Liverpool Banter 2

03 Sep 2026
New image uploaded to the
Liverpool Player Sightings page entitled, Hughes maybe a belter but we’re not at this level…

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03 Sep 2026
New image uploaded to the
Liverpool Player Sightings page entitled, I think Chelsea have done good business and will be in the mix with Alonso in charge.

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03 Sep 2026 11:33:26
I mean, they'll definitely be in the mix, but I still look at that squad and I'm absolutely astonished how much money it has cost for a lot of players that aren't world beaters. That defence doesn't come close to Arsenal's, that's for sure.

03 Sep 2026 11:53:58
I honestly thought their squad was so much better than that. I might have to revise my prediction of 2nd place for Chelsea. After Pedro, Rogers, Palmer and Neto, their attacking options are bang average. After Caicedo and Lavia, their midfield options are even worse unless you include an injury-prone right back (Reece James). Their wing-backs look poor aside from Palestra, as evidenced by the fact Neto is out of position as their best on the right side. As for their defence, Colwill and Lacroix are the only ones who aren’t bang average. Even the new keeper Martinez is massively overrated and makes nearly as many mistakes as Sanchez did.

He just got less smoke because Villa aren’t as big a news story as Chelsea.

Wow, I honestly thought their depth was much better than that. Their saving grace, of course, is they have no European football, so it’s unlikely their depth will be challenged. That might help them get away with having such a poor squad. There really aren’t many players there I’d choose to have at Liverpool. Pedro, Rogers, Palmer, Neto, Caicedo and Colwill is pretty much it. Palestra is a bit of an unknown quantity to be fair. Maybe he’ll be a good signing. How on earth have they ended up that weak after 4 years of constantly spending money?

03 Sep 2026 12:53:35
Would love Palestra, Estevao and Caicedo in our squad.

03 Sep 2026 14:28:01
I would take Joao Pedro too, Fly, to rotate & put pressure on Isak.

03 Sep 2026 14:41:32
Acheampong is a good player too, MK, surely they should give him a chance ahead of Fofana? And 6 players you'd have at Liverpool is quite a few haha. I rate Lavia highly when he's fit, which is not often.

Estevao was looking a world-beater, then he got a bad hamstring injury. Not sure what kind of player will be returning. To be perfectly honest though, Reece James is still probably their best player.

03 Sep 2026 10:21:52
Leoni back in training after the international break. Very good news. Hope he comes back strong and can put pressure on Virgil for his spot.

03 Sep 2026 11:34:57
Great news, Taurus. I think Leoni will be a terrific signing, proving he fully recovers from this ACL.
I actually think CB is looking healthy with how quickly Jacquet has settled.

03 Sep 2026 11:44:37
Great news, too bad about Bradley who is still far away from a return apparently. 😪

03 Sep 2026 11:59:13
I think he’ll be eased back in personally. Good as he looked a year ago on his debut, returning from an ACL can be tricky.

By the way, the prospect of having Ndukwe, Jacquet and Leoni all aged 20-23 in a couple of years is mouth watering for the future of the club.

That’s 3 elite talents. Hopefully injuries are kind to them from now on and they all stay grounded.

03 Sep 2026 12:12:03
Agree MK, I don't think we see him play till November at the very earliest.

03 Sep 2026 12:15:21
Ndiaye looks a good buy too. If Brughmann comes good too, we have:

Brughmanns
Ndukwe
Leoni.
Jacquet.
Ndiaye.

All under 22.

03 Sep 2026 13:50:13
Brughmanns, Leoni and Ndiaye can all qualify as homegrown too.

03 Sep 2026 10:00:37
I saw this article and in line with all the money we "wasted" over the past 2 years perhaps we have bought cheaply.

Most expensive Premier League transfer fees adjusted for inflation
1. Alan Shearer to Newcastle (1996) – £15m > £236.9m
2. Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United (2002) – £33.3m > £198.5m
3. Juan Sebastian Veron to Manchester United (2001) – £28.1m > £178.5m
4. Stan Collymore to Liverpool (1995) – £8.5m > £176.8m
5. Fernando Torres to Chelsea (2011) – £50m > £157.8m
6. Dennis Bergkamp to Arsenal (1995) – £7.5m > £156m
7. Andy Cole to Manchester United (1995) – £7m > £153.8m
8. Andriy Shevchenko to Chelsea (2006) – £30.8m > £152.6m
9. Dwight Yorke to Manchester United (1998) – £12.6m > £144.7m
10.

Paul Pogba to Manchester United (2016) – £89.3m > £141.6m
11. Wayne Rooney to Manchester United (2004) – £25.6m > £140.2m
12. Rio Ferdinand to Leeds (2000) – £18m > £139.8m
13. Tino Asprilla to Newcastle (1996) – £6.7m > £139.3m
14. Jack Grealish to Manchester City (2021) – £100m > £132.7m
15. Alexander Isak to Liverpool (2025) – £125m > £132.6m
16. Didier Drogba to Chelsea (2004) – £24m > £131.5m
17. Moises Caicedo to Chelsea (2023) – £115m > £131.2m
18. Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea (2021) – £97.5m > £129.4m
19. Angel Di Maria to Manchester United (2014) – £59.7m > £128.7m
20. Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea (2023)

Interested in people's comments.

{Ed001's Note - this is nonsense and has no relation to inflation at all. Absolute fantasy nonsense.}

03 Sep 2026 11:07:11
If you perhaps doubled those fees, you would be around the correct answer.

03 Sep 2026 11:28:22
I can understand inflation on the likes on food and gas but people? Really? How can inflation work on people? It's already stupid, the prices these players are going for.

It's more greedy agents, sponsors and clubs than anything else that the prices are sky rocketing.

03 Sep 2026 11:43:25
Doesn't work like that, chaps. And those figures are nonsense. And no, if u doubled them it wouldn't be like that

03 Sep 2026 11:47:06
Actually, the more I read it, the more laughable those figures are. Jesus, who wrote the original article?

03 Sep 2026 12:26:15
I think the only way to look at "inflation" in football is to compare what clubs generated back then and now!

03 Sep 2026 12:48:38
I wrote a post a few weeks back applying inflation based on our revenues (as a proxy for all clubs).

Not perfect maths - that would require a thesis - but a decent approximation.

03 Sep 2026 13:18:03
Whilst the annual inflation rate from 1996 to now is only about 2.5 - 3%, a lot of people forget that 'football inflation' is much higher; it's also harder to calculate for, as different aspects of the game seem to increase at different rates, but a relatively safe, rough number comes closer to about 9%. Some of these numbers certainly feel overinflated and inaccurate, especially considering that there's a 6.1% spread in his calculations, ranging from about 4.5 - 10.5% annually.

The author used total Premier League revenue growth as the basis for his model, which is not the most accurate way to calculate for inflation on transfers, and I'm sure he knows it, but also knows it would likely give him the most dramatic figures.

03 Sep 2026 13:58:54
To do it properly you would probably have to calculate each year independently based on averages across all transfers that season, removing outliers. Plus, I would be willing to wager half of these initial figures are incorrect anyway because there would be figures reported without add ons, or some with add ons that were never achieved etc.

Then, additionally, you have all the additional costs and fees that are never made publicly available and are likely just as volatile and inconsistent.

I don't trust "journalists" of today to tell me what day it is, let alone anything of substance like this.

03 Sep 2026 12:49:37
Say how you feel ED01! It's good for the soul!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🫵🫵🫵

03 Sep 2026 14:23:59
This is a perfect example of why ed002 disliked discussing financials.

What increase index is being proposed as "inflation"? For example RPI has increased from 152.4 in July 1996 to 419.1 in July 2026, which is 175% increase over 30 years. running close to 6% per annum. However, that is only one of the many indices we could use.

I am more concerned that despite spending £100m we are still discussing fielding players out of position. We really need get out of this 'square pegs in round holes' mentality.

We also need to appoint an industry savvy director of football. Preferably not an ex-player, who skipped school to play football and can barely negotiate driving in his supercar, let alone negotiate his way through a boardroom and football transfer politics.

03 Sep 2026 09:59:32
Good article by Paul Joyce in The Times today about Hughes’ tenure, but highlights how 2027 is the rebuild of the midfield, specifically mentioning Camara.

03 Sep 2026 11:18:27
Not really sure he says anything insightful in it. A bunch of potential excuses and how we cannot judge his tenure for another 18 months.

The facts are we dismantled a title-winning squad and now have one that will compete for top 4, despite spending half the GDP of a small country.



Yes, we've been unlucky with injuries and other circumstances, but there have been many windows and plenty of money available to react accordingly.

03 Sep 2026 11:40:45
I think the thing we can all see as supporters is: he/they have taken a squad that won the title and now left us what feels like a long way behind Arsenal, City and maybe even Chelsea (harder to judge them without European football). He has taken a squad that, not perfect — few squads ever are — but had decent cover in every position and game changers on the bench, to one that is lopsided and clearly lacking in some areas.

I mean, is Frimpong going to be our no1 RB for most of this season? It looks that way. All this was done in 2 summers!!!

03 Sep 2026 12:05:30
How did we dismantle a title winning squad, Pelican?
Didn't Diaz and TAA want to go? Were Konate, Robertson and Salah not on the decline? Wasn't Nunez just a mistake?

03 Sep 2026 12:36:40
Rigsby - Believe it or not, the Sporting Director is accountable for the squad strength, with the exception of a club that is financially hamstrung, which we are certainly not.

If you agree that the squad strength is weaker than 22/23 and 23/24, then whether you want to say dismantled, deteriorated, diminished or disasterclass (Carra's word), I don't mind.



I know how you don't like certain words, Rigsby.

03 Sep 2026 13:08:32
I agree with Rigsby. Trent and Diaz wanted to leave so nobody dismantled anything.

Konate wanted stupid money for a guy who’d just had a season Djimi Traore would be ashamed of, so had to go.

Salah was absolutely awful last season to the point where he was a hindrance, and he was mouthing off to the press, causing problems in the camp. He had to go.

Robbo was constantly getting caught out on the wrong side and literally couldn’t stop a cross if his life depended on it. It was his time to go.

Nunez was everyone's whipping boy.

We tragically lost Jota, as everyone knows.

We’ve now replaced them with real quality players. I mean real quality. Wirtz, Isak, Barcola, Ekitike. Munoz looks like a shrewd signing too.

The only ones who you could question are Kerkez and Frimpong, but they’ve only had 1 season when even our best players weren’t performing. Players we’ve relied on for years like VVD, Salah, Robbo and Ali all had really poor seasons, so how can you expect any new signings to perform at their best level?

Like it or not, we bought Kerkez and Frimpong a year ago and we absolutely shouldn’t be replacing them before they’ve even had a chance to show us what they can do.



I despise this hate for Frimpong, especially. Why can’t we just support him and give the lad a chance? He was injured for most of last season and now we need to rely on him until Bradley is back. You don't become first choice in a team that won the German title going unbeaten all season if you are an awful player.

He just needs to find his feet with a new CB next to him and a new RW ahead of him. He has pace to burn, which could be really important as Iraola slowly coaxes Virgil out of his ‘let’s all retreat into our own box at every opportunity’ phase.

Long and short of it, yes we’ve lost players from a title winning team but we couldn’t have done much better in replacing them. Now we just need to let the manager do his job and figure out a way to get them firing.

03 Sep 2026 13:51:10
Riosstepover - Richard Hughes will never sleep with you.

Chiesa signing has proven to be a waste. Marmar cannot use his feet, which makes no sense as a Liverpool GK signing. Frimpong is not a RB or a RW. Could we have not done better than that to replace Trent? Kerkez is a bombing fullback, yet the previous coach wanted him to invert. What on earth was that about? We will see what his old coach Iraola now does with him. He was poor on Saturday. Wirtz was signed without a midfield plan behind him. In terms of coaching we have gone from from press-bait first Slot-ball to suffocate the opposition Iraola-ball. Diaz was replaced a year late. Salah will be replaced a year late. Please don't tell me we couldn't have done any better.

Some good things have been done too. Those should be rightly appreciated. Hugo, Isak, Barcola, Wirtz, Munoz and Rio is some attacking threat. Trey Nyoni is a talent and deserves a chance in midfield this season. The CB situation looks good, especially the young talent we have signed. The new young GK looks a talent too.

Seriously though, the proof will be in the pudding when we get to the next windows demanding a RB, midfielders that can actually tackle and pass and a specialist RW. Maybe even a goalkeeper after Alisson gets his autumn hamstring injury and we have to watch Marmar save nothing for months.

If that doesn't happen, I will be first to say that I was wrong. :)

03 Sep 2026 14:42:09
I am fed up with the hate Frimpong gets on here. Whatever happened to the best supporters in the world?

And get over the players we 'lost'. Konate was an accident waiting to happen and most wanted him gone. Robertson and Salah were on a rapid decline and continued their downward trajectory at their new clubs.

Nunez was another pariah, but he split opinion.

Sammy Lee, Craig Johnston and Paul Walsh wouldn’t have got a look-in on here if they were playing today.

We need the team to gel and battle for each other. Some of our players may surprise a few on here this season.

03 Sep 2026 16:28:14
Ping Pong is a disaster signing. He cannot cross a ball and does not defend well, is often out of position and has lost the ball more times than anyone else.

What do we get from him?

{Ed666's Note - bantz

03 Sep 2026 10:22:13
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new video entitled, C U Next Time - Transfer Window Edition}

03 Sep 2026 10:30:10
Is that an image of Richard Hughes window in his Bournemouth work from home office Ed001?

{Ed001's Note - yes mate. He was just closing it ready to shut down and head off to Arabia about a month ago.}

03 Sep 2026 11:06:07
Surprised he is actually moving to Saudi Arabia and not continuing to work from Bournemouth!

03 Sep 2026 08:44:06
For everyone crying, haven't four of PL's goals (literally 100%) come from the right side?

1.) Gakpo scored that screamer from right side of GK's centre
2.) Munoz won pen from right side
3.) Gakpo crossed from right for Isak, literally open net
4.) Munoz scored from right side

03 Sep 2026 09:02:22
I'd like to see more, but Gakpo on the right wasn't actually the disaster that many would have anticipated. He was forced to go on the outside and cross the ball a few times, and actually did a half-decent job.

Munoz actually has looked better on the right side than his natural left side as well, I can imagine that he would start there quite a few times for us.

03 Sep 2026 09:15:58
Indeed, Patrick, I don't see the disaster of Gakpo on the right, either. Now, there were some crosses he got wrong as well as being weak at tracking back.

But guess what to those who say he was a disaster? He would have done that if he was on the left, so again, where's the beef?

In addition, he was very effective overall in the second half and the way he cooked both Neco and Murillo for that cross is something I would like to see more of.



At the end of the day, both Vic and Cody can play either side, or is versatility suddenly a flaw?

03 Sep 2026 09:04:04
Don't let the facts get in the way of some good hysteria, please. Away with you Livebird! This is strictly a "meltdown only zone".

03 Sep 2026 09:26:33
Barcola is comfortable on the right too. It's not ideal that we didn't sign a specialist RW but the options available now that we are keeping Gakpo are certainly not a disaster.

03 Sep 2026 09:47:53
Would love to see Munoz on the right side tomorrow. Hopefully signing Barcola brings out the best of the forwards.

03 Sep 2026 10:17:57
The thing about Gakpo on either right or left, as we saw last season so many times, he does not look for the overlapping run... ever. The number of times Kerkez made good runs and Gakpo failed to find him, or simply ignored him, absolutely nullified that style of play. If that is what the manager wants... and I can only guess with Frimpong and Kerkez starting that is what we are looking for, Gakpo needs to be coached/told/be more aware and track back to cover.



This is not btw a Gakpo hating post. I like him as a player, I like his strength on the ball... and I am glad he did not go to Shitty.

But if he is going to work on either flank, there has to be something different.

03 Sep 2026 10:32:14
Adz, I’m not sure I agree. I think Gakpo and Kerkez are actually finding each other more this year. And Gakpo is also clearly trying to go outside more as well. It’s still early days but I’m going to wait to see if this improvement continues.

03 Sep 2026 12:03:39
Cody has shown excellent professionalism since he returned after the WC in a way that too many players don't these days. Happy to keep him even if he is likely to go off the boil.

03 Sep 2026 08:28:30
As much as we aren't happy with the window, the following is our talent that is all 25' and under.

GK:-
Mama 25
Pesci 21
Bruchmans 18

Def:-
Leoni 19
Jaquet 21
Ndukwe 18
Kerkez 22
Bradley 23

Midfield:-
Dom 25
Wirtz 23
Nyoni 19
McConnell 22
Gravenberch 24

Fwds:-
Rio 18
Munoz 23
Barcola 24
Ekitike 24

03 Sep 2026 08:53:21
If they all come good then it’s a master stroke. If not then we are stuck with some very expensive players

03 Sep 2026 09:06:54
"If they all come good then it’s a master stroke. If not then we are stuck with some very expensive players"

Irish, you could apply this maxim to any single player that anyone has bought. I would've loved to see Camara or Kone, Kayode/Aina/Palestra and Diomande/Minteh/Mbaye to have come in during this window, but they could also be some "very expensive" players we are stuck with.



It's disingenuous to question who we have bought whilst also lamenting those we haven't.

03 Sep 2026 09:19:31
Spot on, Zed, esp. in that last paragraph. More importantly, if you look at the stat that 50% of signings made actually come good, hence it is literally 50/50 for a signing to play out.

Transfers are essentially gambles, and regardless of how hard and efficient your due diligence is, they may or may not pan out; hence, you're essentially in Vegas gambling.

The diff. here is that unlike gambling in Vegas, the house doesn't always win.

03 Sep 2026 11:51:11
I have or had very high hopes for Jaros. Hopefully he makes a full recovery soon so we can sell Mamardashvili, who has failed to impress so far.

03 Sep 2026 12:07:06
There are a fair few players in that list that probably won't fulfil their promise, but I'll wait until the season is much further along before passing any judgement. Give the new coaching crew time to do their stuff.

03 Sep 2026 07:42:25
When will Hughes actually go? The sooner the better. We need an adult in that job.

03 Sep 2026 08:14:54
I think he's gone, Chrisy. A DOF is now irrelevant till January, as far as I'm concerned.

03 Sep 2026 08:30:45
A DOF's job is not to just buy and sell players. He is the boss on how this club would operate on the field going forward.

03 Sep 2026 08:39:12
The job of buying players should never stop. It’s a competitive market and you need to show how much you want someone so they choose you especially when many top footballers (and families) prefer Spain or London.

03 Sep 2026 08:45:16
I know all that, but I don't care. I'm sure it will all be sorted. We won the league 17 months ago. We are Liverpool. We play Atletico next Wednesday. Let's enjoy what we've got.

03 Sep 2026 08:58:12
Karma is a Bitch, pretty sure Iraola decides how things operate on the field mate.

03 Sep 2026 09:08:36
An SD would also need to be involved in the team and assess together with the coach what kind of players are needed to further supplement the squad and which players are surplus to requirements. Something that our current one clearly did not do.

03 Sep 2026 09:07:00
Don't let common sense get in the way, Chewy.

03 Sep 2026 09:31:44
Spot on, 1jj. The DOF job is the DOF job and all the functions that come with it.

And judging by the way the last set of holders of that post have conducted themselves in the past 4/5 years, I absolutely care about who we hire for that job. All the other stuff is just white noise.

03 Sep 2026 09:52:32
I could've sworn we'd won the league in the last 5 years.

As Klopp proved, the most important role at the club is Head Coach. Let Iraola get on with the job. We were all ecstatic with his appointment and most thought that was all that needed fixing.



I'm confident that our owners will appoint the right person to the role. They haven't got many things wrong during their tenure.