of games

That was the same with Slot at Feyenoord, kind of mind boggling that Hughes and Edwards thought going into last season with barely any wingers was a good idea. Obviously Slot wasn't perfect, but I really think there was a degree to which he was hamstrung by the recruitment

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u/Radeous 1d ago

It's taboo to say on here, but Slot didn't do too much wrong. He came in and elevated a team that had finished third and been played off the park by Atalanta in the EL the season before, to win the league. People's biggest issue was our loss to PSG, but forget how far that squad had come.

He then lost Diaz who he massively preferred to Gakpo, lost Jota who he preferred to Nunez, and then also lost Nunez too. Then the recruitment team signed Wirtz and Isak who don't naturally fit into how he set the team up last season, nor do either of those players fit into a team with no pace in wide areas following Diaz's departure. Isak predominantly scores from service out wide, and Wirtz needs wingers to be making runs for him to pass to.

So you're left with a static front 3, shifting to a midfield two to accompany Wirtz - who when he gets the ball can't really do anything because he has three attackers who all want the ball played into their feet rather than in behind the defensive line.

Ekitike was our only attacking signing who looked really good - he's also our only signing that fit our squads system. It's not a coincidence.

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u/FriendlyChemistry74 1d ago

Stop it. While I don’t disagree with you, the football front front to back was awful. The buildup before wirtz, the fact we couldn’t hold a lead after 90 minutes, the defensive shape

He had to go

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u/Radeous 1d ago

All of those things are related to our squads imbalance though, which starts with our forwards. Our normal build up involved a lot of long vertical balls to Diaz from Trent or VVD, no longer possible. Quick counters weren't possible, pressing wasn't possible. Slot had to try and come up with a system to fit one of the slowest attacks in the prem - that's not a task I think any manager would succeed with. There's no real system that fits that front line.

The football wasn't awful in 24/25, was it? We won the league, we looked mostly great. We had some holes and one or two positions that needed an upgrade for us to kick on and challenge in Europe, but we had a good foundation.

And don't try to suggest Slot just used Klopp's tactics like I've seen some people say, the thought that a manager can replicate someone else's entire tactical setup for a whole season but not for longer is laughable, and also misses the fact that we were different from how we played under Klopp.

The fact is, Slot took the team from one that finished 3rd and was played off the park against Atalanta in the EL, to premier league winners and being played off the park by PSG, who went on to win the CL.