Liverpool Banter 4

24 Apr 2026 10:13:38
For what it's worth I noticed on today's BBC Sport webpage there is a poll with the question 'Should Arne Slot be sacked as Liverpool manager?' The result was
59% No and 41% Yes.
Very surprising and a very different result to the poll on this site.

24 Apr 2026 10:19:43
All the mancs clicked No

24 Apr 2026 10:20:47
Probably man united and Everton fans.

24 Apr 2026 10:32:10
I mean what it really tells you is that on a forum for Liverpool supporters it's a landslide towards sacking him, but on an open forum it's not. What is the difference here? Bet ya a ton of Liverpool fans would have voted for Ten Hag or Amorim to stay at united if that had been the question. Useless statistic

24 Apr 2026 10:57:51
If we qualify for the Champions League, Slot probably won't be sacked in my opinion. Whether or not he wants to resign, who knows. Many have said he will.

I mentioned Hoeness as my preferred replacement way back in about November/December last year, so I must say I am very pleased to see him being linked to us now in the suggested scenario where Slot does resign.

Not long to go until we find out anyway.

24 Apr 2026 12:58:51
We all definitely voted for Ten Hag to stay as manager for United, i'd take no notice of these national polls, the Poll on this one was an overwhelming 93% n counting

24 Apr 2026 11:29:49
So should we disregard what LFC supporters say on a LFC forum and go with what the public opinion is on a public website?

I'd also vote for Slot to stay if I wasn't a LFC supporter.

24 Apr 2026 11:34:19
I suspect a lot of "no" replies are non Liverpool fans

24 Apr 2026 12:10:18
I haven't met a red yet at the ground or online who thinks he should keep his job. Pretty unanimous in my world. And as Carra and The Fields have been saying, the man himself wants to go home.

24 Apr 2026 12:28:44
MK the price for Hoeness at the moment is 9/1 worth a punt

24 Apr 2026 12:34:16
It's an open pool so you never really know for sure who has voted.

As MKS, not long now and everything will be known.

24 Apr 2026 13:01:53
55% trolls

24 Apr 2026 13:22:07
MK, what are you seeing in Hoeness to make you feel he is the right guy?

24 Apr 2026 13:27:24
On the forum for Liverpool fans the options were him sacked and no champions league and there was a landslide, if it's sack him regardless of cl qualification it will be even more one sided. Ed033 would it be possible to setup a poll with him sacked or not as an option?

{Ed033's Note - Doesn't seem any point right now [so near to the end of the season] to have a poll about sacking Slot at the end of this season regardless of any outcome. At the end of the season when an outcome is known, then it makes sense to have a poll.

24 Apr 2026 13:49:56
Faithinworks, mainly his intensity. His teams play an aggressive counter pressing style, which I still believe our squad is best suited to playing. He also has a reputation for coaching players to play above their level, rather than just spending to fix problems. He has a calm but intense persona, which is something Klopp also had in his interviews. He never seems flustered or rattled.

He also took over at Stuttgart with them rooted to the bottom of the Bundesliga, and saved them from relegation that season. In the following season he qualified for the Champions League, finishing 2nd. Then in the season after that, he led them to their first piece of major silverware in nearly 20 years, winning the German Cup despite a 9th place finish. This season, he has them in 4th place on the brink of Champions League qualification again.

In terms of his character, his style of play and his relative success, he just seems like the perfect fit for our club.

He is probably destined for Bayern one day, but Kompany is not leaving them anytime soon, and Hoeness is only 43, so he's got plenty of time to realise that dream. He'd be a superb choice for us in my opinion.

Alonso, I really like, but he did turn us down to stay at Leverkusen originally, so I think we love him more than he loves us. It's not some kind of given that it's his dream to coach Liverpool. I think Gerrard and Torres see things a bit differently, and see our club as the end goal of their coaching careers, but Alonso played for a lot of great clubs and had a superb affiliation with many fan bases. Gerrard and Torres had their best year at Liverpool and were never loved by another fan base with the same kind of passion.

24 Apr 2026 14:23:53
Well presented, MK.

On all points above, hard to argue any flaw in your logic.

24 Apr 2026 14:51:20
The data nerd in me wanted to compare, what happens when you make his sacking not a choice between two choices that aren't ideal, and compare the information to the bbc poll! But I agree with your point. Thanks ED

24 Apr 2026 17:42:16
Fernando Torres' dream team, if he's ever going to coach at high level, is obviously Atletico Madrid. In terms of what fanbases love, Torres is for Atletico fans what Gerrard was for Liverpool.

24 Apr 2026 17:45:58
Ed33, can we do a poll please, asking if we want more polls this season or not?

24 Apr 2026 20:09:13
JLC, we may need to contact the Poles to have them weigh in on your proposal.

25 Apr 2026 01:23:32
100% MK.

24 Apr 2026 09:41:04
I'm really pleased for Endo that it looks like he'll be back in time to play at the World Cup.

Oh and as a side note I think that the Japan shirt he will be wearing is probably my favourite of the WC shirts.

24 Apr 2026 12:34:50
Nice one, Shipley. Thanks for the tip.

24 Apr 2026 14:50:08
Nigeria away or the Mexico shirt for me is the best.

I actually think the Japan shirt is somewhat understated for them, so some of the Anime colabs are cool AF.

25 Apr 2026 02:13:51
The away shirt is class, quite like the France away kit too.

24 Apr 2026 09:40:49
What's everyone's thoughts on using Frimpong as RW with Diomande and just buying a top RB? Palestra looks a real talent as does Read, although out this season with injury.

24 Apr 2026 09:50:45
100% we need a new starting RB.

Frimpong as you say can be used as rotation at RB and RW, and Bradley isn't good enough plus is injured all the time.

24 Apr 2026 09:56:47
Slot has Szobo ar RB.no need to spend more money on an area that has enough cover.

24 Apr 2026 10:18:33
Totally agree on Frimpong, he's not good enough to be the regular starting RB. Back up to Diomande would be good. I do like Bradley though if he could stay fit and gain some experience with the right coaching would be a great RB there's a free RB a little older who was mentioned here I would be tempted with him.

I can't remember his name though.

24 Apr 2026 10:21:42
Yeah 100% for me.

24 Apr 2026 12:35:25
JLC, you're being sarcastic, right?

24 Apr 2026 11:37:31
Frimpong is not enough of a goal threat to play rw, simple as that. He is best as a marauding full back with th play in front of him

24 Apr 2026 11:59:08
Frimpongs not good enough in either position and he can't stay fit for love nor money, I'd ship him off now before we end up with another Joe Gomez situation. That won't happen though. We need a RB no matter what happens anyway because both Frimpong and Bradley are made of kleenex. If Bradley can stay fit going forward great, he's shown he has a high enough ceiling, the performance against Real alone proves he has what it takes, staying fit and consistent is another thing, we'll find out in due course but if Dom ends up playing right back again next season then ship the both of them off.

24 Apr 2026 13:23:30
I think Frimpong can play Slot's inverted fullback system.
Be nice to see him stay injury free.

24 Apr 2026 14:51:02
Truly hope Bradley can put his injuries behind him and make the spot his own. If fit, he can be one of the best in the league!

24 Apr 2026 15:26:33
Me, Oli? Sarcastic? Never mate.

If it weren't for autocorrect, then I wouldn't even know how to spell sarcastic...

24 Apr 2026 20:17:41
Frimpong was a mistake, realise it now and get rid. Bradley is going to be best in Europe, don't make the mistake and let it be at another club.

24 Apr 2026 09:36:56
Rafael Leao whilst at Milan.
287 games played.
80 goals scored.
65 assists.

He's also 27 in June.

Gakpo, who's 27 in May.
175 games played.
49 goals.
23 assists.

Pretty similar players but Gakpo's stats in the Prem is good.

His record at PSV was better but poorer league. Personally I'd keep Gakpo.


Compare that to the top ranking winger in the league in Saka.
Played 305.
79 goals.
79 assists.

{Ed001's Note - top ranking winger is Salah, even this season his stats are better than Saka.}

24 Apr 2026 09:57:24
Just imagine if we had used Salah more effectively Ed1.

{Ed001's Note - we wouldn't be scrapping for 5th place then that's for sure!}

24 Apr 2026 09:59:26
Not a dig but i do not personally get the hype around "Star boy" Saka.

from memory I cannot recall a season he has put up impressive numbers compared to those Arsenal fans allege he is better than.

24 Apr 2026 10:09:10
Saka is a good player but he is held back by Arteta and his tactics, especially this season. The shift to having a heavy reliance on set pieces does not suit him at all. Saka would thrive in a Klopp team imo

24 Apr 2026 10:12:58
Ed what I mean is Saka is seen as this top top player every season. I remember he was always compared to Salah even though we knew who was the better player.

24 Apr 2026 10:25:25
We shouldn't be letting Salah leave

24 Apr 2026 10:33:19
Saka is good but will never reach Salah levels. He is the golden boy because he plays for Arsenal and is English.

24 Apr 2026 12:37:47
If you ask many within the Arsenal fanbase, they will tell you it is Arteta that has ruined Saka.

I do agree with JLC that had we used Salah the same way we used him last season, he would have performed better even though I still agree that compared to his supremely high standards, he has been poor this season.

24 Apr 2026 12:57:53
Saka is an excellent player but he's not world class, and that's all it really is.

24 Apr 2026 12:57:55
Saka is massively overrated, his numbers are never that good,
Just don't get it

24 Apr 2026 12:13:10
Leao is faster than Gakpo and is superior at 1v1's, I'd argue his awareness is also better, makes decisions quicker and he's more effective in the transition where he's much better at running in behind. Definitely an improvement on Gakpo for me if he could find form in the PL.

Sakas best season was only as good as Mo's worst, tells you all you need to know.

24 Apr 2026 12:22:01
I think he was being sarcastic when he told top class winger saka

24 Apr 2026 13:38:33
I agree with Flitby. Salah should have stayed for the remaining year of his contract. If he's going, why in the world is he going for free? I don't understand this decision at all tbh. It's cracked! He loves the club and the city. He's good enough and fit enough to score and assist another 20+ goals next season.

It's almost a guarantee that he'd do it. Especially under a different manager and playing style. I think it's just as ludicrous a move by the club as signing up Konate for another few years. Just crazy.

24 Apr 2026 13:42:04
Leao? Lmao.

24 Apr 2026 13:55:36
It's not all about the stats though, to be fair. If you actually watch Leao, he is so much more of a threat than Gakpo. He's quicker, stronger, more direct, more creative, etc. Gakpo is probably a more refined footballer in my opinion, but sometimes you just need a bit of raw and unchained chaos.

Leao brings that to the side. The only issue with Leao is he's been playing through injury all season, which may show a great attitude and commitment, but it is also a concern as he could've caused a long term chronic problem. The medical would need to be stringent.

24 Apr 2026 14:52:28
Saka is always overrated because he is English, he would not play for France, Spain or Germanys starting 11s.

24 Apr 2026 15:28:32
Saka would be a great player under a manager who doesn't prefer the dark arts over playing footy.

Imagine what Klopp would do with Saka...

24 Apr 2026 18:36:18
I would take Saka in a heart beat. He isn't Salah but who is. Semenyo would have been a really good buy for the money also.

24 Apr 2026 22:57:02
Agree, Irish. I'd be all over Saka.

24 Apr 2026 08:21:06
Interesting to see what people would prefer.
Stick with Slot next season and year after have Enrique or next season start with either Xabi or Hoeness?

24 Apr 2026 08:40:54
If it was a case of two scenarios that would definitely happen then I'd wait for Enrqiue

24 Apr 2026 08:48:32
Get the bald dude out of my club! How is this a question BTW? I mean, every fan of the club must be downcast with the tripe on show every other match day surely? Whether Hoenes or Alonso, I don't care. Just get Slut OUT already! Thanks for no. 20 but I love Lfc more

24 Apr 2026 08:50:02
I would take option 1 but I need to know in advance that Enrique is a guarantee at the end of the season.

Another season with Slot is very likely to be tough watching. I will need to know something good is coming at the end of it.

24 Apr 2026 09:12:01
Nothing is definite in football. And Liverpool have a horrid track record (over the last 25-30 years) for poor decision making.

Simao, Villa and Anelka being the standouts. Carroll and Isak being especially costly. Isak may yet bear fruit but I am not optimistic.

24 Apr 2026 09:15:48
I'd change now. A lot can change in a year (look how har we have fallen in the last 12 months). Even if Enrique promised to take over next year there are no guarantees and the damage Slot could do in another 12 months does not bear thinking about.

Slot should have gone in November and we should not even be entertaining the idea of another season of this.

24 Apr 2026 10:24:58
In a fantasy land, I would rather have Enrique next year. It would be tough to watch Liverpool next season but I truly believe Enrique is a low risk high reward signing deserving of waiting.

But this is not realistic since there are not guarantees that Enrique would 100% come because if we continue with Slot we would have a high chance of missing CL, and thus, Enrique, hence why that is not a realistic choice for me.

Therefore, being realistic, take the bullet and sign whoever is best suited for the job now.

24 Apr 2026 10:36:39
I would give up about anything to have Slot out of the club. You know what, I'd do outrageous stuff to get the three stooges as far away from Liverpool as possible. Every passing day they are moving the club closer to a point of no return.

24 Apr 2026 11:04:29
Who knows maybe Slot will have learned this season and come back better next.

24 Apr 2026 12:39:03
Indeed, Ugbes. Get rid first and go from there with Enrique or whoever. got to stop the bleeding first and foremost.

24 Apr 2026 12:14:49
Ive said it many times, you'd have to be delusional to think Enriques leaving the best team in Europe to come clean up Slots mess, espetially under the current model with Hughes and Edwards having full control over the ins and outs. No chance. He'll be resiging for PSG

24 Apr 2026 12:16:44
Hasn't Enrique agreed a new deal to 2030? Why bother hanging around for a guy who won't join us. It's Bellendhingham all over again.

24 Apr 2026 15:05:35
Enrique will never manage Lfc.

24 Apr 2026 08:04:08
Anyone seen the video off the refs cam from the derby, good little watch, see the game from the refs POV. Salah's nice comment to the ref at the end of the game, shows how nice n respectful a person he is.

24 Apr 2026 02:37:47
We should look at Dejan Kulusevski. Very good player.
Injury record needs to be looked at, but very good player.

24 Apr 2026 06:54:33
We can look at him if he ever gets on the field to play. Till now he has never given anyone a chance to look at him. ;)

24 Apr 2026 08:41:27
Genuinely thought he was sold

24 Apr 2026 10:34:20
Great player when he's available.

23 Apr 2026 20:15:15
I don't know what's going on regarding managers. But, what's happening with Edwards and Hughes? They've proven to be two journey men. Who's overlooking them two, allowing them or Edwards to steer our future?
Is it Hogan? We need a new sporting director and what everyone Edwards actually is. Seems he's been given far too much power. The transfers and squad have been nothing but a disaster. You can argue he needs time, he was injured, slot etc.

We got absolutely no value for our money and the squad still needs several players.
I'd also guess Edwards would still want a "head coach". That's going to exclude immediately some top names. One which I'd guess would have been Alonso.
I like Hoeness but this game eats up managers who don't carry the personality.
I'd go for Naggllesman. He's the one for me as this stage.

23 Apr 2026 21:31:26
Completely agree, I see us struggling to replicate our successes of the last 8 years if Hughes and Edwards stay on. It's unacceptable, when we were told last summer that we were spending big money to become a dominant force. If FSG don't realise that the men in charge of spending that money are every bit as accountable as the coach then we're wasting our time.

23 Apr 2026 22:56:16
Was Edwards not responcible for getting deals for most of the best players of the last decade over the line? He won't be short of offers

23 Apr 2026 23:27:18
Florian, as Mark Twain said, never let the truth get in the way of a true story.

24 Apr 2026 01:35:39
Florian if you think players signed for Liverpool because of anything that came out of Edwards mouth you need your head checked. Players come to Liverpool because it's Liverpool. The club is hugely successful, has the richest history in England and the best record of any Premier League team in Europe. Not a single player signed up to play for Edwards.

Not to mention Edwards has been involved in transfers since about 2013 so don't forget to add all those flops we signed to that list of players you have there mate, you know, the likes of Balotelli, Markovich, Keita. won't bother naming them all cause there's a list as long as you arm. Out of interest, hows that half a billion worth of players he brought in last summer getting on? Yeah, he's a real genius that Edwards fella, a proper transfer mastermind.

24 Apr 2026 04:40:27
Ed001 got it bang on for Edwards. He has just been promoted beyond his area of expertise. That's why he was great for us in the earlier years but has been hopeless for us as of late.

24 Apr 2026 05:09:35
How would someone that hasn't been at the club for a decade be responsible for signing most of the best players over a decade?

24 Apr 2026 07:11:40
Agreed Dracred Ed001 called it about Hughes and Edwards from day 1.

24 Apr 2026 07:58:49
I don't get the issues around Hughes and Edwards. why do much anger directed towards them both.
Both have had very successful careers to date. Both have delivered huge success at our club.

Our club is going through transition both on and off the pitch however we are still champions, we signed quality players and some very good potential and linked with more quality.

However, many on here want slot gone, his team gone, hughes gone, Edwards gone and many players gone. if we did this, our club would be in turmoil.

Trust the leadership team, they've proven themselves very successful so far. This season could merely be a bump in the road towards a long lasting pathway to success. both on and off the pitch

TheVicar

24 Apr 2026 15:09:14
Look at some of the players we've signed during Edwards' time at the club, WD40. So Chewy, if they screw up it's their fault, but if they do their jobs brilliantly it's nothing that they've done, it's all because we are LFC? There's literally no winning with some on here.

23 Apr 2026 19:46:15
With City apparently favourites for Anderson, Semenyo, Guehi, Anderson, all players I think the majority of us would agree would have been exactly what we have and still need. Maybe Pep Lijinders was the real mastermind behind us after all!

23 Apr 2026 20:17:34
@Bob if that was the case then why was Lijnders and unmitigated disaster when he went to mange twice on his own esp. at RB Salzburg? Serious question

23 Apr 2026 20:24:59
We ended up with Gakpo and Nunez because Lijnders advocated for Klopp to sign them. I don't think so.

23 Apr 2026 20:25:06
Gutted we are not trying to rival them, would be a great addition for us and exactly what we need in the centre right now.

23 Apr 2026 20:46:47
That's a bit of a reach 😁

23 Apr 2026 20:50:20
Does Ljinders sign the players then?

23 Apr 2026 21:12:55
Nunez was a better buy than isak. At least He suited our style and we didn't have to change the whole squad to suit him

23 Apr 2026 21:35:32
Ljinders is no manager, he's no mastermind, he has nothing to do with signings. Take off your tinfoil hat, save it for the Ancient Aliens re-runs

23 Apr 2026 21:39:53
I'm not excited by anything that city are doing. I think their team is average to what they used to have. Now, we got hammered by them but that's because how backwards we've went. Geuhi, was never a fan. The rest, there's better out there. There's always the next guy

23 Apr 2026 22:41:00
Ron, Did you read that in his fabled book

23 Apr 2026 23:19:33
I think Bob's comment was tongue-in-cheek guys. Relax.

24 Apr 2026 00:02:12
John, that's an incredibly low bar. There's no way that Nunez can be seen as anything other than a massive flop for the money we paid for him.

24 Apr 2026 06:04:15
I would say Nunez is a flop but not a massive one. He did score a few crucial goals and winners en route to us winning the league last season.

24 Apr 2026 06:29:32
If Anderson, Guehi and Semenyo had replaced Macca, Gomez and the legend that is Salah I think you would be hard pushed to say that wouldn't have improved our team

24 Apr 2026 06:32:01
Babbity
Big season for Isak next season then? How much did he.cost?

24 Apr 2026 06:55:53
Ljinders is a joke. Pretty sure if Pep leaves, then Ljinders would be out of City and struggle to get another job. The guy is way too far up his own arse.

24 Apr 2026 07:55:30
@ babbity: my point still stands "we did not have to change the way we play to accommodate Nunez".

24 Apr 2026 08:43:18
Not everyone is built to be head of the ship.

Nunez wasn't a flop other than what we paid for him. So whoever agreed that fee flopped

24 Apr 2026 15:10:37
Rage bait.