Scholes: Liverpool must find a way to fit one man into Slot’s team
The narrative surrounding our 5-1 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League was not just about the dominant scoreline, but the electrifying performance from Florian Wirtz.
Despite the disappointment of the loss to Manchester United at Anfield, the 22-year-old provided proof that his transfer fee is warranted through sheer creative genius.
The focus on Wirtz is essential, as his ability to dictate tempo and deliver killer passes will be central to Arne Slot’s continued success, if we are to achieve it, this season.
Wirtz’s quality demands a spot in Liverpool’s team
The quality of the former Bayer Leverkusen attacker was so high in Germany that it forced the entire team structure to bend around him, something pundits are now acknowledging in England too.
Speaking on The Overlap, former Manchester United man Paul Scholes conceded the undeniable talent of the German international.
He said: “I think they should find a way [to fit him in the team] because I think he’s that good.”
The two assists he provided against Frankfurt perfectly backed up this assessment, demonstrating his vision by setting up both Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai.
This outstanding creative output,16 goals and 15 assists in his previous Bundesliga campaign, is exactly why we brought him to Anfield.
Slot’s tactical tweaks in Germany paid off
The tactical change we saw in Frankfurt was clearly focused on maximizing attacking players, even if it exposes other areas, as Scholes was keen to point out regarding our full-backs.
The ability of Wirtz to drift across the pitch and find space between the lines means he dictates where our attack flows, something Guillem Balague found fascinating about the team’s “completely different direction.”
This transition benefits our creativity, the hope is that the competition now flowing through the squad, with players like Hugo Ekitike impressing and Alexander Isak managing his fitness, will drive the team forward.
The connection forged between Wirtz and the new striking options will be key as we look to continue winning matches as we did in Europe.
You can view Scholes’ comments on Wirtz (from 47:33) via The Overlap on YouTube:
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