Liverpool banter 5

12 Feb 2026 08:43:33
Decision-making by our attackers was very poor. Constantly choosing/ making the wrong pass.

12 Feb 2026 09:08:58
That's training issue.
Practicing in-game situations on the training fields will, improve decision making.

I've said it before, we look lost when we go on moat counters as we don't know what to do with the ball and when to do it.

12 Feb 2026 10:22:22
If only the players stopped playing tiddly winks all day at Kirkby..

12 Feb 2026 10:29:01
A moat would protect the defense better than our midfield.

12 Feb 2026 11:38:36
Spot on, JLC. That is a training issue, I think, as well. This was the same issue that killed us late on in the 23/24 season, when it looked like our forwards would try to score the perfect goal by passing the ball aimlessly rather than just pull the trigger.

Again, that is a training issue, with the players being drilled to not lose the ball even in front of goal, come hell or high water.

12 Feb 2026 12:44:37
There seems to be a lot of UEFA A coaches on here. I never realised.

12 Feb 2026 13:27:22
I'm actually amazed most of the posters on here aren't working their way up the football pyramid. I would love one day to sit and watch a Premier League game and think i actually know more than the managers on the sidelines.

12 Feb 2026 15:09:59
I know more than Arne Slot. I used to win the league with Liverpool constantly on Footy Manager back in the day. Surely that counts? :)

12 Feb 2026 16:26:17
Salah, if, or when, Slot does go, I want you to take charge, mate! However, are you willing to give up your place in Lombardy?!

12 Feb 2026 16:57:55
I'm sorry to disappoint, Rome. I know you'd love me as manager, mate, but I've been waiting far too long for Lombardy to call my name. On this occasion, I'd have to politely turn down FSG, albeit with a heavy heart and a touch of regret.

It's frustrating, I must admit, because with the tactics I used to dominate on Footy Manager, I know I could turn the doubters into believers again - 100%, no question. 😁

12 Feb 2026 22:16:11
Jesus, some of the posters here get serious butt hurt when someone calls out obvious issues with the current training the players are being put through.

13 Feb 2026 03:36:08
How are split-second decisions made within the context of a game down to training sessions before the match actually happens? Are you saying that training sessions should cover every possible scenario theoretically possible before the game? Training sessions would be pretty interesting and quite long.

13 Feb 2026 10:18:40
WDW, ever heard of managers over-drilling and over-training players to make them look like robots and unable to think for themselves? Clearly not. And yes, it takes long training sessions to accomplish.

12 Feb 2026 08:14:49
Ed001 what did you think about last nights performance ed. I thought same as for a long time out press still looked so disjointed instead of the team pressing most of the time it just seems one or if we are lucky two players what obviously makes it easy for team to get out.
I do think that the good point in this Ed that this is coaching thing and hopefully we somehow make champions league next season and as Carra Fields and Robbo have stuck by that Alonso will be here next season and we get this sorted.


I know it's not a nice thing to say but I hope we go out of the fa cup Ed as I don't think we are winning it with the way we are playing and the rest we can get without the games will hopefully help us try to push for top 4/ 5.

{Ed001's Note - it was a win and that is good but the performance was not good. Luckily Sunderland looked knackered and struggled to produce anything, so we were able to get control of the game and won with ease really.}

12 Feb 2026 08:49:35
Yeah it feels like we are limping to the end of the season. Just hope that a few of our players can find so form and carry us to the top 4/ 5. Because failure to make champions league next season Ed am sure will have a massive effect especially if we end up with Thursday night football.

{Ed001's Note - we should easily make UCL places, Slot is making hard work of it though.}

12 Feb 2026 08:52:24
We can win the FA Cup, and the longer we stay in it people will see more of the youth like they've wanted.

12 Feb 2026 08:56:08
I'm glad you said that Ed001, I've been reading the Discussion and Match post pages this morning and wondering if I watched a different game. I thought Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Gakpo, Salah and Ekitike were embarrassing to be quite honest. To such an extent I felt sorry for Wirtz as he seemed the only player in our front 6 capable of trapping a football and playing an accurate pass. Even Jones and Chiesa did more in about 15 minutes than Gakpo and Ekitike did all game. No idea why Morrison wasn't put on for Salah because the frequency that Mo was giving up possession would've cost us the game on another day. If he really didn't want to trust a kid I'd have even put Chiesa RW and stuck Kerkez on at LW. I know he'll walk away with an assist but my god Salah was a liability on that pitch last night.

What I would say is I think our defence was superb. I was a bit worried about Endo and Robbo as full backs but they both showed a lot of heart and character to come in from the cold and play really well. Gomez was also very good when he came on. Virgil and Konate though were absolutely impeccable and I cannot fault their performances at all. Brobbey is a real handful as well and they matched his physicality blow for blow.

12 Feb 2026 09:24:20
VVD got the MOTM but i thought it should have gone to Wirtz or Robbo.

{Ed001's Note - certainly shouldn't have gone to Virgil, he wasn't even the best of the central defenders yesterday.}

12 Feb 2026 09:43:12
When you look at the next 8 games for us, Mancs, and Chelski, there could hopefully be some daylight between us in our favour. The Mancs have a difficult run, in particular. Here's hoping! I don't think that bloke will be getting his haircut anytime soon.

12 Feb 2026 09:43:12
When you look at the next 8 games for us, Mancs, and Chelski, there could hopefully be some daylight between us in our favour. The Mancs have a difficult run, in particular. Here's hoping! I don't think that bloke will be getting his haircut anytime soon.

Post Deleted (see Eds Note below)

12 Feb 2026 10:30:01
Yeah, I thought Wirtz was our best player last night. VVV only got man of the match because he scored, seems a lazy choice by the pundits. I thought Sunderland made things easy for us last night and ceded control of the game.

I would love to see Chiesa start some games over Gakpo and see how that changes the dynamic in the forward line. I think it was a good win, but we made it harder for ourselves than it needed to be.

12 Feb 2026 10:55:35
Certainly not a perfect performance, but we put a shift in and got a win on a cold Wednesday night in the North East. Positives - 3 points in a difficult game, took the opportunity to close the gap on Chelsea and United, Ibou played really well, Mo ran his socks off all game, Wirtz is so good to watch, and Alisson seemed to lead from the back after that dodgy performance vs City. Salah's pretty good at taking corners, it seems. Only took a decade to find that out. And, whisper it quietly, we might be getting slightly more competent at set pieces.

Negatives - poor Endo. Wish him the best in his recovery. Ekitike was knackered again by 70 mins! When he skipped past Ballard in the second half, it was almost like he regretted it as his legs decided, no thanks. And yet, we waited too long to change him. Macca, though slightly better overall, was still looking for free kicks and gave the ball away too often in the closing 15 mins. Gravenberch was just terrible. How is Curtis not getting in ahead of him at the moment? Gakpo, like Macca, slightly better than the previous game, but still pretty awful.

12 Feb 2026 11:42:41
FlyPelicanFly, I saw the Endo injury, and I winced, the same way I did with Bradley. As someone who suffered a very serious knee injury many years ago (with no soul around me) and still suffer its effects till this day, you start to recognize these things. It looked really bad. Hope he recovers well.

12 Feb 2026 13:48:14
Florian, "the longer we stay in the FA Cup, the more we will see youth play" literally makes no sense, and it's typically the other way around. The further you go in a competition, the more the senior players are introduced to cement your chance of winning.

12 Feb 2026 15:58:09
Not us, Frode, we'd have a better chance with Trey and Rio playing.

12 Feb 2026 07:42:58
Forest up next in the league and Dyche just been sacked so not sure if a good thing or not.

Post Deleted (see Eds Note below)

12 Feb 2026 10:33:43
There is plenty of time to prepare, plus there should be some rotation for the cup. We should be fired up after getting beat by them at Anfield.

12 Feb 2026 11:43:40
We should be, EM. I always wait and see what we do because the false dawns are too much to count already.

12 Feb 2026 07:41:17
Wirtz = Very good last night
Defence inc. Endo also very good sorry to see Endo injured he could have added great value for the remainder of the season and we now have to rely on Joe staying fit which is unlikely hey
Gakpo and Salah both poor again
Ekitike = No service.

12 Feb 2026 08:48:54
If we still had Peter Crouch up top he would have got on the end of Endo's crosses.

I don't think I've ever seen crosses that high in fairness to him.

12 Feb 2026 08:49:31
On Ekitike lads been class but has to at least hit the target last night with that header.

12 Feb 2026 09:03:45
Hugo had a poor game in my opinion. He wasn't great against City. Looks like he needs a rest.

12 Feb 2026 09:47:21
Prob does need a rest, Ron. He is the only forward that has turned up all season.

12 Feb 2026 09:47:21
Prob does need a rest, Ron. He is the only forward that has turned up all season.

Post Deleted (see Eds Note below)

12 Feb 2026 09:54:35
The issue with Ekitike is, and it's not his fault, when we go long to him, there's a real lack of movement elsewhere to give him options, so he has to slow and delay, waiting for support. By the time he has it, the opposition is set in defensive positions.

12 Feb 2026 10:00:42
Needs a rest? They have just had three days off!

12 Feb 2026 10:01:58
The only major flaw in Ekitike's game is his heading. The amount of easy headers he has missed all season is shocking. However, I once read how Rooney said that, by practising dedicatedly on his heading for a few months, he was able to improve it from one of his weaknesses to one of his strengths. I hope Hugo can work on it in the summer. If he does get a hang of it, he will be the complete forward.

12 Feb 2026 09:54:35
The issue with Ekitike is, and it's not his fault, when we go long to him, there's a real lack of movement elsewhere to give him options, so he has to slow and delay, waiting for support. By the time he has it, the opposition is set in defensive positions.

12 Feb 2026 10:00:42
Needs a rest? They have just had three days off!

12 Feb 2026 10:01:58
The only major flaw in Ekitike's game is his heading. The amount of easy headers he has missed all season is shocking. However, I once read how Rooney said that, by practising dedicatedly on his heading for a few months, he was able to improve it from one of his weaknesses to one of his strengths.

I hope Hugo can work on it in the summer. If he does get a hang of it, he will be the complete forward.

12 Feb 2026 06:40:36
Unbeaten at 1.

The longest journey starts with the 1st step.

{Ed078's Note - ?

12 Feb 2026 07:07:30
1 AM?

{Ed078's Note - sorry, get it. Just thought you were making a cryptic point that I was missing.

12 Feb 2026 07:17:43
Only disappointment last night is our wingers look like ringers, both look like completely different players from last season.

12 Feb 2026 07:44:49
I'm not getting my hair cut until we've won one game in a row ah! Ok, job done!

12 Feb 2026 09:12:00
Really Ed.?

We need to win all our games for the rest of the season to guarantee CL football. Just in case by some miracle we actually fail to win it this year of course.

And this was the 1st step in that journey 🙃.

12 Feb 2026 06:08:06
One for the banter page.

Im sure this must've come up before but is anyone else seeing flashes of Brendon Rodgers when Arne Slot speaks?

Its all management speak.

Very David Brent.

12 Feb 2026 07:08:19
Oh God please don't say that 🤦‍♂️.

12 Feb 2026 07:12:25
Slot looks like a man that has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Last season I really really enjoyed his press conferences and interviews but last nights post match one I actually felt a little sorry for the guy.

12 Feb 2026 07:37:24
If Carra is right and he knows that he is gone at the end of the season then its going to affect him, there aren't many better jobs in world football.

12 Feb 2026 08:56:48
Nah not really. Slot has been the same since he came. Pretty blunt, direct and honest.

12 Feb 2026 09:06:21
If he knew he was gone he'd be demob happy and say what he wants.
He's feeling the pressure because he probably thinks his job relies on CL qualification and it's now very tight.

12 Feb 2026 09:52:00
He knows he is working a notice, as Carra said, but the club will still have set him targets with incentives.
Top 5 = 1m bonus, as an example, maybe.
It's something like this, as they won't just bluntly tell him, "That's it, Arne. At the end of the season we are bringing in the guy we really wanted before appointing you!"
That would simply demotivate Arne and the entire squad. I still have a feeling we are getting to at least the semis of the CL, yanno.

12 Feb 2026 09:52:00
He knows he is working a notice, as Carra said, but the club will still have set him targets with incentives. Top 5 = 1m bonus, as an example, maybe. It's something like this, as they won't just bluntly tell him, "That's it, Arne.

At the end of the season we are bringing in the guy we really wanted before appointing you!" That would simply demotivate Arne and the entire squad. I still have a feeling we are getting to at least the semis of the CL, yanno.

12 Feb 2026 10:28:04
That'd be 1 million on top of his payoff as well? Lets face it, the man is going to make an absolute fortune over the duration of his managerial career. I doubt he would give a toss about where we finish if he was told he's working out his notice.

12 Feb 2026 11:46:53
Indeed, EM? BR started talking like Slot does now, or of late, because he knew he was gone, and it was just a matter of time and of the club finding his replacement.If Carra is right, then Slot is out in the summer, roundtable be damned.

12 Feb 2026 01:04:44
Absolute warrior mentality from Endo putting team first before himself.
If he had received treatment he would have to go out and leave the team with a man down defending the corner.
So he got up for the corner and despite the obvious pain, try to fight on as we were under sustained pressure, until the ball next went dead.

Another piece of action in the first half where there was a 50/ 50 challenge and he went in strongly and won the ball. I just thought at the moment that this is the bite we are missing all season. Do not recall our players actually tackling but seem most of them pulling out of tackles!

Hope the injury is not too serious and he did not worsen it by staying on.

12 Feb 2026 05:22:39
If that's Endo's season over, then all I can say is that I wish him the best of recoveries and hope whoever is in charge next season keeps him in the squad. His display last night should have reminded everyone what he can do - it was immediately noticeable that we had someone in the team unwilling to shirk a tackle.

You may get past him, but that damn sure won't be the end of it. I don't care what anyone says, MacAllister and Gravenberch would be sold way before Endo if it were up to me.

12 Feb 2026 06:51:11
I agree Low FC
Love his effort. Looks like a bad one though. Slots treatment of Ramsey is getting my back up.
A right back sitting on the bench.
Slot told him he's not getting used. Klopp would have been telling him just how good he was and making him feel 10 foot tall.

12 Feb 2026 07:14:08
MacAllister has been dire but Gravenberch can do a job, he is just being asked to play a different role to last season.

12 Feb 2026 07:15:28
Gotta agree Endo showed absolute warrior mentality last night. I just hope his decision for the team hasn't caused even worse damage in the long run for him.

Right back position seems to be a bit of a poison chalice at the moment.

12 Feb 2026 07:37:10
Felt so sorry for Endo last night. Has he kicked his last ball for Liverpool.

12 Feb 2026 07:47:27
Did Trent put a curse on the right back position before he left as an insurance policy to get back again? unreal amount of injuries of all types to players playing there!

12 Feb 2026 08:11:43
@Chrisy - stop making fairy tales up. Klopp didn't pick Ramsey either.

12 Feb 2026 10:39:44
WDW: Klopp actually did pick Ramsay. Twice in November 2022, v Napoli and v Derby in the League Cup, after doing the then statutory for new players, "6 months integration into the side". Then he got a season-ending injury. Then next season he went to Preston on loan, then Bolton.

Both 2023-24 season. So ineligible to be picked by Klopp. Played 5 times that season. The next season he went to Wigan on loan, then Kilmarnock. Again ineligible to be picked by Klopp. Played 20 times that season. Then Klopp left. You're being a bit harsh on someone who is only 22.

12 Feb 2026 11:52:24
Spot on, Lowel. I saw the injury happen, and I winced because we all know what it looks like when a player's knee goes sideways. Just look at Bradley. The fact that he fought on shows the mentality, determination, and bravery this team has lacked under this manager, esp. this season. Endo has never been one to shirk a challenge since he arrived here. The guy is a warrior till the very end. Anyone remember his MOTM perf. in that EFL final where he dog-walked Caicedo and Enzo, all while carrying an injury? True warrior mentality. If you want to win things, you're going to need these types of guys in your team. Hopefully, he makes a full recovery and plays again, even if it's not at LFC.

11 Feb 2026 23:24:52
A very tough away game and we came out with a win and a clean sheet. We play forest before United play again so could go level on points. If we beat Brighton in the cup means I think 9 games before the international break so a lot of rotating will be needed.

12 Feb 2026 06:30:43
Not much to rotate with tho. At this rate Ramsey is certain to get a game.

12 Feb 2026 11:52:54
I wouldn't bet on that, IR. I'll believe it when I see it.

11 Feb 2026 22:58:08
Excellent win and very good gutsy performance. back 4 Excellent all game including gomez when he came on. Wirtz v good and midfield worked very hard. Front 3 bit disappointing and disjointed at times I thought and should've had at least 1 more goal between them.

What a warrior endo is unfortunately that could be his season over I doubt.
That's a huge 3pts especially considering chelsea+ United dropped pts, we really need to build on that now next 3/ 4 games realy need to put foot down as they v winnable games.

11 Feb 2026 23:56:06
yup solid performance. I had some worries about this game but the team really turned up.

I'm sure people will worry again about dropping deep after going ahead. The way I see it, we just aren't "that" team yet. So we're going to be prone to bad habits, or succumbing to an instinct to hold on for the positive result rather than to take the game by the scruff of the neck. To me that is all learning and growth you get from experience, coming through adversity etc

what I like most about the team is that they never seem to have given up on themselves, no matter the performance or the result. I like to see the togetherness in the team. obviously looks stronger when we do get a positive result. But I don't get the sense that the team have given up on the season which is cool to see.

12 Feb 2026 00:16:23
Feel bad for the boy. Looked serious.

12 Feb 2026 00:19:18
Gutted for him really. A limited player tbf but he always gives his all when he plays for us and no one can deny that he is one of the hardest working players we have despite not starting or even featuring in many games since Slot took over. Hope he at least recovers before the World Cup.

12 Feb 2026 00:19:28
The wide men are a huge reason Slots job and top 5 is at risk imo. Neither are elite dribblers to upset a low block and neither are electric enough on the counter in away games.

12 Feb 2026 07:17:25
Both v poor this season agreed 👍.

11 Feb 2026 20:31:11
Any news on Isak injury update, has he started doing any work outside yet or anything.

11 Feb 2026 19:41:59
Hearing Tommy Franks been sacked by spurs could Slot go to Spurs and Alonso come to us?

11 Feb 2026 20:20:20
mate, the NBA trade deadline has shut.

11 Feb 2026 22:27:31
NHL hasn't shut yet mate.

11 Feb 2026 22:28:08
How about we give it a res? Nothing is going to happen until the end of the season.

11 Feb 2026 22:28:30
No more Thomas the Frank engine for Spurs.

12 Feb 2026 04:31:57
Dyche also available!

11 Feb 2026 18:58:28
I wonder if anything other than 3 points tonight will finally be the end of the slot tenure.
The ironic thing is that if we do win, then top 5 race is very much back on.
3 points or the sack tonight I'd assume.

11 Feb 2026 19:11:25
Would you like us to lose if it means Slot is sacked KingKev?

11 Feb 2026 19:13:18
It's got to be close now.

11 Feb 2026 19:21:56
Not at all florian. Never ever want us to lose. My ideal scenario is to get top 5, champions league for next season, change slot for another manager in the summer. But for whom, I don't know. Hoping for 3 points tonight and every game from now on clearly. Fingers crossed.

11 Feb 2026 19:27:03
Would never like to see us lose, but I really do see a loss tonight.
2-1 Sunderland/ Le Fee Anytime.

11 Feb 2026 19:41:00
Florian I said I wanted us to lose against West Ham at the end of November because I thought that would have been the final nail in the coffin. If that would have happened back then I don't think we are in this mess right now if we had got a good bounce I feel we could have been back in the title race.


But now we just can't afford any slip ups and hopefully Villa drop points tonight to pull them back into our reach.

11 Feb 2026 19:55:17
Mackems are unbeaten at home so far!

11 Feb 2026 20:02:41
I think we'd hear more rumblings if a loss would mean he'd get sacked, I think we'll get a result tonight though (a win! ).

11 Feb 2026 20:16:48
I think he would already be gone if there was any chance of sacking him before the season ends. I think he will be here on the last day of the season.

11 Feb 2026 20:17:54
If we get beat he won't be sacked will he, we've been told by more itks that he's here till end of season, and some even next season.
Should of been sacked months ago.

11 Feb 2026 20:28:56
If that scenario was crystal clear with a secured alternative like Alonso or Enrique coming in tomorrow, then I think I would be ok with that scenario playing out.

11 Feb 2026 22:33:45
The sw1nes won eh? what are they playing at?

I have to say it's starting to get funny now.

I suggest that if we are losing at half time or have conceded more corners than we have won against Brighton that Slot be forced out of the club at gun point and is replaced immediately by Alonso who we will have invited to watch the match.