With the money they’ve spent, it has to click at some point. You can’t throw £500 million at a squad and not compete - it just doesn’t happen. The real question is how long it will take them to actually find a way of playing.
Right now, Wirtz looks like he’s unsettled the balance of the team. Salah is playing far too selfishly and doesn’t put in the defensive shift he used to, while Gakpo off the ball doesn’t give the same cover to the defence that Luis Díaz did. Then there’s the Ekitike situation, where does he even fit if Isak is nailed on starter through the middle?
At the back, Konate already looks like he’s got his eyes on Madrid, Kerkez has been really poor, and Frimpong is pushing so high that it leaves a huge gap in behind. They’re missing TAA’s quality in possession too, that trademark long ball over the top to Salah just isn’t there anymore, and they’re struggling to play through packed defences.
At the moment it all feels like a bit of a mess, very similar to where we were last season.