Liverpool Banter 4

17 Aug 2026 00:43:37
Gakpo played today so he isn't on the cards for a transfer away...?
Is that the logic? :)

Anyways, I hope Gakpo stays. I think the attacking group is stronger with him in it especially with Ekitike likely not at his best until the 27/28 season.

It could all work out magically well, but put it this way - I'd much rather have Gakpo's experience in the squad than.

Very wary that our attacking group on the wings would be so light in experience including in the Prem and playing together.



Was looking at our first team and if Gakpo were to leave then it'd only be Harvey, Rio and Chiesa left on the wings (plus the real kid kids). Combined in their Liverpool careers, the average mins/game is 42.

Throw in Barcola and Mbaye then I'd be excited obviously by the prospect. Just very aware that they'll have more than their on-pitch performances to focus on.

17 Aug 2026 01:09:48
Obvs Munoz is there too, but hasn't played yet. He looks a baller tho, aye!?

17 Aug 2026 01:47:20
Exactly, Harvey and Chiesa should be moved, not Gakpo.

17 Aug 2026 02:14:07
Bang on, Chewy. Harvey and Chiesa should be long gone from the club.
I also wouldn't be adverse to selling Gakpo if it meant we signed a top CM or FW.
I would take Marmoush.
Munoz will be a sensation this season.

17 Aug 2026 03:18:32
Without Gakpo and while Ekitike is injured, who plays striker when Isak gets injured?

17 Aug 2026 03:27:15
I have been a huge advocate for Chiesa but he has been disappointing so far, including under Iraola. I maintain that all players, including him, should be given a clean slate, but it seems like even AI doesn't fancy him much despite having the entire pre-season with him. It's time to move him on.

Elliott is an enigma though. He clearly has the technical ability and the willingness to run through brick walls for us, but it just isn't clicking for him. I wouldn't be too adverse to keeping him around, but like Chiesa, he doesn't seem to be favoured much by Iraola, too.

Nyoni and Koumas have surpassed him imo and although I have a soft spot for him, it's time he is moved on as well.

Gakpo should stay. He has looked much better under Iraola and is looking far more dangerous. He also finally uses his left more too, which makes me think that him constantly cutting back inside is how Slot wanted him to play. I think he deserves to stay with us even if Barcola and Mbaye comes in. But like all players, if he wants to go then he can go.

17 Aug 2026 03:40:59
Jones should look at Elliot and then out his head down and work his ar*e off in training to win a spot in the team here.

Elliot is an example of a kid who most likely would have had a better career as a squad player rather than pursuing being a regular starter at a lower club (or bigger club I guess).



For every Harry Wilson there are many many many more Harvey Elliots.

Chiesa is toast, unfortunately. Love the guy, his personality and attitude. Top top top in those areas. But his conditioning is just so bad for a first team player that we need to be able to compete.

17 Aug 2026 03:41:33
I would sell Gakpo so long as we brought in a striker to cover Ekitike. If Isak gets injured, we're up s*** creek without a paddle, or a boat, and our feet tied together.

17 Aug 2026 04:54:29
Marmoush is absolutely bang average. He was average before Frankfurt and he's been average after Frankfurt. He had a golden spell of about 18 months.

17 Aug 2026 06:03:03
Would Barcola cover Isak? Apparently he was a striker right throughout his youth, only moving to the wing when he was 17.

17 Aug 2026 06:13:22
FastDog, not sure mate, but didn't Jamie Carragher play striker through his youth football?
:D

{Ed078's Note - he did. He battered me in a Liverpool school boys semi.

17 Aug 2026 08:06:25
The only wing Elliot has been on are chicken wings and a lot of them. He needs to be sold for his own good.

As Tony Hawke says, Elliot has taken what would Jan Molby do literally and eat.

17 Aug 2026 08:11:18
Think Gakpo wants to go, so like what’s being said a new 9 should be brought in not adverse to Marmoush.

17 Aug 2026 08:14:53
In the last 3 seasons Gakpo is the 11th best player in the PL league for combined goals and assists and 10th for goals scored.

Personally I think he's massively underrated, including in price.

Yes, he can be frustrating to watch, but goals win games.

17 Aug 2026 08:22:04
I think the biggest annoyance I have with Elliot is he seems to have a bad attitude or unwillingness to learn and grow as he believes his own hype.
Yesterday, during the first friendly, he was put on at RW and kept drifting inside and dropping back to get the ball, and we then had no outlet on the right, and Iraola was telling him to stay in position but he continued to come back in instead of following his coach's directions.


I just feel that's been him at Liverpool to a tee, doing what he wanted position wise unless he had Salah ahead of him keeping him right, but he was out in the dark until AI came in and he should be busting a gut to listen to him and follow him to show he should still be here.

17 Aug 2026 09:37:27
I agree, CE. I can't comment on positioning, as I don't know what instructions he was given by Iraola, but what I do know is that he had 1 good season under Klopp in '23 with an impressive assist rate, but never came close to replicating that sort of form. He was sharp, quick, had good link-up play and was notably slimmer.

He's been steadily gaining weight since then, but looks to have put on a substantial amount in the last 12 months. It's a sign of a lack of discipline and a weak mindset; if he spent less time in the hairdressers and Maccy D's, he might get more game time, but not at Liverpool. Time to move him on.

17 Aug 2026 10:54:01
Elliott is not a technical player... He's best played further forward to link midfield and the forward players, and he's substandard at that as well. Simply not good enough at this level, along with Chiesa (never recovered from injury), Endo (too old), Tsimikas (can't defend), Koumas (too raw), etc.



It's okay having sentiment, but not to the detriment of the team. We need reliable backups for four competitions.

{Ed001's Note - sorry but Elliott is technical, it is physicality he lacks, not technicality.}

17 Aug 2026 11:48:45
Fair enough, Ed001. Maybe I was generalising and basing my opinion on where Iraola put him in earlier pre-season games. He kept running deep to receive the ball and either lost it when pressed or played it backwards or sideways. Even in transition, he wasn't able to advance the ball and play it simple.

In that particular scenario, to me, he's not good enough technically to shield it, turn and pass. Where do you think his best position is when fit? I agree that in Wirtz's position, when he's facing goal, he has the ability to play the final pass and shoot (esp in transition), but he's just not intricate enough in those tight spaces where there's less space.

I don't see him as a forward either, no pace (didn't he have this in his youth at Fulham? ), physicality (as you pointed out), and inability to take on a man.

{Ed001's Note - he can't shield it because he lacks the physical strength to hold off opponents, not because he is not technical. He keeps running deep because he is lacking confidence and that is why he plays the way he is facing.}

17 Aug 2026 12:38:02
Harvey also doesn't have the first step to turn a defender and beat him with pace to create space.

I think last season has ruined Harvey.

Totally projection here, but I really wish he stayed last season and continued to improve here at the club.

{Ed025's Note - he could do a job Faith...serving burgers at McDonalds.. :)

17 Aug 2026 08:57:25
Ed78 he battered you with a semi?! 😂😂😂

{Ed078's Note - I walked into that one.

16 Aug 2026 23:42:16
Looking online and from January 2026 there was some reports of us willing to pay 156m for Bellingham or money plus Macca. I wonder if that's the deal Victor was on about, although unless the player wants to move I don't see it happening.

17 Aug 2026 01:04:42
You're right, if the player doesn't want to move, it won't happen.

17 Aug 2026 01:07:55
It's not happening. He's highly valued at Real, by Perez and Mourinho. A few rumours were doing the rounds after Jude's father and agent were reported to have had meetings with the hierarchy in Madrid over contract negotiations.

That, coupled with the Vini/Arsenal scandal, which anyone with half a brain knows was a pure negotiation tactic, left the door wide open to all sorts of speculation, all of which is rubbish. Belingham is essentially untouchable atm.

17 Aug 2026 01:25:34
Where would Bellingham fit in our midfield?

17 Aug 2026 02:31:14
In the middle I think. ;)

17 Aug 2026 07:45:52
On behalf of IKFA's everywhere, I think Jude might get a run of games at RB. It is based on the forum, the place that people want to put some of our best players.

17 Aug 2026 09:37:45
Other than character and leadership, I'm not sure Jude Bellingham helps our midfield.

16 Aug 2026 21:56:08
Club in talks with Palace over Wharton apparently just read.

16 Aug 2026 23:08:48
I wonder, is this with a view to moving Sobzo further forward.

16 Aug 2026 23:12:44
read where?

16 Aug 2026 23:47:49
Quick Google of Wharton shows an article on Goal that cites an article on Football365, basically "revealing" that we have had contact with the player.

17 Aug 2026 01:08:47
Move Dom further forward where? On Wirtz's back?

17 Aug 2026 08:14:07
We are going with a 4,1,4,1 formation. It's ground breaking.

16 Aug 2026 21:55:52
Why are we getting an
Extremely overpriced LW again?

In still got smacked we aren't going for a decent winger and a DM...

Honestly mental it's so obvious that is what we need and yet few are linked.

16 Aug 2026 22:52:02
Just because names aren't mentioned on social media doesn't necessarily mean that the club aren't looking at people. Nobody on this site or any other media site had a clue that we were bringing Munoz and Araujo in.

16 Aug 2026 23:23:41
That's true, WDW. But I find it bonkers we've not replaced Salah when we knew he was leaving months before he did.

Going into the new season with Chiesa, our only right sided winger, is simply not good enough.

16 Aug 2026 23:29:14
We don't need a dm. Nobody actually plays with a dm anymore, it's like some are stuck in Football Manager 2000.

Grav is a world class number 6 and will prove it.

You can bookmark that if you like.

16 Aug 2026 23:45:03
Wasn't tonight, Rio... Went to the game and he was awful, the game passed him by. Was a complete passenger and can't remember any decent touches he had apart from the shot at the end that clipped the bar.

17 Aug 2026 00:05:06
Rio and Munoz didn't look good out of position. Play them in their best positions.

The Lewis Koumas guy looked good on the right there compared to everyone else, even Barcola isn't a right sided player.

17 Aug 2026 00:45:39
@Riosstepover, Gravenberch's only impressive season for us came playing in dm as a No.6. He was in the PL Team of the Year when we won the league. He generally looks lost when given license to play further forward.

A number 6 is a defensive midfielder. Are you confused?

17 Aug 2026 01:09:10
So, if we don't play someone with '6' on their back then we can play without a DM?

17 Aug 2026 01:09:20
@LFC8, I don't think anybody could replace Salah in his prime. The whole team needs to adjust, and we need a new Plan A, which I think AI will do. I honestly can't think of an lw playing at the moment who comes anywhere near Mo at his best.

17 Aug 2026 01:09:50
Who's the other extremely overpriced LW we already bought?

17 Aug 2026 04:20:07
Sorry, Rio, you are having a laugh if you don't think we need an out and out dm.

I'm not Slot or Iraola, I don't know the game the way they do. But, if we are going to play high press and highline, I think a destroyer type is needed to let our other lads tick.



Maybe not against your Hulls etc, but for us to have a successful season that, imo, is what we are most lacking. I love Grav, not a huge fan of Macca... but regardless, neither of these are the holder this system needs.

17 Aug 2026 05:18:26
The fact that we all raved about Grav being amazing in our title run as a 6, and he hasn't played that way last season, so my opinion would be he stays as a 6 and we will be fine for now.

And why people keep saying about replacing Salah, which you never can, that was why we bought Isak and Wirtz, they are his replacements, so watch this season and give them the chance as I believe they will both be our stars this season.

17 Aug 2026 07:47:55
Beat me to it @Chewy, I'd be interested to know too.

17 Aug 2026 08:11:51
It was never about replacing Salah,
Salah was more of a system than a player,
The decline began with the things around him,
Certain players moving on, other players getting older.
Even if you could buy a near as damn it replacement for him, you still had to put the support system around him.
It's a new system that's needed.

17 Aug 2026 11:04:47
Well put @Hoof, I agree with Salah being the cutting edge for a particular system that isn't there any more.

16 Aug 2026 21:39:27
I know the ITK are saying transfer is done etc….
But things change daily and as they are not posting maybe this is the case and Liverpool have moved on.
Defence has been addressed with an addition and still have a few to come back from their injuries.
We have added a new foward attacker and again players to come back albeit a longer timescale.


RW is where the hole is but we do have a few players that can play in that position.
Maybe there won’t be anyone else to come in until Jan ??
I hope for a few more additions but no one knows.

16 Aug 2026 22:00:22
RW, RB, DM, all required........Still!!!!!!

16 Aug 2026 22:27:55
Pretty sure there will be at least one or two new additions. Far more likely than not, I would say. I'd love a beast of DM and a winger, but I also think there's tactical fixes that could be made there. Everything will be a work in progress this year, I feel, but I'm excited for the ride.

I just hope by the end of the season, I hope it starts to look like something that could challenge for title the following season. A great second half of the season where our style and identity is flourishing and established.

I hope we keep Gakpo.

16 Aug 2026 22:56:48
Barcola, Mbaye and Wharton, I'd guess.

We have Bradley, Frimpong, Ramsay, Gomez and Araujo who can play RB. Three of those five are currently fit and are ready to play as required. The need to sign a RB isn't as pressing as other positions.

16 Aug 2026 23:09:19
Nonsense.

16 Aug 2026 23:14:41
Paranoia The Destroyer - The Kinks.

17 Aug 2026 07:50:42
It's a bit like Monty Python's 'word association ... football' on here.

16 Aug 2026 21:06:53
Barcola is out of PSG squad.
Let's hope we are nearly there with this one.

16 Aug 2026 22:57:35
Mbaye wasn't in the match dat squad either.

16 Aug 2026 21:02:11
Could Rodri now agreed to Barca mean Gavi to us?

16 Aug 2026 21:51:38
Hope not, injury prone, lightweight and not a defensive midfielder. Just another box to box midfielder and we've enough of those.

16 Aug 2026 21:55:14
Marc Casado instead por favor.

16 Aug 2026 22:13:11
Chema Andres, big physical unit who can dominate the middle of the park. That's who we should be after.

16 Aug 2026 22:13:34
Viktor, Gavi would be an excellent addition. Getting a defensive midfielder is easy - they're honestly not that rare. Find someone with a high work rate and stamina, who doesn't mind being a shadow for 90 minutes.

I honestly think it's the easiest position to buy for. Mascherano was hailed as brilliant and he was extremely limited technically.

16 Aug 2026 22:59:07
Nevada, I think the key is getting someone with physical presence, but just as important is someone who can progress the ball from a deep position by passing. We don't have that at the moment.

All of our starting midfielders want to dribble to progress the ball, and as soon as you press them from deep, they pass it backwards or sideways.

That's why our defenders always end up bringing the ball out. It would be nice for a midfielder to do that for a change (would add another layer to our game)!

Gavi is an improvement, but is still more of an attacking midfielder. I'm sure there are plenty of up and coming Spanish players from La Masia that can do this.

16 Aug 2026 23:00:38
Technical or not, it was always good fun watching him get stuck into the United team at every opportunity @Nevada. 🙂

16 Aug 2026 23:03:58
Stamina isn't a word you can use to describe a player who missed 46 games last year and had two serious long term injuries on the same knee. Added to the fact, Gavi is just another lightweight box to box number 8, any club taking that sicknote on would be stupid. Particularly in a physically demanding league.

16 Aug 2026 23:12:18
Gavi's got the knees of a penguin. No thanks. Too many injury concerns as is.

16 Aug 2026 19:19:41
Here it is:

Liverpool are edging closer to signing Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye. We expect both players to sign for Liverpool next week.

16 Aug 2026 19:47:51
Who's we?

16 Aug 2026 20:02:27
His alter egos/sock puppet accounts?

16 Aug 2026 20:04:08
Where's here?

16 Aug 2026 20:04:18
We? The government?

16 Aug 2026 20:18:46
Was this before or after you saw the teamsheet.

16 Aug 2026 21:15:52
The Royal we. Lads, it's Camilla posting.

16 Aug 2026 21:27:28
Your majesty, *bows*.

16 Aug 2026 19:10:55
Effin ell.... Barcola and Mbaye not even on the PSG bench... 🤔🤔

16 Aug 2026 19:36:09
Enrique & Iraola must have been reading the forum earlier, and seen how concerned 007 was with regards to Russian roulette being played with this transfer.

16 Aug 2026 19:37:28
Maybe they are hiding under it.

16 Aug 2026 20:59:36
"A chicken "

only proves i was right and you and ye entourage were totally wrong.

as i said if BB plays today and gets injured the player loses out, LFC loses out, and PSG loses out, just basic common sense! no brains needed?

17 Aug 2026 07:55:47
How did it prove you right, @007?
You would have been right if they had both played and each suffered an injury.
They didn't, and they didn't, so you didn't prove anything.
Schrodinger's football has arrived on the forum. 😉

{Ed078's Note - not a cat fan if I'm honest.