Liverpool Banter 3

06 Apr 2026 07:57:23
Have we got a world class player in the squad anymore? Wirtz show glimpses now and then and under a new manager mite unlock that like he does for Germany. Isak again looked no where near when he joined but totally unfit and very unlucky with a bad injury.

Salah is finished as is VVD, Alisson can’t stay fit and his kicking is not there anymore. We have a World Cup winner that is weaker than my Nan. I’d say no we haven’t yet.

{Ed078's Note - I understand your point. Alison's injury record is by no means the worst, but not great. That withstanding, I'm not saying he's the best in the world, but IMO he's in the top one :)
Agree re Salah. VVD is not exactly finished, but the focus on his errors are based upon years of being the best in the world, unfairly putting a spotlight on him that others don't have to bear.
From an LFC perspective, only time will tell with Isak.
Wirtz? Hmm. I wasn't worried about his adaption to the PL at the beginning of the season, I'm still not worried about his apparent lack of "stats". I think there are very few teams that he wouldn't walk in to. I think he is the most gifted and intelligent player we have.
Sboz. His recent scandal aside, he is a top midfielder. Energetic and committed, the sweetest strike around, a workhorse engine.
Grav. Last season, one of the top DM's around. What's changed? Tactics, motivation, who knows.
The phrase "world class" is often so unhelpful. Think about it, of all the thousands of really good pros plying their trade, only a handful could be described as "world class". How many of those can one team claim to have?

06 Apr 2026 08:34:01
Isak is probably the closest we have, but we haven’t seen him in a red shirt. The rest, no, other than Ali when fit.

What we do have added to that is about three or four who are often first choice internationals in their positions in strong international teams, in Wirtz, VVD, Grav, and Macca.



So we have six who should be top drawer, plus Szob and Kerkez.

They’re not necessarily world beaters, but there’s a strong core that shouldn’t be getting beaten by four several times a season.

06 Apr 2026 08:44:38
If you're winning Bundesliga best player twice, you're on the cusp of world class.

06 Apr 2026 08:43:33
Virgil and Ibou need help. If we're going to push all the midfielders so far up the pitch, we need to press from the front aggressively and not retreat into this weird passive mid block that we have, everybody needs to engage the ball instead of hanging around and thinking we can defend purely through zones and numbers. Virgil isn't young anymore and he can't defend an entire half of the field on his own, expecting him to do anything close to that is just asking for trouble. I'm sure, or at least I'm hoping, that he has indicated to the coaching staff that he needs help and that he isn't getting any younger.

I can only assume that Slot thinks that this team can't press high and aggressively on a consistent basis, which is why he doesn't do it. We have shown that we can do it to devastating effect in certain games, but maybe the cost physically is so high that given our lack of rotation options, we immediately look knackered the next game/Slot drops the high press for something more conservative if we have two or three games a week.

The 4-4-2 with players spaced closer together and everybody knowing their jobs when it comes to squeezing the player in possession high up the field and forcing them into traps, with two forwards running the channels in behind and looking to receive balls early over the top or through the lines, the lines much closer together out of possession and the center halves jumping up to make up the numbers in midfield off the ball has given us our best performances this year, but because of injuries or lack of fitness we haven't been able to see it consistently for more than a game at a time.

I don't think it's a matter of whether we have world class players, but of the overall shape that masks each players deficiencies while accentuating their strengths. When the spacing is better Grav doesn't need to play passes that he can't execute, he can either turn and leave a defender in the dust if they are getting too close to him, or do a simple 6 yard pass to somebody else. Macca doesn't need to cover huge amounts of grass that he clearly can't cover. Wirtz has runners in behind, Ibou can play on the front foot engaging players (which is where he is best) and isn't marooned on an island in possession trying to figure out how to pass to, Mo can stay tucked in the half space and doesn't have to start out wide trying to beat two defenders, we can more effectively cluster around players pressing when we lose the ball.

When we've lined up like this, everybody's job is easier and everybody looks good, even Macca has looked back to his best in such situations because he isn't left exposed trying to do things that he can't do.

I personally think that the problems with this team aren't that the players are not as good as we think, I think they are as good or close to as good as they have been, it's that they haven't been playing in a structure that makes up for their deficiencies and puts them consistently in positions where they can make the most impact on or off the ball. A lot of that has to do with Slot, yes, and overall fitness has a lot to do with it as well (not all of that is the coaching team's fault either, Ekitike for example is still acclimating himself to the league physically and playing two games a week is clearly a stretch for him), but the stop start situation with injuries also doesn't help.

06 Apr 2026 08:58:26
At their peak VVD and Mo were undoubtedly world class. Their brilliance week in week out made them icons, and if you were picking a world 11 they'd be in it or around it.

Isak and Wirtz would be in the conversation, but we've not seen Isak, and Wirtz is far too inconsistent at the moment.

He probably needs another two or three years to reach his peak level and he simply needs to do more each week.

If we had a world class coach we'd be doing better.

06 Apr 2026 09:36:27
I think Wirtz, Ekitike, Kerkez, Leoni and Gravenberch all have the potential to be world class. No amount of potential is a guarantee though. They need to keep working at it. I think Szoboszlai already is world class and he's proven it time and time again in big games this season; he reminds me of David Beckham is his prime, as he is capable of winning a game with a moment of sheer magic and also does a deceptive amount of work out of possession. Isak and Alisson are world class when they're fit, which is unfortunately not that often this season. If both of them can get back on the pitch next season, though, that will be a huge boost.

Van Dijk and Salah were definitely world class, but not anymore. The really disappointing thing is Macca and Konate, I think, had the potential to be world class.

There is a reason why a team like Real Madrid was interested in the the both of them. Their drop off this season has been as sharp as the drop from Virgil and Salah, though, and they're still in their mid twenties so it makes absolutely no sense to me. Application in training, maybe?

All these players need is a manager who will get them fit and get them playing at a higher tempo. They've been asked all season to conserve energy and play at half pace for some stupid reason, and now we're reaping the seeds that were sown. We have a team miles off the pace of the football at this stage of the season who've lost all belief in the manager and his tactics.

06 Apr 2026 09:47:56
If we were to name a current world 11 starting line up, only Allison makes it. If we include subs, maybe Isak, Witz or Szoboszlai, at a push.

06 Apr 2026 10:13:46
No.8, that's only your definition of "world class" though. It is a largely subjective term in a football context. World class means something different to every football fan. If you asked every football fan on the planet to name all of the world class players in the world, I reckon you'd get well over 10 million different combinations/lists.

I've always considered it to be the top 10 in the world in your position. That's just my own criteria though based loosely on the Cambridge Dictionary definition of world-class which is "Someone or something world-class is one of the best that there are of that type in the world". According to that definition you do not have to be the best, you simply have to be among the best of that type. You have to break it down by position, because how do you compare a GK to a striker? I also don't think you can limit it to one player per position by saying they have to make a World XI, because doing that would mean that Salah was never world class (as he was behind Messi for virtually his whole career) but someone like Ashley Cole was world class because he was the best LB in an era of quite poor left backs in general.

Was Ashley Cole a better footballer than prime Salah?

I think the criteria for what is world class in football has been warped in recent years anyway. It's been overused at times because the younger generations love hyperbolics (legend, hero etc) but also due the emergence of Messi and Ronaldo who were simply in their own league way above world class, what world class actually is has become even more subjective and muddled. Are Messi and Ronaldo actually the only world class players in the last 30 years? Nobody else even comes close to their sheer levels of output and dominance in the Ballon d'Or conversations.

06 Apr 2026 10:25:55
I'd take a high functioning team over world class players.

06 Apr 2026 10:28:34
I don't agree with it, but I don't think the average football fan would have Ali as No. 1.

I still think he's the best. Dom, Isak and Wirtz are knocking on the door. Vvd and Salah have dropped out of the discussion in the past year or so.

06 Apr 2026 10:33:36
Not having a dig at your opinions, MK, but not a cat in hells chance is Szob world class. Given he has stood out in probably the worst performing Liverpool team in a decade, also some fans calling for him to be captain, not a chance he's a poor man's Gini for me.

06 Apr 2026 10:38:40
This season no one has been world class. Last season, Alisson, Vvd, Grav n esp Salah was playing at world class level. We got a few who potentially could be, Wirtz, Isak, Slob maybe Grav if he played in his natural position, but I think whats more important for the team is work horses like Hendo, Milly, Fab, thats what we really need.

06 Apr 2026 10:41:05
Consistency makes a player world class, and at the moment Szob is the only player who comes into that bracket. At times this season, Wirtz, Ekitike, Isak and Grav have shown their potential world class ability, they have just lacked the consistency and the continuity to keep them all fit together.


If we can add a Diomande to the attack for sheer pace, and shore up the defence with a fit Allison, with at least 4 players who can tackle and stay in a position to defend, we should be okay. Let's hope next season we can move on players and coaches who need moving on.

06 Apr 2026 10:42:33
I would love to see an in-depth investigation on how we have got to where we are in such a short period of time. In all honesty, we are playing like a team fighting relegation, and the players look like they believe we're finished.


There has to be a reason behind this, yes we can blame everyman and his dog, but there has to be something wrong within the football club, and it needs to be given the resources and time to find out what it is. YNWA.

06 Apr 2026 11:33:50
Different spin.

Forget world class players, world class team.

Hendo (ex Sunderland), Robbo (ex Hull), Gini (ex Newcastle), Millie (not wanted by Citeh), Fab (ex Monaco), Mane (ex Southampton), Bobby (ex Hoffenheim).

None classed as Worldies when they joined, but look what they became.



There seemed to be a plan then on how we wanted to play, the role of each position, and we went and got players we needed.

No "kids in the candy shop" approach, but identification of who we needed.

06 Apr 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - LFC-S MANGO has posted a new article entitled, Slot Cannot Be the Only One Blamed

06 Apr 2026 08:10:22
A well written piece. Ultimately, if the players have down tooled, then it is up to the manager to fire them back up. If he has lost the dressing room to the extent that his words have no effect, then it's time for change.
If we look at the Amorim/Carrick similarities, you could see the players did not buy into what Amorim was trying to do, so they brought in a previous player, one I'm sure they wouldn't have looked at if he wasn't.

It's like night and day, and dare I say it, they are actually playing some good stuff since his appointment. Hopefully this is a one season blip and we find some balance through the transfer market and a new managerial/head coach appointment. We need someone who understands what this football club means to so many. I personally think, and this is just a hunch, that if we get embarrassed against PSG, then Stevie G comes in as interim.

06 Apr 2026 08:11:22
Comparisons to Bruno are also unfair. Bruno Fernandes is stroppy and juvenile at times, but he gives everything every time he plays. VVD's main focus is to look cool.

06 Apr 2026 09:11:21
I'm not sure it's as simple as you say with Amorim and Carrick. With Amorim, sometimes the players haven't looked like they knew what they were supposed to be doing. With Carrick, he has massively simplified things and done what any sensible manager would have done- emphasize the speed of your forwards in behind, scrap the three at the back system that limits creativity in possession and get Bruno on the ball as much as possible. It's just a matter of getting the best out of what is at your disposal.

I think the players have let the club down, and I agree to a degree that it's not Slot's fault that we can create serviceable chances time and again and the players consistently fail to put them away, that we can do decent things in build up and get in and around the box before completely messing up the final ball/choose to shoot rather than pass or the other way around, or that they lose concentration on the other side of the ball and concede stupid goals through poor judgment. The players clearly have more quality than what they have shown. Also injuries, fitness and general availability have affected us badly.

I do however feel that Slot has us stuck in a no man's land of being too meek to impose ourselves in games for fear of getting done on the counter or risking injury through an overly aggressive pressing game. It's like he's traumatised by the horrible spell that we had and has been making little adjustments to stem the bleeding, while hoping that we have enough quality at the other end to edge games.

I think this entire season has been damage limitation because our Plan A didn't work out, and that has been absolutely awful for us to watch as fans, because we don't know what our club is anymore, and we have no discernible plan to win games.

I think it's probably unfair to say that what we're seeing on the pitch, the passivity and the lethargy and the slow tempo, is really Slot's vision of football, I think it's more his attempt to take the sting out of games and make it physically manageable for a squad hit with injuries/filled with players he doesn't trust to rotate for his core favorites. Also there's the fact that the one shape that does seem to work for us, a 4-2-2-2 with a high press, is disrupted by injury or can't be consistently played at the same intensity because of fitness.

Still one has to ask why Slot hasn't made better use of the squad even if he isn't in love with the options available, surely if Endo, Nyoni and Jones had been better used, or Chiesa, then we wouldn't have run into so many bottlenecks with fitness and fatigue and injuries, I'm not saying we should have started them consistently, but with the games piling up you have to give them time. This season has just felt like Slot fighting fires throughout the season, and every time we have started fires of our own, we can't stoke the flames for long enough and collapse at the earliest opportunity.

Ultimately it just feels like this season has shown Slot requires too many conditions to be in place for him to deliver his vision of football, and that's where the comparison to Amorim is probably appropriate. Loads of things have gone against us this year, and those higher up are just as responsible as he is, but it's hard to justify him keeping his job when every game we play feels like we're in a coin toss hoping the margins go our way, and the coach looks frightened and praying that we make it out of the game alive.

06 Apr 2026 09:57:37
Maybe a bit of a generalisation, I agree, but there are parallels. Whereas last season one of Slot's strengths was adapting to the opposition, normally using the first half to assess and the second half to adapt, this season has mostly been lethargic followed by panic stations when things don't go to plan.

Other teams have found what works against us, and there has been, for the most part, very little answer.
In any context, when a team no longer buys into a manager's vision, results aren't going to go well.

06 Apr 2026 10:48:52
Man United play one game a week. They can rest and train between matches. Carrick has been lucky that he was afforded this and has been given time to sort them out, but come three games a week you would see the difference.

They have no pressure on them at all.
Carrick is a championship manager, and he was not great at that level, so comparing Man U to us is wrong. Man U are a park the bus team and catch you on the break, that is all they have.

06 Apr 2026 11:52:07
Carrick will be found out when they play 3 games in six days like Slot as.
Our squad isn't good enough. Most of Klopp's mentality monsters have moved on or past their best. Allison, Joe, Virgil, Robbo and Mo are the only players that remain, and none of them are the force they were. I would only play 2 of them if they were fit.
I have written before, in Klopp's last season we were going for 4 trophies with 11 prem games to go. We won the League Cup with mostly kids. We lost at home to Atlanta 3-0. We lost in extra time against a piss poor Utd team. We were top of the league in March. Then we conceded 18 goals in our last 11 games, keeping 1 clean sheet in our last game against Wolves when the pressure was off.

We won 5 home games and lost 2 and drew 4 away from home.
We have made 4 defensive signings since those days. 1 doesn't officially play for us till next season. 1 who has played just once and got an ACL and 2 attacking full backs.
So even though our squad Defence and Midfield was shown up as not being good enough defensively in Klopp's last season, Mr Edward, Mr Hughes and Slott have failed to do anything about it.
Klopp would have replaced Konate and bought in a Fabinho replacement he didn't get the season before.

06 Apr 2026 12:14:04
Yeah, but does Carrick give his players days off in between these once a week games?

Carrick's track record is irrelevant right now.
His main objectives would have been to get the best of the players and push for CL qualification.

That's 2 out of 2 in my book.
He's come in and done a job that he was tasked to do... End of story.

06 Apr 2026 12:46:24
Carrick got sacked at Middlesborough for finishing tenth in the Championship. The players are playing for their bonuses for reaching Champions League. That's all. Playing 1 game every 3 weeks. Let's see them compete for trophies. Or are you now happy being Arsenal of the past, playing 40 games a season and competing for Champions League spots.

06 Apr 2026 12:51:37
I said it at the time. Utd playing one game a week (or even 2 games in a month) would highly benefit in the CL chase. They prolly gonna make top 4 due to their perfs that have improved (cos they have time to train and Carrick has time to get his ideas across) and the other teams playing multiple games in Cups and in Europe.

06 Apr 2026 04:59:30
You know what, I get what Dom was asking for. I don't agree with it, but I get it. Team was down and he hoped that fans would just applause even if that was a ridiculously bad performance. He expected it from fans cuz he is not getting anything from the club, there is no support from within the club, no reviews, no discussion and players also don't look totally behind each other.

So he hoped fans were still behind him.

I think it boils down to maturity and realising as a man you are always alone when the odds are stacked against you.

He should bloody well know at LFC YNWA, but no, you won't get applauded for bad performances.

06 Apr 2026 08:05:19
You obviously don't know LFC YNWA of old mate.

I remember many occasions at Anfield where the crowd would roar with support when we went a goal down. I'd even seen the crowd applaud the opposition for a great performance.

I'm sure Szob probably regrets his actions that would have been in the moment when he was probably feeling very frustrated/embarrassed etc.

06 Apr 2026 08:05:26
Dom is one of the few players that have been praised this season. Also, the fans he was making faces at and gesturing to were those fans that stayed and supported to the end.
He deserves criticism for it. Fair play to Chiesa (I think) for trying to stop him.

06 Apr 2026 08:15:19
I think we Liverpool fans are among the most supportive around, and have been particularly supportive all season. There is a point though where feelings are let known, and that point is now. Surely, he doesn't expect us to applaud heinously bad performances week in week out. He's made a poor judgment call in having a go at the hand that feeds him, when his frustration should have been aimed towards his fellow underperforming players, and at Slot and the board.

He's gone down in my estimation as a player and should know his place. It's not the fans' fault we are getting spanked week in week out.

06 Apr 2026 09:03:10
I still don't really get why what Dom did was so bad.

To me, there is a lot of emotion on all sides.

The idea that Dom should just sink his head and walk off the pitch is as stupid as is the idea that the fans should send the players off the field with a standing ovation after watching that tepid performance.



Obviously, the reality is somewhere in the middle, but the fallout since has been way over the top to me.

06 Apr 2026 09:09:19
I thought yet again Chiesa shows his class by trying to calm Szob down and take him away. Where was the captain?

06 Apr 2026 10:49:41
Faith, I don't think he needs to hang his head, but making faces at the fans like a naughty toddler is also not necessary.

06 Apr 2026 12:18:39
Here's my honest thoughts - so what.

It is so highly charged and emotional. Are we really going to go and attack Dom? After this one act, he's gone from our standout player to a show pony, thinks he's better than he is, a show pony.

What else have I read on here? Some feminine name, that I'm guessing is UK slang, suggesting he is more into his looks than being good at football?

Whilst I understand the emotion, I think this is really low.

06 Apr 2026 12:53:59
Chiesa is one of the good guys in football, imo. A true pro, humble, hardworker, and a gentleman. Some players (they know who they are) could learn a lot from him.

06 Apr 2026 13:35:34
If Dom is our stand out player, then that shows how much trouble we are in.

Putting a shift in is a basic requirement.

There are 38 players with more PL goal involvements this season so far, including Hugo, Mo and Cody.

07 Apr 2026 12:08:12
Sorry, Hugo, Cody, and Mo are clearly our stand out players.

06 Apr 2026 01:48:22.
Seen on sly sports that the players have held another “emergency meeting”. This is not knee jerk but this team is rotten. It’s like Utd under Eth. I’d get rid of the whole midfield Vvd Frimpong Ekitike and play the kids.


Frimpong = poser
Ekitike = poser
Szob = poser
Grav = lazy not interested.
Macca = not interested puts no effort in.
Jones = I like him as he’s a scouser but he’s a blagger.
Vvd = not the player he was by a mile.

06 Apr 2026 05:00:28
That's a wild take.

06 Apr 2026 05:18:55
I've just taken a look at the Sky Sports website and the article you refer to is taken from the Newspaper transfer rumour section and the story was printed in the S*n.
You are a disgrace bringing that filth on here, you should be ashamed.

06 Apr 2026 07:00:16
No, Arnie, that's not valid, not everyone on here validates source. If anyone should be ashamed, and is a disgrace, it's Sly Sports using that rag as info and publishing it.

06 Apr 2026 07:23:54
It's their go to paper, owned by the same nob. You dance with the devil, you get what you get.

I complained to the BBC years ago about the fact they didn't name sources on their rumours page so you didn't know what paper or source it was until you clicked the link, obviously opening up the chance to select the scum without knowing beforehand. They changed the week after you're welcome

06 Apr 2026 09:07:25
This is the area where I apportion the most blame to Slot.

He has a big influence over the team culture, how he drives competition with his team selections, how he holds the players accountable, etc.

It's annoyed me no end that the likes of Konate, Macca, Gakpo, Mo, Grav, to an extent, play with impunity.

It can't be good for those players and it can't be good for the squad players either.

You end up with complacent players and then squad players who probably wonder what the point is.

06 Apr 2026 09:23:59
I wouldn't get rid of Dom Szob, and it looks like we'll struggle to get rid of Grav having signed him to a bumper new contract.

We definitely need new leadership, and that will solve Hugo's issues with maturity.

We need midfield steel and energy.

Not bothered about Frimpong, but the lad has been unlucky with injuries.

VVD, MacA, and Jones agree.

06 Apr 2026 09:58:38
I'd get rid of the coach and take it from there. I guarantee this squad is nowhere near as bad as it is at this moment. I keep saying it but a whole squad just doesn't turn bad in a matter of months. Just think about it.

06 Apr 2026 09:53:32
Arnie I've posted the same information didn't realize it was from the scum but just that the players had yet another meeting, that seems to do sweet FA or maybe it's a book club

06 Apr 2026 10:18:11
@Arniej, 1st I didn't click the link only seen the headline that was enough for me. (that's for the other posters in here)

2nd, don't call me no disgrace, lad! You don't know me! I'm probably the most Scouse scouser on this site. Don't ever assume anything like that of me, that's for you!

06 Apr 2026 10:20:36
@Cafu, thanks for the defence.

06 Apr 2026 11:02:27
ArnieJ, bit heavy to call Scouse John that, we in Liverpool wouldn't dare repeat anything that rags ever prints, need to wind ya neck in.

05 Apr 2026 22:06:40
Been reflecting on the last few weeks and players' attitudes culminating with Szob at the weekend. Won’t talk about Slot as enough has been said about him and sooner he goes the better.

If we missed out on champs and had an exodus of players wanting to leave personally I wouldn’t be fussed. With Salah, Virg and Ali coming to the end I don’t think there is a single world class player left in the team who couldn’t be replaced.

My view is have a massive clear out in the summer and anyone who wants to go let them. There is not a single player other than maybe Szob who has shown any desire when the chips are down so as talented as some others may be they are not indispensable.



Lastly Wirtz, should be the difference maker in our team but I don’t think I’ve seen a player more suited to City or a Barcelona tiki taka style of play. Prefer pretty patterns and making the right pass over taking a risk and doing something decisive. Not a match winner and needs a fully functioning team around him to perform. We need some serious pace and power in the middle of the park to compensate having him as a 10 or it will never work.

For all the money spent the team needs a total revamp in terms of energy but most importantly attitude. If we don’t get it right this summer I don’t think we will see success any time soon no matter who the coach is.

05 Apr 2026 22:34:16
Agree with all of that.

05 Apr 2026 22:38:51
Going into a season with a slow squad perfect to line up as a 4/4/2 diamond, compact midfield, overlapping wide fullbacks.

And then try operating a 4/3/3 without replacing any speed. Didn't replace Diaz, didn't use Rio whatsoever.

Then get to January, knowing the right back area was a serious problem, seeing mostly midfielders playing there, and refusing to go into the market.



It was set up to fail. From day one. And not once have we tried to change anything. Not the tempo, the fitness, the style, the formation, the players, or the manager.

And now, all the excuses have been used up. They've started to blame the Liverpool fans.

Disgrace, mate. FSG need to wake up.

05 Apr 2026 23:05:49
We have some good players who will have great careers.
Isak is class. He just needs a pre-season and to play in the right tactical set up.
Wirtz has ability in abundance. He will step up next season.
Hugo has shown a lot of promise.
Kerkez is looking good now.
Leoni and Jacquet are very highly rated.

There's plenty of players to feel positive about.

06 Apr 2026 02:02:41
You're missing out on a vital point, a mass exodus of players puts us in an extraordinarily difficult position. It's irrelevant as to whether you think players can be replaced or not. In fact, no player is irreplaceable, the real issue is the inconvenience and difficulty in replacing them, and that will be amplified x100 if we miss out on CL and our best players start looking for moves. We will be a far less attractive project, making it extremely difficult to replace outgoings adequately. It's not like the old days when scouts could find gems for pittance, nowadays we don't go near players unless "computer says yes". This makes us far too slow to secure signings that could have been had for half the price had we moved at the right time instead of waiting for the data men to gather enough stats. Look at Olise and Semenyo, could have had the pair of them for less than 100 mill had we moved on our initial interest, you wouldn't get either of them for 100 mil now.

Konate has 1 foot out the door, probably Macca too, Salah's gone, so is Robbo, that's 4.

Dom still hasn't renewed, and he's on everybody's radar, he's clearly fed up and would likely jump at a move to Madrid if we continue to drown. If PSG or similar came knocking for Hugo, are you confident he wouldn't down tools? I'm sure many teams would jump at a cut price Isak after his nightmare season and I'm guessing the idea of a fresh start in sunny Barcelona is very appealing to him right now. Virgil's probably contemplating Saudi, and Alisson would likely be gone this summer if we didn't have that extension up our sleeve.

Whether or not you'd be bothered by any of the above looking for moves, based on your own perceived notion of a lack of quality or desire, is completely irrelevant, you should be bothered because of how it affects the club and the difficulties it presents.

We already have considerable moves to make in the market this summer, we really don't need to add to that headache.

Florian, not a peep out of you for 2 days. Nice of you to rear your head and tentatively chime in on a post that shoots down the players.

06 Apr 2026 04:35:12
What Ron said.

I will caveat that by saying there isn't an outfield player who I'd lose sleep over if they left. Wind back a few years, the thought of losing Bobby, Sadio, Mo, Virgil, Ali would have been unthinkable. When Coutinho left it felt like a big loss.



Fast forward to now, I'd keep Ali, Virgil, Kerkez, Dom, Wirtz, Hugo, Isak of our first XI. I'd be rid of Konate, MacAllister and Gravenberch stat. All lazy and don't give a toss. Not Liverpool players.

06 Apr 2026 08:16:51
Guys, look at Carrick. He has turned that club around with the same players Amorim had. Why can't a new manager do the same and then get rid of a few rotten eggs in the summer?

06 Apr 2026 08:24:20
Look process of re building starts with having a conscience and understanding where you went wrong and then reacting and rectifying the mistakes.
I don't see hughes and edwards capable enough to realise the mistakes with their ego and its almost like players have given up too.

So now we have to first change Edward Hughes and slot. Then add a couple of players - a solid CB and a RW and then see where we are. There is no immediate solution and throwing money at players very rarely has ever worked for majority of clubs in our situation.

Here is my step by step
1. Sack Edwards and get Jorg back

2. Sack Hughes and identify a new business guy

3. Get a coach in - someone like Alonso or better

4. Bid farewell for vvd but get some money for him

5. Bid farewell to Salah. But keep him close so he can visit matches and keep the spirits around the club.

6. Sell macca for 100m ( only to get the funds parked in case we loose out on CL next season)

7. Get a new CB - experienced lad like Lacroix schloterback

8. Get a RW - olise will be impossible without CL so wait a season.

9. Sort out pricing of tickets

10. Sort out academy - revamp entire structure around kiddies and invest in grass roots level.

11. Get a new branding deal that can cover some costs of the losses we are bound to make with no CL

12. Sort out every impending contract renewal, if players are not willing to sign, they are not are for sale.

06 Apr 2026 09:15:59
Exactly, RedTom, Utd players all playing well and looking happy and in the top 3. Those same players were being slaughtered by their fans who also thought all should be sold. And that team of players hadn't won the PL last season.

06 Apr 2026 09:25:02
Agree with the thread of what you're saying, Cafu. Need to be a miracle worker to get above £60m for Macca though!

06 Apr 2026 09:56:37
Brummy, with all due respect, I have to assume you've never seen Wirtz play for Leverkusen or Germany before. He took full ownership of making things happen when he was given the freedom and license to express himself and take risks. He regularly used to beat players and take on shots from range. Now he seems like he is under instruction to keep possession rather than try to play with cutting edge or directness.

It is no coincidence that Kerkez went from a flying wing back who was constantly overlapping and whipping in crosses, to someone who plays more passes to Van Dijk than anyone else in the side. It is no coincidence that Szoboszlai and Gravenberch have stopped carrying the ball through the lines.

Everything is disjointed, and nobody is trying to make things happen because they're obsessed with their horseshoe passing pattern. LW, to LB, to CB, to the other CB, to RB, to RW, to RB, to CB, to the other CB, to LB, and back to LW. Rinse and repeat until Gakpo or Salah have had enough and lose possession trying to dribble past a full back or shoot through a crowd. It's so predictable. Watch out for it next time you watch one of our games, we follow this exact pattern repeatedly. Sometimes, with the odd CM dropping in with the CB's to try and get a touch of the ball. It's abysmal, and I'm not sure what Wirtz is supposed to do in such a slow and turgid set up.

06 Apr 2026 09:57:16
I agree on Gakpo being dropped, but what has Rio done other than step overs? The goal at Newcastle is the only thing he's really done. Yes, he brings speed, but if there's no end product, it's just speed and tricks, and before anyone has a go, I know he's a kid.

06 Apr 2026 10:01:13
You paint an exaggerated picture, Chewy.

06 Apr 2026 11:37:04
I agree with pretty much all of that, Cafu, except you won't get anywhere near 100m for Macca after this season. I think we need LW, RW, RB, CDM, CB asap.

Irish Rover, if we don't get Champions League and Slot stays on, do you really think the possibility of players leaving will not massively increase? As I said, Konate has one foot out the door, Macca too if rumours are true, Robbo and Salah are already gone, VVD and Alisson are in the last year and won't be getting a renewal.

So there's minimum 4 massive losses in the next 12 months set in stone right there and 2 more that seem likely this summer. Isak downed tools to come play for a better team, currently we are not that team, why wouldn't he look elsewhere? Dom is very clearly at his wits' end with the situation and on everyone's radar, tell me why he wouldn't entertain an offer from Madrid?

05 Apr 2026 20:12:41
I would move heaven and earth for Enrique. You need a real bit of steel to organize that dressing room again.
I don't mind Alonso, but that team is littered with a few sus characters who I don't fancy at the club. A few who would also happily pull a Trent to go to Madrid.
We lack serious leadership within that squad. England fans cry about Henderson, but you need Henderson and Milner personalities in top teams when times are hard.


Salah and virg were never leaders. What Dom did yesterday to the fans, and there's been other instances, was disgraceful. Souness would have lathered him for that. The neck of these overpaid Premadonnas. I'm not entertaining a word about slot. He'll be gone, but what will remain will need their necks seriously rained in.

05 Apr 2026 20:40:12
I do agree, I think we have a few 'middling' characters in squad, alright, no inside info r anything, but I get impression we have few bit more interested in dancing about and their hair than football.


1st couple of signings we need to make this summer is couple of proper men with a bit of backbone. Manager has been a disaster this season, but players should've bit more pride in themselves and the shirt regardless.

05 Apr 2026 20:40:22
Move heaven & earth all you like, we're not getting him.
I think Souness would take great offence to the fact that you're claiming he was fond of soaping up teammates.

05 Apr 2026 21:37:08
We've no chance of Enrique Ron & I've got serious doubts we get Alonso if we fail to get a CL spot !?

I'm also concerned that we've a few bad apples in the squad, Hugo concerns me and he's got the look of the sort of individual that's hard to handle, very moody, and I'm convinced he's not a long term signing ?!

This regression could & should have been nipped in the bud months ago.


Ill discipline throughout the whole set up has culminated in the situation we're in now and it'll take a hard nosed sort of manager to turn this around. Trouble is, imo, we've a whole squad of players that have zero fight in them.

05 Apr 2026 21:41:02
That Souness acted hard on the pitch, but as soon as the game was over he was in the showers with a bar of soap and a mischievous grin!

05 Apr 2026 21:44:40
We need to sign a few men this summer. People that don't mind the dirty side of the game. We are far too easy to bully.

05 Apr 2026 22:13:04
When the going gets tuff, the tuff gets going !!!!

05 Apr 2026 23:16:04
Florian, I'd be going all out & see if we could get Bruno Guimaraes. He might be 28, but he's the ideal sort of player our midfield needs at this time.
He'll pull a few players along with him as well & he's got that spirit we need.
He'll end up at Utd more than likely & do a job for them.

06 Apr 2026 02:05:14
Hilarious Rugby, hard on the pitch, harder in the showers...

06 Apr 2026 06:55:00
Very arousing. I'm picturing him soaping up Patrik Berger and giving him a one-gun salute! See you in a bit

05 Apr 2026 20:02:37
Players are looking for an exit that's why the behaviour is what it is with them. This is why we need Alonso in now so the players maybe start looking forward to training and can understand the direction there being given and start enjoying playing football again! Alonso ain't going to change the course of our season but he still has time to get the players on board and excited for a new season.

This is why we need him now.

05 Apr 2026 20:21:38
For me, Jimjam, they are checked out cos the manager has clearly done the same. Hence, they are prolly keeping themselves injury free for the WC approaching.

05 Apr 2026 20:29:14
So you don't think they'd jump at a move to get away from Slot oily?

05 Apr 2026 20:38:39
Alonso doesn't want the job until the summer. This has been explained multiple times.

05 Apr 2026 20:41:41
Jimjim, I think there's a very good chance of a number of them jumping ship if we don't get Champions League.

05 Apr 2026 21:05:04
That's for sure, Chewy! And, Amiej, you jump at the job you want if it becomes available n even if it was in his contract that he couldn't take a job that becomes invalid if you're sacked! That means your contract is over, but you would have to miss out on bonus money, but that can be made up.

05 Apr 2026 22:41:29
Players should still have personal pride though. If not to do it for the fans, do it for themselves; for next season, they should not want to be playing on a Thursday.

06 Apr 2026 02:12:56
It's easier said than done, Florian, especially when you're playing for somebody who's completely incapable.

06 Apr 2026 15:36:08
Jimjam, I believe that, for sure.

05 Apr 2026 17:03:17
So what exactly was Szobo having a go at the travelling fans for?

Those same fans who actually stayed until the end.

I've not actually looked at what transpired, nor what he said / did. So I'll reserve any judgement for now.

Yesterday was just the straw that broke the camel's back, I reckon.

Fans leaving with 30 mins remaining, VVD admitting that the players gave up, Szobo and the fans thing, fans singing Gerrard's name, the whole Hugo / Cherki shirt swap thing, our very ITKs saying that the board are not happy with the players after Szobo's incident.

This is just uncharted territory for us.

05 Apr 2026 17:22:47
Time for a change methinks.

05 Apr 2026 18:23:38
Expecting the fans to blindly support this nonsense 😂 Is he having a laugh? What an idiot.

05 Apr 2026 18:52:21
Defending people who he works with and considers friends, I would say LFC, and asking fans for more support.

I mentioned already my thoughts on the rumours page.

Not a fan of calling this guy an idiot. Or Slot for that manner while we're at it.

I have no problem with people saying an intern could do better right now, or the tactics are awful, or that he fails to motivate players, or that a player is too slow, legs have gone, someone is useless to the team, whatever.

Criticize performance to the max that you want.

But calling players or coaches things like idiot, clown etc., personally can't stand it. You do what you want, I guess, but to me, it's just toxic crap.

He shrugged his shoulders for goodness sake. Get over it.

05 Apr 2026 19:06:22
Davey, fans pay for the right to make comments about players and coach. They don't throw their arms up when the fans are cheering them, so the fans have the right to express their anger as long as it is not violent.


I respect where you're coming from, Davey, and your opinion, but you need to respect what the fans are paying for, plus they want to put up the tickets, mate.

05 Apr 2026 19:50:10
But that doesn't give the fans the right to slag off players who are trying their best. Sobo is one guy who gives 100% every game. Maybe it's the manager who is at fault, making players play out of position or using tactics the players don't agree with.

05 Apr 2026 19:44:34
I respect paying money albeyred. Trust me. It's a lot to watch what we are watching. And I respect LFC8 a lot. We agree on many things so perhaps I went a bit too hard there on a very valued poster so apologies for that.

Personally, I think we are at the point of booing and leaving early to make a point. It's almost all we got to make a point.

Paying money certainly gives right to criticize many things performance related. We do it all the time here. I do it almost daily.

But let's not go into name calling. They still represent us and Szobo has given a lot this season in a really tough season. Doesn't sit well with me to call him an idiot and I reacted

Slot deserves all the performance criticism he is getting. He is truly awful this season and can't wait till he leaves. But some stuff, mostly away from this site, is sickening. Should teach me to stick here with the intelligent folk.

He is a talented coach in a job that is too big for him and a league that is too fast for him. He is a family man and an intelligent person who is under massive pressure so making slip ups now and again in press conferences.
That is all that he is. He is a good man. Out of his depth but a good man.

Let's call it for what it is and avoid name calling. No need for it imo and paying money doesn't stretch to that right.

I'll leave it there because I feel bad for having a go at LFC8. Feel free to call me an idiot LFC8. Just one time though. It's all I can handle.

{Ed025's Note - good post that Davey..

05 Apr 2026 20:05:42
Some fans get way too close to football players they've never met. 😂

Jog around, lose your match, pick up your wage, and f*** off home. Criticising fans after a 4-0 drumming is embarrassing.

05 Apr 2026 20:09:59
Good post, Davey.

05 Apr 2026 20:11:02
No need, Davey, it's all love between us Liverpool fans.

I'm just more for the fans rather than a player if you know what I mean. I'd back you over a player for instance. Coz we are what make Liverpool special, as Shanks believed.

05 Apr 2026 20:14:10
Slob has been our best player this season by a country mile, but if he can't read the room, if he's shrugging his shoulders at them, he can't expect the fans just to cheer endlessly.

But these players are not in touch with the fans like they used to be, they live in walled mansion n most don't even live in the Merseyside area, they only hear the noise when it's directed at them.

05 Apr 2026 20:20:02
I appreciate that, LFC8, because truth is I couldn't have handled it. Not even one time. 😂

05 Apr 2026 20:28:20
Those players earn more in a year than the average fan will earn in a lifetime, if they can't deal with a bit of legitimate criticism, then tough. They need to pull themselves together and stop being such big girls blouses. It'll get worse than that if this carries on.

05 Apr 2026 20:28:49
Davey, multiple things can be correct at the same time and your points are more than valid. I have criticised Slot for everything that has to do with his actual work as a manager this season. Many of us have.

However, when people start taking the mick, stripping him of his credit and merit of actually dominating the PL last season (the numbers are off the charts, btw) is where I have always drawn the line.

We can criticise his work while at the same time giving him his due credit for dogwalking the whole league last season.

When I say he is feckless, arrogant etc., it is me addressing his attitude to his job. I have never attacked him personally cos I don't know the man. And if I have done so without me knowing it then, I fully apologise, as that was not my intention.

05 Apr 2026 20:57:12
What Dom did was wrong, no doubt about it, but what I will say is, he must be overwhelmingly frustrated. He's playing for a clueless fool who's been sticking him at RB for half the season. Dom's been playing out of his skin pretty much all season. He gives 110%, he's the only one out there who actually looks proper match fit, which means he's definitely doing extra conditioning work outside of team training.



Dom without doubt recognises that Arne is the issue, and I'm sure he feels like the fans can still support the players without having to back the manager. No, he shouldn't have done what he did, but put yourself in his shoes, and it's easy to understand why he's so frustrated.

05 Apr 2026 21:51:54
But Chewy, do you think that when the fans are leaving early after that performance yesterday that they are only frustrated with the manager? Dom has been good all season, but Jesus, I wudnt blame anyone who left that early yesterday.

05 Apr 2026 22:26:38
Davey, mate, I would never call you an idiot. I read your post and enjoy them, and 95% of the time I agree fully with what you have posted.
The point I was trying to highlight was the fans are frustrated. Having paid good money to watch their team they love and follow everywhere, and yes, they have kept their anger well, but Saturday was the straw that broke the camel's back, and the fans could not hold back any longer.

Sboz should of seen that and waved and just retired to the changing rooms. Sboz has been great all season, and I don't think the fans were having a go at him, but certain players, who let the side down not just on the day but for several months, also the head coach, who has deserved the fans' anger.
I did not mean any disrespect towards you, Davey, and hope you carry on posting your thoughts, mate.

06 Apr 2026 02:10:57
They're frustrated with the manager, the players, the execs, the owners, the whole lot, it's a complete joke. My point is that Dom is just as frustrated, he's 10x times more fed up than we are. As a footballer, there's few things more infuriating than playing for a moron who doesn't know what he's doing and whose managerial decisions are effectively sabotaging the team.

05 Apr 2026 16:41:48
How to express your passion.

Now, for some reason I think I recall that posting links is not allowed here. So spend 30 seconds googling Fenway Sports Group and go to Media, then inquiries and let them know what you think of them giving up on us and forcing us to watch pure dog s&^% football under Slot. Then go to Liverpoolfc dot com, make your way to the bottom of the page and follow the "contact us" link and once again, dump all your anger and vitriol out. At this point it is almost an intentional insult and there is, and can be, zero rational reason to continue to inflict this upon us.

05 Apr 2026 16:59:51
Those kinds of emails and responses will just get binned by the club's media team. What the club will respond to is when the majority of crowd turns at Anfield and that's not far away.

05 Apr 2026 17:10:44
Yes, I heard all of those enquiries from the contact us page get forwarded automatically to Tom Werner and John Henry marked as "high importance".

Yesterday was a joke on top of what has been an awful season, but some of the histrionics on here in the last 24 hours are a bit much.

05 Apr 2026 17:14:49
True, VV...
Need to hit these guys where it hurts.

As an example, I think it was in Australia, when bus drivers went on strike due to certain grievances they had.

What did they do? They didn't send nasty emails, they didn't stay away from work, they didn't run the streets making a mess, they didn't send nasty worded emails...

they simply all went to work, and allowed the travellers to travel for free!

And yes, that quickly got the attention of those higher up, because it was their pockets that were impacted.

05 Apr 2026 17:19:43
Chicagored,
Grow up. What needs to happen will happen at the end of the season. It's not the first time we've had a bad season, and it won't be the last. With this new breed of Liverpool supporters, everything is so dramatic. If things are not going well, they are looking at every little thing to moan about. Ekitike swaps shirts while he is on the bench, with both players having been subbed - scandalous! Szobozlai, clearly frustrated with both the teams and his own performances, asks fans why they don't support the team when they need it most - disrespectful.

I will go as far as to say that any supporters who left with half an hour to go are not genuine Liverpool supporters. Don't they understand the words or sentiment of 'You'll Never Walk Alone?' It is when times are tough that teams need their supporters.

05 Apr 2026 17:23:36
Well, I guess it's a good placebo if folks on here want to vent some steam, Gvardiol....

05 Apr 2026 19:08:15
Good to see Beckers Peckers back with another new username.

05 Apr 2026 19:26:06
Can't believe anyone is giving that take from Kemlyn a thumbs up. Must have made six new accounts to thumb himself up.

How would demonstrating frustration and disapproval for the poor management of the club not make someone a "genuine" supporter? Thinking you can decide who is and is not a supporter is wild levels of self-importance. Not to mention the OP said nothing about the players.

We can all disagree how you want to express frustration, but YNWA applies between supporters just as much as between the club/team and supporters.

05 Apr 2026 20:33:05
They paid their money and had every right to vent, getting battered 4-0 is one thing, but the complete self awareness of swapping shirts before the game has ended whilst on the end of a drubbing is mind blowing. It shows the players don't care.

The fact that Szoboszlai had the brass neck to have a pop at travelling supporters, who were rightly pissed off, is off the scale lack of self awareness. You've just been absolutely battered. Show some respect to those fans who stayed to the end.