Liverpool Discussion Thread

4 wins on the bounce for your boys. That fella will be getting a haircut next week maybe. Anyway here’s hoping Joe Gomez is ok today and we can have Dominic back in midfield, other 2 keep winning so today’s game has its own importance, but if Hugo and Florian turn up in same form we’ll have a good chance. And hopefully Mo steps back up, must be over afcon by now surely. Cmon the redmen!!

Quite enjoyed the game which makes a change for the dross we've had this season.


But wanted to mention game management. Can't remember the recent game, but it was one where we got ourselves back into it with about ten minutes to go, everyone thought we'd kick on but instead the oppo where much better and won it deservedly.

This was a bit similar. Had our usual quiet first half but I was happy enough, knowing we'd be much better after the interval. Got a wonder goal, could have had a couple more really but should really have seen it out at least. God, we miss Henderson in these moments. Someone out there to just manage those around him to not panic, to be patient and concentrate. But instead we just go to bits. Invite them on. Allison making a stupid challenge. And then the Szob red card. Allison has basically deserted the goal by that point. Was pretty clear that the difference between 1-2 and 1-3 was zero to us. Just let it go instead of trying to be a hero, hope Haaland makes a bad touch to let you in rather than commit an obvious red.

The whole squad just needs to go to school in the summer.

Ref had to disallow it, despite than moron Neville saying he should have just let it go. He loves City, hates Pool and Arse. PTSD from his playing days.

PTSD or mouth stuffed with cash?

our best midfielder shouldnt be playing right back
why the squad has been left so thin is baffling
you only had to look at the 2 benches to see the difference

whilst kn0bs like clickbait Carragher focus on the money spent in the summer they never discuss the 11 players who left the first team squad

Our squad depth is genuinely pathetic. Gakpo and Salah were both beyond awful again, but what can Arne do? No other options to replace them with.

We need a big window... and with no CL football it could prove difficult.

We basically need to get in about 5 £20m players. Tricky finding them now as a big rich EPL team.

..and surely bringing Elliott back would have been a no-brainer

Agreed. He could definitely help us right now.

So many players are running on empty right now, but it's clear the boss just doesn't trust the likes of Endo, Chiesa, Ngumoha, and with good reason probably. Weird that Jones isn't starting more lately, wonder if something's gone on there.


But it does feel a bit like the club are looking to write this season off, meander to the end of the season with Slot and then bring Xabi in. Arne's contract expires next summer. Very weird for that not to have been renewed before now after such a successful first season.

Champions league qualification becoming a bigger worry by the week too. Need more consistency, daft mistakes happening

that was a dire first half
luckily forest are poor up front

Again starting Szob at right back is really poor from Slot
we have our best and most athletic midfielder wasted in that position


Luckily he changed it as Curtis looked like a fish out of water in the advanced midfield role

Any more performances like that and Slot will be gone in the summer

So Slot is wholly responsible and not the players rothko? Some of them need to have a proper look in the mirror. Slot is obviously not blameless, but feel some fans are being too harsh on him. Look at Konate as a prime example. Has Slot said something different to him of late? Gone from being a 3/10 every game to a 9/10....

Pleased to see Rio get his chance and take it. Got to be figuring more when Gakpo is so consistently bad. No answer to the right sided issues mind you... Chiesa is even worse than Salah. Two elite wingers are an absolute priority.

My single biggest issue with Slot is how we we seem to have a very clear plan to play differently in the first half of every single game, to the second. Its almost like we aim to contain the opposition for 45 mins to play for 0-0 at HT in every match, then we go for it second half. Was the same last season. Cant understand the mentality in matches against teams we are favourites to win. Just wasting valuable time.

The problem with Slot is he came in with this "let's pass the oppo to death" mantra. And our passing is largely very bad. Yesterday was maybe the worst. Every goal kick was just Ali and the 2 CB's going nowhere until the press comes and they just hack it upfield, managing to pick out Elliot Anderson every time. That kind of stuff must surely get worked on at Kirkby. Surely.

And I'd agree with Rothko, that surely Jones was the better RB pick after the last game. Mac or Grav are surely the ones to drop if everyone's fit as they're both shadows of last season's title winners.

The rest of it though is on Edwards et al. We needed more flexibility to replace the versatile Diaz and Jota and decided to go for two number nines, particularly as Gakpo is hardly Digger. Maybe one day I'll understand why. That day hasn't come yet though. I still think Frimpong is more a Mo-replacement than a Trent one though. Just a shame he's yet another sicknote.

Its not all Slots fault CCM and I take on board the points you make
You only have to take the drop off with Mo as he had a mare yesterday
Konate i think realised hes playing for his final big contract
Ive posted previously the squad has been left short and Slot was let down over Guehi

I assume the change in the style of play is planned after losing our best pressing players but at times its so pedestrian
I suppose we were spoilt under Klopp but you hear murmurings at the match about disapproval of Slot and these are from the guys who are really staunch reds who go home and away and as i say never usually show any disapproval

I wont keep banging on about the right back position but against City Slot could see they had 2 pensioners playing in midfield in Rodri and Silva yet chose not to play the athletic and dynamic Szob up against them

Yeah the new system seems set up to practice the over passing routine, which is fantastic for low block teams to easily counter us. A few years ago it used to be the first 10 minutes , now it’s the first 35 or so

Shocking half of the draw to be in

Indeed, but we can get or own back on Galatasaray before taking care of Chelsea and Madrid on the way to beating Arsenal in the final

Well another good weekend of results for us but not sure how a 5-2 could be any less convincing, and we are certainly getting the rub of the green lately.

Slot at least admitted it was not impressive but does he have the balls to put Salah back on the bench where he belongs.

Same old, same old.
Got what we deserved.

simple pass from salah to sloboszlai and a chance of going infront. messed it up. at the start of the season liverpools attack was supposed to be frightening. i know isak is missing, but they struggle to score and always seem likely to concede.what the f*** is wrong with them ?

And whats with all of this turning up for a match dressed like its an Armani fashion show ? Its game time, you're about to go to war. Get your tracksuit on and get your mind into gear ffs.

liverpool are so predictable. you know what salah is going to try to do and you know what gakpo is going to try to do. wingers create goals, but those two are creating jack s***. scored 5 against west ham due to set pieces being better, but wheres the unpredictability of a diaz or firmino o create chances in open play ?

Chelsea doing there best to hand us a top five place.
Surely we can’t f**k it up against Spurs.

That was dreadful.

And that was even worse.

If Chelsea hadn’t self imploded we would be out of the Champions League running already.

Zero chance of progression in CL or FA Cup either.

Slot being found out.

Didn't think first half was too bad. 2nd was shocking. Brighton deserved winners.

Talk about 2 different performances

Thoughts on Salah ...?

Firstly I will say that he has absolutely earned the right to be called a Liverpool legend although there are a few above him in the real pecking order.

My own opinion was that although he was a prolific goalscorer he was also a prolific waster. Many of his goals were down to his 5 years playing with Mane and Bobby and also to a lot of creativity from midfield and down the wings.

I wish I had a quid for every time I heard 'fck sake Salah' as he cut in from the left and
a) ran into a defender
b) hit the ball straight at a defender or
c) hit Row Z

He has been in decline for well over a year now - tiny things to start with like penalty misses becoming more frequent and not being able to go past a defender with the blistering speed of his mid twenties. But lately he was a very poor shadow of his former self and we were playing with 10 men for nearly every match he played this season.

I'm glad they have reached agreement on him being released on a free as his outburst at Leeds was undignified and embarrassing both to himself and the Club.

But on a positive note good luck to you Mo and to your family and thanks for a load of special memories. YNWA

One of our greatest ever players. End of. Stikers will miss plenty and waste plenty. The skill is finding the right position and beating your man, and he was elite at that.


Been watching us for decades and seen some of the best forward lines ever, but I do think in years to come we might see Mané-Bobby-Mo as the best of the lot. They were just incredible.


Happy the way they've handled this. He gets the proper send off he deserves.

Not good enough lace boots of John barnes imo

Of course he's a legend. Good luck Mo and thankyou.

this instance the use of the term the end of an era is appropriate

His stats were off the chart assist as well as goals

he managed to survive the transition from Mane and Bobby to put up his best return last season

Think the change in style of play has not suited this season- he thrived on the chaos and this slow style doesnt play to his strengths

He also misses Trents supply this season

Salah massively overrated - a better version of Raheem Sterling but not fut to lace the boots of Barnes or Suarez.

Things going from bad to embarrassing at the Etihaad. No doubt it will get even more dire on Wednesday.

In the same amount of games ,low 300’s , Salah has scored 100 more times than the vastly overrated Barnes for your lot so if you think goals are important Salah is far superior.

Football is a "what have you done for me lately" business.

You can decide where Salah sits in the Liverpool hall of fame some time down the line.

Promotion for active and existing customers

https://betfairexchange.uk/promo/1/

Joined: 08 May 10 | Topic/replies: 4,765 | Blogger: vidou's blog
Thoughts on Salah ...?

Firstly I will say that he has absolutely earned the right to be called a Liverpool legend although there are a few above him in the real pecking order.

My own opinion was that although he was a prolific goalscorer he was also a prolific waster. Many of his goals were down to his 5 years playing with Mane and Bobby and also to a lot of creativity from midfield and down the wings.

I wish I had a quid for every time I heard 'fck sake Salah' as he cut in from the left and
a) ran into a defender
b) hit the ball straight at a defender or
c) hit Row Z

He has been in decline for well over a year now - tiny things to start with like penalty misses becoming more frequent and not being able to go past a defender with the blistering speed of his mid twenties. But lately he was a very poor shadow of his former self and we were playing with 10 men for nearly every match he played this season.

Sorry lads ...

Thought until their third and successful attempt at a penalty we were the better side and lack of decent finishing cost us badly. After that, we seemed to give up and it was far too easy for City. Dreading Wednesday tbh.

Yep, it's just that giving up again.


Remain convinced that Slot is gone in the summer. The staff know it. The players know it. Probably every other team in the league know it too. And no-one really cares about this season any more. Just fulfilling contractual obligations. We have to be one of the least fit squads in the league, look really badly coached and under-prepared in so many games. We can start games with some level of intent, can look good if we get a goal up and confidence rises, but the moment something bad happens it's just a case of "screw it, doesn't matter really."

Does seem that way. Alonso gone nowhere since Madrid and waiting in the wings. As daft as it sounds, major headache, albeit a good one if they went and won the champions league. Just can't see it myself however.

psg at 1.8 on wednesday looks a gift

yep. Already backed them -2 & -3. They'll want to get the job done. And they're the kind of team (and so are we to allow them) to do it.

We’re 18 in premiership for yards covered, say no more. Down tools.

That was a tough watch. Could've been any score tbf and couldn't have complained if either penalty claim was given. Thought they were both nailed on pens. Anyways, still in with a squeak and usually would think there's a chance 2 behind going back to Anfield 2nd leg but just can't see it against these. Hope they prove me wrong.

we need to get the first goal at anfield, earlyish too. then hope psg freeze like rabbits in the headlights

Would be nice ttt

We lost 2-0 with ten men behind the ball, closing down space. We open up to them next week and commit men forwards and they'll rip us to bits imo.

2-0 was a good result could have been a lot worse, when psg lose the ball they swarm all over you and 9 times out of 10 come away with the ball. We tried hard , but we have to accept better team than us by a long way atm

in the words of Mo Salah..... NEVER GIVE UP !

Well things couldn’t have gone much better in terms of results for the last two weeks with three wins for us and all our rivals for fluffing their lines.

However the three PL performances were more of the same garbage where the luck was definitely on our side
Three difficult games to come but even three defeats should still have us in 5th with a home game against Brentford on the last day,

Hopefully Slot is still on his way out - if not I foresee a Ten Hag type situation come October.

Really shows how bad things are when you have to scroll halfway down page 2 to find this thread.

Well as usual my last post was prescient and we know need Brighton and Bournemouth to slip up as there is zero chance we get anything against Brentford the way we are playing.

No idea how there is any discussion about whether Slot stays for next season. If they don’t bin him (preferably before the Brentford) then it will be the worst deriliction of corporate governance since the BBC allowed Jimmy Saville to have kids in his dressing room.

I’ll be cheering on Brighton and Bournemouth this week so the idiots get what they deserve.

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!