Liverpool banter 5

12 Mar 2026 00:10:41
Liverpool will do Spurs 3-1 on Sunday.
There ya go, have that!

Unfortunately I think we will draw with Galatasaray in the 2nd Leg and go out with a whimper.

11 Mar 2026 22:12:16
Hi Ed's - excuse my ignorance but with a pretty poor showing by the English teams in the CL and progression in at least 3 ties looking really doubtful is the fifth place for a CL spot still a given

Thanks.

{Ed001's Note - impossible to say, it comes down to the coefficient points at the end of the season, the other two comps will also have an effect.}

12 Mar 2026 06:30:47
5th place has been removed from the table.

Ormstein's post suddenly looking all the more plausible (and terrifying).

12 Mar 2026 10:07:49
I see the doom mongers are out in force again.

It's very likely 5th place will still be a CL spot.

12 Mar 2026 10:24:58
I only asked the question Varry, as I wasn't sure how the coefficient system worked - nothing to do with being a doom-monger, mate.

If we get a CL spot, I'll be chuffed to bits. If we don't, the world will still turn.

11 Mar 2026 21:40:00
Ornstein saying:

"Liverpool steadfastly behind Arne Slot and hierarchy are determined that he is the man to get things right - there's not people on the market that they think better suit what they're looking for. They’re happy with him. Changing head coach not on Liverpool's agenda at all."

It beggars belief.

11 Mar 2026 22:18:17
"There's not people"? This guy writes like Mike Tyson knits.

11 Mar 2026 22:33:05
The dreaded vote of confidence....

11 Mar 2026 22:34:57
Trophyless season and finish outside the champions league places incoming.

Mid table finish at best next season if he's still here

11 Mar 2026 23:00:14
I suspect it would be Hughes's head to fall in a scenario where they keep Slot, with Edwards taking over.

It's clear the squad is lacking many things for Slot's style of play, so it will also mean another huge amount of money going down on transfers.

And I suspect it will still not work out.

Slot will go, I think.

11 Mar 2026 23:16:32
Indeed, Davey. This is all window-shopping. Anyone thinking Slot will get sacked this season did that to themselves. He will go at the end of the season and not a second before.

No news has been broken here to anyone who has been paying attention on current events on this forum, IMO.

12 Mar 2026 07:15:39
No one thinks Slot will be sacked before the season's end, but most think he should. There's the difference.

12 Mar 2026 09:57:45
I agree, @Frode. If you have been paying attention, I am one of those who thinks he should have gone months ago. But that's just what you and I think should have happened. Not the reality, sadly.

11 Mar 2026 16:36:27
I wonder what the atmosphere will be at Anfield on Sunday?

I don't see fans booing and demanding anything from players. A lot of dead silent passage of play with gaaahs and nervousness.

I want Anfield to let their anger known. Enough with this respect game. It just isn't working.

11 Mar 2026 16:48:41
Personal opinion, mate, but I'm not going to Anfield to boo a game of football.

I'm just as annoyed and disheartened with the season, but to pay through the teeth for a ticket and to sacrifice Mother's Day to just turn up and boo would be pointless.

I'll probably just waste a day and leave depressed, and then moan on here. 🤣

11 Mar 2026 16:56:50
I can't go on Sunday, but I know JK23 is going, and I'm sure Frode and LFC8 will be there, along with many others on here. I can almost guarantee, Cafu, that the crowd won't be letting their anger be known. Up till now, any frustration has been aimed at the players.

That could possibly change, should we lose on Sunday and then again next Wednesday. Should we win both, and I expect us to, the atmosphere will remain the same, in my opinion.

11 Mar 2026 17:33:59
At kickoff, no matter what the situation, I would expect the crowd to be 100% behind the team. If we play as bad as we have recently, and we don't beat the disaster that is Spurs, then I imagine that at least some of the crowd will let their opinions be heard towards the end.

11 Mar 2026 17:48:34
It will be the same as the last handful of games at Anfield. A bit tentative, but still supportive. The atmosphere will descend into groans very quickly if the performances are bad, though. Spurs and Gala games should be straightforward wins.

11 Mar 2026 18:09:21
I'm there this Sunday, and as much as I absolutely cannot believe Slot hasn't already been sacked, inside the stadium I am there to support the team. Voicing discontent shouldn't be done before or during the 90 minutes.

To be honest, I doubt I'd even boo at full time, even if we lost. It just doesn't sit right with me, booing people. It's not constructive or rational.

11 Mar 2026 18:22:30
With you, MK. I never booed Trent. Would never boo any player while they're wearing our badge. Each to their own, it's a personal choice, having paid your money.

11 Mar 2026 18:32:04
Slot won't be sacked, according to David Ornstein, and will be here next season. It was on his podcast.

11 Mar 2026 18:35:04
Liverpool fans don't boo their own team or managers. We aren't that low.

11 Mar 2026 19:17:16
FPF - Not one game this season has been straightforward!
I'm certainly not looking at Spurs & Gala as being straightforward, more like tortuous!

11 Mar 2026 19:36:47
The atmos will depend entirely on how we play, and the result.

11 Mar 2026 20:53:11
If we lose against Spurs on Sunday, and, let's face it, Spurs are in a bigger mess than us at the moment, then it will be the most embarrassing defeat of the season. I fully expect that, if that were to happen, at the final whistle the discontent will spread and there will be things said and some booing.

Aimed, I would think, at the manager as well as the players. You cannot lose to dross like Spurs and expect fans who have paid, in many cases 100s pounds to come to the game, not to be able to express discontent.

11 Mar 2026 21:28:13
I want Slot gone as much as the next man, but we are running out of games, and we don’t need the fans booing to make things worse.
We need every fan in the ground getting behind the team, and driving them forward.
Slot will be gone in the summer no matter what happens.

He is not staying any longer, so let’s hope we can make top 4. I’ve got no confidence in us, but if I were there on Sunday or any of the remaining games, I would sing and cheer us on till I could not sing no more.

11 Mar 2026 21:52:01
Well said, Grino.

11 Mar 2026 22:18:15
If we let our anger be known inside the stadium, and boo the team or the manager, we should all follow the Spurs coach down the M1 at full time, because Spurs are exactly what we'll have become.

We are better than that, and we hopefully understand the role we play in a successful team. It baffles me when a team plays poorly and the fans are angry at the players and boo them off the pitch.

What good do you think that will do? It will make them more nervous, and less likely to want to play for you.

We expect undying loyalty from these players, and we expect them to run through walls for us. The least we can do is support them when they run out there in a red shirt.

11 Mar 2026 23:17:51
You don't go to a live game at the ground in order to boo your team. That is just bonkers.

11 Mar 2026 23:33:22
The atmosphere will be something like this. We sing our songs bfr, and just after the start we roar on the team until 30-odd minutes when we realise it's another damp squid. But in the last 10/15 the players have a go n put in a shift n we cheer them on to the end, and we might all go home happy with a win, or very disappointed with a draw/loss n style of play.

That's been happening most of the season.

12 Mar 2026 01:27:41
Booing isn't constructive, but then again top tier football clubs/players don't particularly appreciate the unwavering support they get, either.
Modern football has turned fans into high-paying customers, directly funding the lives of extraordinary privilege that the players enjoy, and yet they are expected to cheer and shout unquestioningly, regardless of how unbothered their heroes are.


Frankly, if a fan paying 1/5th of their weekly wage to watch a player earning a million pounds a month wants to boo because they're fed up, you damn well direct your empathy to where it deserves to go.

12 Mar 2026 04:36:16
Spot on, Lowe.

12 Mar 2026 07:17:39
Lowe, you have really just reminded me why I should move away from my support of football (modern). It used to be about teams and passion for the following. Now it is about watching 22 overpaid players who have enough money to change lives wander about like they are owed something just because of their talent. I find it hard to pull myself away. I need a replacement for this from a sport which feels more real and down to earth, where cheating isn't commonplace and the people are genuine.

I have completely gone off footballers and their attitude towards those who fund their wages.

I enjoy watching golf because there isn't any way to cheat and the sporting moments are quite genuine. Not overly keen on the money involved, as that has all got a bit ridiculous as well.
.

12 Mar 2026 09:54:22
Piffmunda, I haven't been fussed about football for ages now. I just can't reconcile fans paying £60+ for a ticket while players demand £500k a week and still calling it "support". Not to mention clubs charging over £100 a shirt every season, overpriced concessions, etc. The whole thing just lacks any goodwill or connection anymore.

12 Mar 2026 10:53:44
I'll be there bellowing my heart out. Some of you will not even watch the game on telly.

12 Mar 2026 12:09:10
I guess if you "boo" you're not really a "supporter", more of a critic.

11 Mar 2026 14:05:42
Ed001 I say back at the end of November I wanted us to lose to West Ham because I was frightened with the fixtures ahead we would limp on and that's exactly what happened.
Now are season is just about over we are not winning the champions league or fa cup and I don't see us finishing in the top 5.

I am not even expecting a win on Sunday against spurs this team has sucked that much belief out of me.
Slot has been truly awful but for me the biggest problem has been Hughes Edwards and Billy Hogan for letting this go on for so long all three need to go too. I don't what you think of all them three Ed.

{Ed001's Note - I can't comment on Hogan, as I don't know enough, but I never wanted Edwards back and certainly didn't want Hughes, who I didn't rate at all. I would defo be looking to get rid of those two, they are out of their depth and were never good enough to deserve the roles they got.}

11 Mar 2026 15:07:51.
I'd say Hogan is doing an excellent job. We are top of the money league and are clearly growing in popularity across the globe in terms of viewing figures and social media following/activity.

However, a chunk of Hogan's revenue depends on sporting performance. He would expect a floor of CL qualification for the sporting side of the business, with deep runs in the CL being aspirational. Not qualifying for the CL would put Edwards/Hughes under a lot of pressure, given the club has chosen to completely rebuild the squad and academy.

Edwards is clearly well liked and trusted by JWH and Mike Gordon. It's difficult to tell how happy Edwards is, as he came back on the proviso that he would be allowed to develop the multi-club model. There has been no apparent movement on that, despite getting quite close to purchasing Bordeaux and rumours of kicking the tyres on Malaga, Getafe and Valencia.

Is that lack of progress on Edwards or his bosses? We don't really know. FSG aren't short of cash after making a killing on selling the Penguins recently.

Re Hughes, if you bring a mate into your organisation, there will naturally be greater scrutiny of his work and performance by the higher ups. You would expect JWH, Gordon and Werner to be aware of that relationship, and you would also expect Edwards to want it to succeed in order to maintain his reputation. Or, if it does go badly, to try and make any exits look strategic/graceful!

The optics of being a stable club are important for current, future players and their agents, and current, future commercial partners.

11 Mar 2026 15:45:46
Good post Fpf. Very informative.

11 Mar 2026 15:54:20
Cheers, Rome1977. Not that I have any inside info. Just guesswork based on how things have played out in the past and how the levers in the organisation could potentially work if it follows other big corporates.

11 Mar 2026 16:21:22
Ed001 am not sure how much input Edwards is having it but our wage bill is spiralling like it did when he was here before.
The contracts given out to Gakpo and now Gravenberch is beyond ridiculous and just gives other players something to judge there wage on.

{Ed001's Note - exactly. He is clueless.}

11 Mar 2026 16:56:38
Ed001, spot on as usual.
I believe the fans are begging to see through Edwards and Hughes.

Slot and Van Bronkhorst are already obvious.

I don't understand FSG.

11 Mar 2026 17:37:52
Surely, FSG will put 2+2 together regarding the wage increases. I just hope Alonso is a strong manager like Klopp and puts a few people in their place.

11 Mar 2026 17:39:42
Yuri, on a personal basis, I couldn't care less about Hughes and Edwards. I've said on here a few times, and I may be wrong. Edwards oversaw the transfers of Alisson, VVD, Mane, Salah and Robertson. If FSG decide to get rid of both of them, and I very much doubt they will, I won't lose sleep. In the meantime, I couldn't give a flying fish.

11 Mar 2026 18:27:05
Flying Fish is a paint colour, Rome. Just in case you were interested.

11 Mar 2026 18:56:23
Thanks ever so much, Shanklys Ghost! I'm on it, mate. Trawling through Crown and Dulux websites (other paints are available) to see if it appeals to me. I'm very fussy, you know. Most folk will be wondering what the hell we're talking about!

11 Mar 2026 22:35:03
I make you right there, Rome. Edwards oversaw the most successful time in our recent history, so if that’s clueless then give me clueless all day long.

As for Hughes, he’s just signed 2 of the best players in world football. Something I thought was beyond us, but he pulled it off. It hasn’t worked out yet, but I have no doubt Isak and Wirtz will be amazing players for us moving forward. Hughes made the transfer window exciting for the first time in years. We are finally not only being linked with, but actually signing the most sought after talent in the world. I’m all for that.

There are reasons why Slot has not been sacked.

Reasons beyond performances and results, but none of us are in the conversations so we don’t know what they are, but you can bet there are conversations going on because nobody will be happy with the current form.

The people calling for Edwards and Hughes's head are just looking for someone to blame. They actually have no idea if Edwards and Hughes have done anything wrong, or they are any good at what they do, but the team aren’t winning enough so everyone is to blame.

I know nothing about them other than what I see, and Edwards did well last time around to build a competitive squad and Hughes has started off very well in my eyes.

11 Mar 2026 20:25:05
Hi Ed,
Is it Julian Ward responsible for negotiating these obscene contracts and handing out ludicrous amounts of money?

{Ed001's Note - he is supposed to be player development, so shouldn't be involved. This is Edwards and Hughes.}

12 Mar 2026 01:01:43
I will add to that Hughes held firm at the start of last season and kept his powder dry not signing anyone other than an opportunistic Chiesa signing which had everyone on here in meltdown.

We'd finished third the season before so according to most on here that was the best we could hope for but with a new manager we'd be mid table. Hughes was out of his depth and had no clue what he was doing.

But then we won the league so who was right? Then we had people lauding Ed2 because he'd mentioned Slot a couple of years earlier and Hughes signed Wirtz, Frimpong, Kerkez, Leoni (YLFP remember that? ), Ekitike and Isak and suddenly not only had Hughes got us the best manager out there (endorsed by Ed2 RIP) he's also signed some of the best talents in the world so maybe he does know what he's doing.

Now the season hasn't gone to plan it was all a big mistake that everyone saw it coming and he's out of his depth again. Slot is the worst manager ever and the squad is unbalanced due to Hughes's ineptitude.

Do you people hear yourselves? You change your minds like the wind and just jump on the next bandwagon passing by.

I blame social media myself, it really has the ability to poison your mind. No one is able to think for themselves anymore they just regurgitate crap they've read on social media and social media knows that outrage will get infinitely more engagement than contentment. It thrives off it.

Just my take, I know most won't agree but that's what I see and not just in football. Social media is such an intrinsic part of modern life that people are being controlled and they don't even realise. They'll swear blind it's their own opinion but that's what you're supposed to think. Social media is very, very clever.

11 Mar 2026 13:49:38
I would suggest the reason Alonso didn't join us in Jan was because he was sorting out his redundancy payment with Madrid after his sacking. To have joined us would have cost him millions as he would gave moved from one job to the next with very little loss of income.

He would gave been happy to join in May as he will have a whole pre season to develop his tactics and bring in the players he wanted.

11 Mar 2026 15:39:34
Am I the only one who doesn't see Alonso as being the be all and end all. I am no football expert, but I have been told that his style of play is similar to Slot's. Forget the fact he is an ex player, but what do the fans expect from him?

11 Mar 2026 15:57:52
What do I expect of Alonso? Identity, coaching, and physical readiness, along with a connection to the fans and the city.

Is he the be all and end all? Nobody is. Will he be successful? Who knows, but we have to make some choices going forward either way.

11 Mar 2026 16:09:39
Alonso's style is not the same as Slot's.
I have to say Enrique would have been my choice, but it looks like he wants to remain in Paris. 🙄

11 Mar 2026 19:39:31
Funny, Elliott, I'm not 100% convinced of Alonso either. I wouldn't see an awful lot of European football, but the two Alonso teams that played us in the Champions League, we beat them easily. 4-0 against Leverkusen and we beat Real 1-0, but should've been 4.

I do like Ireala at Bournemouth, plays v good football. Downside, he has never been at a big club with expectations like LFC.
Hard to know who to go for but Alonso r Ireala for me.

11 Mar 2026 23:20:29
Alonso presses and plays high tempo football. Slot lulls all of us, including the oppo (or at least tries to), to sleep with his dross. That's one difference right there.

11 Mar 2026 13:16:58.
Speculation:
I think Hughes is staying and will get another shot at a manager.

Planning for the end of the season needs to be done way in advance. Sacking him now or in the summer will disrupt transfer plans. I can’t see him going before September.

11 Mar 2026 14:11:56
I read "Hughes will get another shot at being manager" and almost had a heart attack.
Have a feeling you're right, Ron, and personally I think we will start next season with Slot still in charge.

11 Mar 2026 14:15:05
That way you can be right about Iraola, Ron.

11 Mar 2026 14:53:41
Ron, I do think Hughes might cling on by the skin of his teeth. He shouldn't, but it wouldn't shock me to see him make Slot the main scapegoat. Slot's position is untenable in my view, and that gives Hughes a "get out of jail free" card. Slot's the one who has completely failed to deliver. Hughes can rightly point out that he renewed the contracts of our 2 star players, and managed to sign 3 world class players in Isak, Ekitike and Wirtz. The failure to at least get the world class players at his disposal to play well does solely sit with Slot, and nobody else.

What Hughes should be getting questioned on, though, is why he allowed Quansah to leave, why he allowed Morton to leave, why we did not replace Diaz adequately, and why there seems to be no succession plan in place for Van Dijk or Salah, who are 34 and 33 years old.

I am tempted to say he let Morton and Quansah leave because it was easier to sell them for a quick PSR boost than to negotiate down the astronomical fees we threw about. I'd say he failed to replace Diaz because he put gross mis-faith in Slot to actually utilise Rio Ngumoha, despite Slot making it very clear in his first season that he does not care about the academy, and I honestly have no idea why we have no succession plan in place for Virgil and Salah; that's just embarrassing and inexplicable.

11 Mar 2026 16:47:31
I kind of feel like the plan was to blow up the team slowly and then do the rebuild across two or three years, and trust that the players and squad were good enough to keep us in the Champions League. I'm pretty sure that the huge outlay in the summer was done in the knowledge that it was only half the build necessary to have us at the very top end of European football again once our ageing spine has been adequately replaced. We have to remember that directors of football think in terms of multiple seasons and not just the here and now (which could be right or wrong, but that's what they're hired for, I guess).

The problem lies in the fact that we had clearly very immediate needs in terms of combativeness and physicality, and the team chose to prioritise getting key players that we wanted eventually who were available in the here and now, delaying buying for other key positions that would have been imperative for us this season, leaving them for next year.



The result of that is plain for all to see, and Hughes and Edwards not acting immediately to buy players that could help us in January, because they wanted to wait for the targets they really want in the summer, has had a huge effect.

I think it's a massive gamble that they've taken from the summer window onwards, and it doesn't look like it makes a whole lot of sense at all. I also think that while Slot has clearly made mistakes this year, it seems slightly unfair that all the moaning is directed towards him rather than those above him, though those above him could defend themselves by saying that the results of their work will become apparent when the grand plan eventually comes together. It's kind of hard to see that taking place if we don't make it to the Champions League, though, to be honest.

11 Mar 2026 12:15:01
This is all complete guesswork by me, but I recon Slot wasn't sacked earlier in the season because he won the league last year and we're not a club that generally panics when we have a bad run. Added to that, we seem to have had several false dawns that may suggest things could turn around. Look at Tuesday vs Friday against Wolves and results against both Madrids, Inter and Arsenal. Added to that, Villa sinking and until recently United and Chelsea's sketchy form probably making the owners think top 5 wasn't possible to miss out on. With the Salah situation I think he plays every game because we haven't had much other option with Frimpong being injured and no right backs.

I also feel like after the backlash that came after he spoke out to the media that maybe the owners are happy to see if he can improve or if not show the fans that he is really done at the top level so that there is no backlash when he is sold in the summer. Complete guesswork by me but just thought id throw my two pence in. Players should be ashamed for a lack of fight and heart and they should show that regardless of a failing manager at the helm. However, the manager seems completely incapable of motivating them to sort it out so he must carry the can.

11 Mar 2026 13:57:41
Good post, Red-Will. Hope you're well, mate.

11 Mar 2026 14:48:16
I think in general, everyone prefers not to sack managers/coaches in the middle of the season, with the exception of Chelsea. Clearly the directors are gambling on seeing out the season and, at the very least, achieving the floor, CL qualification, and making the changes to the coaching team in the summer.

The directors have to take a huge share of the blame, forcing a major transition after winning the league, and yet, despite a massive investment, leaving key squad profiles for Slot's game model unfilled (ball-playing CB, wingers, a deep-lying playmaking midfielder).

Will Slot be coach next season? I don't think so for two reasons - 1) We let the January window go by without strengthening a squad that desperately needed a defender and winger, despite genuine targets Guehi and Semenyo being on the move, and 2) We didn't bring Jonny Heitinga back into the fold after his Ajax exit, despite him being hugely liked by Slot and the players.



It's noteworthy also that Slot will be entering the final year of his contract this summer. Talks of a renewal have been quite rightly shelved.

All of that tells me they expect a coaching reset in the summer.

FSG have every right to question the decisions and non-decisions made by the footballing hierarchy.

11 Mar 2026 15:54:44
Not too bad, thanks, Rome. Hope you're well, and we get to chat again soon on chat. Hopefully over a winning performance.

11 Mar 2026 12:04:42
After seeing Cara's post i think its becoming more and more apparent that Slot is going, the players know it too.

He seems disinterested but intent on proving everyone wrong that his tactics will work, clearly they won't but his ego is not letting him see that he was wrong and everyone else is right.

I can see the logic in giving him till the end of the season, i assume it's more a thank you and respect for winning the league last season, we have 11 games to go, then the pain will be over.