Georginio Wijnaldum

[LF:D]

The glue in our midfield.

 

I saw some statistics the other week showing how much better our win % is when Gini plays in the team & it doesn't surprise me at all.

 

He's our most tactically intelligent midfielder.  As he adapts his game depending on who he plays with.

 

He could be the 6, the 8 or the main attacking CM driving forward.  He can do all roles brilliantly.  

 

He allowed Milner in the first game of the season to go rogue in his man of the match performance, he was was plugging the gaps left.

 

He changed the game vs Leicester when he moved into the 6 position instead of Henderson and gave our team the composure needed.  When Leicester were giving us real issues with their pressing.

 

He allowed Fabinho last night to drive forward at times & go searching to win the ball as he knew Gini would cover.

 

I don't think our CM would be half as effective as it has been this season so far without Gini, I'm talking defensively mainly here.  As he's so unselfish and disciplined in his positioning.  He's rarely dribbled past, he's fully of energy & so composed on the ball.

 

When Fabinho & Keita fully adapt then we might even see more of Gini as the attacking CM, as he showed for Newcastle & Holland recently.  Although personally out of the three I'd rather Keita was the more attacking player of the trip as I think Gini is so good at plugging the gaps.

 

Is in the conversation for our player of the season, so far.

[3 Stacks]

He's an excellent holding midfielder. Head and shoulders above Henderson in that regard. Turns out in a good team his qualities translate a lot better further away from the goal.

 

It's when he has to give an attacking option as a box-to-box player in the 4-3-3 that he's often disappointing, but in a 2 man midfield or as the #6, he's been great.  

[LF:D]

7 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

He's an excellent holding midfielder. Head and shoulders above Henderson in that regard. Turns out in a good team his qualities translate a lot better further away from the goal.

 

It's when he has to give an attacking option as a box-to-box player in the 4-3-3 that he's often disappointing, but in a 2 man midfield or as the #6, he's been great.  

He's not beaten as often as Henderson as the 6 & is more composed in possession, I agree.

 

He lacks height & I don't think his passing range is as good as Henderson's (it is but he's less reluctant to spray cross field passes for example) & I like Henderson's extra ball pace when he passes as the 6.

 

Having said that, Fabinho has ticks all the boxes needed for the 6, which is why he's probably the future.

 

On your second point, I think as the more attacking position his problem is usually the player he is partnered with.  If he's with Coutinho, Lallana, Ox, Milner or even Keita so far - he again has to curb his game as he has to be more disciplined and plug the gaps the others can leave.

 

I do get what you're saying though, sometimes I do wish he would take more initiative, especially if he has space & time to do so.  But he's one of few CMs we have who think about the trouble the team would be in if we lost the ball at any moment.  Hence why he holds his position more often than bomb forward.

 

[Hades]

He's starting to come out of his shell, a bit like Leiva did in Kenny's season. Hope I haven't jinxed him.

[LFC 6 Times]

The Wij is absolutely fucking boss, I absolutely love him. So versatile, such an intelligent player anyone that had a go at him can fuck off.

[El Rojo]

We’ve crazy strength in depth in midfield now. Excelling without Milner and Henderson last night, and both were quality in the big European games last spring, especially Milner. 

 

I also completely forgot about the existence of Naby Keita for a couple of hours last night until somebody mentioned him on here. 

[VladimirIlyich]

9 hours ago, Shooter in the Motor said:

Karl Douglas? Kung-fu Fighting? 

Full marks,baby.

[moof]

https://twitter.com/SalahxcMane/status/1055804731887620096?s=20

[aRdja]

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/325695-gini-wijnaldum-liverpool-exclusive-interview

 

Hopefully this article will put the long-running debate to bed; that before his move to us, Gini primarily played as a no 10 or outwide.

[Numero Veinticinco]

Long running debate? 

[aRdja]

18 minutes ago, Numero Veinticinco said:

Long running debate? 

It’s not overly exciting to be honest, but I’m sure my first few posts on this thread were re his natural position.

[Numero Veinticinco]

16 minutes ago, aRdja said:

It’s not overly exciting to be honest, but I’m sure my first few posts on this thread were re his natural position.

Oh. I thought it was well known. Anyway, he’s a good player. I’d like to seek him move further forward when others are up to speed. We need someone to link the play. 

[3 Stacks]

3 hours ago, aRdja said:

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/325695-gini-wijnaldum-liverpool-exclusive-interview

 

Hopefully this article will put the long-running debate to bed; that before his move to us, Gini primarily played as a no 10 or outwide.

You could Google where he'd played before in his career and it would tell you he was often an attacking midfielder/winger, everyone knew that.  The debate was never that he had always been a central midfielder, it was that he had been one before at times and that he would be one here. Which is of course what happened. It's funny that you still don't know what that debate was about but that you're still bringing it up. 

[TheHowieLama]

He's a skillful character, good footballer - he could play as a #10 for most sides in Holland or bottom half teams in England.

[SlugTrail]

5 hours ago, Numero Veinticinco said:

Long running debate? 

He means a debate that began and ended a couple of years ago.

[cloggypop]

On 8/3/2016 at 1:20 PM, aRdja said:

In all seriousness, getting an attacking midfielder in as our CM signing was always going to raise some questions. At this stage I'm not overly confident that he is the player that we needed in midfield.

I think this blert started it. 

[VladimirIlyich]

He's retreated back into his shell once again after an excellent start to the season. The fact that he was a more attacking player previously maybe explains his inconsistency in a more defensive role and his lack of goals despite him looking pretty composed in attacking positions. Would like to see him deployed further forward if Fabinho is going to play more often(or at least in a more box to box role.)

[Numero Veinticinco]

24 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

He's retreated back into his shell once again after an excellent start to the season.

Don’t agree. 

[TheHowieLama]

Not sure I would agree w Vlad there -- the one place he has shown some consistency is in the defensive role

[No2]

On 11/21/2018 at 10:49 AM, VladimirIlyich said:

He's retreated back into his shell once again after an excellent start to the season. 

I agree with that. Fucking infuriating how often he's invisible out there. When he's good he's good but fuck me when he's bad he is a disgrace. 

 

Red Star was a no show, the other night against Germany he was anonymous again. Halve his wages and never play him in an away game again. 

[razor]

On 11/21/2018 at 11:49 PM, VladimirIlyich said:

He's retreated back into his shell once again after an excellent start to the season.

 

Ardja or Gini?

[The Guest]

I think he should be playing as the holding midfielder or at worst in a 2 with Fabinho.  He’s been the best there from all the different options we’ve gone with so far this season.

[Bjornebye]

Milner, Gini, Keita in the middle for me. Is Keita fit for tomorrow? 

[stringvest]

If he's going to play at all, it should be as a 2 with Fabinho behind Keita.  He is definitely much better than Henderson as a DM.  And in fact as anything else.  

 

[aRdja]

Ballet. Best midfielder on the park by a country mile.