Liverpool Banter 2

26 Jul 2026 08:18:52
Ed001 where do you think our transfer priorities lie going into the new season? It's clear we are looking at a versatile winger but do we need 2?

Also do you think we need another CB with experience or do we go with VVD, Jaquet, Leoni and the youngsters who I have to say looked quite good earlier today against Sunderland.

Striker wise Isak looks to be the only striker option with Ekitike a good way off being recovered from injury?

{Ed001's Note - it depends on how you view it, we do defo need 1 versatile winger, but a second would strengthen the squad (possibly team depending on who it was) but I would say that one is priority.

Again, it would be nice to have an experienced defender, but it is not the flat out urgent need, which is clearly a right-back. After that, I think the biggest hole in the squad is some bite in the centre of midfield. Then for me, we then need a forward, preferably a versatile one who can play across the front line. A centre-back would be next.

The big question is which of those gaps in the squad does Iraola see players in and around the squad that he believes can be developed to fill those gaps. That can change everything.}

27 Jul 2026 10:48:20
I'd say RB and CB are the potential holes.
RB - can Ramsey and Frimpong cover that gap until Bradley is fully match fit?
CB - VVD and Jacquet are the starters. Leoni is backup when he is match fit. Then you have the young lads minus Ndukwe.

We have a lot of players who can play in the front 4 positions and I'm including Koumas in there now.

Do we need an upgrade? I think that would be useful.
We also have a lot of central midfielders, but we need 2024/5 Gravenberch not 2025/6 Gravenberch. We probably need an upgrade in there.

27 Jul 2026 08:21:18
Completely agree Ed001. 3 priorities are a winger, a right back and a defensive midfielder. These are the positions in the starting XI that need filling. As long as the right back can also cover centre back though. You mentioned Kounde a while back, and I think he's a match made in heaven.

If funds allow then another winger and a centre back are nice to haves. These 2 signings would allow us to loan out either Chiesa or Rio and also leave Gomez in the background to wind down his career/contract without any reliance on him whatsoever.

{Ed001's Note - Kounde does seem to fit very well.}

27 Jul 2026 08:23:52
Agreed Ed01 I wonder if he's taking a long look at Ndiaye, Mconnel, Bajetic, Nyoni and Koumas just to see if he does need to fill all the holes in the squad or could he focus on 1/2 areas and use the youth for the others.

Koumas did look decent at the 9 position and could be a option

26 Jul 2026 21:10:39
First time poster, love the website Ed's keep up the good work.

@John Barnes looks like Diomande is not coming to us, fair play to Grizz for calling it in June that we have walked away

Carra Grizz, VG and other ITK's how many do you think we will sign this window?

{Ed033's Note - Please stick to 1 username, please Grizz.

26 Jul 2026 22:01:46
You have to be up very early in the morning to get a sockpuppet past 33.

26 Jul 2026 22:02:47
Hahaha brilliant Ed33. How embarrassing for Grizz/Spion Kop. What a sad individual 🤣

26 Jul 2026 22:10:28
Ooops.

26 Jul 2026 22:10:35
Jesus, that's embarrassing.

26 Jul 2026 22:17:06
Is that the 2nd 'itk' caught posting on a 2nd account to big themselves up in the last few days.
Slightly embarrassing.

{Ed025's Note - massively embarrassing i would say Will..

26 Jul 2026 22:19:19
I can't even fathom some of the stuff that goes on. I just happen to love LFC.

26 Jul 2026 22:22:06
Not sure what people get out of doing stuff like this. People should go easy on him, though, since we don't actually know what's going on in people's lives to need this kind of validation from strangers online.

26 Jul 2026 22:18:17
Get a life mate

26 Jul 2026 22:19:36
That's hilarious. Well done Ed. 👏

26 Jul 2026 22:40:38
Rumbled big time. 🤣🤣🤣

26 Jul 2026 23:04:13
Talk about blowing your own trumpet. 🤣🤣

26 Jul 2026 23:42:21
I think Grizz/Spion is blowing something else.

Stick to Twitter, mate, a lot more gullible muppets there!

26 Jul 2026 23:53:03
Wow.how sad do you have to be to make another account to praise yourself n call others n then ask yourself a question hahahha

27 Jul 2026 00:19:13
That'll be goodbye to Grizz then!

27 Jul 2026 06:46:17
Haha, I was just starting to take Grizz seriously who was the other itk to crate a second account to boost themselves 🤣

27 Jul 2026 06:56:41
O boy! I'm feeling embarrassed and I'm not even @Grizz. 🤭🤭🤭

27 Jul 2026 07:21:57
I love when this happens. Nice one Ed033.

You deserve this humble pie Grizz.

27 Jul 2026 07:31:04
Tell you what Ed. I won't need to light the barbecue tomorrow cause of that burn.

27 Jul 2026 07:32:44
Back in the good old days Grizz would have been called a glifnard by Ed002

27 Jul 2026 07:34:25
May the Lord have mercy on your soul on Judgement Day

27 Jul 2026 07:35:48
Because this site has blown up on twitter also, people are using it to get more followers.

27 Jul 2026 07:50:27
Ha Ha, Unlucky Grizz.... Does this mean we don't have to hear anymore of "I told you this yesterday" stuff! 😂

👣

27 Jul 2026 07:54:23
Would this be Grizz Khan from X? 🤔

27 Jul 2026 07:56:01
Also to add, it's not the end of the world here.

Just eat the humble pie and move on to your next post. Gotta see the funny side on these things.

27 Jul 2026 07:56:17
Ha ha! That is so funny! I assume Grizz is about 15 in that case. 😂😂😂

27 Jul 2026 08:33:45
That's hilarious!!

27 Jul 2026 08:34:22
Well done Ed33, that is hilarious.

You, know what, gotta give it to Grizz for trying at least.

Remember you don't score if you don't shoot. 😉

27 Jul 2026 08:34:03
Oh Grizz. You realise Ed033 is a savant? He knows all of our IP addresses by heart. The guy has memorised the value of pi to 3,000 decimal places.

27 Jul 2026 07:47:04
Each to their own, big pat on the back to the eds for making this site so special. There's guys trying to be someone on here i find that hilarious. What a great forum here, takes all sorts to create a community.

Cheers to all the guys making an effort and giving us info, even the guys taking the p#ss its entertaining.

27 Jul 2026 08:15:35
Haha brilliant Ed! Good man Grizz, nothing like a bit of self praise.

Tbf I always assume with the amount of "first time posters" and ITKs these days there has to be multiple accounts.

A broken clock and all that.

27 Jul 2026 09:17:06
@Red Kie, It would be a "retromingent gilfnard".

27 Jul 2026 10:08:53
Love it!

27 Jul 2026 10:15:34
Absolute loser

26 Jul 2026 21:07:18
Just throwing a name out for CB that I've not seen mentioned on here at all.

Tomori from AC Milan, into his final year of contract, still only 28 and with Joe's injury record could be a decent addition to the squad?

26 Jul 2026 22:09:49
Tomori to sign Tomorro-w!

Dario Osori, Chile winger, to replace Salah. Fee £20 mill.

26 Jul 2026 20:20:26
Anyone know anything about these Gakpo to Bayern Munich rumours? Would it be dependant on Luis Diaz leaving for Al Hilal?

26 Jul 2026 21:40:22
And we get Nigel Callaghan and Ruel Fox, the cruel fox in the box?

26 Jul 2026 19:09:45
Gee Wiz boys and girls, it’s some afternoon that.
Macca, Carra, Robbo and VG all making big posts about Barcola, I now believe.
Rayan, Sadiki and Kayode now please and Zabaryni on loan with options to buy please Mr Henry - Yes sir!!

26 Jul 2026 22:34:53
Macca is back!!!!!!???

The real ITK!!!!!

27 Jul 2026 07:51:25
That's a little bit harsh on Carra, Robbo, VG, Fields and Ned...

26 Jul 2026 18:40:16
Evening gents, what a time to be a red. Not a rumour, but merely a question, from a first time poster of almost 15 years reader.

With FSG seeking minority shareholders this summer, how would signing high profile players add to club’s valuation, would 100 plus signings add to the valuation more than the costs of spending on expensive players will subtract from it, like will it be simply regarded as increase in liability and asset will be more risky in the eyes of potential investors since more spending?

My thinking is that FSG is trying to sing the likes of Barcola asap before they sell shares to Mittal or Bezos, so the haggling bit might favour FSG’s valuation, and high profile players should really raise the stocks of any club, or am I talking peanuts and absolute waffle.

26 Jul 2026 21:18:20
I don't think that Bezos, Mittal, or any other investor is going to value the club differently based on if we sign Barcola or not. What I do think is that the club is worth more if it is in the Champions League and getting more exposure by challenging for the league and Champions League.

26 Jul 2026 21:57:18
It makes little or no difference, the club is not valued based on the squad. Investors are looking at (projected) revenue; ticket sales, merch, tv deals, competition bonuses, not the team sheet.

27 Jul 2026 00:22:10
It probably matters a little bit, as I'd expect squad value to have some effect on overall club value, but I would think it would be negligible when the club is valued at upwards of $5b, as I've seen reported as part of the minority share talk.

26 Jul 2026 17:40:01
So where should Wirtz play this season? If left wing then we might not need new winger.

And if attacking mid then where does that leave Szob? I think then we need a DM and need to sell Mac and Curtis. This will be the biggest decision for AI as per me.

26 Jul 2026 20:20:19
Barcola is on for LW

That'll do, little pig!

26 Jul 2026 20:23:40
Right back.

26 Jul 2026 20:29:31
I think we'll play a very flexible and interchangeable attacking quartet of Barcola, Isak, Wirtz and Szoboszlai. I wouldn't get too hung up on what starting positions they're in. As a 4, that has everything.

Fills me with excitement that's for sure. Barcola, Wirtz and Dom can all play every position in the 3 behind the main striker. Isak in the box or on the shoulder to score a shed load of goals. 👌🏻

26 Jul 2026 21:32:20
I think Wirtz will predominantly play as a 10. I think, based on our transfer targets and the signing of Munoz, we're after pace on the wings.
Szob, in an interview announcing his new contract, said he sees himself as an 8, and I believe predominantly that is where he will feature.

26 Jul 2026 21:56:02
Isak

Barcola - Wirtz - Rio/Munoz

Szobo - Grav

Kerkez - VVD - Jacquet - Ordonez

Alisson


That's what you're saying?

26 Jul 2026 22:01:38
Wirtz clearly isn't suited to the wing. He's nothing remotely like a winger. He would be best utilized as a 10, where Dom plays box-to-box with a bigger defensive responsibility, and Grav is strictly a DM, no meandering about.

I think you're on the sauce, MK. Dom is not going to be playing across a front 3.

26 Jul 2026 22:36:34
Still think our best pairing in CM is going to be Grav/Dom

Then ahead of them should be Wirtz. He has the engine to cover defensively (unlike Macca) and in that central role he can then float and be effective wherever he finds space.

26 Jul 2026 22:37:17
Chewy, I never said across a front 3. I said behind Isak.

26 Jul 2026 23:07:24
Let's hope Isak stays fit this year, John. He is worth 20 Prem goals a season minimum if he can put even just 30 league games together.

I am concerned if Dom thinks he's an 8 though, when he's clearly best as a 10. You know, where he played when we ran rings around the rest of league and went on holiday to Ibiza in April with the title wrapped up. If he thinks he's an 8, that gives me Gravenberch vibes. He also thinks he's an 8 when he's clearly best as a 6. We can't have another year of players telling the manager where they want to play.



Hopefully Iraola is stronger than Slot. I just cannot fathom why you'd take our best player in the squad at pressing from the front and shooting from the edge of the box, then play him deeper next to Gravenberch. Even if playing Dom further forward pushes Wirtz out the side, that's tough luck for Flo. Dom has to play and he has to play where he's the most effective. He's our best player by a mile, so build the team around him. Play with two 10's if you have to, but we tried Dom in an 8 with Wirtz in the 10 last season and we looked terrible and soft centred.

26 Jul 2026 23:43:03
Agree with MK.

Isak up top.

3 players operating in the space behind the striker. Choose from Szobo, Wirtz, Ekitike (when fit), Munoz, Rio, Gakpo (or replacement), Chiesa.

26 Jul 2026 23:55:54
That's the one, Ron. Gravenberch and Mac Allister (or maybe Wharton?) should be the deeper midfielders. I think Nyoni will get a lot more minutes this season as well. But, I don't want Dom there unless injuries force our hand. Get that man in the final 3rd scoring bangers, please. 🙏🏻

26 Jul 2026 17:10:34
Macca and Carra posting on the same day! If Carlsburg did Sundays....

26 Jul 2026 18:28:08
Where is their posts? Can some one shed some light?

{Ed033's Note - Rumours pages.

26 Jul 2026 20:27:08
Wtf???? Been in work in the pub all day, football all Ireland. From Dublin, but happy for Mayo.


But, hold on, Macca posted ????

I thought we all agreed he was Carra ?????

{Ed025's Note - well hes not mate.. :)

26 Jul 2026 16:14:40
Well I might be wrong but I wanted Diomande over Barcola.

26 Jul 2026 17:11:40
I think the plan was both sq1. I think Barcola is the Gakpo replacement if the rumours are true.

We still need mos replacement.

26 Jul 2026 17:18:52
I didn't want any of them.

26 Jul 2026 17:26:36
Only you can answer whether you are wrong or not as it's what you wanted.

26 Jul 2026 17:35:08
Why though? Barcola is more versatile, scores more goals, creates more goals, he is proven over a 3 year period, plays in a stronger league than Diomande, seemingly wants to play for us, likely a smaller transfer fee and won't ever go to AFCON.

The only things I can see Diomande has over Barcola is he's 4 years younger and probably would have lower wages.

If you have any doubt in how weak the Bundesliga is right now, look at how easily we battered Frankfurt 5-1 last year in a period where we weren't winning many games! Or look at how badly Wirtz and Frimpong have struggled to adapt to the Prem.

Meanwhile Cherki came from Ligue 1 and hit the ground running.

Barcola is miles better than Diomande. Diomande might have the higher ceiling, hard to predict things like that. But right now he's no better than Rio. I'd back Rio to score 12 goals in the Bundesliga if he played 2500 minutes.

26 Jul 2026 18:30:26
I'd prefer Vini Junior. Barcola is highly overrated and Diomande is raw.
Vini might be going onto the market and we may see him in an Arsenal shirt whilst we're signing a PSG reject.

26 Jul 2026 19:09:38
Is a Real Madrid reject really better than a PSG reject?

26 Jul 2026 19:24:24
Barcola is quality. By all accounts he is choosing to leave PSG for us, which says a lot. This will be unpopular but I think we should also go for Neto if we can't get Rayan. Just can't see Bournemouth letting him go... Neto would thrive under Iraola.

26 Jul 2026 19:31:53
Ron Funk, he's not a PSG reject. They've been trying to get him to sign a new contract. He rejected them.

26 Jul 2026 19:39:07
MK, enjoy your posts generally, however tbf Cherki had much better players, system, manager etc around him, I'd say if yr comparing his performances to us last season. Wasn't he mostly from the bench also, mate?? Sincerely hope your views above materialise tho. ✌

26 Jul 2026 20:34:30
Exactly, Laddie. If Cherki had signed for LFC last season with the system and tactics on show, he would have drowned as well. And no, Cherki did not even hit the ground running. He had to hold bench for a while there cos he wasn't doing enuff tracking back off the ball and we know Pep ain't having that.

26 Jul 2026 20:36:30
Laddie, the system and his team mates aren't the reason why Wirtz took at least 20 games purely to adapt to the robust nature of the league. He was physically bullied at the start of the season.



I think, the system/team mates certainly didn't help him once he had adapted and bulked up a bit though. He had hardly any runners to pick out, that's for sure.

26 Jul 2026 21:20:25
You are wrong, SQ1.

You've been a huge fan of Barcola these past few years and you always fancied us signing him.

You've never believed in the Diomande hype.

26 Jul 2026 21:28:38
And you want to sign over your house to Davey Sulls.

Look into my eyes. 👀

26 Jul 2026 21:54:13
Wirtz didn't have a good end to the season, or World Cup.

He had a few good games, showed a decent work rate, but didn't influence matches enough.

Let's hope Iraola gets more out of him, and that he himself can take his game up a notch. He's talented, that's for sure.

26 Jul 2026 23:44:58
Barcola will do well in the EPL, so I hope he comes to LFC.
Vini Jr, Diomande, I'm not as convinced by. Good players in the leagues they're in, but not sure they have the best attributes for the EPL.