Interesting article. You’ve nailed it: the issue isn’t waiting for the team to “click”—it’s about complementary profiles and the tactical harmony that creates relationships. I’d also add that there’s the basic humanity of people moving and living in different areas and countries, which simply takes time.
Of the seven new faces, three are injured. That in turn obscures what the plan is and, ultimately, the relationships that underpin it. Looking at the four consistently available players, we see a mix of success and major relational issues:
• Ekitike: The exception. He’s arguably the most successful signing because his role is simple—put the ball in the net. He needs fewer complex connections to thrive.
• Wirtz: Talent is world-class, but he’s visibly struggling to synchronise his abilities with the league and the team’s structure. He clearly can connect, proven by his established relationship with Ekitike, which might be insightful in itself.
• Giorgi: Better shot-stopper than Kelleher, but his poor distribution actively exposes the rest of the defence.
• Kerkez: Harshly criticised defensively, but the real failure is his on-ball relationships. The disconnect with VVD is the most alarming partnership issue.
This is the most disappointing part. The existing players are meant to be the platform, the continuity. Instead of leading the transition, the core has actively regressed. Whilst Macca and Bradley have injury excuses, players like Konaté, Salah, and Gakpo have conspicuously dropped off instead of forming the solid, reliable base we desperately needed. Frankly, only Dom has elevated his game and embraced a leadership role this season. Leadership manifests itself in many different ways.
I think that for it to click Liverpool will need to fix their buildup and find some way of dealing with the physical, long ball football that teams are throwing at them this year. If they can’t do the latter, it won’t stop and Liverpool will keep conceding cheap goals. If they can’t do the former they won’t create chances at the level that they should with the players they have.
My reductionist, simplistic take is that too many of our players are too small / not physically aggressive enough and too few of them are passers rather than runners. There is both physical and stylistic imbalance in the squad. That to me feels like a transfer solution rather than a coaching / tactical one.
No, they’ve bought undeniably excellent players. But they’ve neglected the balance on the physical side and in terms of ball progression. It feels like half a job just now.
Great article, sensible response to what was largely cope on my end! Definitely interesting to hear the thoughts the on fit between players being more important than developing relationships, think i largely agree. It's possible Wirtz is more of a capable of learning how to gel than other players, but yeah there's still a host of other things to work out around him if he's in the team.
Always love a flashback to Diaz's first 6 months as well, what a time...
Could you do a thought piece or something on what Liverpool might look like next season if salah goes. For example do you think we will go to 3 at the back and 2 up top, the back three formation always worries me as it’s never worked well for us before. And what does that mean for our wingers such as cody and Rio? Although we have seen a gentle phasing out of our wingers such as Diaz and doak in the past season for more technical inside tens, could we be already transitioning and could this be the grand plan slot showed wirtz
Interesting article. You’ve nailed it: the issue isn’t waiting for the team to “click”—it’s about complementary profiles and the tactical harmony that creates relationships. I’d also add that there’s the basic humanity of people moving and living in different areas and countries, which simply takes time.
Of the seven new faces, three are injured. That in turn obscures what the plan is and, ultimately, the relationships that underpin it. Looking at the four consistently available players, we see a mix of success and major relational issues:
• Ekitike: The exception. He’s arguably the most successful signing because his role is simple—put the ball in the net. He needs fewer complex connections to thrive.
• Wirtz: Talent is world-class, but he’s visibly struggling to synchronise his abilities with the league and the team’s structure. He clearly can connect, proven by his established relationship with Ekitike, which might be insightful in itself.
• Giorgi: Better shot-stopper than Kelleher, but his poor distribution actively exposes the rest of the defence.
• Kerkez: Harshly criticised defensively, but the real failure is his on-ball relationships. The disconnect with VVD is the most alarming partnership issue.
This is the most disappointing part. The existing players are meant to be the platform, the continuity. Instead of leading the transition, the core has actively regressed. Whilst Macca and Bradley have injury excuses, players like Konaté, Salah, and Gakpo have conspicuously dropped off instead of forming the solid, reliable base we desperately needed. Frankly, only Dom has elevated his game and embraced a leadership role this season. Leadership manifests itself in many different ways.
I think that for it to click Liverpool will need to fix their buildup and find some way of dealing with the physical, long ball football that teams are throwing at them this year. If they can’t do the latter, it won’t stop and Liverpool will keep conceding cheap goals. If they can’t do the former they won’t create chances at the level that they should with the players they have.
My reductionist, simplistic take is that too many of our players are too small / not physically aggressive enough and too few of them are passers rather than runners. There is both physical and stylistic imbalance in the squad. That to me feels like a transfer solution rather than a coaching / tactical one.
I actually think our build-up is poor because we have too many runners and not enough passers.
Bradley, Gravenberch, Frimpong, Konate, Kerkez are all much better runners than passers.
Agree.
Fully agree.
Like Liv big splash in the summer window was like ”losing” the transfer window?
No, they’ve bought undeniably excellent players. But they’ve neglected the balance on the physical side and in terms of ball progression. It feels like half a job just now.
Great article, sensible response to what was largely cope on my end! Definitely interesting to hear the thoughts the on fit between players being more important than developing relationships, think i largely agree. It's possible Wirtz is more of a capable of learning how to gel than other players, but yeah there's still a host of other things to work out around him if he's in the team.
Always love a flashback to Diaz's first 6 months as well, what a time...
Could you do a thought piece or something on what Liverpool might look like next season if salah goes. For example do you think we will go to 3 at the back and 2 up top, the back three formation always worries me as it’s never worked well for us before. And what does that mean for our wingers such as cody and Rio? Although we have seen a gentle phasing out of our wingers such as Diaz and doak in the past season for more technical inside tens, could we be already transitioning and could this be the grand plan slot showed wirtz