Liverpool Banter 4

17 Aug 2026 09:55:33
Araujo and Jacquet are both massive upgrades on Konate and Gomez. For the first time since he signed, I think we’d actually cope okay if we were without Virgil for a few months. It’s taken us long enough, but Virgil will finally have a partner as good as Matip.

17 Aug 2026 10:02:00
Fingers crossed, MK. I think, if we had a good competitive back up for left back that could see us through the season defensively, Kerkez looks the weaker link right now, which isn't what I expected when Iraola came.

17 Aug 2026 10:03:07
Yeah, hopefully, Jacquet can remain fit and get a good campaign under his belt. Leoni too.

Confirms thinking behind Araujo loan now rather than committing 10s of millions on a permanent deal for a defender this window.

17 Aug 2026 10:11:24
Agree with your comment, also nice to see Frimpong show what he can do next to a player with better game awareness - I just hope it wasn't a one off!

17 Aug 2026 10:11:25
How Tsmiskas is still at the club is beyond me. I am sure he too would be 'I love the city and club' stuffs, ain't it? The guy couldn't manage 10 meaningful games in Italy.

17 Aug 2026 10:12:30
I thought the same, and got me thinking. Is there a world where we extend Virgil's contract for another year or two if he's happy playing less? And he retires at Liverpool?

17 Aug 2026 10:16:35
The good thing is, Jacquet looks quality but I think Leoni is the better player of the two.

17 Aug 2026 10:33:52
Agreed, MK, although will need to prove himself over a few months first, but definitely good first impressions. Jacquet definitely very good yday, but only 45mins, and will have much tougher tests.

I don't think it'll be smooth sailing. We'll have some rocky periods, and the team will take time to get back to that fast paced high press style, so I just hope the fans remain positive and back the team.



Very excited for the season ahead, especially if we can add Barcola and Mbaye. Again, I'm one of the minority who don't mind us holding on to Macca, think he could surprise a few this year.

Keeper is my main worry now, unfortunately, with Ali's injury record. I'm still not convinced Mama is the one, but hard to get a top class keeper who's willing to play 2nd fiddle to Ali when he's fit.

17 Aug 2026 10:51:15
I see Harry has a new account now. ;)

17 Aug 2026 10:53:43
@MK, spot on - Jacquet just played like a genuine footballer, light years ahead of Konate, although it's early days, of course. Be even better when Leoni gets back - we'll basically have four very good CBs capable of being starters, and when Ndukwe gets back...

17 Aug 2026 11:17:44
I've probably missed this on here, but what's the status with Ndukwe? Will it be the whole season he can't play, or can he get a permit during the season?
With these young fast central defenders, can any of them play a 6 role? I suppose it's leaning towards a 3 at the back with wingbacks, but I always used to enjoy seeing Agger carry the ball forward.

VVD did it a bit a few seasons ago, but we haven't had that confident type of defender for a while. All the risk has gone out of the game, and it's just inviting teams to come on to us. The idea of outscoring the opponent was always my favourite. Attack from the back and defend from the front!! Wishful thinking, I suppose, haha.

17 Aug 2026 11:36:21
Don't see Araujo being signed permanently, unless he has an absolutely barnstorming season. Which I can't see happening, because I think on what I seen yesterday Jaquet will be starting ahead of him. With Leoni also, who I really rate, due back from injury.

This is no slight on him, as I think he played well when he came on yesterday, but he'll be 28 by next summer. Too old for us to usually fork out the bones of £50m for. Also Ndukwe will be due back from his loan next summer too.

17 Aug 2026 12:13:09
@sobo25, if Ndukwe gets the right loan move he could pick up enough points to get a work permit and come back to Liverpool in January.

17 Aug 2026 07:23:31
Encouraged by the new options in defence, not excluding Frimpong, but there’s still huge gaps in our midfield when our press is played through.

Maybe Wirtz needs to be considered as a forward and not one of the midfield 3? We’d sacrifice the width on one side but have room for a Chema Andres type DM as insurance.

Or, our press needs to be better and the chances created need a high conversion rate, because we will concede chances and teams know it.



Still don’t have anyone in midfield who looks odds on to win a 50/50, including headers… I appreciate the game has moved on but tackling and duel winning will always be required. The whole PSG midfield do it regularly, we don’t seem to have anyone who can do it without fouling.

17 Aug 2026 08:51:09
I rekon the answer will be our team press, keeping the gaps small and limiting losing the ball in dangerous spaces.

Big ask tho lol.

17 Aug 2026 09:01:16
I agree, @Faith, the team will be the ones to plug the gaps.

17 Aug 2026 09:05:41
It's just going to take some time for the team to get on the same wave length with the new system style of setup etc. You've just got to hope the quality will help us through the first few games and then things will click.



The first half, for a majority of these pre season games, has been really good pressing, good interchanging, and quick incisive passing. The second half has been underwhelming, which is a bit worrying.

17 Aug 2026 09:19:00
The press will continue to improve. It's already come on leaps and bounds from what it was. The fitness is still an issue. Yet again we dominated the first half but didn't have the legs to keep it up after the break. We did keep our shape whilst tiring much better than we have done in recent games though which was a big bonus.

2 clean sheets yesterday were the biggest positive for me.

There is still a way to go but you can see us improving in all aspects from game to game.

17 Aug 2026 09:28:01
I think, typically, there have been wholesale changes in the second half, which there weren't in the 2nd game yesterday - I think there were only the regulation 5 subs - which helped us at least keep a clean sheet.

I must admit, I am coming round to the 'Gakpo In' crowd, albeit it may be too late for the player and the club.

I'd like for him to at least give us an extra year, see how he does, and allow time for Ekitike to recover. And that's even if we get both Barcola and Mbaye.

17 Aug 2026 09:35:47
We are going into season 4 of Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, MacAllister and Endo. And we still cannot find a balanced two to hang our hat on.

17 Aug 2026 09:40:52
Endo seems to be 7th choice centre half at the moment.

17 Aug 2026 09:56:56
Even when we had the press down to a fine art with Mo, Mane, and Firmino (which is absolutely light years ahead of this version by the way), we had players like Henderson, Fabinho, Milner, or Wildnaldum shoring up the middle of the park.
We also had two fullbacks providing fantastic creativity.



This team is nowhere near that level or balance. I don't think we can recreate it, but I'd like to hope we can learn from it.

Our press is never going to be great with Isak in the team. He just hasn't got the ability to do it, but aside from that you still need more defensive nous in midfield.

17 Aug 2026 10:01:28
To be fair Fpf, the balance was fine until Wirtz was shoehorned into the midfield and Slot let Gravenberch's dad decide the tactics.

Macca and Grav sitting with Dom leading the press literally is a title winning combination. I still think we should go back to that, personally.

17 Aug 2026 10:06:14
To be fair, Overkill - it took a long time to get to that point. And even then, it's not like we were impenetrable through their peak years.

17 Aug 2026 10:06:19
A more mobile, quicker version of Endo would be great as an option, jk... a player who you just know the outcome once they commit.
A - wins the ball cleanly and passes.


B - takes out everything fairly, ball and opponent - stops the initial break but ball could go anywhere.
C - challenges unfairly - again stops the initial break but concedes a free kick.

17 Aug 2026 10:07:07
The only way Wirtz would ever work in a midfield 3 in England is if you have 2 DM’s behind him. We don’t even have one, never mind two (Sorry @Riss/BP).
If you are willing to play Wirtz as a LW, what is the whole point of chasing Bracola?
Talking about press? What if the opposition goes direct and long? VVD might win all the headers, but what about the second balls?
Our midfielders have no positional sense whatsoever.

17 Aug 2026 10:20:59
That was part of our defensive problem last season, teams just went long and bullied our CBs. At least in Araujo and Jacquet there's some muscle.

Agree with the time point on the press, whichever way you look at it, we need one more defensive minded CM.

17 Aug 2026 10:30:49
So, and I'm struggling to write it, are we saying Wirtz is the issue, MK?

I just don't think we've enough players who are willing to do the graft - or put their foot in when they do. There's doing it for show cos that's how the manager wants to play, then there's doing like you mean it...



It's an attitude more than ability, Klopp's teams had a hunger to succeed and believed in the approach.

Maybe this midfield can get there when they start seeing the results...but seriously, do any of our midfield win a 50/50 with Declan Rice, Bruno G, Enzo F or Elliot Anderson?

17 Aug 2026 11:06:12
I can't see how Dom and Wirtz fit in a side together as neither can tackle without pushing one or the other out wide,
But over the moon how Jaquet and Araujo looked in defence, we will have some ups and downs, but it will be a better season than last.

17 Aug 2026 11:09:50
I agree with MK. We changed a winning formula to accommodate Isak and Wirtz, and that has contributed to a lot of the problems we had last season, and the balance isn't right now.

Wirtz is the major part of it, it's a dilemma because they're good players. He's generally fit and in the team, Isak hasn't been, but neither has justified guaranteed inclusion in the team yet or their price tags.



At the moment, if we had a fully fit squad, and Barcola in, on form I'd play Szob in an advanced central role ahead of Wirtz and I'd probably even have Gakpo in ahead of Isak tbf. Barcola left, with a question mark over the right side. Probably Munoz gets in there, but we may start with Rio.

17 Aug 2026 11:43:53
Sorry, but the Macca-Grav-Szobo three was not as good as you think either, despite winning the league. That midfield stopped functioning once Gravy's little turn got found out by January. We limped over the line thanks to poor quality of the league.

Yes, that midfield trio won the league and should be celebrated but let's not overstate it.

That trio + Endo are going into their 4th season together and there's not really been any sign of them gelling into balanced midfield.

But sure, let's blame Wirtz for the fact that we don't have a single midfielder (bar a 4 season stop-gap, Wataru Endo) that wants to put a foot in, track runners or bring control to the game.

17 Aug 2026 12:14:39
A CDM would solve many issues for us, it's a mystery why the transfer people, Iraola and Slot before him didn't see it. We may then see a better Wirtz that's true as he could play with even more freedom.

Thing is though, even last season when we were poor he got plenty of the all in the right areas and was wasteful, and he was the same again yesterday.



There'll come a point when he has to be responsible for his own performances, rather than it being more about the failings of those around him. Let's hope he just improves and nails down the place.

17 Aug 2026 12:23:00
FPF, I'm not blaming Wirtz, as he would be absolutely fine playing as a no.10 ahead of 2 defensive midfielders. But we've shoehorned him into a midfield that was not set up right because we don't have defensive midfielders to cover for an orthodox no.10. Therefore, I think we would be better off playing Dom there because he presses and tracks back better. Meanwhile, Wirtz plays the role more like a 2nd striker. Wirtz is also better off the left, in my opinion, but it seems like we don't want that kind of player on the left.

I disagree entirely with the idea that the midfield of Macca, Grav and Don fell apart in the 2nd half of the title-winning season.

The whole team went on early holidays after the Carabao Cup final and PSG tie defeats. The league was wrapped up and Slot was happy to let the standards slip, so he could party in Ibiza. The whole club was lacking focus and all the players were lacking fitness.

Ultimately Iraola seems to want Wirtz as a no.10 and Dom as a no.8, so we just have to trust his coaching ability to make that work. My opinion on a functional 3 man midfield is you either play a no.6 with two no.8's or you play a no.10 ahead of two no.6's. I'm just an armchair manager though.

17 Aug 2026 12:35:39
I think Dom and Grav, as the double pivot, are fine.

But as above and in other threads, the more important point is the team press. Only a team full of N'Golo Kante's is going to cover every blade of grass once the press is beat.

17 Aug 2026 03:59:15
3 signings.
That’s my prediction, I think the club believes we are covered at RB and therefore I don’t see us signing one.
I think it’s Barcola, Mbaye and a CM.
No striker either. I think the club has decided to keep Gakpo based on playing him yesterday and he got MoM.

17 Aug 2026 08:38:18
Gakpo has to stay whilst we don't have Ekitike. Maybe when he returns, Gakpo could be allowed to leave, but he looks a different player under Iraola, although he looked like a man in his way out yesterday following his goal and assist. Hardly excited. Hopefully just because it was pre-season.

17 Aug 2026 10:08:27
The only way we are funding Bracola and Mbaye is if we sell Gakpo. We are a sell to buy club and haven’t sold one meaningful sale all Summer.

17 Aug 2026 10:58:54
@Wehabe noDMs, we're are you getting your information about the funds the club may, or may not have? Genuine question - what do you think the club can do in terms of transfer in against transfer out costs?

17 Aug 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Goram_no1 has posted a new article entitled, Why Rangers Should Stay Patient With McInnes

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.