Liverpool Banter 3

20 Apr 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Greenaway has posted a new article entitled, Chelsea's Bigger Problem Behind the Scenes

20 Apr 2026 08:53:00
The bigger problem is them carrying debt and interest ridden debt - it's not sustainable and when blue-co decide to piss off they will leave Chelsea with nothing left.

20 Apr 2026 09:16:13
Missing out on CL football again will surely force them into a bit of a clearout to raise some money? They have a few club trained players they could cash in on and I wouldn't hate the idea of us signing Colwill.

I read somewhere, though, that he along with Caiceido are on the verge of signing new contracts. If so, it will be interesting to see what length they give them - 10, 15, 20 years?

{Ed001's Note - Colwill has had far too many injuries to be worth buying.}

20 Apr 2026 09:30:39
Caicedo signed a new contract last week. It goes all the way up to 2033. I suspect Enzo is the player they will sell for big money, considering he gave that infamous interview saying he would love to live in Madrid.

20 Apr 2026 10:00:36
Not sure how much profit Chelsea will get off Enzo.

Didn't they sign him for 100 mill over an 8 year contract, so roughly 12.5 mill a year. If they sell in the summer, they still have something like 63 million of him on their books. So even at 100 mill it's only 37 mill in profit for the books.

20 Apr 2026 10:07:39
Hato played well against Utd, I thought. I know we were interested in the past, would cover lcb and lb for us. I've only seen him a couple of times at Chelsea, but when I have seen him, he looks good.

20 Apr 2026 10:25:21
Oh Hato is a generational talent, on Football Manager 26! That's how Chelsea buy all their young players!

20 Apr 2026 11:03:11
ShipleyKopite, those Suge Knight type Deathrow record deals/contracts are a real thing at Chelsea, mate.

20 Apr 2026 13:04:48
JK23, I believe the rules may have changed a couple of years back where the transfer value of a player is amortised over the first 5 years of the contract, regardless of how long it is for. I'm pretty sure it was Chelsea that forced that rule change when they started giving out 8-year contracts as standard.



If that's the case, they're probably about £60m into it by now, so anything over £40m would be profit. Not sure if they'd get their £100m back if they sold him (as it looks like it would be to Real, and we all know how much they love paying out transfer fees), but they'd still make a profit.

20 Apr 2026 14:04:05
Oli, man, don't bring the Crips and Bloods into this. 😂

20 Apr 2026 15:24:05
ArAy1969, I think we're good. They signed a truce years ago, I read somewhere. Real talk.

20 Apr 2026 06:03:54
I am not a fan of Slot at all.

However, I thought he gave us the best chance we had of getting a result yesterday. The side he put out had the tried and tested players in it. Couldn’t really do much about Isak and the lad looks lost, but I was dreading that game, and somehow we came away with it.

Your big players come to the fore in these games, and he started Jones, which was important. MacAllister was dropped.

I think that says a lot. Whether Slot was told all week what it was about, I'm not sure. But I'm not going to berate him about this one. This wasn’t about the performance. It’s about the result.

Everton caused us problems, and I felt when Beto went off, God was shining on us a little bit. They were in the ascendency. But that’s football.

Delighted with the win. We save the rest for another time.

20 Apr 2026 06:49:36
Yep, deffo an important 3 points. It's going to be a difficult run in.

20 Apr 2026 07:03:57
We probably only need two wins to get fifth now, it'll be clearer if Chelsea don't beat Brighton tomorrow.

Given we're likely to get fifth, I expect Arne to stay and see out his contract. He's already hinted there won't be much business done this summer, or at least we won't spend much net. I can't see a new manager coming in and accepting that.



I think we should be doing better with the squad we have, the owners probably think that, and so the cheapest way forward for them, once CL qualification is confirmed, is to stick with what we have in the back room, let them see out their contracts, and spend again in the summer of 27 when a new coach comes in.

20 Apr 2026 07:16:28
Let's be honest, it was a poor performance and we were lucky to get anything from it. Players are lethargic under Slot, most of the time it's backwards and sideways football. Surely he has to go or half the squad will leave and any promising young player would be mad to stay.

20 Apr 2026 07:24:56
I can't believe what I'm reading, people's expectations have dropped so much. Because we might get fifth place, he can keep his job! We were expecting to challenge to the title again, but we have had to endure the worst football since Roy Hodgson and he spent 500 million. If he carries on next season, I won't be watching. It's just not enjoyable anymore.

20 Apr 2026 08:06:56
I'd like him gone, Longthing. I'm just speculating the ownership may see it differently if we qualify for CL. Rather than pay out three contracts that are due to expire in 12 months, anyway, they may just let it roll. They're not bothered about the quality of the football, they have no understanding of it, they just want CL each year and an increasing investment.

20 Apr 2026 08:53:24
Not only expecting another tilt at the title but we were most people's huge favourites.
He has to go.

20 Apr 2026 09:02:28
Overkill, "His contract is due to expire in 12 months anyway, let it roll."

20 Apr 2026 09:11:43
Agree with Overkill on the owners. They'll see Champions League football achieved and be mostly happy with that. We've only achieved that half the seasons they've been here. Not saying it saves the manager's job, but doubt they'll be up in arms about it.

20 Apr 2026 09:16:46
Best thing is the history books will always show that the first ever derby at the Hill Dickinson was won by the Reds.

20 Apr 2026 09:26:08
The team setup is completely wrong. The way it is setup creates zero chances, and provides no service into Isak. The only way we create chances is a moment of individual brilliance (e.g. Gakpo's pass to Salah). We created chances for fun at the start of the season, but were far too open at the back. Rightly so, Slot changed it to make us more solid at the expense of attacking creativity. Unfortunately, now that we look better at the back (still not great), he hasn't tried to change anything to make us better going forward again, and the lack of fitness and confidence in the team is leading to a complete lack of chances being created.

There is little to no movement off the ball, and we don't play the ball quickly enough to create space for players to exploit. We signed 2 world class players in Isak and Wirtz and then systematically stopped doing all of the things that these players thrive on and made them world class.

20 Apr 2026 09:36:56
Good job UEFA are allowing a quarter of the PL to enter the CL in this day and age.

Should be called the Champions and runners up, third, fourth and fifth place league.

{Ed025's Note - im with you JK, a Champions league should be for Champions only mate...its just a money making scheme now..

20 Apr 2026 09:54:58
Should just be called the league, as Champions League is false advertising as it is not just the champions !!!!

{Ed025's Note - absolutely Albey..

20 Apr 2026 10:26:27
imo, when you start a 30% fit Isak, you are most def not giving us the best chance to win. Like vs PSG, he completely wasted the 1st half.

20 Apr 2026 11:15:19
Longthing76, @Shipley et al, like you, I couldn't believe what I was reading, either. Best chance to win? Seriously, Is this what this season has done to our fans who are now accepting the barest of minimums in games now provided we get CL footie? Nah, ain't having it.

In terms of the actual performance in isolation, we were absolutely dire. It was the same ol' stuff, different day with loose passes, slow ball movement/progression, couldn't get the ball to Isak in the first half (improved in the second). Some of the individual/collective errors that did not lead to chances or goals for Everton (cos they were dire, as well) were frightening.

And the subs? Oh my goodness, the subs Slot made.

That requires its own post as I couldn't believe the idea behind them. Takes off Isak and Gakpo and puts Mo (who was cooking all game) at CF and all while playing long balls up to him.

The fact is that this guy simply cannot be here next season cos he won't change, end of. Slot will continue on this path and we will be the worst for it. We've seen this before with Br, but we got Klopp when he was sacked during the season. This time, Klopp ain't coming if this guy gets sacked during next season and it would be another season wasted.

20 Apr 2026 12:39:58
Only had to read the first 2 lines to know you're off your meds. We would have been 3 or 4-0 down inside 30 mins were Everton a little more disciplined. Terrible tactical decisions from Slot, he gets no brownie points for fielding experienced players either, that's a given in a derby.

20 Apr 2026 13:14:10
Do people genuinely think the owners are happy with just scraping into the Champions League spots?

I don't see it that way, but I think what we benefit from with these owners is that they are pragmatic in their response to adversity.

Whether that means Slot stays or not, remains to be seen. But, I for one, am glad we don't have trigger-happy owners.

For every Carrick, there is an Ange, Dyche, Nuno, Rob Edwards, Liam Rosenior, Frank, Tudor....

20 Apr 2026 03:42:11
Anyone else wish we signed Cherki instead of Wirtz? That was the definition of a player taking the game by the scruff of the neck and showing he wants to impact the game.

Worlds away from another passive Wirtz performance. Honestly I keep waiting for him to explode but he is just so lightweight and passive - he visibly also shrunk yesterday after a few challenges and just started passing backwards. Big concerns on if he will make it with us tbh.

On another note - cannot believe Jones’ performance is so polarising. Best player on the pitch for me.

Played with passion and arrogance - really set the tone for the team. Not too focused on a few mins at the end when he was visibly gassed and didn’t track back from all the work he had put in. Not a right back but if he plays like that every week he definitely deserves a new contract and to be in the squad.

Also re Salah - have we missed a trick here (myself included) thinking he is finished. Playing 10 yards closer to goal he will get chances and does still show a burst of speed. Could be a massive victim of Slots tactics this year.

20 Apr 2026 05:37:30
No, absolutely not at all.

20 Apr 2026 05:55:04
I thought about that yesterday but ended up with the following conclusion. If Cherki was here he would be struggling like Wirtz has, and I give you my reasons:

1. We don't have runners to give Wirtz space. Cherki would have suffered the same.
2. At the beginning of the season, Wirtz always played the intricate pass, but no one seemed to pick it up. It would have been the same with Cherki.
3. For some reason, and that reason seems to be Slot, every LFC player is looking to pass sideways or backwards. And the famous control that Slot preaches just makes the team play extremely slow.
4. The best stats from Cherki came when Haaland was firing (1st half of the season), and when he played behind willing runners (past few games behind Doku and Semenyo).

Wirtz would have done similar.

The only thing I would argue that Cherki would have done a little bit better, is that he tends to go to the right side of the pitch compared to Wirtz, who goes more to the left side. And our team tends to occupy the same space as Wirtz (Ekitike, Gakpo and McAlister), while it wouldn't have been the same with Cherki, who tends to occupy the right side. Nonetheless, system, spacing, and quality of play(ers) this season would have been issues nonetheless.

In conclusion, while I agree that Wirtz is more lightweight than Cherki, you put Cherki in the same situation as Wirtz and I don't think he would have had a different impact.

20 Apr 2026 06:07:52
Cherki has had a better season no doubt.
I like him, he has an aggression about him.
Wirtz is badly managed at the moment, but I agree, he has been poor and would have to really step up to make it at Liverpool next season.

20 Apr 2026 06:33:24
Wirtz is generally being played in or around his favoured position, but hasn’t done enough. I don’t particularly feel he’s going to produce anything when he gets the ball.

There have been other players in the Premier League who didn’t have great physicality like Coutinho, Zola, or Silva who produced a lot more, more frequently, and it wasn’t just because of the coaching.

They had better players around them, and essentially they were better players. He’s young though, so hopefully he improves.

The bigger worry, though, for me is Isak. He just looks weak and lacking in every department. I hope we see a big improvement next season.

20 Apr 2026 07:18:11
Wirtz has been v disappointing overall. Granted team has been v poor all season, which doesn't help. He just doesn't do enough for the ability he has, some nice bits of play at times where u can see the ability he has but not enough of substance.

I can't remember the last time he had a decent attempt on goal.
In saying all that, I would like to see what he like next season when hopefully team is in a better place.

20 Apr 2026 07:22:48
I may be misremembering, but Coutinho did well at first, but then his play dipped like everyone else before rebounding under Klopp. So, replying to Overkill's post, I would think that you are missing some variables like coaching and team performance that help the lightweight.



Who, this season, has done well besides Ekitike and Szobo?

There are too many variables, and if the forwards had better play, maybe Wirtz would have played better.

20 Apr 2026 07:25:58
Wirtz needs time to adapt. Yes, he was touted as a generational talent, but let's not forget his age. Lots of players have needed a season or 2 to find their feet.

If we could have drip-fed him into a team that was in form and playing well, I'm sure he would have been better.

But it's been more like baptism by fire, constantly under pressure. I feel for the lad.

Hopefully next season we see the true Wirtz after a great World Cup showing.

20 Apr 2026 07:59:14
The thing I like about Wirtz is that he has a Salah-esq level of quality about him. Even yesterday, when he played terrible, he created our best chance of the game for Gakpo (which he spurned) and created the only chance Isak had all game (which he hit tamely).

It's the mark of a good player, when even on an off day they can still have an impact.

Had Gakpo and Isak both scored, we'd probably not be having this conversation.

I think the best of Wirtz is yet to come. I like Cherki, but he doesn't press like Wirtz does, and he's also a bit of a showboater.

20 Apr 2026 08:46:43
The best of Wirtz better come Mks, because up until now he's been an underwhelming and costly addition.

20 Apr 2026 08:57:33
Hahaha, Cherki over Wirtz, my goodness. Cherki has technical quality but that's very much All he brings to the table.
Wirtz is being managed horrendously, which genuinely explains 100% of his bad season.
Cherki is nowhere near as good, simple as that.

{Ed025's Note - based on what though Lowe?, Cherki whether you rate him or not effects games and has scored some vital goals, Wirtz has done very little for me mate and has been very ineffective if not sloppy in most games, he may come good of course but lets be honest...up to now hes been crap...yes crap..

20 Apr 2026 09:18:04
We can only go on this season, Lowe, and on the evidence, it's certainly not laughable to say Cherki is a better buy than Wirtz. Hopefully next season is different.

20 Apr 2026 09:18:44
Wirtz's form really picked up before the minor injury he had.

Since returning from that injury, he's been not as good and looks shot of confidence.

20 Apr 2026 09:28:26
Lol. No chance. Put Wirtz in that City team and he would be up for the Ballon d'Or.

Slot and his tactics are the problem - not Wirtz.

{Ed025's Note - at the moment hes in line for the toilet door SK..

20 Apr 2026 10:07:50
When you have midfield players in the team that could not pass wind, then Wirtz's game suffers. The passing was awful yesterday, and has been for all season. Players are having far too many touches before passing the ball, touches they don't need.

I would have loved Wirtz to have played under Klopp and his teams, then you would see the difference in him. The likes of Warton from Palace would suit Wirtz and Isak's game. He would feed them with his passing ability. YNWA

20 Apr 2026 10:30:00
Cherki's and Wirtz stats are actually very similar, however one plays with Doku, Haaland, Semenyo, and one plays with Gakpo, a 30% fit Isak, and a terrible midfield behind. He doesn't have Rodri to give him that freedom of mind. Can't believe some are writing off Wirtz already, that's so short sighted it's beyond stupid. Apologies, but it's the truth.

{Ed025's Note - i dont think anyone is writing him off ASB, but sometimes you have to call it as you see it mate and he has not been very good at all imo..

20 Apr 2026 11:34:36
Dominican_fan, you have nailed it completely. There is no way on this earth, Cherki shines as he is doing now at City, under the current pathetic tactics of Slot at LFC. This is just a fact that people seem to wanna conveniently ignore, IMO. I saw Wirtz do a madness in Leverkusen's invincible season, was two-time Bundesliga Player of the Year and the hottest talent on the market last summer, all the things Cherki wasn't. Therefore, I ain't picking Cherki over Wirtz. Never have. Never will.

Also, people going at Wirtz have conveniently forgotten that City wanted Wirtz first and he rejected them to come to us.

Cherki was their sloppy seconds that they had to make do with. Now had Slot put the right system and players in place for Wirtz to thrive, and he was failing then, I'm okay with that and will concede the point.

The moment that is not the case, the comparison with Cherki goes dead in the water cos the variables, like you mentioned, have to be considered. All of them, not just the ones that do suit an agenda. Therefore, it seems people are harshly judging Wirtz by using and ignoring actual variables that suit their narrative. Just my opinion.

20 Apr 2026 12:43:11
Some would say Robbo and Salah were sloppy 2nds.

20 Apr 2026 12:51:05
I think one thing we have to admit is that Cherki really is quite a joy to watch, he's a languid maverick of a player and a showman rather than the robotic machine that most modern players tend to be, and you have to give credit to Pep for allowing him to express himself rather than shackling him the way he did with Doku and Grealish previously.

20 Apr 2026 12:59:05
Cherki has had some fantastic individual moments, which shows an ability to produce despite what's going on around him, whereas Wirtz, at the moment, looks to be the type that depends very much on fitting into a system where he's a major focal point, where the players around him are more in tune with his style and intentionally look to play through him. He's clearly not getting that at the moment.

The jury's out until (hopefully) Xabi comes in and gets Wirtz back to his best, but right now, you'd have to be mad not to recognize that Cherki's game is less dependent on the performances of those around him, and based on this season alone his ability to individually influence a game is certainly higher. Next year, Fowler willing, that will change.

20 Apr 2026 13:01:41
I think it would be nice to see Wirtz and indeed Isak with a new manager and see if there's anything different. Writing off those two players under Slot may short change us dramatically. The key is to have an actual plan and work on it with training sessions.



It may be quite a go to get back to challenging again, but if you see progress that's at least a direction. Yesterday was a one off game, but I think it's fair to say we don't see progress under Slot and these coaches.

20 Apr 2026 13:01:45
Ekitike has shown some promise, but everyone else bought in the summer has underperformed for me. If someone offered money back on them, I'd bite their hand off for it.

20 Apr 2026 13:15:16
Not instead of. I remember once we had wrapped up Ekitike and Wirtz, I was hoping that our next signing was going to be another winger and my hope was Cherki or Semenyo.

19 Apr 2026 21:39:00
More of that and we will finish fifth and be able to go again in the Champions League next season. I thought Freddie did well in a difficult environment and we were good for the three points against a physically strong side in Everton.

Perhaps we can finish third now.

19 Apr 2026 23:02:20
Does anyone know if 5th gets us straight into CL league phase or is it the CL qualifying?

19 Apr 2026 23:03:48
Let's not get greedy.

I'll bite your hand off for top five and forget this season ever happened.

19 Apr 2026 23:17:50
Yes, direct entry.

19 Apr 2026 23:28:33
JK, I just checked Newcastle's fixtures for this season and it looks like they qualified for league phase. So unless it's changed, 5th should still avoid qualifying rounds.

20 Apr 2026 06:09:13
Cheers, Faith & Westyorkshire.

Great news that.

19 Apr 2026 21:24:45
Amazing how a win changes people’s opinion of our team. We were truly awful today. A team totally lacking in confidence and ideas.

19 Apr 2026 21:47:07
I don't think it changes anyone's opinion, but if you can't be happy today as a Liverpool fan, then it's time to take up a different sport.

That's how I see it. Only my opinion.

19 Apr 2026 21:47:41
Take what you have gathered from coincidence.

19 Apr 2026 21:57:35
I'm flying with the result but I can see an underperforming team and have done all season, the management in charge have done little to change it.

19 Apr 2026 22:03:59
Eh, I've seen us look a lot worse this season. That said, it was far from inspiring and it does not change my attitude at all. I will still approach each of the remaining games with substantially more trepidation than I have gotten used to over the past few years.



Agree with Ron 100% though, that end had me out of my seat and hollering, and that's why I watch the game. Great day to be a fan and if folks get/got a little giddy about it, more power to them.

19 Apr 2026 22:08:33
Clee, nothing's going to change in the last 5 games - no new manager, no new players.

We know we have been crap this season, and we know why.

I'm going to celebrate each win like it's for the title or ole big ears, because that's what we need in order to have a base for next year with a new manager.

19 Apr 2026 22:11:04
I have seen anyone change their opinion on the issues at hand, people are simply happy we didn't lose.

19 Apr 2026 22:33:05
Evening Zed, just to say we won't be having a new manager next season, no matter what anyone on here thinks or says. Not at the start of the season anyway.

19 Apr 2026 22:35:27
Of course I got giddy, 1st Derby in the Hill Djikinsosl, n 100th minute winner, away to the Blues, by our captain? Get in!!!

19 Apr 2026 22:41:40
A team lacking in confidence and ideas would have got wasted today, like many people on here were predicting.

19 Apr 2026 23:55:27
Happy we won but under no illusions as to how poor we were today, and expect to remain in the next game. Some absolutely shocking displays today, most didn't seem to know what they were doing, and I literally can't believe Jones stayed on the pitch as long as he did, and I'm not one of those that usually gives him stick, but he was being awful today.


Still, a win is a win and it makes chances on CL next season all the more likely for whoever is going to take the reins.

20 Apr 2026 00:03:50
Faithinworks, we were very lacking in many areas, if it wasn't for Everton being careless we could have been 3 or 4 down inside the first 30 minutes. We were extremely lucky not to concede a couple of goals early on. Not to mention we wouldn't have even got a winner without those 11 added minutes.

20 Apr 2026 00:29:21
For sure, but we weren't.

Lots of ifs, buts and maybes. Those 11 minutes were added because there were 11 minutes of standing around while players were treated. Is it a blessing we were given that time back? Maybe if those 11 minutes were played in regular time then we would have scored then?

I get what you're saying, but not understanding the use of it as a way to demean the team today.



For me, it really is ok to be positive about the team without the underlying cynicism. We all know it's been a torrid season.

I'm just glad that it doesn't appear to me that the players and coaches have given up.

20 Apr 2026 02:00:12
Not sure what exactly you're trying to say about the old timeline there, Dr. Who, but it happened the way it happened, and we happened to be poor for the most part, we were very lucky not to go a couple of goals down.



I'm delighted with the victory. 3 points is 3 points. But it takes a lot more than 3 points to delude me from the reality of the performance.

20 Apr 2026 02:13:33
Touche, I am also not sure what exactly you're trying to say about the timeline either.

I think in any game you ride your luck and then hope that you're good enough to capitalize.

20 Apr 2026 02:25:29
I'm a fan of the club. Every time we play I want us to win. I'm sad, upset, frustrated, and/or angry when we lose. I'm happy when we win and even happier when we win against our closest rivals and nearest and dearest neighbours. So today I'm very happy. Isn't that enough for a fan?

We know we have been poor this season both in terms of the way we have, or rather haven't, played, and in terms of the performance of the coaching staff.

That stuff is for the club to sort out (at the end of the season). As my adopted Australian countrymen might say... "It s***s me to tears" that every time we play, win, lose or draw we have to deconstruct and over analyse every single thing until we can find a negative. Can't we just be happy with the win?

20 Apr 2026 02:56:15
Doesn't take much analysis to find the issues. You can be happy with a result and still critique a performance; that's generally how football works, pretty much every game. I find it odd that people like to patrol the site, monitoring and attempting to enforce specific levels of happiness like some sort of grown ass teletubby.

20 Apr 2026 05:47:48
Nope, you misunderstand @Chewy, there's absolutely no attempt on my part to try and persuade people otherwise - whatever they want to believe or say. We all contribute to the hot air on what is basically an inconsequential sports forum. My comments are based on what I observe and, today, the level of negativity, in my opinion, isn't warranted.

As I say, I'm not trying to change anyone's views or anything, I'm just putting my view forward. I will say, if people who disagree with an opinion were not to respond as though they are being, in some way, attacked on a personal level, then the chance of more sensible conversations would be greatly increased.

20 Apr 2026 06:38:45
WDW, I tend to agree. It's pretty civil until someone thinks the freedom to their own thought is being unduly influenced.

End of the day, people can critique and analyze anyway they want to.

Context is important, of course, and it's probably difficult to separate the disappointment of the whole season from an individual game or run of games.



We won, played well enough. It was a game that I'm not sure I read many posters on here expecting us to win. But we did. Luck or not, we did the unexpected and are now three two games clear of 6th place.

It's a good place to be given the season we've had.

20 Apr 2026 09:20:22
KBL, I respectfully disagree.

We will start the new season with a new manager.

As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, what Ormstein says can be true and we can also have a new manager.

Ormstein said that the board want to keep Slot.

Ed001 has said that Slot has not settled in the UK (nor tried to settle).

Therefore, Slot will resign, in his view.

That's what I'm choosing to believe (and hope!).

But as has been said above, it's all hot air for now.

20 Apr 2026 09:28:55
We've lost enough games through goals conceded in injury time this season, and the players and manager were given pelters for it. The games are over at the final whistle. Don't even know why it's been mentioned.

20 Apr 2026 10:07:45
I can only smirk when I read this 'you're not pulling the wool over my eyes' rhetoric on here, I mean, when it comes down to it they're never wrong, when they say we'll get battered by Everton, they shout down anybody who has the temerity to suggest that we might win (or even express a hope that we will win) and say 'we've lost x amount of games, wake up', when we win, they shout down anybody who celebrates the result and say 'we've lost x amount of games, no lucky last minute goal is going to sway me, I see the truth that the superfans are trying to cover up, Slot is just gaslighting me with false results'

I mean, is your identity so contingent upon being a righteous speaker of the unvarnished truth that you need to ruin the enjoyment of watching football for yourself?

I think the passivity of the approach to yesterday's game was quite plain to see, but all this stuff about Everton should have won the game and been out of sight, we deserved to lose and were lucky, yeah, okay, assuming you're right, there have been plenty of games that we didn't deserve to concede with the first shot on goal/first set piece of the game in, and where we contrived chances that we didn't put away.

That's football, and even if we were second best yesterday (which we weren't, even the statistics bear that out), good teams win games they're not supposed to win. I'm not saying we're a good team, but we want to be back to being a good team, so that's what we should be hoping to do regularly.

The stuff about needing the 11 minutes extra time to win is pretty risible, are the 11 minutes not a part of the game? Was the ref giving us an advantage? There was a roar around the Hill Dickinson when the 11 minutes went up, they were certain that they'd get the three points, with how intimidating the crowd was, you can't appreciate how much of an achievement it was for our players to dig deep and get the winner? You're suggesting that with all the injuries to Branthwaite, Mama etc., the ref should have cut the extra time short?

Of course if Everton scored a last minute goal the doomers on here wouldn't utter a peep about how they needed 11 minutes to score, if the ref added another 2 minutes to the 11 and Tarkowski scored another screamer I'm sure you'd write another essay on here about how weak we are mentally etc.

20 Apr 2026 10:33:47
What PB said.

20 Apr 2026 11:38:24
It was a good result while also being a poor performance like many we have seen this season.

Both thoughts are accepted as being correct.

Where is the beef, all of a sudden?

20 Apr 2026 12:24:43
Except nobody is saying it was a good performance? It wasn't great, but Everton were honestly even worse, considering they had the crowd behind them all the way, and we looked like we were okay with settling for a point for most of the second half. I'm just tired of double standards on here sometimes.

It's been going on all season; when we win we're lucky, because we're supposed to lose and deserve to lose every game. Anybody who suggests or hopes otherwise is hopelessly deluded. It's like I'm supposed to hate and bet against my own team because Slot has made the team impossible to like anymore.

20 Apr 2026 13:12:44
Wdw, you claim you're not trying to persuade, but your first comment on this thread is literally an attempt to persuade somebody to just be happy with the win and ignore a performance they felt warranted criticism! 🤣 You even finished with "Can we not just be happy?" I'm not sure who hurt you, pal, but it's ok, we're here for you now.

20 Apr 2026 13:26:05
Patrick, the fact that you finished your essay with "...I'm sure you'd write another essay" has me in absolute stitches, mate! Thanks for that.

19 Apr 2026 17:57:27
The derby is never a pleasing watch. But it's a great 3 points and bragging rights around the city. Ed025 regardless of the result, I hope you had a good day.

{Ed025's Note - i did have a good day Ashy, one of our lads had VVD last goal and Liverpool to win 2-1 mate, £905 returns which gets us £225 each so its not all bad.. :)

19 Apr 2026 22:32:49
Nice well done Ed.

20 Apr 2026 02:27:39
Nice day's work @25. Although I bet you'd swap it for a win for your boys. 😉

{Ed025's Note - bitter sweet i suppose WDW, years ago i would have been devastated but not so much these days mate..

19 Apr 2026 21:57:19
Ed025 like said to you yesterday no lose situation. You just need to have a good run now and us to finish above villa beating Chelsea in the way to give you 6th spot and us 4th at least with Villa 5th.


If you can get champions league football at a cost of us doing the double over you in the league is bigger picture helps you move on more than beating us.

{Ed025's Note - i dont think we are ready for CL football yet Grino and its too big of an ask now i feel, if we had won yesterday then we had an outside chance but maybe next season with a stronger squad we can make a better fist of it mate..

19 Apr 2026 21:57:38
You could probably buy yourself a new striker with that winnings Ed025

{Ed025's Note - not quite JK but in monetary value thats about what Beto and Barry are worth,saying that Beto works hard for the team but that first chance he had that went for a throw in did make me laugh mate.. :)

19 Apr 2026 22:33:16
Allays a good sport you are Ed025. I was well reserved with a draw. Who do reckon takes the league now btw?

{Ed025's Note - i think a draw would have been fair KC but thats just the way the cookie crumbles mate, i think City win the league now..

19 Apr 2026 22:34:22
Just on that Ed, well done. Would you have rather had the 3 points though.

{Ed025's Note - a few years ago i would have said yes KBL, but the way football is these days mate...SHOW ME THE MOOLAH.. :)

20 Apr 2026 01:28:22
So Ed, how did you feel when it went in? Not sure if "bittersweet" would cover that. Be honest 🤣.

{Ed025's Note - it was a strange one RF, not so much for me but all the people in the pub watching a 68 year old man in an Everton shirt high fiveing his mates when the winner went in, especially after me doing the the Beto celebration in the middle of the bar when we scored mate.. :)

20 Apr 2026 01:59:10
Cheers Ed25
You are a better gambler than me. I could never bet on teams I support to lose or on the other teams player to do something good. Its why I don't play fantasy anything as well, I got tired of wanting Tom Brady to do well

{Ed025's Note - it was not my bet 42, we all pick a result and a player to score and split any winnings, i done a 1-1 draw and Ndiaye to score mate..

20 Apr 2026 05:51:11
What do you see as the next step for next season to build on the progress this season? Do you see Moyes being there next season? It seems like there are a number of managers who might be available...

{Ed025's Note - yeah WDW i think Moyes will still be in charge next season, hes a bit Marmite with the supporters but he has fulfilled his brief and the plan will be to improve the squad and aim for a little higher each year mate..

20 Apr 2026 10:25:47
Edd25 watching that game it made me think i had gone back to Everton of the 90s Moyes in the dug out a big man up front and the ball being booted up the park by the keeper.
Nothing change has it same old same old David Moyes football genius.

{Ed025's Note - hes not the best of managers Albey but has been brought in to do a job and has fulfilled the brief, we are still a way off from competing at the top table again mate but from where we are now to where we have been for the past few seasons is genuine progress, these things take time..

by the way i deleted your last post because i wont have horrible nasty remarks about other teams posted, it just incites hatred and i dont care if its Everton, UTD or any other team...its just not on..

19 Apr 2026 20:44:25
I can't think of a more deserving scorer of the first Merseyside derby goal at the Hill Dickinson stadium than Mo Salah. A record that can never be taken away from him.

20 Apr 2026 10:27:10
Quesalahsalah first goal and first win in the Sardine Can. YNWA.

20 Apr 2026 11:39:43
Indeed, Quesalahsalah. Their eternal arch-nemesis. Loved every bit of it.

19 Apr 2026 20:43:57
Very underwhelming performance from both teams, been watching Merseyside derby's for close on 50yrs and I don't think I've seen a more timid performance from both sides. I can't remember 1 full bloodied tackle throughout the whole match. Don't get me wrong I'm delighted with the win but its the performance or lack of that disgusts me, a lot of these overpaid players are so detached from what this club has always based itself on, grit determination and most importantly hard work.Its something that creaping more and more into this squad of players a sense of self entitlement feeling that they don't need to get down and dirty and work hard like proper drilled teams of old and more recent during kloops reign.


Salah, Robbo and Jones were the only ones to come out of the game with any pride as far as I'm concerned. I really hope that next season sees a reset in players attitude fitness and work rate because like most fans I am just fed up of these slow ponderous and lack lustre performances from a team of bloody flakes rant over.

19 Apr 2026 21:44:25
Its absolutely sickening to watch but it's the state of football these days mate. Too many foreigners, not enough home grown, soft players and softer referees. Derbies are dying

20 Apr 2026 02:31:44
Too much money in the game now @Notso. It's about revenue streams rather than footy. That said it was nice to see the Arsenal defender and the Norwegian Troll (gently 😁) butting each other. I guess that's what passes for passion these days.

If you listen carefully you can hear Arteta choking and bottles rattling.

19 Apr 2026 20:18:29
Shout out to Gakpo who was a real threat today and reminded us of the player from the previous seasons. Of course Slot subbed him because he was playing too well.

19 Apr 2026 21:25:26
I did find it remarkable that in the game where Gakpo was playing decent and could have been even more effective, being shifted inside, and then he was subbed, you couldn't make it up, really. At this stage of the season, with CL football on the line, it's results that matter, so not going to complain after a derby win!