Liverpool banter 3

20 Oct 2025 14:12:29
Hi eds, have you seen klopps interview with Steven Bartlett (thediaryofaceo) based on klopp confirming that he could coach us again one day, do you think it's possible we could see a return say end of the season if slot is unable to turn things around? I'm very surprised he didn't rule it out as I thought he was done with management. Do you think he feels he still has some unfinished business at the club?

{Ed001's Note - I would be surprised, unless it is with the legends team.}

20 Oct 2025 17:27:36
Thanks ed1, would you want to see him
Come back?

{Ed001's Note - no, he had pretty much handed over the reins the last few years, need a manager to be all in, not half-arsed.}

20 Oct 2025 17:43:58
Think Klopp said it was possible because he was asked the question. but he stated he didn't miss the coaching, the media, the changing room . the standing in the rain for 2 hours. he's happy what he's doing . can't see him coming back to coach esp in England again.

20 Oct 2025 21:03:37
Like you Ed, I don't want him back. He did his thing and I love him for it. I want to remember him the way he was thru out his time with us.

The whole nostalgia and emotional stuff aren't things that move me. Not anymore.

20 Oct 2025 23:26:44
Even the slow possession footie nonsense you talk about, OliRed?

20 Oct 2025 13:19:28
Ed001 what is going on mate? I can't fathom decision making of late. Before the game even started I was asking why Isak is starting over Ekitike. Why have we been putting Szobo RB and Grav CB? Have you got any idea what Slot is trying to do or what the issue is?

{Ed001's Note - he is trying to get control of games, assuming opponents will mainly drop deep and hold the edge of their own box, like they did all last season. But they are not doing so, most of the reason they sat deep against us was Trent. So what ends up happening is that we play like we still have Trent, and emptying midfield so that he can drift in there and playmake, after the midfield have pushed onto the opposition backline, in an attempt to push them back. It is not working as we lack movement, there is no space to move as we have so many players strung in a line across the pitch.}

20 Oct 2025 16:28:06
Thanks for the response and your analysis. Feels concerning to me lately, can't remember the last game I actually enjoyed watching. Gotten very boring since the big German fella left. Slots subs etc baffle me more often than not lately.

{Ed001's Note - it is getting worrying because the changes he was making last season made a difference, this season they seem to make matters worse.}

20 Oct 2025 16:28:49
Thanks for the insight to that Ed001. I was wondering also why Slot is persisting with Szob moving into the RB whenever possible and I presume based on what you said is that he's hoping Szob can play that role of moving into CM from RB and filling that gap in midfield.

I'm still hoping that Slot can figure this out though because this tactic is obviously not working. I know people have said that Slot is stubborn and is persisting with a system that doesn't work but I think the converse is true, that he's tinkering and over-thinking things too much. I've been confused as to what we are doing each week since it seems slightly different each time, even though the result is the same - us being disjointed. He needs to go back to the basics and just play football simply, instead of trying all this complex and complicated tactics.

{Ed001's Note - simple is always best, then the players can have a bit of freedom to adapt during the game to the situation. If they have a complicated plan to follow, they are too busy thinking about it to react to what is actually happening.}

20 Oct 2025 17:57:27
Just feels like its showing that Slot is out of his depth. Surely he must have top tier analysts showing him how poorly the game plan is working. Yet he continues to persist?
Plus starting Mac and Salah right now seems criminal.

20 Oct 2025 18:25:27
Worryingly Dean I think that may have something to do with it but I hope not. It's been a while since I've done as much head scratching during football games. Agree Ed re subs making things worse at the moment. Salah shouldn't be getting a game lately and the refusal to drop him is worrying me also.

20 Oct 2025 18:39:26
Why is everyone so surprised this team is taking time to find its rhythm?
Everyone knew that a couple of new signings were needed, Darwin wasn't good enough, Jota was perennially injured, Robbo's decline was obvious, TAA and Kelleher were certain to leave, Diaz probably and an additional midfielder was necessary. That is at least half a starting outfield line up and reserve keeper for Ali who seems injury prone.

At the start of the season, when Arsenal signed a much needed striker, and Zubi (Jeez I wish he had signed for LFC) I thought Arsenal would win the PL this season, then LFC would dominate for a few yrs when the outstanding young talent bought have bedded in.

Slot is still trying to gel this bunch of outstanding players into an outstanding team. Champions League qualification this season, replace Salah and Virg next summer, the new players will have a season done, and we'll fly again.

20 Oct 2025 14:15:21
Slot has obviously earned the right to be allowed time to get us out of this rut.

As Ed001 says, the insistence on the same starting XI, some of whom are unfit or out of form is frustrating.

I’d like to see;

Robbo in for Kerkez whilst Kerkez insists on being a headless chicken.

Wirtz in for Macca. Wirtz needs games and Macca is unfit, out of form and leaving huge gaps in midfield.

Ekikite for Isak to take pressure off Isak whilst he gains fitness and Ekitike is in form.

Chiesa at LW. Yes, Gakpo could have had a hattrick yesterday, but he hasn’t done a huge amount this season and Chiesa has played very well when he has played.

If Mo isn’t firing after 60 mins, get him off and send Frimpong on.

20 Oct 2025 15:25:27
whining about other teams setting up to counter us every week is going to wear thin very soon.

20 Oct 2025 15:39:40
Wouldn’t matter who you played at fullback in our current set up. The midfield is so non existent Robbo would be equally as exposed, that’s just rearranging deck chairs on the titanic, midfield needs fixing. Get the middle right and rest will begin to sort itself out. As it stands it’s an utter mess.

20 Oct 2025 14:01:57
I haven't been on in a while but the slot stuff is a massive overreaction imo

But if this does continue and come Christmas's time he has to go so we reckon klopp could come back? Seen that interview that's out today with the lad off dragons den and he basically says he just needed a year off but he couldn't exactly just go and do that and he would never rule out returning in the future

What you reckon posters and ed01 if you have the time please?

20 Oct 2025 15:33:50
Depends on the next few games if Slot keeps before Xmas he will be sacked imo. Ship Salah out in January and get Klopp back in. Be laughing then.

20 Oct 2025 21:05:45
Klopp ain't coming back, man.

20 Oct 2025 11:38:45
Ok so we're saying Slot is actively choosing to void the entire midfield (centre circle) when in possession? And this happens to be what Van Bronckhorst did at Rangers?

Well, that certainly explains a lot.

Slot is supposed to be smart and pragmatic guy. The sooner we drop this nonsense the better as the season could get away from us quickly.

20 Oct 2025 11:51:16
problem is that there are countless other times we do have players in the center circle. This is a red herring to me.

{Ed001's Note - only if the centre-backs are pushed up and there. There is a huge gap in the centre of midfield. Macca spent the entire game pushed onto their centre-backs.}

20 Oct 2025 12:04:43
Things can change rapidly in football, but they won’t if Slot keeps doing the same stupid things.

Just play the diamond and stop messing about. We’re losing anyway, every single game we look like were going to lose, just change it, try it Wednesday, and I have no doubt we’d be better than this Tripe.

20 Oct 2025 12:10:59
We recruited arguably the best available attacking players but we didn't pay much mind to their ability to press and be physical.

If we just take the changes as 1 to 1, having Wirtz instead of Dom at 10 is a huge downgrade in physicality. Having Isak as 9 instead of Darwin is a huge downgrade in physicality. Then losing Diaz is maybe the biggest downgrade in physicality, no matter if we compare him to Gapko, Rio or Hugo. Also older Salah is not as physical as the younger Salah, even though he never was a physicality monster.

Ohh, and let's not forget Robbo to Kerkez. Even as Kerkez tries to press and harsh from time to time, I haven't seen him tackling and following through like Robbo did in so many crucial games to make the opponent feel our presence.

Hugo is still the best in the new bunch in that department.

And I'm not only talking about pressing per-se. Playing as a central defender against Darwin is a nightmare as he keeps running behind, running through, crashing into defenders and contesting balls. As did Diaz.

This makes it "easy" to play against us. It is kinda having a stroll in the park, which Anfield should never be for anyone.

And it leaves a lot to do for our midfield in the tackling, pressing and just being there physically.

20 Oct 2025 13:08:25
I would say all of the players have brought in are more than capable of pressing. Even Mo if he is rotated.

20 Oct 2025 13:16:06
Q:Why doesn't Slot wear a hat.?

A: Because he uses it to pick the team.

{Ed025's Note - i like that Yuri..

20 Oct 2025 13:40:56
Slight smell of Brendan Rodgers, but i hope not.

20 Oct 2025 14:32:42
Slot has to know that he made a mistake yesterday, once Wirtz and Jones came on they showed us exactly what we were missing- midfielders in midfield linking the play, playing through United's non-existent midfield, getting in behind their 6 consistently.

United's entire tactic relies on hitting long balls to their physical forwards and hoping to win second balls up the field, deal with that and play through them and they have no answer. Every time we did do that, even in the first half, we created something. When they came out of their block and pressed us, we also tended to create something, but much of the time teams aren't going to try and do that. It's bizarre to me, the approach we had to the game, yes we created enough chances to win the game, but why do we have to stack the odds against ourselves before the first kick of the ball?

20 Oct 2025 14:34:08
I agree, Pelican.

20 Oct 2025 15:09:17
PatrikBurger. Liverpool completed 27 long balls during the game compared to 18 from Manchester United. How many times do you see VVD hit it long out wide like a QB? Slot. I mean alot.

20 Oct 2025 13:07:52
Ed, I guess this is another case of the Manager deferring to his assistant and seems blind to it's detrimental effects. Now where have I seen this before?

My fear here is that Slot is now dug in on this tactic and is now blinded to how it is affecting us YET he continuously being told in his managerial bubble that "Don't worry. Just stay the course" to the point of no return.

My other (big) fear is that Slot seems to be trying to prove a point rather than do what's best and once a manager starts doing that, they make it all about themselves. The facts that he put Macca next to Isak and benching a real no. 10 in Wirtz is mind boggling.

That's a bad sign, IMO.

{Ed001's Note - I don't think it is so much about deferring as bringing him in for his tactical ideas and way of playing. It is now up to Slot to figure out the bits that aren't working and adjust.}

20 Oct 2025 15:48:20
I’m happy to be wrong here, but there’s something about that long ball from VVD to Salah that I just can’t stand now. It used to be bonafide weapon, but this isn’t 2019, van Dijk’s passes aren’t as consistent, and Salah is just food for fast, powerful left-backs these days.

20 Oct 2025 17:06:05
Supasub, the difference is that our long balls were sometimes because we didn't have a better option, it's been happening with our build up a lot this year. United, meanwhile, have been playing that way for ages, they did the same thing against Sunderland and Brentford. As for Salah, I still think he's just out of form for some reason. He will be back to prove us wrong, he always does, and he always does better when there's something to prove anyway.

20 Oct 2025 17:09:10
Ah I misread your post. The long ball from Virgil out wide has been a part of our game since Klopp, as we all know. I was referring to the aimless lumps forward that we sometimes do, typically with Konate standing on the ball, wondering why there isn't a better option, and heaving it forward. For United, meanwhile, it looks like their primary offensive tactic.

20 Oct 2025 11:23:04
Morning lads…just read the post about slot not wanting to renew salah and virg for this season…. can’t believe that for a second. Unrest with certain players moaning, maybe so, if they can see the coaching is wrong which it clearly is. Mac and salah have been abysmal this season so far. What will it take to get a 442 of some variation and tighten that midfield and offer cover to defence, not an over reaction of the midfield this season being so easy to get through…:. there was games last season were we were exactly the same, so it’s not just van bronks doing. Missing chances up top is just highlighting it more. 442 all day for me. Isak and ekitike or salah.

20 Oct 2025 11:53:38
I personally wouldn't have re-signed Mo, but would have VVD.

We've made those decisions now so we have to live with them.

20 Oct 2025 11:57:38
I don't think the stuff we were doing last season is the same as what we are doing now. We were boring last season but we were in control of games usually and teams don't look like scoring. It was a far cry from the basketball matches that we are seeing now where each attack made against us make it seem like we will concede. Or maybe my memory is just bad and biased due to the title win last season. But just my opinion, we don't look nearly as comfortable as we did last season. Whatever the reason for that though, slot and the coaching teams has to sort it out and sort it out fast.

20 Oct 2025 12:10:35
I'd personally play 4-4-2 as well, but what do we know! I'd like to see a midfield four of Jones, Wirtz, Grav, and Dom. Chiesa and Ekitike up front. We need to get back to basics. Two banks of 4 and players who try hard.

Dom, Chiesa, Wirtz and Ekitike are all match winners who will also graft. Jones and Grav are both good at retaining possession under pressure and will work hard defensively.

Macca, Isak, Salah and Gakpo are all being extremely lazy this season in terms of pressing and tracking back. They all need to work their knackers off to get their places back in my opinion.

Probably would keep Kerkez, Virgil, Konate, Bradley across the back. I think you'd see our full backs exposed a lot less with players in front of them working hard to cover them and actually using them when they overlap.

20 Oct 2025 13:10:34
Drac, seriously can you explain to me what we are currently doing or trying to do?

Cos it seems that we are doing a whole lot of things and nothing at all, all that the same time. Hence, the lack of comfort we can see with the players, as you put it.

20 Oct 2025 13:53:01
Let's drop this clamour to get Chiesa in the side, he was lousy when he came on yesterday.

20 Oct 2025 14:04:01
Good question Oli. And tbh, I have no idea what we are trying to do this season at all. All I do know is that it was different from how I thought we played last season. Last season we were more compact and aimed dominate possession. We also switched gears very quickly during matches last season when we smelt blood and it usually resulted in us scoring or at least creating a chance. It was slow too and boring but it was effective in getting results. Very few times last season I felt like we were not in control of matches.

Initially, I thought it was just teething issues as our new players get used to each other but as each game passed, it's becoming clearer that there has been a shift in how Slot and his other coaches set us out to play. I think it was Faith or Irish River who described our playstyle as being akin to a basketball match and I couldn't agree more. There's a distinct lack of control now. However we are playing now, it's clearly not working so Slot and the team needs to change things instead of persisting with it.

20 Oct 2025 15:46:26
Drac, I see your points. I always knew there had been a shift cos all you had to do was look at the players we signed. Indeed, we are not playing the same way we did last season cos well, Slot didn't change too much of the Klopp high press/ high intensity and compact was we played under him. He made some tweaks and Voila, right?

The issue (s) here is that even tho we have clearly changed from last season, NOBODY seems to have any idea what we are doing. I mean, Slot played the exact lineup vs Chelsea and played a diff. system. Wait, what? Now I don't know what this we are trying to do is but sorry, this ain't basketball.

Cos in Basketball, you are actually either allowed to press the opposition off the inbound pass on their end and play rotationary defence and make it hard for the oppo. to get their shots off by contesting near every single attempt. Get the rebounds offensively/ defensively and be effective in transition going both ways.

Are we doing the football equivalent of any of the above with the way we are playing right now? I don't think so. Cheers, man.

20 Oct 2025 16:38:28
Oli, with respect, I have no idea what you're talking about.