Liverpool’s plans for next season are starting to take shape, and Arne Slot already seems to know who he wants as his main creators.
Florian Wirtz has had an inconsistent debut campaign at Anfield, but the talent is obvious. Liverpool did not sign him for one season, and we know he will be a major player next year.
The interesting part is who Slot apparently wants alongside him. The plan appears to involve Dominik Szoboszlai operating in tandem with Wirtz behind a front two.
Liverpool keep Arne Slot, Xabi Alonso goes to Chelsea. How would you react? 😄😡
James Pearce shares Arne Slot’s plans for Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz at Liverpool
Szoboszlai has been Liverpool’s best player this season. He has produced big moments, covered huge ground and shown again that he can play almost anywhere across midfield and attack.
But according to James Pearce in The Athletic, Slot’s longer-term idea is to use the Hungarian further forward, alongside Wirtz.
Pearce explained: “There’s been a lot of talk about going to a back three next season but that’s not a system Slot has favoured. After Salah announced he was leaving in March, I was told that part of the plan going forward would be 4-2-2-2 with Isak and Ekitike paired, with Wirtz and Szoboszlai operating behind them.
“Ekitike’s ruptured Achilles means they either need someone else to fill that spot or a different system. Either way they have to buy pace.”
A front two of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike always looked like the natural way to maximise both players after they arrived. The problem is that Liverpool have rarely been able to properly test it, with one of the two usually unavailable.
Now Ekitike’s injury has complicated the plan further.
If he is not available until the middle of next season at the earliest, Liverpool either need another striker, a temporary internal solution or a tactical adjustment. Jayden Danns is expected to be loaned by Liverpool, which makes the depth question even more relevant.
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Still, the key point here is Wirtz and Szoboszlai. Slot appears to see them as dual attacking midfielders, not rivals for one position. That also makes links to players in the Morgan Rogers mould feel less convincing, and it calls into question the need for a new elite winger.
The striker issues could scupper plans for this new system, but when everyone is healthy, it’s an intriguing front four Slot wants to build with.
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