Liverpool Banter 4

05 Jun 2026 14:26:07
Iraola > Arteta

A properly fit team with good work ethic instilled into it should alone give us 20 points more compared to last season.

Current players will improve massively.

Wirtz will show everyone what he can do in an attacking team with multiple runners. Isak will finally get proper service. There will be several iconic marauding Kerkez runs. Szobo will do Szobo things. Diomande will prove to everyone he's a superstar and will establish an awesome partnership with Wirtz and Isak. At least two youngsters will be revelations as part of the squad.

Yes, you can be excited about next season!

Don't listen to people saying Iraola is a big risk. He's not; he's elite. This is simply his first shot at a big club with a big budget.

He took Mirandés, an unknown 2nd division team, to the Spanish Cup semi-finals after beating La Liga teams Celta Vigo, Villarreal and Sevilla.

Then he also takes Rayo Vallecano to the last four of the cup and wins promotion.

Fast forward to Bournemouth and he accomplishes consecutive best-ever finishes in the club history and gets them European football.

He's done all of this with minuscule budgets and with his clubs constantly selling their best players.

Crazy excited for the upcoming season!

05 Jun 2026 17:16:12
I am more looking for Ekitike and Wirtz partnership.

06 Jun 2026 00:06:14
Same but he'll be out for quite some time.

05 Jun 2026
New image uploaded to the
Liverpool Player Sightings page entitled, Let it be!

Click picture for larger image

05 Jun 2026 15:57:27
Ed001 do you see Iraola going to his old club Bournemouth for potential signings would Kroupi or Rayan be options for us as Diomende looks set for PSG and Barcola is too expensive and imo not good enough.

Cheers

Notsozippy

{Ed001's Note - I doubt he will have that much say.}

05 Jun 2026 17:05:13
He has to have some say, cause he is more of a football man than the data boys.

05 Jun 2026 17:20:13
Zippy, what makes you so sure Diomande is going to PSG when our very own and consistently proven ITKs all say the opposite?

05 Jun 2026 23:49:09
Oh me, me, pick me, sir!!! Is it because the glass is half empty, sir?. 😉

05 Jun 2026 13:44:15
Thank you Ed1 I'll keep a look out for it.
Have a great day mate

05 Jun 2026 14:04:20
Robbo to Spurs looks official now. Great signing for them. I would have preferred to see him head back north of the border but he deserves to do whatever he wants. He repaid that £8m fee many times during his time here.

05 Jun 2026 15:11:30
Repaid it every single season.

05 Jun 2026 15:17:20
Repaid and much much more. Wish him all the best.

05 Jun 2026 13:57:32
I think it’s clear we need to improve our squad as a whole not just starting 11 as we’ve been light on that for years. Obviously all costs money.

Do we know if we are looking at any out of contract players such as Wilson or Senesi (I know heavily linked with Spurs)? Sure there’s plenty of others around Europe available aswell?
Also do we know what the future holds for Elliott? Do you think his Anfield days are still over or would he have a chance with new manager?

05 Jun 2026 14:31:56
Senesi is off to Spurs. That's been done to death.
I assume you mean Harry Wilson. That won't happen either. He's just come off the back of his best season yet in the prem, and will want to be a starter, and that's never going to be the case at Liverpool. He will probably replace Gordon at Newcastle or something like that.

05 Jun 2026 14:44:10
Senesi off to Spurs - that hasn't been confirmed yet.

I think he means Callum, not Harry, to provide striker cover (and someone who has played with Isak recently) until Ekitike recovers.

I'm not so keen on that myself, instead, would rather we use youth like Koumas or Wright to provide cover, alongside Fede, Wirtz etc.

05 Jun 2026 15:25:23
Rabrizio, Senesi to Spurs has not been confirmed, and from my understanding, won't happen.

05 Jun 2026 15:26:00
Zed, I was giving credit with Harry, my God, Callum Wilson, really? Is that what we're reduced to?
We all know too well, sometimes there's some good free signings on offer, but that's not even scraping the bottom of the barrel, it's even worse.
Should be nowhere near Liverpool.

05 Jun 2026 16:24:31
Iraola will bring through 2/3 young players and improve some already in the squad, who will be 'like new signings'.

This is how any good coach should operate.

The energy he will generate will cause players to buy in and get excited again, and that will provide something more.



I can see a spend this window not unlike before, although we have far less saleable assets this time around.

05 Jun 2026 16:44:46
Sensei to Spurs has been reported by multiple sources who have all reported Robertson to Spurs, and they've been spot on. He's had a verbal agreement in place with them for a while by all accounts. No reason to think it won't go through.

05 Jun 2026 14:20:42
I agree, but I would look inward first.

Rio and Trey are already in first team squads, and given Iraola has an opportunity to work with the younger players whilst many senior guys are at the WC.

In defence, we have the younger 17-19 year olds that we have bought in the last 6-12m, along with Jacquet and Leoni coming back. I'd say central defence isn't essential to strengthen further, but someone like Senesi would be a no brainer to me, especially as the gaffer knows and has played him regularly. However, some folks do doubt his defensive awareness, including Ed001, and I haven't seen him play enough to argue with that. However, given his history with Iraola, if the gaffer thinks he can do a job to cover injuries and whilst Leoni and Jacquet play themselves into form, then it makes a lot of sense.

In midfield, we do need first team ready players, especially if Macca and/or Jones depart. Looks like we are linked with Wharton and Scott, along with Camara and a few others. For further depth we have Nyoni, McConnell, Bajcetic, Elliot who should either provide that dept or be sold on.

Up front, hopefully we get Diomande and other LW who can play up front. I would also be interested in Bowen, depending on how much he would cost. Left footed right winger with pace (although a bit slower now) who scores goals. Could be a decent option for 3 years whilst the newer players and academy prospects come through.

So out of the cheaper options, I would go with Senesi and Bowen

05 Jun 2026 17:16:00
Senesi makes no sense as a signing. He's left footed and weak in the air. I'd rather we looked at Zabarnyi from PSG on loan, as there's rumours he might be available, he's a very good centre back and right footed.

Honestly, don't see Bowen as an option, he's too old for starters and he's on big wages at West Ham, plus given who his father in law is, does anyone seriously think he's going to intentionally give himself domestic issues?

05 Jun 2026 18:22:09
Even Mac could outrun and outfight Danny Doughball, VV.

05 Jun 2026 19:35:40
Senesi is not at the level.

05 Jun 2026 13:10:52
Some of the players Iraola will probably be able to work with straight away in pre-season.

Goalkeepers:
Mamardashvili, Pecsi, Mrozek, Davies

Defenders:
Frimpong, Ramsay, Mabaya, Ndiaye, Ndukwe, Gomez, Jacquet, Leoni, Nallo, Kerkez, Beck, Chambers, Tsimikas

Midfielders:
Szoboszlai, Jones, Elliott, McConnell, Bajcetic, Nyoni, Koumas, Morrison

Forwards:
Chiesa, Wright, Abe, Rio, Gordon, Danns, Figueroa

Injured:
Jaros, Bradley, Ekitike

It's a pretty decent number of players. Might allay any fears people have about a delayed start. If we were to sign Wharton, you could add him to the list of midfielders as well, because he's not in the England squad. There's a chance Woodman might re-sign and be added as well.

Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Jacquet, Leoni, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Jones, Nyoni, Elliott, Chiesa and Rio in particular should all have their sights on catching Iraola's eye and earning regular minutes going into next season. That's a full starting eleven.

05 Jun 2026 15:36:12
Frimpong, Elliott and Chiesa simply aren't good enough, and Nyoni's not ready.

05 Jun 2026 15:55:34
Add Rio to your list too, Rome.

05 Jun 2026 16:09:53
Agree with you on Frimpong, Rome, but would be willing to give Elliot & Chiesa a chance.

05 Jun 2026 16:42:33
So Rome, do you not believe players can improve under a better coach?

I do, I'm not writing any of our players off under this new coach.

05 Jun 2026 16:46:43
MK,
At least 12 of those players probably won't be there to see pre-season. Definitely won't be there by the end of the window.

05 Jun 2026 16:51:14
Rome, Klopp said at the end of his final season that his biggest regret was not giving Elliott more game time. He's also still only 23. He may not have suited Slot's style, but Elliott is actually a number 10 who is best playing ahead of 2 DM's. Exactly how Iraola plays, and nobody can convince me that Kluivert is a better footballer than Elliott. I think Iraola joining gives Elliott a slim lifeline. Still only slim because Szoboszlai is also best as a 10, and Wirtz can cover there.

Frimpong looked very good when he had a license to go forward at speed. Chiesa has also looked best throughout his career in similar fast attacking sides. This is something Slot curbed, though, especially in his second season. It is a clean slate for players like this.

Nyoni and Rio, I just totally disagree. They are ready to play senior football and will not continue to develop if they're reduced to playing u21 football, which they're far too good for.

They should be getting more minutes off the bench next as part of their development.

Every single one of those players I listed has a fresh chance to fight for their place. The most exciting thing about a new manager for me, is how the squad will get re-assessed. I remember when Klopp came in and everybody thought Firmino was no good and we'd wasted £35m. Then Klopp built a whole system around him in the false 9. Mainoo looked like a bum under Amorim, then Carrick turned it around for him to such an extent he's now in the England squad and nominated for YPOTY.

I'm not saying these players will all of a sudden all come good, but many of them will get a chance to prove themselves in Iraola's first few weeks on the training ground. That is only a good thing and we certainly shouldn't totally write anyone off, from my experience of managerial changes.

05 Jun 2026 18:36:03
Some right negative blends on here despite Arne leaving.

05 Jun 2026 18:43:29
MK, I hope you're right and I'm wrong. Regards to Frimpong, I just think it was a mistake to buy him, which is obviously on Hughes. He's a wing-back in a side that doesn't play wing-backs. Regards to Chiesa, I just can't see it happening with us. Again, hope you're right. Regards to Elliott, prior to his injury he looked like he had a future with us.

Like it's been said on here, many times, I'm not sure what his best position is. As you say, he's got Wirtz and Szoboszlai ahead of him, and he certainly doesn't have the pace to play wide.

Ron, you are right regards to coaches being able to improve players. However, silk purse and sow's ears come to mind. Again, I hope you're right and I'm wrong.

05 Jun 2026 19:36:20
Chiesa is outta here, mate.

05 Jun 2026 19:52:01
I'd imagine Lucky will also be in that list, seeing as he made the bench a fair few times.

05 Jun 2026 13:05:24
There are some great clips of Iraola's first interview as our new manager. He seems to be very aware of the scale of the task before him and seems excited for the challenge.
I get some good vibes from him. Hopefully success is back on the menu.

05 Jun 2026 15:41:47
Also nice to see a manager with a smile on his face, he comes across very well.

05 Jun 2026 13:04:05
Am I the only one that likes Gakpo?
I think he could really flourish under Iraola.
If he stays, I think a lot of you are going to be pleasantly surprised.

05 Jun 2026 14:05:10
I also don't get the Gakpo hate. Most players looked bad under Slot last season. I'd rather keep Gakpo than spend big on Barcola.

05 Jun 2026 14:07:09
I like Gakpo but I can't pretend that he didn't just have an awful season.

That said, I wouldn't sell any players based on performances from last season and I would give them all a second chance to show what they can do under Iraola.

05 Jun 2026 14:12:17
It's a tricky one, and an issue set up by ourselves by giving him such a bumper contract last year.

On his previous contract of £120k/week, I think he offers a lot, and provides cover and continuity whilst we integrate yet more players into the squad and while Hugo is injured and Rio continues to learn and develop.

However, by giving him £250k (rather than, say, £160k-ish), we have made a rod for our own back as other players like Dom, Konate (albeit I sense he had a plan anyway), etc. will want to earn the same wages.

On ability and familiarity with the team, I would keep him, at least until January, to see whether he can cope with the Iraola intensity.

It's not like he's old, he should be coming into his prime now, and although he had a stinker last season, so did almost everyone.

However, if a £50-£60m+ offer comes in, it may be worthwhile cashing in and picking up a talent in the 20-24 age group to help Rio and provide a decent service - Barcola could be one, but maybe Malick Fofana may be of interest again. We also have Wirtz, who can play off the left (and arguably excels there for his country).

05 Jun 2026 14:43:32
He excels there (LW for Germany) because it's more of a free role LW, he spends 70,
-80% of the time centrally, so a flying LB like Kerkez should help if Wirtz starts there for us next season.

05 Jun 2026 14:56:34
Not many had a good season, Shipley.

05 Jun 2026 14:58:50
I liked Gakpo, but this season he was horrible, but I think a lot of it was down to poor coaching as the whole team was horrible last season.

05 Jun 2026 15:46:33
That's exactly my point, @Irish. It can't be coincidence that so many performances dropped at the same time, hence the clean slate with Iraola this season.

05 Jun 2026 15:58:10
Gakpo is a good player. Poor season but good player. He'll be back.

05 Jun 2026 17:20:44
Everyone had a poor season. Rather keep Gakpo than go for Barcola personally, but on the condition that he plays Kerkez in more when he overlaps!