Liverpool Banter 4

08 Jan 2026 22:41:29
Last season we took a lot of flak from opposition supporters that we ran away with the league because the standard in the league was poor. Of course, we knew better and told them so. We won the League because we were excellent.

I just watched us play Arsenal, the team clear at the top of the League and we held them off comfortably. In fact, we were the better team for much of the second half.

We are playing poorly this season but over half way through the season we are fourth in the League and only the top two have won more games than us.

For me, there are two seperate things.

1. As a team we are playing (mostly) badly. We seem to have no established plan, our execution is poor and it seems that the head coach and his staff have no clearly defined plan.

2. In the context of the League, however, we actually aren't 5hat bad comparatively speaking. City are playing well, Arsenal have the knack of eking out wins (which we had last season and at the start of this season) but we aren't far off being one of the best of the remaining bunch.

So, from this Liverpool fan's perspective we have been mostly poor this season, with the occasionally, very frustrating, glimpse of what we might be able to do, but within the League we will probably end up in a CL qualification spot, which keeps the sponsors happy and the revenue streams healthy.

It's a shame, from a club perspective, that our head coach can't or won't adapt.

It's a shame, from a general football perspective that business trumps the game and poor football is becoming the norm and dross is
Ok providing the money keeps coming in.

08 Jan 2026 23:00:45
We should've won the title this season.

We chucked it away with stupid negative football, and not getting a CB and replacing Diaz.

08 Jan 2026 23:10:48
It's as clear as day that when we go after the ball and teams we play well and when we sit off we play crap.

Watch the players in the first half. Standing in front of Arsenal players with no attempt to get the ball. Allowed Arsenal to do what they want. They had so much possession and luckily had little clue what to do with it.

Second half we tried to get the ball all over the pitch. We tried to tackle.

And when we got forward we attempted to get down the sides at long last. Some poor crossing and no striker hurted us but we tried.

I just feel that we won't learn from that second half and we ll start off the next game messing about half heartedly again.

And I keep saying it. How to beat a low block is not "patience". A low block begs for patience. You hammer though it. Over and over and over again until it caves in.

Is some of the stuff we saw in the second half there the start of something or will Slot revert again. Nothing annoys me more than not learning from mistakes.

We can press and cover the spaces in behind. It's very possible. The passive crap needs to end now. That first half again. My good lord. Seriously. I felt like we were a relegation battler in that first half.

08 Jan 2026 23:51:48
We should be walking this league. Standard is atrocious.

09 Jan 2026 03:35:20
Well I hope we turned a corner tonight. I think second half we seemed to abandon the side to side passing for a more vertical approach. That has to be coaching because we haven't done so much of that this season.

Maybe Slot learned a thing or two tonight and will be more expansive in the upcoming games. We have the players to do it. Not that he cares, but i can support the manager if he plays progressive football and let's the boys play.

09 Jan 2026 08:10:48
The team always plays better against teams who don't want to sit deep and play on the counter. It's those kind of teams who cause us trouble usually with powerful runners breaking through our unfit midfield.

The other problem with playing against the park the bus teams is that they can handle our slow buildup passing game easily. We only score from opposition mistakes at the moment. Relying on wirtz for a moment of magic is too unreliable. We should counter attack the counter attack with accuracy and speed. This is where we miss Trent, his passing to Salah or mane could open up teams like a surgeons scalpel.

09 Jan 2026 08:51:05
That's right King.

We haven't got the right quality at the moment, shown by poor final ball and lack of clear chances, to carve up teams in the final third. At the moment that's partly due to injuries, and AFCON, but Mo and Isak weren't playing well.

That's bizarre when you think how much we spent on offensive players.

The only one who we haven't seen much of offensively at all is Kerkez. So perhaps if we gave him that bit more freedom it would help our chance creation. We're too predictable atm. To do that we may need to change midfield as we can't carry Macallister any longer.

09 Jan 2026 12:01:34
There's no point saying 'we should'. The simple fact is, we haven't. The fact we haven't down to mis-management rather than player capability. Going to Arsenal and keeping them scoreless isn't a bad effort at any time and is a positive step forward. Ten games unbeaten is also a positive step forward - especially with the current injuries and player availability - but we have to rake the next step from 'positive steps / signs' and start to take games by the scruff of the neck.

We are good enough to do it with the squad we have + now it's time for Slot to introduce a system that plays to our strengths.

09 Jan 2026 12:02:22
If either manager had been brave enough then there could have been goals last night.

Yes, frimpongs crosses were poor but he nothing to aim for. Liverpool tallest attacking player was on the opposite line making no effort to attack the penalty area most. of the time.

08 Jan 2026 22:35:11
I wish Martinelli no end of pain or misery. I don't know what could possess someone to see an injured person on the floor, and rather than aid or ignore, he decides to throw a football at them, then attempts to drag them off the pitch. Absolute piece of work.

And now we have Arteta defending him. He has installed these types of values into his players, the underhanded type that we used to criticise Mourinho and other dinosaurs for. I. e. Time wasting, diving, crowding opposition players or the referee, whining and complaining incessantly about anything, believing the world is against them and understanding that they have to resort to such tactics.

I will cheer for anyone but Arsenal for the title this year, even City.

08 Jan 2026 22:42:05
I'm here with you brother, it was disgraceful.

08 Jan 2026 22:53:04
Damn him. Disgusting player.

08 Jan 2026 22:57:31
As an Arsenal fan, I can't condone what Martinelli did and can only put it down to a moment of madness. He'll go home, reflect on this and know that he was insanely wrong to do what he did. I believe he'll even feel remorse.

I find it absurd that anyone would think Arteta instilled this in him. It's an isolated incident by this player. As for the rest of your rhetoric, we all saw enough of your players rolling about the ground, time wasting, diving, whining and complaining incessantly. Arsenal aren't unique in that respect.

08 Jan 2026 22:58:52
Calm down! Deary me. I've just listened to your own manager give an interview saying that he shouldn't have done what he did, but in the heat of the moment how was he supposed to know he was actually injured. If he'd have known that then there is no way he would have reacted the way he did.

He gave a very honest and balanced opinion I thought.
I don't condone what Martinelli did but you're equally as bad for your sad comments. I don't think any Gooners will lose sleep about you not wanting us to win the title either.

08 Jan 2026 23:00:32
, Mango im with you mate.

08 Jan 2026 23:04:35
You're clearly losing sleep by being on this page. Additionally Slot is a reserved manager, I don't think he's ever lost his temper so that doesn't excuse what the little rat did. He was quite clearly injured as he wasn't touched as he went down.

08 Jan 2026 23:06:37
Ok gooner but he's still a Cnut simple.

08 Jan 2026 23:09:44
There is absolutely zero excuse for it and I'm even more enraged Slot has been so considerate over it.

Anybody with functioning eyes could see it was a potentially bad one.

He throws the ball at him, knees him in the back to edge him off and then when that doesn't work he throws him off.

There is no defence to that. At all. It's a disgrace from a professional footballer.

Martinelli is a complete bell end and anybody even remotely trying to justify or defend it is a bell end as well.

08 Jan 2026 23:11:15
Arteta literally tried to defend him. Saying he didn't mean to do it, laughable comment.

08 Jan 2026 23:16:15
Gooner, anyone saying a moment of bad behaviour reflects the ethos of your team is wrong.

It was an aberration, but a really disgraceful one. As Szob said, a player's health is more important than winning.

One Gooner totally lost his head. I do think a ban is in order as we can't have a precedent of clearly injured players being dragged around, but if it is a serious injury then I suspect Martinelli will be subject to a serious insurance claim. All of us know that you literally cannot touch someone injured on the ground unless you are a medical professional. If someone has, for example, an acl and you push them around - you may well aggravate the injury, and be liable for huge damages. If you do that in anger, then it's way more serious - aggravated assault.

It's a big deal.

08 Jan 2026 23:20:06
Mango best post this year for me.
How Martinelli didn't see red is beyond me.
Ref saw everything and if he says he didn't, then VAR did.
God forbid if Martinelli has exacerbated an already serious (highly likely) injury.
You could potentially disable somebody by doing that (from early years everyone knows that you never move someone until you know what might have transpired) and to have his so called.

Manager then act the way he did in the post match interview, well for me it speaks. volumes for the type of human being he is and the type of traits he is instilling in his team.
I'm with you Mango, anyone but Arse.
Get well soon Connor ❤️☘️.

08 Jan 2026 23:23:24
Gooner Jim, is that "calm down" a stupid reference from a comedy show from the 90s, anyway you are a very boring dirty team, Martinelli first threw the ball at him when he was on the floor, then leaned into Bradley with legs n then pushed him off the pitch all while the lad looked seriously injured ya muppet.

08 Jan 2026 23:26:02
What Martinelli did was disgraceful but when players go down feigning injury 10+ times a game then is it that surprising that he wouldn't immediately think that Bradley was seriously hurt. This is something that needs to be stamped out of the game. We have one of the worst offenders in the league in Mac unfortunately.

08 Jan 2026 23:34:44
I enjoyed Arsenal when I was a kid, played some great football.

Unfortunately Arteta is a horrible, very unlikeable little man who's personality has rubbed off on that team. Falling over at every touch and banking on free kicks and corners. Might well be the worst team in my memory to win the league.

08 Jan 2026 23:36:18
Gooner Jim.
You might not lose sleep but your certainly bothered as you've come on the Liverpool pages to comment.
What Martinelli did was cowardly, disrespectful and down right disgusting. Just because he's used to Arsenal play acting and time wasting doesn't mean everyone does it.

08 Jan 2026 23:36:27
Gooner Jim, don't make excuses for him! If he thought Bradley wasn't actually injured why not just try to help him up? Same way Gabriel did with wirtz!

08 Jan 2026 23:40:04
This is how fickle and biased football fans are.

What Martinelli did was inexcusable yet here you two are making excuses for him. Your team is an image of your manager who is horrible, cheating little turd so it's not a stretch to say he's instilled this attitude into his players.

08 Jan 2026 23:49:35
Arsenal have shown the rest of the league that playing "anti-football" ie diving, cheating, call it what you like, can and does win games and stifle the opposition by continual breaks in play and time wasting.

Take for example the amount of time Arsenal took to take the final corner of the game tonight. Same as at Anfield, zero urgency. The ref should have just blown the whistle.

Teams have taken Arsenal's lead this season in mastering the dirty arts and dirty tricks and it's now a big stain on the PL and the quality of the football. So if LFC are doing the same, which we definitely are this season I hate to say, it's because that's the way the refs have allowed and directed the game to go. Can't beat them, u have to join them. So Arsenal fans enjoy what you brought to the top end of the table.

08 Jan 2026 23:56:33
Spot on Mango.

As for the moaning ass Gooners, they're just rattled because they know their about to commit the biggest bottle job since Newcastle 95/ 96 😂.

09 Jan 2026 00:39:00
Made me laugh when the commentator talked about their final corner: "This is the set-piece Arsenal have spent the whole second half trying to get".
It sums up their anti-football. The roar that goes around their stadium when they get a free kick or corner.

The diving that goes on around the box. The fist-clenching from Legohead when their player manages to con the referee.
Horrible, dirty team typified by Martinelli.

09 Jan 2026 01:00:11
Arsenal fans, worst fans ever!

09 Jan 2026 01:26:31
Arsenal are the worst team in the league for cheating. i've watched them live a few times and what i noticed is on attacking corners they are the most aggressive physical players i've ever witnessed. But when it comes to defending around their own box or defensive corners they go down quicker than players in la liga.

I used to love arsenal they always played beautiful football. This tripe these days is stoke with a lot more quality. They have a good team they don't need to do these things.

09 Jan 2026 01:27:36
Darwin, not to mention Trossard screaming when Connor didn't push him to the ground. Should have been a second yellow for simulation. Thought baldylocks might have had a better grip on the game.

09 Jan 2026 02:17:24
Imagine Arteta's response if Bradley and Martinelli's positions had been reversed. I imagine Arteta wouldn't have been of the same opinion. I'm surprised VAR kept quiet.

09 Jan 2026 03:37:43
Well VAR also kept quiet when Wirtz was clipped by Trossard. I would say that's a pen in this day and age. Never played the ball but there was contact. City yesterday got a very similar decision in their favour.

{Ed078's Note - the commentators noted that if Wirtz had the ball within reach, it would give VAR a decision to make. Why? Can I trip someone if the ball is further away? When is a foul not a foul? For the record, I don't think there was much in it.

09 Jan 2026 03:59:08
Well there are some farcical decisions Ed as u know this day and age and the inconsistency is the same. I'd like to see a much higher bar for what is a foul and a lot more yellow cards for diving.

If someone is say pulled to the ground on a corner and a pen is given, they are often nowhere near the ball but it's still a foul. So ball within reach or not I don't see that matters. I recall the ball being close to Wirtz since he'd just touched it if memory serves.

I find the commentators generally agree with the refs. Job security.

09 Jan 2026 05:55:25
Bad moment for Martinelli who has come out and publicly apologised.

So what is the actual issue we're holding on to now?

09 Jan 2026 07:22:24
Pity we didn't have a Tommy Smith type player on the pitch to absolutely throttle Martinelli. And that's another thing our players should of been all over him but no they are to bloody nice.

{Ed025's Note - im not defending Martinelli in the slightest Endo but its got to the stage now where we dont know if a player is genuinely injured or not these days, MacAllister at it again last night rolling around after the slightest touch then Slot coming out and decrying cheating..the bloody cheek of the guy!, i was actually bored to death by the time that happened though mate..

09 Jan 2026 08:22:53
To hell with Martinelli and his fake apology. Let's hope what goes around comes around. Shame we don't have a Souness in the team who would have snapped the little cretin in half.

09 Jan 2026 08:39:32
"Ed078's Note - the commentators noted that if Wirtz had the ball within reach, it would give VAR a decision to make".

That was exactly what I thought. And like you, I didn't think there was anything in it even tho, we have seen those given.

09 Jan 2026 10:04:18
Gooner Jim. typical. Sh! th@us. Manager, players, fans.

09 Jan 2026 22:25:27
@25, I actually disagree with you on this one. I played contact sports from the age of 7 to my late 30's and have seem a fair number of serious injuries and, as a player, you know instinctively if it is a bad one.

Even watching on the goggle box you could tell from the lad's immediate reaction. I suspect the Arsenal players nearest to the incident knew as well, they didn't exactly charge to Martinelli's defence.

{Ed025's Note - i think some seen that it was bad WDW but maybe not Martinelli, he was too close and knew there was no contact by him, its plain watching it on tv and im not making excuses for him but it did happen very fast, it looked bad though and Bradley screaming should have been a clue, i should declare that i have no sympathy for Martinelli..

08 Jan 2026 22:29:22
With a combative midfielder and a top class CB we would p. the league I still believe we are a better team than Arsenal but they have been more consistent this season but to me don't look like champions.

08 Jan 2026 22:31:46
If Kerkez keeps improving he's going to be mega.

{Ed025's Note - very decent tonight SP..

08 Jan 2026 22:43:32
Kerkez will come good lad's. I really felt very sorry for him at the beginning. He was all over the place because of Slot's ridiculous tactics and then he got dropped even though he played very well the match before.

08 Jan 2026 23:42:45
2nd half was best I have seen of Kerkez for sure.

08 Jan 2026 23:43:37
Saka is all kinds of trouble mate and he was mostly in milos pocket. Brave and energetic play.

09 Jan 2026 00:40:05
Thought Macallister had a decent game too. Even Konate was fairly solid.

09 Jan 2026 03:39:05
Kerkez needs to work on his timing a bit but otherwise grew into the game and was fantastic second half. I think the second half will do wonders for morale and confidence. I think it helps Slot too.

09 Jan 2026 05:28:55
Also worth noting that Gakpo played Kerkez on the overlap more than once. Progress indeed.

09 Jan 2026 05:39:01
Saka is a good player but I've never seen someone get so much praise for what they do.

09 Jan 2026 08:40:54
When Saka booted Kerkez in the mid-section then you know he head was gone and Kerkez was in it. Very good game from him.

08 Jan 2026 20:58:17
Good Evening Eds. It looks like there has been a focus on young defenders in the market so far with Ndukwu, Ndiaye, and Adekoya. Just curious if you know if these players have all been long term targets?

I believe Ndukwu and Ndiaye both played at the U17 World Cup and was curious if there was interest before that, if you know.

Thanks!

{Ed001's Note - I don't know mate, they are kids, it is hard to find out info on kids.}

08 Jan 2026 23:02:43
Ed1 checking out the youngsters is frowned upon in certain circles.

09 Jan 2026 08:42:17
@phil, not sure The Dumpster frowns upon any of that, "allegedly".

08 Jan 2026 18:41:17
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 20 - Quick Round Up

09 Jan 2026 05:16:44
That's for the round up Ed. Much appreciated.

08 Jan 2026 17:32:35
ED001, I was talking to my mates about players who were good enough but for some reason that never did make the grade at Liverpool. But remember Adam Hamill, I seen him play and he had plenty of skill n was quick, seemed to be a knocker to play for us .

Do you know why it never happened, I saw his stats of who he'd played for afterwards but nothing looked like he was the player who id thought he'd be.

{Ed001's Note - he wasn't very good mate. Was fine at youth level, but couldn't make the step up.}

08 Jan 2026 18:04:23
Yeah, I remember a bit of buzz around him. If football is at all like cricket, there are lots of young players with innate talent and promise - but few of them have that other-wordly drive and self-belief to make the step up, and the application to keep improving every day.

This is by no means a criticism of those who don't "make it". I just think elite sportsmen/ women are more obsessively driven than most mortals.

I do also think sports science has some way to go in handling young players. Too many pick up a destructive series of injuries when playing in their late teens and early 20s. Robbie, Owen and even Heskey saw their fitness issues hobble their careers way too early on.

We got lucky with Stevie G. Maybe he played less games as a teen for us?

08 Jan 2026 18:06:38
Thats when I watched him . he looked a lot better than most, just shows you the difference in the step up between youth n first team . did he have a attitude or fall out with people aswel.

{Ed001's Note - there is a huge difference. He just didn't have that will or desire to succeed that you need to keep driving you on. It often works like that when they stand out at any level, they can lose their way as they are better than their peers and lose their targets to better. Often players get their drive from trying to beat someone else, whether it be the player currently occupying the position they want or an opponent. He just seemed to think he was there and ready but still had a lot to do.}

08 Jan 2026 18:40:02
ED001, shame really, I get what you mean with the drive and desire, Jordan Henderson and James Milner are the perfect examples of that. thanks for the feedback Ed.

{Ed001's Note - Michael Jordan is probably the best example though. As he said in that documentary about himself, he would literally make up reasons in his head to start a beef with an opponent to drive himself on. That is another level of competitiveness.}

08 Jan 2026 18:58:45
A guy I knew was genuinely a brilliant young player. He joined the youth team at a top League 1, then Premiership club at the time. He spent a couple of days there with someone who went on to become one of our best 90s midfielders, and very quickly realised he could not compete with that singular vision, and drive to succeed.

These guys are just on a different level. Personally, I think Man U has put too much faith in youth players who show the talent, but not the application.

08 Jan 2026 19:01:43
They recently asked MJ if his Bulls would beat the current LA Lakers. Jordan's response was that the Bulls would win by a few points. When pressed on why a "few points", he said, "because we're in our 60s now. " 🤣. Born winner.

08 Jan 2026 19:05:03
It's also why most top sports players are not easy people to get on with: in normal life, stubbornness is a nasty personal quality, but it's a key factor in sporting success.

08 Jan 2026 19:17:57
Any other past promising Liverpool players that stand out? I remember watching Richie Partridge and Jordan Rossiter and thought they'll make it but never did unfortunately.

08 Jan 2026 19:20:09
As a youngster I played high level cricket. I was captaining the mens county team when I was 15. I was approached by the England setup and asked if I would come train at the academy, at which point I said no. I then discovered going out with mates and girls!
I think I had so much pressure and expectation at such a young age I ended up just getting fed up with it all.


Do I regret it, absolutely! But never mind, still had a good innings so far!

{Ed025's Note - love it Stuie..

08 Jan 2026 20:00:33
I know Adams brother, Leigh, very well.

08 Jan 2026 22:12:00
I know his brother Mark extremely well. The force is strong in him!

08 Jan 2026 22:46:50
Love it S2 😂.

08 Jan 2026 23:15:57
From my experience in sport younger siblings often make it, as they spend their lives battling against a rival with a size, strength and maturity advantage, they learn to win against the odds.

09 Jan 2026 00:36:48
I think the player I was genuinely most excited about for the longest time was Harry Wilson. Ripped up the youth leagues and is currently showing his potential. I know he might not ever have been top level, but I love seeing great players come through the ranks.

08 Jan 2026 16:58:41
Mane of Wolves looks like one who's going to be commanding a ridiculous fee at some point.

{Ed025's Note - thats MOTD fever Bob, hes only starting out just yet mate and while he has been quite impressive he is still very young, a lot of things can happen to a lad of his age...like birds, hanger on mates and booze...well it did for me.. :)

08 Jan 2026 17:51:44
The fact his surname is Mane is a big plus.

08 Jan 2026 18:05:27
I'm always wary of signing a young winger who skins us in a game. Remember Mark Kennedy?

08 Jan 2026 19:05:24
Thought he looked miles away against us recently. Never passed the ball and kept losing it trying to beat his man.

Obviously very young a plenty of room for growth, but I saw nothing exciting personally.

08 Jan 2026 20:51:07
Kroupi of Bournemouth?

08 Jan 2026 22:07:17
Kroupi is very good still a baby but I honestly think he will be a great player in time.

08 Jan 2026 16:13:11
Have a feeling we win tonight to throw the cat amongst the pigeons.

Be hilarious if Arsenal still manage to finish second in a one horse race.

08 Jan 2026 16:52:21
Fingers crossed mate.

08 Jan 2026 17:00:57
I've seen stranger things in football.
Wouldn't be surprised at all to see Arsenal bottle it.

08 Jan 2026 17:05:47
It kind of would make sense for us to utterly thump Arsenal, then go and lose the two following games, against Barnsley then Burnley.

We're having that kind of season it seems.

08 Jan 2026 17:28:59
We don't even have a Centre Forward do we?

It'll be like 99% of all our other games this season. Absolutely Boring.

08 Jan 2026 17:41:01
I can see Arsenal scoring within the first five minutes.
Hope I'm wrong because if they do we will be in serious trouble.

08 Jan 2026 17:46:27
A performance would be nice. thump arsenal though. not so sure.

08 Jan 2026 17:51:23
We should have another bore fest and then win by a controversial goal which should have been ruled out by VAR, but didn't.

It will be so much fun if that happened!

08 Jan 2026 19:10:53
I've seen posts like this go tits up too many times this season to have any hope in this being the case, the best we can hope for imo is a narrow loss 2-1 or 1-0, otherwise it can be embarrassing, personally think it'll end 3-1, with them dominating us for large parts.

08 Jan 2026 16:12:22
Ned/ Victor any info on Nico Sch now Bayern are out the equation?

08 Jan 2026 16:49:47
Great ball carrying player, decent passing range too, a unit.

08 Jan 2026 14:13:55
First Ndukwe (17) from Vienna,
then Adekoya (19) from Burney (although he is a scouser)
and now it looks like possibly Ndiaye (18) from Amitie.

All young CBs for the U21s. Clearly we don't have a lot of faith in what we have there at the moment. All we need now is a similar approach to the first team CB setup.

08 Jan 2026 17:00:22
And we'll still end up signing somebody else who is 18 right now for 75million from a redbull when they are 24.

08 Jan 2026 12:55:20
Scumbag Coote avoids a red card.

08 Jan 2026 13:09:05
It's absolutely disgusting, but nothing surprises me anymore with this shameful so called justice system. There is no punishment too severe for sick animals like Coote.

08 Jan 2026 14:00:12
I'm sure he claimed it was Klopp's fault he had that grot on his laptop.

08 Jan 2026 14:04:00
Funny how the law doesn't apply to those who have money.

No justice in justice. Just injustice.

08 Jan 2026 17:02:14
Not sure he's got any money to be honest. I remember seeing he was destitute and working for just eat or something like that recently.
Shame eh.

08 Jan 2026 17:32:25
The law in this country is as corrupt as him.

Protects monsters. And locks others up for Facebook comments.

08 Jan 2026 12:18:39
Looks like Bournemouth have unearthed another diamond in 19 year old Eli Junior Kroupi who now has seven goals in only seven league starts, we'll probably be chasing his signature in a couple of years time.

08 Jan 2026 13:05:09
He looks a special talent indeed, he's only started 7 games and bagged 7 goals, first teenager to do it since Dele Alli, hopefully his career doesn't go that way.

08 Jan 2026 15:04:15
Watched his dad (Elie Kroupi) play in French second division during my time living in the country. Pretty good player.

Read an article about him and his dad advised him to go to B'mouth as a youngster even tho, Elie Junior he had better offers. Seems to be a good decision as he is getting game time and proving himself.