Liverpool banter 5

11 Dec 2025 19:02:24
I have been one of the biggest Slot out advocates since October. I find the way he ( in most games) sets the team up, the continuous use of ineffective tactics, until recently the continued use of the same under performing players, the obvious lack of creative ideas and apparent lack of intensity in training that is translated on to the pitch as irritating, baffling and not least inexcusable at this level. I've never hid that.

However I want to pick up on a point made by another poster ( I think warmachien) in a reply to Carra's latest post. Slot simply does not look like a man who has been told he will be replaced soon and his bosses are actively looking for his replacement. With the best level of professionalism in the world, there is no way he could carry on as he has been knowing that . It does not seem in any way that he thinks his job is in danger and his replacement is currently being scouted. He appears confident, assured and like a man who knows his job is safe. So as Warmachien pointed out, either he has no self respect and is willing to be treated like crap by his bosses ( which is what it is if this is the way its is playing out) whilst putting on an acting performance that is Oscar worthy, or its simply not true.

I have all the respect in the world for the Eds and the genuine ITK posters like Carra, but for me it just seems like nonsense that Slot is doing what he's doing without an ounce of resentment and obvious discourse Personally I think Slot will be with us till the summer no matter how bad results get, unfortunately.

11 Dec 2025 19:40:05
I don’t know if anybody wanted him to leave

Most people just wanted him to adapt, the formation/ tempo/ structure doesn’t suit the squad anymore

We’re too slow for 4-3-3. We’ve seen that formation at it’s absolute best under Jurgan and it had speed/ power everywhere

We’re not comfortable on the ball enough at the back, for this Slow possession football. Konate, Kerkez, Frimpong etc… their strengths are not passing it around the back for massive chunks of the game

Just adapt to this talented squad. And for god sake stop playing Szobo at flipping right back!

442 diamond Until January has been and gone, and maybe then, after another few 100 million, the squad might actually suit the system. But until then only this system aligns with the squad

Especially after That inter result 😍.

11 Dec 2025 21:28:03
@Kim, what did you think of the Milan game?

11 Dec 2025 22:15:43
@Kim as Ed01 has said, Slot is Edwards and Hughes' guy. They will not just chuck him out the door just cos a bunch a section of the fan base whined about it. They don't do that.

They will give him enuff time to turn things around and we all need to understand that. Having said all that, they are also compliling a list of potential replacements whould that time come to let Slot go and that time will come, IMO.

So in the end, we all have to be patient. I know I am even tho, I gave up after the Sun. game and now, want him gone. I supported him and he let me down. It is what it is.

11 Dec 2025 23:53:00
Get over it Oli, support him again.

12 Dec 2025 10:39:55
Florian, I support the club. Slot is on his own, personally. Get over that.

11 Dec 2025 06:18:52
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but do wonder if Alonso thinks he should’ve been our next coach after Klopp instead of that poisonous toxic club that is Real Madrid but now I get the feeling he may be damaged goods. Think if he gets the sack from Real he needs a break to reevaluate. Like to know ed001 thoughts.

{Ed001's Note - I think he made the right choice, take the learning experience at the lesser club first and then he can step up to the big leagues with us when he has that extra bit of knowledge under his belt....}

11 Dec 2025 19:24:41
Are you confident he joins us Soon Ed? :)

{Ed001's Note - no. I would hope Perez is going to stand by him and realise he needs to break the back of the player power for the good of the club.}

11 Dec 2025 17:39:41
3k Pounds for a ticket to the final of the world cup.

OK FIFA. I'll buy 10 tickets please!

11 Dec 2025 18:30:44
What's the stadium capacity JLC?
It's generally mostly corporate nonsense allocations anyways ain't it. not many genuine Joe public fans if it's the usual format? ✌.

11 Dec 2025 18:43:18
Even if tickets were cheaper, touts would grab them and sell them for insane prices. You really cannot win.

WC final tickets are so in demand that people will pay whatever it takes. 🤷.

11 Dec 2025 18:56:17
😂😂😂 classic JLC.

11 Dec 2025 19:42:32
JLC, I agree those prices are insane but, the location of the final explains it all really. MetLife Stadium is in an area where there will be easy access to persons of many nationalities and many of those people who can easily afford those prices. I’ve gone to a couple of matches and sat in the corporate boxes and can tell you they’re pretty plush.

I believe the capacity is 82k or there abouts. Those tickets will be resold at 7k-10k each depending on who’s in the final. On another note, if ROI can make it to the finals it’d be if they could have a rematch vs Italy in the new version of Giants Stadium.

11 Dec 2025 21:29:23
Wonder what Infantino’s best mate will be paying for his ticket?

11 Dec 2025 17:37:17
Just to get back to the football, Big game on Saturday. A chance to keep the positive results going. Hopefully we get the result we can ALL agree we want as LFC fans.

11 Dec 2025 17:54:34
…and a performance to back that up! Not just scraping a result. 🤞.

11 Dec 2025 17:59:34
To be honest Red i'd take a scrappy win now. All about the points at the moment.

11 Dec 2025 18:07:27
Right now scraping a result (with a clean sheet) would be just fine. Baby-steps until we get our confidence back. It’s going to take some time to get our mojo back.
While I want to see things work out with Slot, I will be so disappointed if we come out all flat in the first half.

A habit that preceded Slot (we always went behind almost immediately in Klop’s final season), but it really needs fixing.

11 Dec 2025 18:35:22
Liverpool 1-2 Brighton
Liverpool dominate the first 35 minutes but give away a stupid goal just before half time, then concede another poor defended goal straight after the restart, but then dominate for 40 mins but can only pull one back.

Sound familiar?

11 Dec 2025 19:16:54
Good vibes only good vibes.

11 Dec 2025 21:31:03
I hope Joe starts at RB, gives us a bit more solidity on the right hand side of the defence.

11 Dec 2025 23:54:56
Think it'll b Bradley after him been rested during the week.

11 Dec 2025 16:56:22
I have just seen Cara’s post, would love for it to be Alonso. He would get instant respect from the fans and he knows how to get the best out of Wirtz and by the sounds of things is not wedded to one system and is tactically astute.

11 Dec 2025 17:13:04
So tactically astute it didn’t work out in Year 2 at Leverkusen and it’s not really working out in Madrid?

11 Dec 2025 17:54:17
Why didn’t it work out in year 2 at Leverkusen Ron? They won the league and cup double and were domestically unbeaten all season.

He was at Leverkusen for nigh on 3 years he took over in Oct 2022 when they were 4th from bottom and finished 6th getting them into the Europa league.

He then won the league going unbeaten in 2023/ 2024 and then finished 2nd to Bayern in 2025/ 2025. I’d hardly call any of those seasons not working out would you?

11 Dec 2025 18:01:04
Bayer Leverkusen finishing second in the league is one of the best season's in the clubs history.

11 Dec 2025 18:11:47
It’s not working out at Madrid because you’ve got a load a prima Donna’s, I predict by the age of 30 Bellingham will be the next dele Alli, can’t see Madrid winning anything in Europe for a long time, long gone are your benzemas ramos and pepes now you’ve got a load of petulant brats, modern day football summed up by one club.

11 Dec 2025 18:33:06
Ron Keague Last year they came 2nd and beat Bayern in the Supercup. Won a historic double the year previous and prior to that Xabi took them from fighting relegation to 6th. What part of that "didnt work out"?

Real are 2nd in La Liga only 4 points behind Barcelona having lost only 2 games. The main reason for the talk about Alonso possibly getting the sack is because the dressing room's full of whinge bag divas who don't like getting out of bed early in the morning or playing in rotation. It wouldn't happen at any other club in the world but Perez puts his players on a way higher pedestal than his coaches. The chain of command in Madrid is completely backwards.

11 Dec 2025 15:33:36
I might be barking up the wrong tree here entirely, but we're hearing a lot in the press the last week or so how Alonso's style just doesn't suit Madrid and in particular Perez. This makes me wonder why they went for him in the first place. I get that he's a young manager but his style and philosophy was well known.

I do wonder whether the fact that Liverpool were also in for Alonso pushed Perez into going for him this year when they would have rather waited another season at least maybe 2 until Alonso had more experience and they were sure he'd be a fit.

I thought at the time that it was surprising they went for him when they did but perhaps they didn't want to miss out to Liverpool?

11 Dec 2025 16:11:27
I don't think he was ever a good fit for them. But the thing is that he was the hottest property in football coaching at the time, is a club legend and was seen as a long term appointment with a sound tactical philosophy.

The problem is that nothing at real is ever long term, and Perez was coaxed into making the appointment against his own inclinations.

11 Dec 2025 17:01:27
I just don’t understand Real Madrid as a club at all. Over the last 25 years or so, I have only seen their European games, and the occasional domestic one.
But not once have I been wowed by their style, or had a sense of their playing identity - like one could easily appreciate with Barcelona, Ajax (‘94?), or Juventus.

Yes, there are incredible moments of individual skill (ZZ and Macca’s volleys - I won’t mention Bale’s one…oops), but they remind me of Glasgow Rangers in the 80/ 90s: stuffed with expensive attacking players, backed up by masters of the darker arts in midfield and defence.

11 Dec 2025 15:04:17
Virgil van dijk and salah are NOT the future of this football club. That's not controversial or personal to say. Two great players they've been and will leave highly respected.
Regardless of slot and the squad these two are the highest paid players at the club at 34 and 33. They most likely won't be here next season thus it's time to get used to thinking about the team for the next 4,5 years.

The whole slop surrounding salah is insane. It's now forbidden to criticise these players. No. Virg has been extremely poor in a quite a few games but that's went under the radar because of konate. I'm sure above slot, there's discussions now of it being the time or close to the time to replace these big players. It was always a going to come regardless of toys being thrown out of prams.

11 Dec 2025 16:18:41
I don't think either of them think that they are the future of this football club either, they are in their mid 30s and signed a two year contract.

11 Dec 2025 16:43:51
If they were considered the future they would have been given 5 years contracts at least. I think it is safe to say that their 2 year contracts were just to allow the club a little more time to source their long term replacements (I'm sure you can remember 12 months ago when many were fearing that we would lose Trent, Mo and Virg for free in 1 go) .


Also, no player is above criticism and they have both had plenty of criticism (and rightly so) both on here and in the wider world.

11 Dec 2025 16:59:33
Pretty sure Virg will still be here next season, will probably leave on a free after that.

11 Dec 2025 17:17:20
Virgil is dumped on and memed every week this season.

11 Dec 2025 21:40:49
I have no proof or anything to back it up but I just have a feeling that VVD will end up on a two / three year joy in the USA, playing for someone like Inter Miami or in NY.

11 Dec 2025 14:00:49
If there is even the slightest chance of Enrique, he has got to be the top choice. Experience, clear philosophy, not afraid to make big decisions, can assault an opposing player if required.

My prediction if Alonso is appointed, barely any change, we go from title contenders, back to scrambling for CL. He looked like the same lost manager last night as Slot has looked in most of his games this season.

The barrel is pretty empty, but Alonso isn’t even close to being the best of a bad bunch. He’s a Villas Boas.

11 Dec 2025 14:36:45
Context is necessary when assessing Alonso's situation.
I'm not going to repeat myself though, I've said the same thing many times on this board, as have many others.
Enrique has had massive financial backing and a sound transfer structure that has finally begun to pay dividends after making countless disastrous mistakes.

Who's to say that Xabi wouldn't have had the same success at a club like PSG given time?

11 Dec 2025 14:21:35
Your user name is so apt.

11 Dec 2025 14:45:55
Alonso and Slots situation are very different, as are the two respective clubs, if you can't see that Le Pong then maybe a trip to specsavers is in need.

11 Dec 2025 14:57:19
Not true. Alonso likes to press and play the ball quicker. His players haven't exactly bought into it. You're always going to struggle with no midfielder to knit everything together and 2 attackers who don't want to work as hard as xabi wants. Xabi has pissed about too much with rotation though and some selections have been to their detriment.


Like I said, I wouldn't be the most confident but I would expect him to do well. He's less massive personalites to deal with here but virg and salah going forward are a problem. You can't have people stinking out the dressing room when they're eventual dropped who were big players. That's were he's really struggled in Madrid.

11 Dec 2025 16:48:08
I don’t remember Villas Boas ever winning the German league🤔.

11 Dec 2025 13:26:38
Gerrard would put salah straight back in and persist with salah even if he continued to shoot blanks. That's a problem. Salah for me should be sold in January if seymenho joins.
Gerrard would i expect, pick the team up, but our team is fragile atm. They're half unfit and to suddenly change the tempo now they'll burn out in 3 months and look like isak lol.


I wouldn't be soo opposed to Gerrard but slot could be holding this just about together. Yes he's to blame for a lot of it, but I'm wary thinking another man is going to revolutionise the team straight away. Seymenyo and geuhi could though drastically help turn things around. We need a cb in January. It's a must.

11 Dec 2025 13:42:55
As opposed to Arne who's persisting with Wirtz, Isak and Gakpo despite them shooting blanks? That's the problem when your team is in poor form generally. Scapegoating a player doesn't really work.

11 Dec 2025 14:35:28
YAWN, i though you were never going to post again "Harry". Such predictable gibberish.

11 Dec 2025 14:36:53
Good post, Barry.

Even Robo acknowledged that, many times, Mo single-handedly CARRIED the team.

It's no secret that Slot's man management is dire.

Mane said in an interview with Rio Ferdinand that he was angry at Klopp and didn't shake hands with him because he was benched in one match. Klopp CALLED him the next day and sorted the issue.

I mean, take Mo out of the picture last season and we don't win anything. Take Slot out, and we still have a very good chance.

11 Dec 2025 14:47:52
What do you mean it’s no secret Slots man management is dire? Who do you know?

11 Dec 2025 14:48:19
The boring troll continues to bore and troll, seriously, do you have that low self esteem that this is a valid past time for you?
Perhaps you and Maze from the United page should organise a Christmas party for yourselves, that is unless you are the same person of course.

11 Dec 2025 14:48:30
Maybe you didn't read that entire post or you've selective reading red? I mentioned seymenyo, who directly replaces gakpo. I mentioned isak in reference to unfitness, we've all acknowledged he shouldn't be playing but the mo salah fans are easily triggered when his name is mentioned now because of the victim narrative. I support Liverpool fc not disposables players who all eventually move on.
I also mentioned salah in regards to Gerrard because Gerrard was asked previously would he drop salah when he was shocking and he said "no".

This was before salah was dropped and we had a bunch of triggly puff fans.
As for gakpo BTW, I said in September it was a serious mistake he's been moved into a basically first teamer because of his position. But apparently there was a lot of support back then because of the young lads potential coming under him.
Try not to smash the buttons lads when you see salahs name mentioned.

11 Dec 2025 14:54:23
So you're saying that any manager could have won the title last year, I take it? I guess you're in the same camp as those who say that any manager could get the current squad to win the title, and it's just Slot who's messed it all up.

Amazing what a run of bad results can do to our heads.

11 Dec 2025 15:02:31
Disposable players? You called yourself Liverpool FC supporters and you call the players playing for the club as "disposable players"?

{Ed025's Note - i think he meant transient employees Mfahmee...which they are mate..

11 Dec 2025 15:19:22
“i support Liverpool FC” course you do, in that oh so modern way of only coming on here to complain and spout a load of drivel when Liverpool lose.

11 Dec 2025 17:35:10
Ah so Batman IS Harry! Knew he couldn't stay away.

The lack of facts now makes a lot of sense - for example, where is it written that Semenyo replaces Gakpo?

He is one of the most two footed players in the prem - he dribbles mostly with his left for example - so I would say he is actually a Salah replacement who can play across the front line.

11 Dec 2025 21:51:57
Is Batman Harry. sort of makes sense now . ever heard the saying less is more, constantly just writing any old rubbish isn't good yano.

11 Dec 2025 13:17:38
My opinion on the post match interviews.

Robertson - sounded like he was backing mo

Virgil - neutral but said he had no problem with mo

Slot - sounded like he was saying it's him or me

My view is that as manager you have to be the bigger man and instigate a sit down and see if anything can be recovered from the situation.

A good manager (whether in a factory, office or sports team ) has a job to get the best out of the people they are managing. Making sure they have the resources to do their job to the best of their ability. If there's an issue, it's their job to figure out a solution.

Regarding the comments about how much money salah gets paid, I think that's irrelevant, it's not like he's on 400k and the rest of them are on 25k a year, he is paid for his value to the club/company as is anyone in any company.

Yeah he didn't go about it the right way and no-one is bigger than the company/club, but personally I have no problem with people speaking up if they feel they are not being treated right. The conversation between slot and mo should have happened earlier and been sorted.

I blame slot for letting it get to this level and his refusal to speak to mo, unless mo comes cap in hand was embarrassing as a manager. Klopp managed people first, footballers second. This would not have happened under klopp. I think Salah has burnt his bridges and we won't see him again in a Liverpool shirt, but I think he took the bullet for the dressing room as slot needs to go.

For everyone saying slot won us the title last season, I would ask, how many goals and assists did slot make last year. The team won the title and slot was part of that team as was heitinga and Salah.

11 Dec 2025 13:41:41
Your right, Mo being am a£$€ is all Arne's fault.

11 Dec 2025 13:49:33
But it did happen under Klopp, Salah threw a strop on the touchline!

11 Dec 2025 14:45:29
Salah threw a strop on the touchline and it was immediately settled there and then. Both Klopp and Salah moved on. Besides this is bigger than just Salah being benched tbh. The club went behind his back to try and get rid of him. It's not just Slot that needs to talk to Mo. Edwards and Hughes had a hand in it too.

{Ed025's Note - how do you know the club went behind his back to get rid of him mate?

11 Dec 2025 15:10:15
Didn't Ed1 explain that the club is trying to manoeuvre Salah out of the club? And knowing him and how reliable he is, I will trust his words.

{Ed025's Note - read the top of the page..TRANSFER RUMOURS, im not saying that its not true just that i dont know Mfahmee...and i suggest Nobody outside the inner sanctum of Salah and Edwards really do, things can get lost in translation and both sides in this will have their own agenda mate, anyway sorry i have to go, i have 4 famished green martians in my dining room waiting on a sausage casserole..

11 Dec 2025 15:12:26
(Replied under the wrong thread earlier. )

Good post, Barry.

It’s no secret that Slot’s man-management has been poor.

Mane once said in an interview with Rio Ferdinand that he was so angry about being benched he didn’t even shake Klopp’s hand, and Klopp called him the next day to clear the air. That’s proper man-management.

Even Robbo has acknowledged that, many times, Mo practically carried the team.

Take Mo out of the picture last season and we don’t win anything. Take Slot out and we still probably have a very good chance.

11 Dec 2025 16:45:56
Proper leadership from slot now would be asking Mo to apologise behind closed doors to his team mates. Not to apologise for speaking out but for airing it in public. This shouldn’t be a power play between slot and salah and nothing should be shared with the media. It should be as simple as “we’ve discussed it, we’re moving forward and mo is available for selection”.

11 Dec 2025 16:47:57
You’re reading an awful lot into those interviews, Barry.
Slob, VVD, Robbo and Jones all handled their interviews so well, saying the situation was unfortunate, while making it clear they all love Mo.
Slot has not once criticised Mo in public, and kept his cards close to his chest in the interview.
I think Mo would have had his outburst no matter who the manager was. Look at his public row with Klopp on the only occasion he was a sub.
This was always going to happen the first time he was benched for more than 1 game, and his form since March has really not been great at all.
I can only judge things on the evidence available to me, and it is thus: Mo has been given a great new contract, has started every game for Slot until last week - and then said some pretty outrageous clearly thought out things to the press.

Some of the greats - of which he is one - handle things differently when age catches up, and adjust their expectations accordingly. John Barnes did this by turning himself into a holding midfielder when he knew he no longer had the pace to play wing.

Mo sadly has followed Ronaldo’s example.

All of the following are true: Slot won a title in his first season, Slot is not doing so well this season, Mo is a legend, but Mo currently isn’t the Mo of old, needed to be dropped, and has let himself down with prima donna behaviour.

None of it is ideal, but the key for me is that we continue to support Slot and our team - as shown by our incredible away fans in Milan.

11 Dec 2025 17:15:20
Think it was Salah that tried to turn it into a powerplay Ecogsi.

11 Dec 2025 20:42:02
100% agree but it needs dealing with properly so it doesn’t hang over the club like a dark cloud. Slot needs maintain control and show the players and especially salah that the club comes first.

11 Dec 2025 12:36:53
It wouldn't be great timing for slot to be let go with the salah saga. If slot is let go, the club should also be looking to let salah go for a reasonable fee in January. That's a clean start for everyone including the fans.
If alonso is to be our manager I'm not convinced tbh. I've watched every Madrid game but certainly he hasn't been helped by big egos not putting in a shift and a proper midfielder.
Alonso I do think would do better here but the timings terrible.

He's going from the stress of Madrid straight into another big job without having the time to reflect.
I also wouldn't have big expectations this season. Our midfield is a problem. We need two top midfielders in the summer. Wharton is worth his weight in gold dust and Anderson should be a top priority. When/ if alonso gets the midfield right, I expect us to be truly frightening.

11 Dec 2025 13:11:54
Did Salah do another interview where he told all the boys and girls that the tooth fairy isn't real? Or is everyone talking about his interview after the Leeds game?

Because that one was kind of mild, and hardly worth the witch hunt of a club legend.

11 Dec 2025 13:20:57
If we were to sign those two Batman would you have both in the starting 11? And if so who would be your starting 3 CM's?

11 Dec 2025 13:35:02
A Liverpool supporter that watches every Real Madrid game? If Real Madrid were playing down the bottom of my garden, I’d draw the curtains.

11 Dec 2025 14:12:38
Some of us love football and watch as much as we can to be fair lad.

11 Dec 2025 14:44:01
Where do you find the time to watch every Madrid game?

11 Dec 2025 14:49:27
He isn't a Liverpool supporter, this is well established by now.

11 Dec 2025 14:51:49
Yes thunder. I watch a lot of football. I previously mentioned I was interested in seeing how alonso, bellingham and trent would get on, especially in regards to England. I like my football.
Florian. Dream would be Anderson, Wharton and sobsolsi.

Gravenberch can fight it out with Anderson and Wharton for a place. Or vise versa. Macca is hopefully Madrid bound. Good money and he's not suited for us unless he's carried.

11 Dec 2025 17:19:57
Not for me, Grav would have to be in there.

12 Dec 2025 05:11:22
A Liverpool fan but still can't spell Szoboszlai correctly. At least just use the short form "Szob" or "Szobo" if you can't. Sobsolsi is just a poor attempt mate.

{Ed078's Note - nit picky at all Dracred?

11 Dec 2025 11:55:32
Would love it if Ed033 could create a poll.

Who thinks having Harvey Elliot back in the Liverpool squad from January would improve our chances of a better 2nd half to the season?

{Ed033's Note -


Harvey Elliot poll

11 Dec 2025 12:10:31
I voted no on the poll but not because it's a reflection of Elliott's ability. I think he would be a great back-up to Wirtz since we are finally playing with a Cam and that, I think, is Elliott's best position. The issue for me is Slot. Elliott has clearly fallen out of favour with him and, like Chiesa, I don't think he would be given the opportunity to show what he can really do for us.

At best he'd be limited to a few minutes at the end of matches. So I don't think him coming back would galvanise us or improve us.

11 Dec 2025 12:25:08
I love Elliot but everyone has been bitching about the lack of bite in our midfield and he wouldn't make that any better sadly. On the RW however may be good for him. Also doesn't solve our lack of pace either.

11 Dec 2025 12:29:46
At least we would be able to fill a few more subs seats unlike on Tuesday 🤣.

11 Dec 2025 12:34:31
True Drac he would only get a few minutes at the end of games if lucky. This isn't because Slot has fallen out with him. Its for the same reason Emery hasn't played him. its because he is not good enough to be starting. Unfortunately Lfc cannot start 15 players so everyones favourites get a run out.

11 Dec 2025 12:34:46
Drac, I never wanted to Elliott to leave BUT understood why he had to. If there is a way for him back, I would welcome it. He is diff. to Wirtz and that is not a bad thing.

When he used to play on the right to spell Salah for whatever reason, he was more of a wide playmaker than a wide forward and played the role the the best he could esp. in that LC final at Wembley when we embarrassed those Chelsea frauds.

He can also play in CM but was more like an 8 rather than a Wirtz like no. 10 and did well there sometimes too. Whether he would improve us or not ( esp. after going almost a year w/ o playing) is not even on the table cos first off, he needs to be playing footie, full stop.

11 Dec 2025 12:37:33
For me it depends who we sign in January, a decent squad player who might arrive back with a point to prove.
Could he end up at Bournemouth if we get Semenyo?

11 Dec 2025 12:40:47
Maybe alonso might rate him? Elliots best chance is playing in salahs position. Off the right / joining in midfield. If salah goes in January, maybe the lad will be given more minutes. With seymenyo coming in I can't imagine elliot challenging wirtz for the 10 jersey.

He could be a great squad player and reevaluate his career in the summer. Aston villa has proven an awful move for him.

11 Dec 2025 12:41:37
Thanks folks. My view is reflected in some of the posts - he would fill a sub berth and with a lot more first team experience than, say, Nyoni.

With the absence of Salah (permanently? ) he could be rotation for Szob or (fingers crossed) Semenyo.

I know Slot hasn't played him, but neither is Emery any more as they don't want to trigger the clause.

I'm sure he'd rather be on the bench at the club he supports than not even make the squad at another club.

11 Dec 2025 12:51:19
Harvey would track back and work hard. Also in this newer diamond or 2-3-1 mid/ front line may be better for his game also.

11 Dec 2025 14:39:32
Zed, do you recall even one instance where Elliott subbed for Salah on the right wing and made a noticeable positive impact, because I don't? He doesn't have the speed for it nor the technique (my opinion) . Best suited for an advanced midfield role and we don't have a shortage of players there.

11 Dec 2025 14:44:15
The answer is quite clearly no. He hardly played under Slot last season and he can’t make much of a difference from the bench. That’s the reality.

11 Dec 2025 14:45:29
In a diamond as a right sided midfielder/ inside 10 he would actually be very good, I think.

11 Dec 2025 15:04:35
During the summer for England he was outstanding. He played really well in the old inside right position. It gave him scope to run onto the ball and break defensive lines. Instead of holding a wide position.
I honestly thought slot had a selection problem between him a Freddie. with all the incomings it passed him by. Gutted for the kid. The 8 role would have given him and us another option. Mr Slot is a hard man to please.

YNWA.

11 Dec 2025 17:38:42
ArAy, not how we were set up, you're right. He mainly covered the Salah role in a 433 against lower tier opposition in the cups.

However, the fact that Salah hasn't kicked on this season and the last few games shows a transition to a new way of playing that isn't entirely dependent on Salah's pace.

In the new setup, yeah, I could see Harvey playing effectively in the (new) Salah role that Szob has been so effective in the last few games.

11 Dec 2025 18:15:31
I'd definitely have him back. Great squad player who can offer cover in multiple positions (CAM, RW, CM) in specific situations especially if we persist with the midfield diamond which simultaneously uses almost all our mids.

BUT with slot still here the truth is that wouldn't make much more sense for Elliot than it would to stay at Villa: he would hardly get played because Slot has shown last year he rarely picks him and his selection this year is even worse.