Well, we know that sometimes players come and go. Not immediately, but still. It’s actually very normal, but every football club has its own star, which is quite hard to replace. Liverpool is not an exception, and it has its own story with Wijnaldum. Okay, but we obviously need details to figure out why he’s so special. Let’s dig into the topic to find answers. It’s not gambling like ANCHOR, we need facts.
The Numbers Lie
Well, it’s not surprising that Wijnaldum’s last seasons at Liverpool didn’t jump off the page, as he wasn’t a scoring match. It’s normal, everyone plays their own role. Numbers are not the only thing important. Yeah, maybe Gini wasn’t a celebrity guy on the team, but he kept everything together.
He connected the back to the front and filled spaces. He offered himself as a safe option under pressure and never lost the ball in tight spots. He is a great player that does his job professionally, and Klopp trusted him not because he looks nice. He kept the balance, and the team lost it immediately after he left.Â
The Role
He was usually listed as a left/right-sided 8 in Klopp’s 4-3-3. Gini often stayed deeper, almost like a safety valve. Fans never expect such things, so there’s no wonder they didn’t even notice he’s not part of the team anymore. Wijnaldum carefully slid over to cover the space behind Andy Robertson when he bombed forward. Liverpool’s left side would’ve been wide open on the counter if he didn’t do that, so his role was truly huge.Â
His runs into the box were rarely tracked, but only if the risk was low. Gini didn’t need any commands, as he knew exactly when he needed to act. He was often the free man in the buildup, and that’s the main reason Klopp trusted him.
Defensive Intelligence
Wijnaldum had a rare instinct for knowing when to press or recycle the ball and reset. Well, it may sound simple, we agree. However, the system must function, and it won’t be without some key details. He was this exact detail. His job was to efficiently defend, and he did it better than anyone.Â
What really made him so unique was how he handled transitions. Liverpool played with a high line and full-backs flying forward. Gini saw the danger before it became a danger. Incredible skill for a football player, hard to hind actually. And because he was so reliable, others could let themself take risks. Trent could push higher, and Henderson could press wider. And, of course, Fabinho could step up.
Tactical Glue
He was definitely a glue guy. Fabinho could focus on sitting deep and shielding the back four without being overloaded, thanks to him. He also gave Robertson a free pass to attack. Liverpool’s left flank was one of the most dangerous in Europe. Gini was the second wave when it came to press. The guy who filled the gaps after the first press was broken. That positional discipline and sense of timing is what held Klopp’s engine room together.
Why Replacements Struggled
It happened after Wijnaldum left, obviously. Liverpool tried to patch the hole with many different profiles, but there were no players that could fully replicate what he brought. A huge problem for the team.
- Thiago. Technically elite and a joy to watch on the ball. But he’s slower and doesn’t cover space the same way, so he simply doesn’t fit.
- Naby Keïta. Great at dribbling out of tight areas and breaking lines. But he struggled to stay fit and never found a tactical rhythm. So, it’s also a no.
- Curtis Jones. Young and talented, but that’s not enough to replace a pro player. He’s good in tight spaces, but he doesn’t have Wijnaldum’s defensive instincts.
- Jordan Henderson. Brings leadership, but age has caught up. He started to lose the ball more often under pressure and couldn’t offer the same controlled presence in midfield.
All of them brought something useful for Liverpool, but the club can’t let them play the same role at the same time. It needs one player that combines all their skills.Â
Fixing the Puzzle with a New System
Well, it was clear that the club won’t find another Wijnaldum, and the only one won’t work with them anymore. So, Liverpool had to change the whole tactic to return to its strong position. It started shifting into a 3-2-2-3 shape in possession. Trent Alexander-Arnold began drifting inside from right-back to play alongside the holding midfielder. It gave them more control in the buildup and let them dominate central spaces.
- Alexis Mac Allister added intelligence in deeper areas.
- Szoboszlai brought pressing intensity higher up.
- Endo brought bite and structure.
Instead of asking one player to do it all, Klopp spread the load across a more flexible shape. Yes, we said they couldn’t make different players play Wijnaldum’s role, but that was before they changed their tactic. They just distributed tasks fairly, that’s all.
Conclusion
Wijnaldum’s exit really hit the Liverpool club hard, and they needed almost two years to fix everything so the team could play as it played before. He was doing quite thankless work so other team members could shine. Replacing that kind of tactical glue was impossible, so they found another solution that was the only right. Well, sometimes, the most valuable players are the ones we notice only after they’re gone.
