Liverpool Discussion Thread

I do think there needs to be a stewards enquiry into the apparent dereliction of duty by the Liverpool fans on this thread, United have been sh1te for years but the thread wouldn't drop off the first page, plenty of fans happy to come on to say it how it is

It's all a far cry from the pre season when everyone on here was debating how far Liverpool was going to win it by with the arrival of all the new superstars

the new superstars have barely played together. My main concern is that the bench is very light, no strength in depth.The FA cup is really the Strength in Depth Cup,hence either Man city or Chelsea reaching the last 10 finals.

Wirtz looks a little lightweight for the EPL and will need plenty of bodies around him to fully prosper.
Isak was someone you came back to after initially giving up on him and appears to be a bit of a crock.
Ekitike blows hot and cold and could still go either way, a really top class striker or a Nunez.
Frimpong is hopeless, certainly as a fullback anyway.

Season just leaking to an end.

Main thing is the signings just haven't worked at all.

I've got my issues with Slot. Mainly the style of play (was saying last night how we've essentially taken everything that Klopp ever stood for, and simply abandoned it completely. As if it was just wrong), his seeming blindspots for some players and the mentality in the squad and how we seem to have just accepted this season and how defeat has become so acceptable. The team reminds me now of any of the Utd teams in the last dozen years or so. No real identity, no real methodology. Just go out out there, hope things fall our way, and maybe a moment of magic will get us the points.

And yet, my mate sent me a post which called him an imposter in the first sentence and I'm not having that. He won the league last season. He's clearly not an imposter. The only real question is whether he can turn it round.

Personally I don't think he can. It's all very similar to Starmer now. If he lasts the summer, the fans will be on his back at the first defeat next season. A huge number have made their minds up. The insipid play, the defeatist attitudes... There are plenty of excuses to be made, but this has been an extremely weak EPL, and we've massively under-performed.


But that's only Slot. And you can't blame the signings on him. Kerkez looks fine to me. Not as good as Robbo, but who ever will be. Our best ever. But he looks good and will improve. Ekitike looks good at times. Still young, and as long as this awful injury doesn't leave lasting damage he should go on to be a star. But the rest?

That keeper? There's not a fan in the land who'd pick him above Kelleher. The warning signs were there in Spain when he was garbage after the move to us was announced.
I don't know what Frimpong is but he's definitely not a full back. Not convinced he's a footballer at all.
Wirtz is just ridiculously slow. Not now, but when I was younger, I'd have ripped him in a foot race, and I'm not a hugely-rewarded athlete. To be fair, he contributes generally and there's a player there if the set up is right, but huge questions still.
And Isak is just a crock. It's just Harry Kewell all over again. Except this time we really didn't need to buy him. We needed a flexible replacement for Jota and Diaz who could cover across the front line. Instead we threw Elliott out the door and got in a specialist #9 to compete with the other specialist #9.

I'd love Edwards to come out and explain that one in particular. But if I was watching on from Boston, my main questions would be aimed at Edwards and the other guy to make sure I'm confident in giving them another suitcase full of money to chuck at Germany for some weird misfits who are only available for a quarter of the season.

I'm not sure slot abandoned klopp, I suspect he
didn't fully grasp it, and klopp was genius.

So there's got to be a problem once you change the staff.

Klopp system was implemented by staff, regardless, so won title, and now
between systems it isnt working.

Even more slot, less klopp, next season, and he's got to
make it work,

No, I get that.

Each manager has their own philosophy, but the good ones adapt. I'll always give Rodgers credit for that great season. We all knew his style was for a big number nine to play off, but we had Suarez and Sturridge. To his credit maybe he just saw the quality and thought to forget his etbos and just play to the strengths of the players.

imo, the best managers do that.

That weird Portuguese guy at Utd refused to do that and failed badly.

Slot last season did do it. He didn't change too much, and there was little difference in our play to the season before. But last summer we made a lot of changes and he just decided to change our style completely. And even after it was clear very early on that it wasn't working, we still haven't changed. We look less fit, less strong and less fast than just about every opponent we are on the pitch with. And you can't get away with that in this country. Running and fighting is the bare minimum. You earn the right to allow your better players to show their quality and win the games, but Slot just doesn't seem to grasp that.

give Rodgers credit for that great season. We all knew his style was for a big number nine to play off, but we had Suarez and Sturridge

wouldn't have thought that was Rodgers style from what I recall he couldn't get Andy Carroll out the door quick enough...

re Slot

A year ago I came across some Liverpool fans debating whether Slot should 'go on the banner' at the Kop. A couple were saying "hang on a minute, great season, but it's just one year". But they got shouted down:"He won us a title!, that's the criteria".

I don't know if they put Slot on their famous banner, but if they did and he gets sacked next week it will be weird to see him on there in years to come alongside Paisley, Klopp et al

Having said that though it seems harsh the way Slot is now perceived. In the 2024 title race it seemed like the last chance for the great Klopp team, they fell short and then there would be a 2 year rebuild before they could challenge again. So the Slot title was really unexpected.

Recently when I have seen Liverpool fans talking in comment threads the 2024/25 season has been retconned and is now 'Klopp's 2nd title', with Slot a guy who just happened to be there.

Also the calmness that was seen as a strength last season is now used to say Slot is not up to it. He was incredibly low key when they were surging to the title, in contrast to Klopp who was hyped and exultant even when his team had won a game a bit fortuitously. Now Slot has the same low key demeanour in the aftermath of draws and defeats and they are saying "how can we win when the manager is like that?!", as if they didn't win last year!

yeah, there'd be a bit of the Liz Truss about him, winning and then getting binned off.



Realistically, he deserves another season. If he'd got a CL place and then won the league, we'd all be ecstatic. He should obviously get another year to tell us which one of those seasons was the fairer reflection, But the momentum is massively against him and it's really difficult to turn that round.

I think one of the big problems is modern social media, and those one minute clips we doomscroll through. I'm constantly seeing clips of Bobby, Mo and Sadio at their peak just ripping teams to shreds and it feels like five minutes ago. To go from that to this is really stark and shines a real strong spotlight on the state of our play. Never mind the poor results, the attitude and defeatism. If it was Rodgers-esque, where we were trying to do exciting things but couldn't keep the door closed, at least that'd be something, but this is just the worst of both worlds. It's safety first football that isn't even achieving safety. And the big problem for Slot is it's been like that all season, and it looks like he's the only guy around who can't see it.


But still, my bigger issue is with Edwards and the other guy. Football relies on players more than tactics. A good squad can overcome bad organisation with its quality. We need to understand how they got last summer so badly wrong and learn the lessons before giving the exact same people even more money to do it all over again.

^
Great posts.

Do you agree with something I heard some journo say on a pod the other day that the new signings from last summer would work in the exact way that Alonso would want to play.?

You can obviously say that Frimpong would probably improve as he played under him. Not too sure about the rest as I don't particularly know Alonso's style as being distinctive from most others. But just look at your lot. You can change a manager, keep the same players and see an improvement simply because the new guy just reads the room better and finds a system that suits the current set of players.

There's not much at Liverpool this season that has functioned as required.

But it's also the case that previously when the title was
gone the performances eased.

Under the cosh they manned up and won.

Another season will be revealing

Alonso is going to chelski we missed out there he wd have a great replacement for slot. Looks like weve got him for another year

Or till October maybe

I think once Mo goes, he'll probably steady the ship without that negativity floating around.

It's incredible to think he's suddenly forgotten how to manage having won the EPL in his first season.

Dragon,
You might still get Alonso, if he goes to Chelsea he may go the same way as the rest and be out the door just in time to take over from Slot when he gets the boot by Xmas.

The Slot situation feels very much like the ETH one to me, they are going to give him longer but we all really think it's going to fail, so on that basis why don't they just go and get Alonso now it would reinvigorate the fan base and have the club going into next season on a positive note.

why didn't they get Alonso that should have said

spot on duffy, i hope we get rid of slot af get xavi eventually. i cant see how we progress with slot in chrge - he has to go

Maybe Alonso wants to live in Cobham

His removal people are on speed dial recently

All quiet on the North Western front.

So we need a new manager, new goalkeeper, two new right backs, two new left backs, two new holding midfielders, a new left winger a new right winger and two new strikers.

We need to sell Kerkez, Frimpong, VVD, Konate, Gravenbach, McAllister, Gapko.

Curtis Jones’s seems determined to leave if Slot stays and the only player we don’t want to change is Sloz but given he won’t sign a new contract we have to sell him rather than let him go on a free next summer. So then we will need another two normal midfielders - though I guess Elliot might fill one hole.

Can’t wait for Betfair to open the markets on Top 4 and Top 6 so I can lay the arse off us.

Slot slotted

Had to happen really, Iraola hot favourite

First Pep now Slot - another manager Arteta has seen off.

Inevitable he had to go tbf with decent options suddenly available.

Looks like they ultimately just don't rate Xabi, otherwise...



Would be happy with Iraola though. I do rate him.

It does beg the question as to why they didn't act earlier and get Alonso. Perhaps it is because they wanted Salah out too and were concerned that if they got rid of Slot with Salah still there, he might want to hang around for the new guy, but I suppose if that were the case they could have told Alonso to hang fire taking another job for a few weeks.

Not sure there's that much behind it. Reckon they just think Iraola is the better choice. If they think a manager could get Salah back to 12 months ago then that would only be a positive, not a negative.

Didnt Alonso turn down Liverpool before Klopp left, and went to Real instead ?

Reckon the club had enough of Salah and his me me me attitude, by throwing his toys out the pram twice he stuck two fingers up to the club in the process, he shouldn't have played for the club again after the first outburst, when he did Slot was done for.

I thought before the season that there'd be something negative from him this season, said it somewhere on here and PP commented that it was wishful thinking, well it was, but it was based on the player's spiteful attitude, as best as he attempts to hide it, we all saw it when Nunez missed the penalty and he saw the Ballon D'or go and with the predictable downhill slide it was very likely the mask would fully slip, which it did.

Alonso wanted to stay at Bayer
he went to Madrid a year later

Great well deserved send off for Mo and Robbo although i would have thought that Mo would have wanted to stay if he knew that Slot was going

If Iraola gets the job its a massive step up to what he has managed before
If we are to play a high pressing game again then the squad needs strengthening considerable with the right sort of players  given the injuries that will come from playing that style. Milner, Hendo and Gini could cope so we need numbers coming in

pre season starts in less than two weeks

Only Mcallister and Allison still at the world cup so Ironi will get the chance to work with last years first team players early

need those transfers in asap so can get a pre season

Isak last year was a complete farce

new manager new season - not too many signings as yet - lets see what happens- my prediction is top 4 at best but hoping for more

Thoughts on Barcola should it happen? I'm on the fence but maybe overpriced to me.

Close to signing Uruguayan defender Araujo from Barca on loan with an option to buy. No idea who he even is, but don't often watch euro footy.

not sure on barcola also - PSG obviously want to off load and are asking too much. hopefully our purchases from last year will come good and we will get the benefit of that expenditure this season. defence still needs sorting out

defence was a worry last season and its not yet been addressed. Leeds put 4 past them the other night

Liverpool are close to signing Uruguay defender Ronald Araujo on a season-long loan from Barcelona.

The deal includes an option to buy Araujo, who is expected to have a medical on Sunday.

The 27-year-old centre-back has helped Barca win La Liga in three of the past four seasons, and ended last season as club captain.

Araujo is under contract until 2031 but only made 11 league starts last season, with Gerard Martin and Pau Cubarsi emerging as their preferred central defensive pairing.

After joining Barca from Uruguayan club Boston River in 2018, Araujo has made more than 200 appearances for the Spanish giants.

Liverpool were looking to strengthen their defence after Ibrahima Konate left the Reds to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.

he must be decent, but i wonder why he fell out of favour last season ?

yup dont know much about him but i guess he must be decent - here is hoping

3 more conceded at Anfield against Monaco today.

Ifeanyi Ndukwe: So composed for an 18-year-old centre-back. Such a shame that he can't play competitive football for Liverpool this season after failing to qualify for a work permit. Went off at half-time for Wataru Endo.

How crazy is it that someone here for a purpose cant get a work permit !

Lokks class dosen't he, surely someone should have made sure he played enough games to be eligible, really, really poor.

Do we buy Barcola for £120m or buy 2 players for same money, squad needs more depth. Last 2 games played well first half with stronger team out there, then 2nd half we look weakened so don’t think we can look to deep into these friendlies, just getting squad sharpened up

spot on loui - second half v monaco was mostly second string players

Paris to Liverpool - what a culture shock!

Spot on was in Paris couple of years ago, what a dive

Yeah and they put that garlic muck in scouse!

LFC have reportedly agreed personal terms with Ibrahim Mbaye. The Anfield side are expected to advance in negotiations over a fee with PSG, who are holding out for an offer in the region of €50 million.

not sure why we selling curtis jones to inter milan

Curtis Jones is a very good player.

Isn't it better FFPwise to sell academy players?

Liverpool will reportedly target Adam Wharton when Curtis Jones completes his move to Inter Milan.

The Reds have a long standing interest in the Crystal Palace midfielder but the Eagles will hold out for a fee in excess of €85 million and will reportedly target Adam Wharton when Curtis Jones completes his move to Inter Milan.

The Reds have a long standing interest in the Crystal Palace midfielder but the Eagles will hold out for a fee in excess of €85 million.

Yet again looking to do business right before the league starts and with less than 2 weeks til window closed. Ring any bells?

the jurgen era seems a long distant memory

At least you had that era and can look back on that great period Dragon

true duffy cd have done with it lasting a little longer

I thought that after 20 years of Fergie

But then I've always been a greedy so and so

Well a new season, a new manager and a case of same old, same old.

Dominate possession but cant get in behind and never look like scoring - the goals coming from a speculative long range shot and a soft penalty.
Isak is totally unsuited to the way we play - he needs the game stretched and balls over the top or crossed in.

Defensively the same frailties as last season. VVD running backwards from the half-way line rather than trying to stop the ball carrier and full backs hopelessly out of position. Even Alisson looks dodgy.

Lots of transfer rumours, both in and out, but we are so susceptible to the counter that I fear another season of disappointment.

tbh cant disagree but its early doors so lets see how it goes

the weakness of the squad is scary

just look at that bench and compare to arsenal and city and even utd

if we get more injuries we are screwed

Now Gapko getting linked with spurs and city. Thought he was one of our better players on Sunday. If there was anymore evidence that Rio is not ready to start every game it was sunday as Lewis Hall had him in his pocket so not surprised he was subbed along with Wirtz but Koumas up front!

Least said about our full backs (or are they wing backs) final ball the better
Bright spot was Jaquets debut as he can only get better

when is Ekitike due for a return ?

Think it’s 3 or 4 month

crikey ! then it will take another 3 or 4 months to get up to speed, so can probably write of any influence hes going to have this season

Liverpool look set to conclude the summer transfer window with a marquee signing from France. According to the Athletic, the Anfield club have reached an agreement to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola.

The publication claims that the Premier League giants are prepared to pay an up-front transfer fee of €117 million, with a potential €22m in add-ons. If all terms are met, the total €139m fee would make Barcola Liverpool's second most expensive signing of all time and PSG's most expensive sale of all time.

if true lets hope he does better than the recent so called marquee signings

Probably at the expense of Gakpo dragon. Which is a shame, because he is guaranteed shots every game because that's what he does as born out last weekend. And in this era of uncertainty, that is one certainty we could probably have done with keeping.

if they let gakpo go MT its total madness,he is one of our better quality players who we deffo need to keep

Yes they shouldnt let Gapko go as he was easily our best forward player on Sunday
His goals and assists record is good
Rio should be used as an impact player as i dont think he is ready to start yet particularly away from home

I dont like Gapko as centre forward but cant think of anyone else to play there if Isak gets injured

Barcola can play right wing or even in the middle.

Utter garbage

Same old, same old.

On the plus side laying Liverpool is a license to print money.

Don’t know what’s occurring with our midfield, they’ve played together for a good while now, and still getting the runaround by bottom half sides. See we still love giving the early lead away like last season. Always seem to be chasing the game. So slow out the blocks these days.Barcola and Wharton will help though, the latter may rely on sales first though. Looks like another transition season for us .

yes not looking good so far- so wish we had alonso as manager - such a loss not getting him

That lad Brentford signed looks like what you need,...

Mamadou Sangare,

nothing less than a win required tonight against newly promoted opposition.

new 120 m signing on the bench wtf

Easing him in gently. Started very well for a change, but after the first 10 mins neither side looked liked scoring.

good win positive about the team gelling together but its going to take time

Barcola hasnt had a proper pre season so was never going to play a full game - looked a rolls royce when he came on

we will get a lot of enjoyment watching Munoz play this season - so direct
thankfully we never sold Gapko as hes been our best forward in the 3 games

couldnt believe liverpool supporters wanting to sell him

Araujo at right back gave us more physicality and we were better defensively including set pieces

Felt bit sorry for Gakpo last season, hardly any of them were playing well but he seemed to get singled out for stick. Maybe cos Slot was Dutch too, and some thought he was getting preferential treatment, he doesn’t seem so one dimensional so far this term.

the two passes to isak for the goals were superb,the second one reminded me of TAA

Much much better. Still shaky at the back imo

yes, Ipswich came close to pulling a goal back a few times in the first half. A better side would probably have done so.

Liverpool 0 Fulham 0. Very little cohesion going forward, defence doesnt look very secure. Gakpo came on down the right side to accomodate Ngumoha down the left.Neither produced much. Square pegs into round holes comes to mind.Wirtz very disappointing. On the positive side, they are still unbeaten !

Better last night, good goals, bozzers a screamer. Jaquet looks top class, will step into Virgil’s boots on his stride. Iraola has revitalised Gakpo too, just need to team to gel now

conceding too many good chances for my liking -keeper although messing up for the goal made some top draw saves

balance of the team doesnt look right
On the plus side thought Trey looked good and McConnell grew into the game

Szobo obviously is capable of moments of brilliance but up to the goal thought he was poor when he came on giving the ball away

Mac playing for new contract - hope it continues

disappointing result against Cheaty, but played well with a very weakened first X1 until the harsh sending off. Red cards should only be issued for violent conduct or dangerous tackles imo. The bench is worrying, not much strength in depth.

Yeah Gravenberch had a really good game until the red, and we did well,not many shots at goal, but plenty of injuries in that department. Thought Koumas played well was really getting stuck in. Red card was a big moment in this game

not the strongest starting X1 tonight v LASK, but at least it makes the bench look better.

Hapless Liverpool trading at 2 on LoL…..

Shambles

Oops

how bad must Celtic be ?

Celtic are dreadful

Linsk 5 Liverpool 4 incoming.

Meant to say 5-5

Wish I done over 8.5 Goals, never saw this happening.

liverpool bring on van djke and concede 3 goals

Big liability…..

Saying our game might be off tomorrow due to 55mph winds expected at match time, suppose 25 mph is enough to ruin a game. Unless there’s a change to forecast looks probable to be off

That's as good as it's been for us this season imo. Brighton played well and a good game to watch. Araujo had a blinder and yes early days but can see him becoming a fans favourite. Can't get carried away, 2 big home matches coming up.

fabulous result. brighton had plenty of chances to score, but thats more because they are a good side than our defensive errors. when i saw the starting XI i thought this is our strongest team probably. ( Ekitike to come ) im not concerned about the league cup, but i think we'll give arsenal a game at the weekend.