Liverpool Banter 2

02 Sep 2026 07:50:38
Honestly we could give out about our window but my word, Evertons was rough.

So rough, I don't even mean this as a banter or a jibe.

I think you ll be ok in terms of survival Ed25. Moyes is good at that galvanizing. Us against the world type mentality. I fancy ye to be ok. 15th I feel. But my word.

You don't have to if you don't want to post anything on it, but was wondering if you could sum the window up for ye and how you think ye'll fair this season?

{Ed025's Note - shambles, disaster, 5hit show?..take your pick Davey, im gutted mate, there is light at the end of the tunnel though...unfortunately its a train coming the other way mate..

02 Sep 2026 10:55:26
Cheer up, Ed25. You got rid of one of the few good players you had in Ndiaye, but hey, at least you got Jack Grealish back. He'll be the senior player guiding all your other players into a new dawn.

{Ed025's Note - thanks for that..

02 Sep 2026 11:09:11
Just curious Ed, why did your club decided to go back to Grealish? Did he do good last season? If I'm an Everton fan, I wouldn't want him anywhere near the club. Especially around young players who just started to get featured in the 1st team.

{Ed025's Note - hes a good player Mfahmee and really wants to play for the club mate, we are desperately short of players and we could do a lot worse than Jack i feel..

02 Sep 2026 11:28:30
God, every window you look for that quality to move the club forward but in your case it's just the sheer lack of quantity now also. You don't have the numbers.

I think there genuinely needs to be a post mortem at Everton after this window. The levels of disappointment and then there's flat out undeniable failure. The club needs a rethink on how they operate at the top and what the plan is to progress the club in a sustainable way.

No fans deserve that s*** show as you put it. I was shocked.

How hard is it to pick up a few 15-20 or 25 mill decent young players? Seems Brighton and Brentford are able to get them. And they do not have the size and history that Everton have. Feel for ya bud. Gotta get the right men at the top.

And as much as I read Everton fans are not overly joyed with Moyes, you'll be glad to have him managing in this situation. No better man to get the most out of a squad. He does his best work when it's chaos behind the scenes.

When you sort out the transfer recruitment/ leadership, that's when it's time to find a more progressive manager.

02 Sep 2026 09:19:31
I think we must face the inevitability that the recurring theme of the season will be that we get together in this forum after most matches and bemoan our full backs and lack of defensive cover in midfield.

3 x £100m attacking players + Munoz + Gakpo + Ngumoha + Ekitike to come will hopefully mean we carry a threat when we get the ball in the right areas of the pitch but with dodgy full backs on both sides and a midfield that you can drive a bus through, I just don't see how we're going to consistently shut out the opposition.

Two matches so far, both 2-2 draws. Probably the sort of scoreline we should get used to.

02 Sep 2026 10:16:45
I think we will improve as the season goes on. Rb will be an issue, no doubt. Frimpong has never looked the part for me. I'd actually start Araujo there against Ipswich. Midfield is sorely lacking defensive nous, but I do feel ai will get midfield working better as the season goes on. Kerkez at lb I do still have a lot of faith in; hopefully he settles down and shows what he is capable of.

I've seen a fair bit of him at Bournemouth and he certainly does have a final ball. I think he's just lacking confidence at the min. Obviously it's getting to the stage where he has to start showing it.

02 Sep 2026 10:29:22
Dom
Is an excellent RB. Let’s see which of the young players can step up. They have a great chance now - which would
be less
the case had we bought a load more players.

02 Sep 2026 11:39:55
Let the excitement begin.

02 Sep 2026 11:55:14
OP, your first sentence says a lot more about the forum than it does about the players and club. I'm really looking forward to the first 'I'm entitled to my opinion' now that the window has closed.

02 Sep 2026 12:35:06
Not sure I follow you, WDW. Evidence from the first couple of matches, and all of last season, is that we'll continue to struggle in the full back positions and in defensive midfield. If that is the case, then I expect that everyone is going to continue to be frustrated about that and it will be a recurring topic of conversation in this forum (and also in the stands, in the pubs, or anywhere else where Liverpool supporters gather).

If it turns out not to be the case, then we'll all be very happy as it will mean the perceived weaknesses weren't weaknesses after all and we'll move to a much better place, less goals conceded, more wins, better chances of winning trophies.



Digger: I agree, Araujo could be an option at right back. Must admit I've never seen him play before this season but if he's a defender who is comfortable on the ball, I'd almost say it can't be worse than the current option.

Swampdonkey: Agree, Szoboszlai turned in some decent performances at right back last season but I assume everyone would recognise it's sub optimal to be playing your best midfielder out of position at full back having not taken the opportunity to address the problem in that position.

02 Sep 2026 08:21:04
Who at Liverpool would have been speaking to Camara's camp telling them to wait till 2027?
Hughes surely wasn't the guy was he? He won't even be there
With such uncertainty regarding who takes DOF role next, how can we be certain Camara will even be a target?
This is really confusing. Or am I missing something?

02 Sep 2026 10:17:06
I think a lot of this stuff is just fantasy. I mean I could possibly understand if a player wanted to go to a certain club but even that we’ve heard before they sign for some other team. Anyway, time will tell I guess but Liverpool would need to start negotiating in November to have the deal done by the end of January. 😜

02 Sep 2026 12:10:40
There's nothing stopping us from agreeing a deal now actually. The only thing is that the registration can only be completed in Jan once the window opens. So we don't need to tell them to wait when we can do the necessary steps to finalise the move now.

02 Sep 2026 08:16:56
Glad that's all finally over. We can now concentrate on what we have available and see what Iraola can get out of them. Come January, he'll have a much better idea where we need to strengthen.

02 Sep 2026 10:32:34
Totally agree.
Iraola and his team got that rabble of misfits at Bournemouth to improve year after year and finish 5th last season despite having horrific transfer windows. Selling their prize assets and signing ‘nobodies’.

Let the transfer window go, it's in the past.

Becker - still arguably the best in the world at a premium position.
Kerkez - get him back to his Bournemouth form.
Frimpong/Bradley - AI’s position as a player, if they can learn from anyone it’s him.


Jacquet - adapting to Premier League well.
Virgil - Incredibly experienced, needs younger legs alongside him to cover his ageing body.
MacAllister - needs re-motivating.
Grav - get him back to his 2024/5 form.
Dom - in form.
Barcola - potential worldie.
Munoz - already looking good.
Isak - on his day the best finisher in Europe.

We have so much talent, it needs to be optimised and organised, which is Iraola’s M.O.

Ok, we “lost” the transfer window. Let's win on the pitch.

02 Sep 2026 11:41:14
That's the spirit, Ron.

Fully agree.

02 Sep 2026 07:32:46
One of the strangest windows we’ve had.

The approach just seemed so poor and why so last minute, why did Minteh and Sarr only start with days to go? Why didn’t we approach any centre mids or right backs at all? Why focus all window on a left winger when to be honest it was probably on paper the only position we didn’t need to look at.



I think Aurajo and Barcola are good business and the keeper for next season but the approach, timing, priorities just seems absolutely awful.

02 Sep 2026 10:18:52
I think Aurajo looks quite slow.

02 Sep 2026 10:27:09
I think you could say that about a lot of clubs, Alex. So many waited until the last day to make their moves and some got stung.

It happens so often that there must be good reasons for clubs waiting until the end of the window to do their business.

02 Sep 2026 10:30:13
Araujo looks gritty and fired up. We need that spirit - the team is full
of lacklustre individuals

02 Sep 2026 11:44:16
Slow? The guy had Vini Jnr in his pocket during several footraces in the El Clasico in Camp Nou a couple of years back when Xavi was in charge.

Pace is the least of my worries with Araujo. How he adapts to the league and how he can keep his calm and composure under pressure is what I'm more worried about.

02 Sep 2026 07:21:47
Wondering if Wirtz could occasionally be played up top in place of Isak - false 9 like Firmino?

Lets you get more legs in the midfield…

Take Dom out the congestion in the final third to create space for Wirtz to get on the ball. Wirtz also presses better than Isak and could become the new press-trigger.



Really think Dom’s willing running and excellent delivery is wasted in midfield, we’d see much more of both if he plays RB.

Alison
Dom. Jacquet. Virg. Kerkez
Nyoni
Grav Macca
Munoz. Wirtz. Barcola.

02 Sep 2026 10:29:27
We’ve spent all summer chasing wingers to feed a number 9. Reverting back to a false 9 setup would be ridiculous.

The days of Bobby as a false 9 with 2 wide forwards cutting in to score are well gone. We all miss it but we need to move on.

02 Sep 2026 10:30:08
To be honest it doesn’t look like a bad team although I’d rather have a RB and not Dom but maybe needs must in the short term. It doesn’t send out great smoke signals to Isak tho, £113 million player benched already.

Seems a bit like Nunez only benched a lot earlier in his Liverpool career. Would that front 3 produce enough goals? As there’s nothing in their past career to suggest so but who knows. 🤷‍♂️

02 Sep 2026 11:48:29
Flo is not a false 9 so no, I don't want him there. We signed 2 no. 9s so he can feed them.

Wirtz plays the 10 role and that's it, for me.

And anyone thinking just any player (even Wirtz) can come in and play the "Firmino" role is gonna be waiting a really long time.



Bobby is a unicorn of a player, possessing skills, game intelligence and the ability to play that false 9 position that I am yet to see any other player in that role possess.

02 Sep 2026 06:54:01
Can someone explain to me other than "securing the future", the club spunking another 30 mill to sign an 18 year old GK who we don't need today instead of a midfielder or a proper right back?

02 Sep 2026 12:21:43
Imo, I think a new GK would be needed sooner rather than later, so I don't mind that transfer. Alisson's contract would be ending in the summer and he has increasing injury concerns.

Mamar isn't going to cut it and Woodman isn't a title winning keeper. Jaros would have been my bet to succeed Alisson, but it remains to be seen how he'd recover from his ACL injury.

02 Sep 2026 05:24:20
Looking into Ekitike's injury and recovery. Interestingly the NHS website has a lot of information about healing, recovery and what happens. It says to return to sport can be 4-12 months. 2-3 months to heal depending on severity. It's then all about the person's strength and fitness. Premier League injuries has him back for October, which is around 8 months. So I'd say if he's back then, expect him fully fit by new year.



Bradley is more complicated with a damaged knee bone as well as torn ligaments. I'd reckon he's back until the new year as well. Even Iraola said in July he's months away from a return.

On a side note Leoni has posted saying he should be back this month which is great news. Gomez expected to be fit for this week as well as Chiesa.

02 Sep 2026 10:11:20
I wouldn’t really take the NHS website as pertinent to elite sporting activity. It is aimed at the general population doing regular activities. The strain a Premier League footballer places on his knees with the stopping and starting and twisting and turning is extreme.

So it takes much longer to get back to the point they can perform at that level. Not to mention getting back to match fitness after months of not playing. Hence 9 months is more likely to be the norm, whereas for most people it will be half that.

02 Sep 2026 10:22:46
So as the Website said then and I mentioned 4-12 months recovery.

02 Sep 2026 10:24:06
Every individual will have a different recovery profile, so it’s important to minimise expectations about his return.
I’m satisfied he’ll have an elite recovery programme, but there are still no guarantees.
He’s young, he seems determined, so I think he’ll have a good chance.

02 Sep 2026 11:57:04
Big, I propose you take all that information with a pinch of salt cos we are dealing with high level athletes here, not regular people like me or you. There's levels to this, my man.

For ex., I ruptured my patella tendon on my left knee and broke the knee cap. Essentially, the type of injury R9 had but his was worse.
Went into surgery 5 days after and was in a brace for about 6 weeks. Then, went into rehab for another few months and then, started doing my own rehab in the gym, based on the recommendations of my rehab specialist for a few months.



You know what? That knee still hurts till this day (and my other knee suffers, as a result) hence I've been wearing knee sleeves on my runs for the past 15 years and counting. What I am trying to say is that an Achilles tear is nothing to play with and if you follow the NFL, such injuries take a full year for the players to come back and who knows what they will be like. Same for Eki.

So pls, let's let him heal properly and not rush things.

02 Sep 2026 08:05:55
Ed001 I know you have a 1, 000 jobs, would be interested in a short write up or your views on the transfer window both inside and outside and outs.

Also, do you know AI plans for Koumas. To me from a defensive and workout pov he looks ready to play a part but when it comes to that bit of quality to finish a move or create something he is lacking. Do you think he will be used as cf cover or rw?

{Ed001's Note - I usually do a transfer window round up anyway mate, so you are not adding to my workload. Seamus and I are hoping to do a pod about it as well at some point today.

I expect Koumas to be cover, come on a fair bit as sub, play cup matches and, if he impresses enough, get a game or two in the Prem as well.}

02 Sep 2026 11:58:00
I said it. Ed01 is on the case.

Looking forward to it, mate.