Liverpool completed a British transfer record deal to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United on deadline day of the summer transfer window.
Before signing Alexander Isak, they splashed out around €80 million on Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt. The French attacking prospect was close to joining Newcastle United, but Liverpool swooped in at the last moment to hijack the move. For those seeking to explore more about this theme, it is highly recommended to learn about doktorarbeit ghostwriter.
The 23-year-old striker has been outstanding for the Merseyside outfit so far, and he has three goals in all competitions. He has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water. The French international is undoubtedly an important player for Liverpool now, and judging by his performances so far, he will only get better with more experience and world-class coaching.
Liverpool simply cannot afford to drop an elite talent like Ekitike, especially with the way he has performed. However, the Reds have splashed a club record fee on Isak, and they cannot afford to bench him either. They will need to find a way to accommodate both players in the starting lineup.
While there is no doubt that you can never have too many quality players, it will certainly be a difficult task for Arne Slot to accommodate both players in his starting lineup without compromising the balance of the team. Here at The Hard Tackle, we look at three ways Liverpool could use both players in the starting lineup going forward.
How can Liverpool line up with Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak?
4-3-3
This is perhaps the most balanced approach for Liverpool, with both Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak starting for them.
Isak has shown that he can operate from the left, and he could drift into the wide areas and move centrally, depending on the situation. He is capable of taking on defenders and beating them in 1v1 situations. He has the technical ability, flair, and agility to operate from the flanks. Isak brings more unpredictability to the attacking unit, and he could combine with Ekitike as well.
Meanwhile, the French international has also shown that he can move around the pitch. He is a complete forward who can help out creatively. The two players could complement each other and switch roles throughout the game. This approach could be ideal when Liverpool are playing teams they are likely to dominate in the middle of the park.
4-2-3-1
While the 4-3-3 formation would be more suitable against mediocre teams, Liverpool might need to take a more cautious approach against elite clubs. The 4-2-3-1 formation could be ideal for them in that case.
Isak could function as a specialist wide player and form a mobile creative unit alongside Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah. All three players are exceptional at switching roles, and they will float in the final third and help create openings for their teammates.
Ekitike could lead the line for Liverpool and drop down at times to overload and control the midfield. This will give them greater balance defensively, prevent the midfield from being overrun and add more bodies in the middle of the park as well.
4-4-2
This is an adventurous approach, and Liverpool will struggle to execute it against top teams. However, it could prove to be effective, especially when they are up against minnows or chasing a game. The two players could operate as natural strikers in a traditional 4-4-2 formation, with the midfield doing the heavy lifting defensively and protecting the team from transitions.
However, with Salah and Wirtz on the flanks, Liverpool could be left compromised during counter-attacking situations. This is certainly a very risky approach and unlikely to be used quite often this season. However, with two reliable strikers at their disposal, this could be an option for Liverpool, based on certain situations.
To make the system defensively more equipped, Liverpool could use Dominik Szoboszlai and Milos Kerkez on the flanks instead of Salah and Wirtz. In that case, Jeremie Frimpong/Conor Bradley and Andrew Robertson could slot into the full-back areas.
It will be interesting to see how Slot accommodates the two players in his starting lineup going forward. It is certainly a luxury problem to have, and Liverpool would rather be in this situation than not.
Last season, they struggled to score goals without Salah. Darwin Nunez found the back of the net just seven times in all competitions, and the Premier League champions will be glad to have two quality strikers at their disposal now.
