31 Aug 2026 02:58:00
It will take more than a year for Etikite to return to competition. As a physical therapist, the long-term data is not on his side to fully restore his strength and performance.
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Liverpool Banter
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31 Aug 2026 03:38:01
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31 Aug 2026 03:38:01
In order to view all of today's banter, you may have to visit our Liverpool banter 2 to Liverpool banter 10 pages linked at the bottom of this page.
31 Aug 2026 02:32:00
If as expected, Barcola was our last bit of business in this window, I think the club's leaders have failed massively on the following fronts:
1- Right Back- We are woefully exposed here, Frimpong never has and never will be a defender. Bradley is a better defender but still not top 5 Premier League level, and has a dreadful injury record. So many decent players were available in the window yet we didn’t move for any of them. A big mistake.
2- Striker- Again the depth of the squad has to be questioned, if Issk gets an injury, or just needs resting we have zero back up, on the basis Gakpo is off to the Etihad.
It was such a straightforward deal to bring in Marmoush, ideal rotation with Isak but nothing from the recruitment team, again a big mistake.
3- RW- I’m not fussed about this position just yet, I would like to see Munoz shine and available options were at a premium to be fair.
I like the idea of Munoz getting a run of games, and maybe we can look again in the winter window.
4- Left Back- Weakest of all the top 6 teams in defence and the left back position is shocking. Kerkez is dreadful, always has been, I never thought this boy was a good buy. Tsimikas is Championship level at best. Again another big mistake not to replace Tsimikas with strong competition for Kerkez. Only hope is that Iraola can get some improvement out of Kerkez as he did at Bournemouth.
Poor window all round, Barcola is the only ray of light, and to be honest, I’m surprised he chose us, knowing we are in a mess right now.
Controversial as this might be, I will also go on record to say Wirtz will never live up to the hype, I will put good money on the boy ending up in Spain within the next two seasons.
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{Ed666's Note - I’d be incredulous if we just signed barcola mate but maybe Hughes will show us a brand new level of bozo
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31 Aug 2026 03:22:52
I think it is a little unfair to write Kerkez off just yet.
He was excellent under Iraola two years ago - I am optimistic that he can get back to that level this year, now he is back with his old gaffer.
I hope you are wrong about Wirtz! I think the most excited I have ever been for a player joining us was Thiago - and that sadly didn't work out as planned.
The next most excited I have been was for Wirtz, and I think I would lose all faith in the world if he doesn't turn into an important player for us, given his obvious talent.
Let's turn doubters into believers!
Red Sandman.
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31 Aug 2026 03:27:41
Sandman, I hope you're right, but I just don't see a smart footballer in the lad, thick as two planks, and runs into nothing spaces, leaving himself exposed time and time again.
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31 Aug 2026 03:32:36
If we can only get Kone in, that would help with the defensive frailty we see every week.
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31 Aug 2026 00:44:46
As Hughes is set to depart here is his business dealings:
2024/2025
In:
Chiesa
Mamadasvilli (loaned out)
Out:
Carvalho
Van Den Berg
Net spend: £4m
League finish - 1st
25/26
In:
Isak
Wirtz
Frimpong
Leoni
Kerkez
Pesci
Woodman
Guehi - collapsed at the last minute
Mamadasvilli (loan return)
Out:
Diaz
Nunez
Quansah
Doak
Kelleher
Trent
Morton
Phillips
Elliot (loan)
Tsimikas (loan)
Jaros (loan)
Net spend: £225m
League finish - 5th
26/27
In:
Barcola
Munoz
Jaquet
Ndukwe
Elliot (loan return)
Araujo (loan)
Tsimikas (loan return)
Jaros (loan return)
Out:
Gakpo (not confirmed)
Jones
Konate
Salah
Robbo
Pesci (loan)
Ramsay (loan - won't return)
Rhys Williams
Net spend inclusive of Gakpo sale:
£103m
League finish?
If you look on paper it's been a good few windows.
Frimpong and Chiesa both been dreadful, but who knew Leverkusen Frimpong would go missing.
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{Ed666's Note - Good post mate.
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31 Aug 2026 01:41:04
It could be said that year one success was not of his making, and actually we've got worse as we've spent more.
Are we now left with several players like Isak on huge contracts who've delivered nothing? There's quite a list of poor buys and sales there.
Simply viewed, though, if we finish outside of the top five this year, he'll definitely be regarded as a failure, even though he won the net spend league for FSG.
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31 Aug 2026 01:59:38
Only you can't win games on paper.
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31 Aug 2026 03:09:30
What happened to Kerkez, as he was good at Bournemouth, has it really been the Slot effect, when they're all just unfit?
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{Ed666's Note - let’s hope the areola affect can revive him from his coma
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31 Aug 2026 00:31:34
I did read somewhere that we had looked at William Gomes from Porto, not a name I had heard of before.
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31 Aug 2026 00:27:41
Leweling and Kone in for a combined 110m, Gakpo out for 85.
I don't mind it.
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{Ed666's Note - Kone had a good World Cup and I’d be ok with him but Leweling I’m not so sure.
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31 Aug 2026 00:59:06
Maybe I'm being harsh on Leweling, judging him after 20-30 minutes of International football, but sometimes you see a player and just can tell they have something special; this was not one of those cases. He looked dreadful.
Kone, I like. Good player.
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31 Aug 2026 02:01:14
Lewelling had a very good season last year, but at 25, and with 5 years in the Bundesliga under his belt, it's literally the only good season he's had.
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31 Aug 2026 00:22:42
Looks like the club saving the unveiling of Barcola till tomorrow to try and take the bad look off the s*** show of a transfer window. Hopefully the fans turn on FSG soon.
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31 Aug 2026 00:36:10
Yeah! They've been rubbish! 👀
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31 Aug 2026 00:49:15
Why will the fans turn on FSG?
They've been bloody good owners in their time, and never baulked at giving the money to spend.
World class great players brought to the club, prem titles, cups & multiple European finals added to a world clsss stadium revamp & traning facilities !
Unbelievable!
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31 Aug 2026 00:54:07
Yes, they have for most part. Wouldn't back Klopp, and that cost us a couple of titles. Then spent on the wrong players last year. Left Slot too long, b4 sacking him, and kept the useless Hughes on instead of sacking him.
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30 Aug 2026 22:43:29
Here me out, so it looks like Gakpo is going which is tough situation. Stable player and someone you know what you get. Anyway. :-)
We do have some players to shuffle around to get more balanced team.
In the middle we need double pivot that will not roam to near oponent 16m box.
So Nyoni is great, MacAlister lost his legs but there is still footballer there and Gravenberg can be told to play 6 and 8 and we have 3 for rotation.
On the right side I would use Dominik since he is bad in CM and 10 position, his best strength is to play on the right that is why his best games were in floating RB.
:-)
Dominic will rotate with Munoz.
Dom can also cover Wirz if needed, but I do think we have youth players for that 10 position, and hear me out, Harvey Eliot.
On the left Barcola And Rio can work. Even Munoz.
And I'm the attack Isak, Koumas and Ekitike when fit.
Left back and right back are still critical and main source of defence issues but with better cover in midfield we can concede less goals.
There is a team here, not yet champions but we can make some magic with little bit more time and few fresh faces.
YNWA! Let's support our boys!
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{Ed666's Note - keep the same energy when we’re 17th on Xmas day parsic mate
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30 Aug 2026 23:15:50
I've written the season off. We lack the quality in midfield. Our recruitment has been left in charge of a cretin who is working for his new employer, the owners patently couldn't give two effs about anything other than enriching themselves.
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30 Aug 2026 23:25:19
Just wait until the window closes.
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{Ed666's Note - That’s what I keep saying mate..let’s not get our knickers in a twist until Tuesday night. In the spirit of transparency I’ve got a lot of knickers ready to twist
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30 Aug 2026 23:30:53
If Dom gets injured, we're short in every position is what I learned after reading that. 😊
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30 Aug 2026 23:33:38
I agree, Vic, if the window ends with Barcola in and Gakpo out, we're in trouble. I don't think the fans are going to be too patient after last year either; I can see things turning bad quick.
Slot had a title under him and half the fanbase wanted him out by Christmas. If things don't pick up fairly soon, it won't be long before people get disgruntled, especially after a window like this.
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30 Aug 2026 23:40:21
Was actually happy with what I saw from Mac Alister when he came on. At least he puts a foot in.
Interesting to see how it develops during the season, but I'm not sure if the double-pivot will work with the profile of midfielders we have.
A huge slice of luck would be really helpful right now. We need some wins in midfield to get the positive vibes, otherwise the players are going to doubt the system and it will just delay their progress.
Between Grav, Dom and Macca, we have a strong group of CMs as a pair that could play really well ahead of a CDM. But then the question becomes what happens to Wirtz?
So we are kind stuck in a position where we have to play this way because we have Wirtz who obviously needs to play.
I wish we didn't have as many caveats to our squad as we do currently.
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{Ed666's Note - I don’t see why anyone can’t be given a look in? He’s evidently as good as any of the others in midfield.
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30 Aug 2026 23:46:31
I think Slot was an exception - his style was one of the worst I'd ever seen; it was worse than his hair styling, and that's saying something. However, I reckon we finish top 4. I reckon that Ekitike will form into a winger due to Isak consistently starting, therefore giving us more depth in the wings.
Munoz looked comfortable on the right, so I say he gets most of his time there. In the midfield, Macca and Gravenberch interchange, and we need Camara. I have been really impressed with Araujo and we should sign him to replace VVD.
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{Ed666's Note - There’s other adjectives I’d use to describe slot than exception.
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31 Aug 2026 00:02:31
Remember when we signed only Chiesa and everyone lost their mind. Remember who won that year.
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31 Aug 2026 00:04:44
Who will the fans turn on, Chewy? Sack the board? Kenny is on the board.
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31 Aug 2026 00:01:39
I've twisted your knickers on many a occasion Ed0666 😂
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{Ed666's Note - And the pain is pleasure for me Bazza
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31 Aug 2026 00:25:08
Won't be finishing in the top 10 that's for sure.
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31 Aug 2026 01:25:36
Triple6, you mean Nyoni?
I should have included his name with those other 3. But the overall point about the profile of our midfielders not being adept to this double pivot set-up still remains imo.
Like you could have any pairing of Grav, Dom, Macca or Nyoni, and they would do a solid job playing ahead of a CDM.
They're essentially playing that way just without the protection of a CDM, rather, the anticipation is that the CBs step up higher to win the ball between the midfield / defensive line.
It is a big risk, and I guess you could fine tune it and get to a place where it starts to feel comfortable.
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{Ed666's Note - Yes mate I meant Nyoni..Although he offers a solution and could dovetail in combo with the other midfielders I don’t think he’s the answer. I think the answer will be buying another midfield with a different profile to the ones we have and in conjunction with the others we’ll find a solution. Camara would be my pick but he seems to be going elsewhere. Kone, Slob and Nyoni would work for me. I just don’t think Gravy has the footballing IQ to be at Liverpool for much longer. I would ship out in the summer with Macca.
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30 Aug 2026 22:24:02
Who will be the new sporting director after Hughes leaves?
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{Ed666's Note - That’s a super question. I hope it’s not Woodfine because we need a clean break from the Edwards & Hughes debacle
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30 Aug 2026 23:18:56
Being so indecisive in the market is so frustrating. Seem to be constantly switching targets. The owners and Huges have known since Diomande chose PSG over Liverpool (I know he's at Madrid, but he picked PSG first). They still needed a right winger. If Rayan was target, go get him right after that.
1
30 Aug 2026 21:47:03.
Well, another season of transition it seems, let’s hope Iraola is the second coming of Klopp.
Hughes and Edwards going is the best news of the window, but I have no idea why Hughes was kept on when he is dual rolling according to reports.
Wonder if FSG are holding back, knowing they likely won’t be custodians next year, so exciting times hopefully ahead. Time for a refresh.
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30 Aug 2026 22:22:30
Sometimes you are so hungry that one roll just isn't enough.
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30 Aug 2026 22:35:47
What part of more than half a billion dollars in transfer fees agreed since last summer is FSG holding back?
5
30 Aug 2026 22:43:13
I'll tell you what FSG have done, Faithinworks, they've given the job of summer recruitment to a cretin who is already working for his new employer and not giving two effs about us. That's what they've done.
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{Ed666's Note - I just don’t know who would sanction a deck on like that? Edwards? Gordon? This is a massive dereliction of duty by someone.
5
30 Aug 2026 22:44:59
Iraola being hung out to dry by Big Move Hughes. Disgraceful.
11
31 Aug 2026 01:50:04
Ed, don't underestimate Liverpool's organizational incompetence. Klopp dragged us to near-superclub status with his brilliance as a manager, but Liverpool have been less than stellar as an operation for decades. FSG have brought us on par with Man United in terms of revenue, but we are as organizationally and strategically incompetent as they are.
As I've moaned about a lot on here recently, this is the biggest problem with FSG. They have clearly been excellent in making Liverpool's revenues competitive, but the organization is a mess. What on earth were Edwards and Hughes doing in such important positions?
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{Ed666's Note - I feel your pain mate and I’m not trying to advocate for FSG and they’ve clearly made a gargantuan mistake by giving Edwards and Hughes such extreme power. Traditionally what FSG have been good at is learning from their mistakes and they are clearly phasing their mistake out. Edwards gone, Hughes about to and let’s hope Woodfine and Ward follow suit. We need a fresh pair of eyes new deck on makers on the day to day footballing decisions going forward. Hopefully the new consortia and namely Bhattia have a say on how the club is run going forward because I think they’ll want to hit the ground running straight away. I agree wholeheartedly with you we need an experienced and respected Sporting Director or whatever the job title is as the next man or woman has to clear up the calamitous mess these bozos have made. My only fear is our reputation has been tarnished at Boardroom level and it’s gonna take a while to salvage our reputation.
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31 Aug 2026 03:06:29
FSG have grown the business and invested in the infrastructure. The debts are fairly low, I think, and net spend on transfers has been low compared to other top 5 clubs. So, business-wise, it’s been a huge success for them, with a valuation to match.
The sporting appointments and transfer business have been hit and miss though, for such good business people.
Overall I’d put them in a bracket with Arsenal's owners, with City’s being the best over a period of time, although I don’t like how they’ve done it.
Ultimately though, that comes down to who’s been in the dugout, and who’s been on the pitch. Even with FSG in charge, we wouldn’t have had the successes we have enjoyed without Jurgen, VVD, Mo and Ali, and a few other great players.
We’ve probably underachieved in terms of silverware because City chose a different path and invested better in players over a longer timeframe.
My big worry for what’s left of their tenure is their missteps in sporting appointments.
I’ve no real confidence they’ll choose the right successor to Hughes. Don’t forget he’s gone to Saudi, he wasn’t pushed out, and there was unrest during Jurgen's time as well. It’s par for the course with them. Also, who knows if Iraola is the right guy, and he’s on a very short contract so could walk if he’s not backed.
I hope things improve. It would be painful to watch Man United or Chelsea surpass us on the pitch regardless of how valuable we are off it.
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