Liverpool banter 5

25 Jul 2026 08:54:40
Morning Gents

I see RBL are putting out stories of "Rejected" bids.

It's a game of chess.

They want more money upfront.

Simple as that.

Cheers

25 Jul 2026 09:20:00
Cheers Robbo. If RM have bid, I would think he chooses them over us. Not sure it would be the best move for his career though. I would prefer us to look elsewhere in the market and get better value. Diomande didn't look anything special at the World Cup to warrant the high fee. Unproven at £100m + is crazy.

25 Jul 2026 10:00:05
Robbo, you are the only historically reliable source still saying we will sign Diomande. If it actually happens, you realise you've earned God-like status, right?

25 Jul 2026 10:48:37
@Charlies Grumpy Dad

Real Madrid think he's worth it.
Liverpool think he's worth it.
PSG are not out the equation.

Just look at the clubs interested, he's obviously got something about him, mate, otherwise these clubs would not even entertain him. Look at his stats, and I don't mean g/a in the Bundesliga, his running, dribbling, tracking back, take ons completed, he was so impressive.



If he doesn't come to Liverpool I for one will be disappointed, as I do think, with his stats, albeit 1 season in a so called lesser league, aren't a great sample size, where that impressive. If he can transfer these stats and skills to us and to the prem then we would be getting one hell of a player, hence why the club are prepared to pay big for him.

25 Jul 2026 11:09:34
Cheers, Robbo, mate, that makes perfect sense. I just hope we start focusing our energies elsewhere sooner rather than later, I'm sure we are in the background anyway, but it would be nice to officially move on and shift focus.

25 Jul 2026 11:12:06
I do find myself torn over the potential Diomande signing. I truly believe his potential is vast, and I have seen enough evidence to suggest that he does have that X factor that sets the best from the rest. However, he's just not regular or consistent enough, which is understandable for such a young lad. He is a hard worker and does track back etc, so I believe his work rate would endear him to the Anfield faithful should he sign.



The issue is the cost/value of the transfer and the added implications associated with his agents behind the scenes. I am glad it's not my decision or my money. We have to put our faith in the decision makers and provide our support for the lad if he signs, irrespective of the fees involved. Football finance is crazy, but it's something we all need to get used to as fans.

25 Jul 2026 12:07:24
He is actually extremely consistent in the Bundesliga. Every game I've seen him play for Leipzig (which admittedly is not a lot, maybe 7 or 8 games) he has caught the eye, and the numbers back it up.

Everybody saying he isn't consistent is simply basing this on the World Cup. I'm not sure how that is an accurate representation of anything. He was switched between two flanks in the WC and was playing with team mates that he scarcely ever trains with. Now he has a reputation of a player who disappears and blows hot and cold, simply because of a tiny sample size on the international stage, and what makes things worse is that most of the folks on here openly say that they don't care for international football and that it's dull because there is no team cohesion.



I mean, I have seen people on here saying they prefer Nusa to him, simply because of two or three games in the WC. Do you watch Nusa playing for Leipzig? Because if you did watch the two of them playing in the Bundesliga, I would bet that you would choose Diomande 9 times out of 10. He is simply a different level to the likes of Nusa and El Mala, who are both very good players.

25 Jul 2026 13:20:33
Honestly don't know why anyone bothers mentioning Nusa, no end product and by all accounts his knees are buggered. And, as Patrick rightly said, no one who saw Rbl last season would remotely pick Nusa over Diomande, but given we're not likely to end up with Diomande given the clown show surrounding his management and PSG & Real making offers, I'd certainly not want us to go for Nusa as he's more than enough negatives to make him a hard pass.

Quite frankly I'd rather sign Minteh than Nusa as he's at least not made of crisps.

25 Jul 2026 14:33:34
Everybody saying he isn't consistent is simply basing this on the World Cup.

Pat, now speaking on behalf of everybody.

Relax, mate. We know you watch every single player and game, but people will have different opinions to you.

We're all just strangers on the internet. Hardly like you're going to meet any of them at a game at an actual game.

25 Jul 2026 04:21:39
Not really Liverpool related but those talks with Pep did not go well at all lol.

Let's just say that Italian football is likely to be in a mess for a very long time and Pep was very vocal about why.

25 Jul 2026 08:21:20
Whilst on the subject of Italy, surprised to see the club possibly losing out to Atalanta for Darwin Nunez. I think he will do well in Italy with his world class pressing and chaos making ability. I'd imagine he'll score a hatful in Serie A.

25 Jul 2026 09:14:37
And the award for the most sarcastic post of the day, goes to (drum roll)... JK23!

There'll still be posters defending him (Nunez not JK), saying what a press monster he was, Captain Chaos, etc etc. All utter tosh.

25 Jul 2026 09:26:54
I think you will find that it's Atlanta United from the MLS that are trying to sign him, JK, and not Atalanta. Whatever you might think of him, surely he is better than the MLS.

25 Jul 2026 09:35:29
You are right, PB.

25 Jul 2026 09:48:59
I'm a defender of him, Rome, I'd love him back,
As for utter tosh that's relying on Isak to be your no9, crap Darwin will outscore him this season where ever he ends up.

25 Jul 2026 09:56:39
Morning, John. Hope you're well, mate. You're not on your own in wanting him back. Regards to Isak, I agree. As far as playing for Lpool is concerned, the jury is still out.

25 Jul 2026 09:57:18
I love Darwin as much as anybody, Scouse John, but Isak is about three times the footballer that Darwin is. Darwin probably is better off the ball and might have better availability, but in Isak we are talking about one of the 5 best number 9s in the world.

25 Jul 2026 10:23:37
Nunez even causes chaos with his transfers.
Aye, he is probably too good for the MLS.
Not the Saudi league, though.

25 Jul 2026 10:51:30
So, you're telling me the over 800 professional managers in Europe don't want Darwin on a free.

Mental that they can't see in Darwin what some posters can.

#SlotouteveryEuropeanmanagerout.

25 Jul 2026 11:34:16
Now you've put it like that, JK...

25 Jul 2026 12:08:38
Maybe Nunez' wages put them off? I'm sure lots of teams in Europe would want him on a free if they could afford to pay him. Or maybe we just know nothing about football and your animus towards him is spot on, JK. It's not a crime to like watching Darwin while admitting he has limitations, you know.

25 Jul 2026 12:20:01
To be fair, like Darwin's fans will tell you, it's very easy to defend him and his skills.

25 Jul 2026 13:33:26
How do you know 800 managers don't want him? Talking crap there.
Proof for me was klopp choosing Darwin over isak.

25 Jul 2026 14:46:33
I asked all 800, John. Not all in the flesh, obviously, some of them were via text and morse code.

25 Jul 2026 14:23:27
Patrick stop playing the victim.

Anyone else has an opinion and you get all hot and bothered.

We know you watch every game there's ever been all be it on a treadmill. Maybe get to a game and chill out.

25 Jul 2026 15:51:43
Why do you imagine that I'm hot and bothered or playing the victim?

I'm simply doing what you are, having an opinion and engaging in banter. Or is that not what this place is for? What gives you the right to constantly attribute emotions to people, while you are the rational, cool-headed one, just having some fun?

If anything, I feel like you have an undying grudge against anybody who feels differently about certain things than you, to the point where you have to constantly make sarcastic, thinly-veiled jokes about them.

'Get to a game and chill out' is another reference to the fact that you live in Liverpool and go to every game while everybody else is an internet fan. You really do accomplish a lot with very few words.

I'm a Darwin Nunez fan. Is that alright with you?

25 Jul 2026 17:02:54
You're definitely not coming across all hot and bothered, Pat.

So am I engaging in banter or constantly making sarcastic, thinly-veiled jokes. You seem confused with that one, mate.

You can support whoever you want, mate, the more teams and players the merrier. Hope you have a good evening on that treadmill watching the game.

25 Jul 2026 17:41:01
Evidently I am a Liverpool fan, albeit a lesser one in the eyes of some. And a poser for watching games from afar because I live on the other side of the world.

Ah..... I had forgotten there was an option to hide comments from specific users. After all, we're all here for enjoyment, not aggravation.

25 Jul 2026 17:54:52
Albeit a lesser one in the eyes of some.

Pat, these are the words coming from your mouth, no one else's. Stop being drama queen. Block me if you must, at least it'll save me from you commenting on my posts.

25 Jul 2026 01:00:42
Can I suggest that, say, if an ITK thinks we are going to sign someone, rather than say stuff like 'negotiations are ongoing' the say something like, 'my mate was at AXA for some business and got talking to the lad on the front desk, who said '.

It'll make it more fun and also will mess withe the minds of the generation that expects a solute certainty whenever they want to know something.

25 Jul 2026 07:17:06
Trying to get the lad on the front desk the sack?

25 Jul 2026 09:02:12
I don't think solute means what you think it means.

25 Jul 2026 10:01:22
Wdw, or how about other posters just grow up and treat posters with respect, and not hang on every word an itk says... It is all about fun, and, as has been said before, nothing is absolute.

25 Jul 2026 12:24:57
I agree @LBC, I don't think solute is a word I've never seen before. I was aiming at 'solution'.

I'd be happy with the 'growing up' solution @MOT, but I have to say I'm not optimistic.....

25 Jul 2026 00:17:33
I am an agent. But for writers, and directors.

I do this because I strongly believe in helping creative artists. It is a well regulated business - I have a commission rate, but I more often than not recommend that a client take a lower offer than the highest bid. Why?

Because it is about their long term career, and not the quick bucks. A creative needs to find their best collaborator, and not the biggest payer.

There is a clear difference in sport, when it comes to management or representation. Young players find themselves with agents whose sole incentive is to engineer a move. I am not sure of the figures, but I imagine they make way more than 10% of their client's deal, and get "bungs" at each end of the deal.

What is my point here? I am not entirely sure, but I think football could benefit from more regulated agents.

25 Jul 2026 08:22:25
I think the main difference with footballers though is that their career is so uncertain. A good writer will be a good writer for his whole career. A good director will be a good director until they retire. For a footballer, one manager dropping you can ruin your reputation and confidence (Joe Hart). One bad game can turn everyone against you (Loris Karius). Your form can suddenly just desert you (Dele Alli). A serious injury can completely rob you of the career you were destined to have (Daniel Sturridge). One crime off the pitch under the influence of alcohol can wreck your career (Jon Flanagan).

It's such a fragile career that you are constantly on a knife edge. With that in mind, I fully understand why players are seduced by agents promising to make them unfathomably rich.

I was listening to Troy Deeney the other day on the radio and he literally admitted that he got into football for the love of it, but after he established himself as a pro, every decision he made was about securing his family financially, and nothing to do with football. I would be willing to bet that a lot of footballers who grew up in poverty feel exactly the same way. Who am I to judge? I've always lived comfortably in a nice part of the UK and so do all of my family. Therefore, I simply don't understand the desire to lift my family, friends, maybe even my whole village out of poverty!

{Ed025's Note - its all about greed MK, if an average player gets a signing on fee of say £4m then that sets him and his extended family up for life, but then they want another move for even more money, then they think they can do what they want like Greenwood, Flanagan, Partey, Barton etc so dont feel sorry for them mate..

25 Jul 2026 08:43:05
Just to add on to MK's point, footballers have a very short career, unlike writers or directors. Creatives can continue creating even beyond their 70s. Footballers generally retire in their 30s. So I don't blame them for constantly choosing the option that provides them with the most money.

{Ed025's Note - Diddums..

25 Jul 2026 09:12:16
It must be so hard for them to have to slum it as an overpaid, clueless pundit when you stop playing.

{Ed025's Note - my heart bleeds SK.. :)

25 Jul 2026 09:26:48
Excellent post in full, MK.

25 Jul 2026 09:11:06
Ed025, that's very easy to say as someone who will never have to make that choice though. I think a lot of people lie to themselves about what they'd do if they actually had the talent to be in that situation. Maybe you would be one of the rare exceptions in the sport, but they are very few and far between.

I don't feel sorry for anyone playing in the Premier League as they get paid more money than I'll ever be paid, but it is a short career still and they live a certain lifestyle which means the money runs out a lot quicker. £4m sets you up for life as average people like us live, but if you want that life with Yachts, super cars, mansions etc to last the rest of your life, you need to make as much as you can as quick as you can.

You call it greed and okay, that is an opinion you're entitled to. But I'd do anything to give my wife and kids the absolute best life I can. If I could set up my family/community for generations of living in relative luxury travelling the globe, I absolutely would. I wouldn't even think twice. I think deep down, the majority of people would chase the money if they were given the choice.

Don't get me wrong, as a football fan I still find it frustrating when I see talented players make bad footballing career decisions for quicker money, but as a human being I do understand why they do it. I loved my old job and I made more than enough money to live comfortably. However I've now got a new job that is far less interesting/enjoyable but it pays 50% more. Maybe that makes me greedy, but I wanted to have a bigger house and nicer cars for my wife and my children. Everything is relative to the individual and footballers are living on a different scale to us, but morally it's pretty much the same decision. I didn't even want to be an engineer. I wanted to be a sports journalist but the easy/guaranteed money was in engineering. Maybe I am greedy. Maybe I don't care!

{Ed025's Note - i just find it hard to comprehend MK, when you see doctors and nurses working 60 odd hours a week just to survive and families using foodbanks and people living on the streets it irks me when i see footballers taking the piss, i may have a different moral compass to you mate and thats fine but i cant help how i feel..

25 Jul 2026 09:44:02
Personally I think the Premier League should take a lesson from NFL. There should be an annual team transfer limit and a team wage limit for your named 25 players in your squad. They should not be tied to turnover. They should be fixed amounts.

It should increase based on how low you finish in the top 17 places from the previous season. 18-20 get parachute payments.
It's the only way to get hold of the crazy transfer fees and the only way to maintain some level of competition.

25 Jul 2026 09:57:43
Monster, as someone who works with agents, reps and management teams across multiple different sports, I couldn't agree more. The amount of underhand dodgy crap that goes on is unreal. Most agents, even family members, are more concerned about their slice of the pie than what is actually best for their client.

I've told sportsmen and women to sack their agents, and put them in touch with ones that are better in that regard. Tbh, it's one of the reasons I started my latest venture of buying stakes in small agencies across Europe.

25 Jul 2026 10:12:38
Seen Rio Ferdinand saying the other day £30m in the bank by the time they stop playing isn't going to last! ducking clown

25 Jul 2026 10:26:14
Karius was rubbish before his one bad game in the CL final.

25 Jul 2026 10:32:03
Hi @Monstersouness, Spot on. This philosophy is exactly what separates great representation from simple deal-brokers.

As an aspiring writer-director myself, I see huge parallels between what you've written here and the creative industry. In both football and film, a young talent chasing the biggest immediate payday usually ends up on the bench or trapped in development hell (naming no names, of course). Finding the right person to represent you, who cares about tactical fit and long-term career development is everything.



It's incredibly refreshing to hear an agent prioritise the right collaborator over the biggest check. I'm actually currently looking for that exact kind of long-term representation for my own work. It would be great to grab a coffee or drop you a DM sometime to chat about how you apply this approach in your working life!

25 Jul 2026 10:39:24
Ed25 - your moral compass and football views are normally bang on to be fair. Pity you chose the bluenoses 😉

{Ed025's Note - i did not pick to be an Evertonian Ecogsi...i was chosen mate.. :)

24 Jul 2026 23:44:35
CB Mor Talla Ndiaye has now joined up with the after being unable to travel due to visa issues.

25 Jul 2026 08:23:21
That's great news! Can't remember where I read it (may even have been on here), but apparently the coaches are really impressed with him so far.

25 Jul 2026 10:13:26
Yeh, apparently him and the lad signed from Austria are doing really well.

24 Jul 2026 17:25:36
I am reasonably calm and patient on the transfer front and really looking forward to see what Iraola brings tactically and getting the best out of players.
What really concerns me is our total lack of a physical, mobile midfielder.


Seeing all our competitors for the top 4 strengthen their midfields with such players is a big worry.
Control the midfield and everything else is easier.
We were over run in midfield in virtually every game last season.
It needs strengthening.

24 Jul 2026 19:40:40
Try to remember that Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones, Endo, Elliott, Gravenberch, McConnell and Bajcetic were all utilised in midfield whilst Klopp was the manager. If they're aggressive and mobile enough for a Klopp midfield, maybe the players weren't the problem last season? I think a lot of why our midfielders looked so immobile and soft was quite simply down to Slot's tactics and coaching.

24 Jul 2026 20:12:52
Agreed, MK, Slot would have made prime 70's Brazil look awful.

24 Jul 2026 20:25:51
MK, I almost always agree with your intelligent posts, but this time I must disagree.

The idea that Slot, after winning us a very rare title, was solely responsible for our malaise last season is for the birds. We need to temper our expectations: we are likely to struggle an awful lot first half of the season.



It took Jurgen considerable time to make us contenders, and we need to be patient with AI. I just fear that the expectation that he will turn an underperforming squad into worldies will lead to disappointment.

We will lose many games early on, and we will have to be patient while AI gets his ideas across.

24 Jul 2026 20:28:49
Dom is a mobile, aggressive midfielder. Not sure he needs replacing?

I think Wharton would be an upgrade on Mac - but I suspect Mac will try a bit harder when it's not a World Cup year.

24 Jul 2026 20:50:55
I disagree, MonsterSounness, I think it's far more reasonable to believe Slot's change in tactics was the reason we were poor than it is to believe that 9 of the starting XI who won the league the year before all suddenly were not good enough anymore.

But it's all about opinions, and you're fully entitled to disagree!

24 Jul 2026 20:55:22
Dom is mobile, but certainly not aggressive. A true mobile defensive midfielder alongside Dom is my ideal double pivot.
Gravenberch and Mac Allister are just not up to it for me. Each would be ok alongside a proper 6.
A proper 6 brings the best out of Dom, Mac Allister and Gravenberch.

24 Jul 2026 21:22:20
I agree, MolbysMagic. For me that type of midfielder is exactly what we are missing and should be no.1 on our list. It would make a massive difference to this team. A younger version of Bruno Guimaraes is what we need imo.
Rb, experienced cb and a winger definitely needed as well.

24 Jul 2026 21:31:55
Vinicius Jr is a freebie next summer 2027.

AI to take Real Madrid players for nothing, the new LFC trend, starting with Carvajal for nothing, does not currently have a club?

24 Jul 2026 21:39:53
I don't want Dom anywhere near the midfield 2. Not because he can't do it, but because it is a complete waste. He's a goal scorer and a pressing machine. To me, it's crazy not to put him somewhere in the 3 men behind Isak. He's purpose built for that 2nd attacking line in the 4-2-3-1 and could play any of the 3 positions to a world class standard in my opinion.



We already have Gravenberch and Mac Allister to sit, which is a proven title winning combination. There is no need to shackle Dom. If Mac Allister leaves, we should replace him. Wharton seems most likely, though I'd pick Camara. Either way, I don't want Dom there and I hope Iraola agrees!

24 Jul 2026 21:47:23
MolbysMagic, just to clarify, are you calm or concerned and worried? :)

24 Jul 2026 22:01:54
None of our midfielders are remotely aggressive, bunch of soft lads, the lot of them. Easily dominated and no fight in them.

24 Jul 2026 22:13:44
See, this is why I think Wirtz was a vanity buy. Dom, for me, would be better than him as the most advanced midfielder, and I don't like Wirtz on the wing for us. I don't care what he did coming in off the left in Germany. The same people that say how good he was are the same saying we shouldn't get carried away from what Diomande has done in Germany because the defending is brutal.

We should have put the money elsewhere. Or else I don't mind putting Wirtz in the 10 because he's decent there, and I do think Dom can play in the 2 and do it well, that or putting Dom on the right of a 3.

24 Jul 2026 22:40:17
VV, totally agree. I feel Dom is our best No 10 and most advanced midfielder leading the press.
Florian Musiala, totally agree also. I would go with Dom as the No 10 leading the press, Gravenberch with a proper No 6 as the double pivot.
FPL all 3. If we signed a proper No 6, I would be very happy!

24 Jul 2026 22:46:52
Wirtz is a bit of an enigma, I was really looking forward to seeing what he can do last season but he was hugely disappointing, but I'm hoping a lot of it was down to Slot's slow footballing tactics. But he has a lot to prove this season.

24 Jul 2026 23:09:17
Even though a no 6 is the top of my wish list, I think we need to forget about it, sadly.

We seem to be linked with deep lying playmakers instead, which is a shame in my opinion, but as long as Iraola gets who he wants, then so be it.

25 Jul 2026 00:25:15
I think it's hilarious when people try to defend Slot and blame our midfield when the only thing that changed between the title-winning season and the shambles that just took place was Slot's tactics.

25 Jul 2026 01:03:00
I have a horrible feeling that Wirtz is this era's Smicer - a player lauded as the next Zidane, but just too lightweight to seize control of a game.

I really hope I am wrong.

25 Jul 2026 03:58:34
Isn't Carvahal celebrating his 50th birthday later this year?

25 Jul 2026 08:17:27
Ok - I'll get my tin hat and body armour ready as I'm going to post an unpopular one...

Dom,

For me he is not disciplined enough to play as one of the 2 in our midfield. And I also don't think he's a pressing genius.

Many of the times I watched, he does run an awful lot, but I don't always think that's effective.
I have seen quite a few games where, in effect, he's chafing the ball from full back to CB to CB. Now, it might look good as he's putting effort in, but it wrecks the shape behind him.

Go and press the ball vertically, and if you don't win it, drop back into shape. Going side to side simply opens up passing lanes, and if you're chasing the ball, you're leaving the team exposed with huge gaps to fill.

That exposes Mac and Grav a lot. Now, obviously not just down to Dom, as when he was forced to play RB we still had those issues, but it needs addressing moving forward.

25 Jul 2026 08:26:59
The only difference between last season and the title winning season wasn't Slot's tactics.
We played most of last session with two new fullbacks.
Salah lost form and it was the first season he wasn't our leading goal scorer (or joint leading goal scorer).
We had two new centre forwards who spent a lot of the season unavailable.


Wirtz was added for big money and was disappointing, on the whole.

Slot has to shoulder a lot of the blame with his tactics and unwillingness and inability to change things when it was clear they weren't working, but his tactics were not the only reason for the drop off last season.

25 Jul 2026 10:13:54
Is Dom the replacement for Salah?
He has pace, stamina, delivery. I think when he signed I may have touted him as a long term Salah replacement. Obviously no-one "replaces" Salah, but someone will need to play there.



Dom, Wirtz and another (Ekitike, Munoz, Gakpo, Rio, Elliott) rotating positionally behind Isak?

Grav and Mac A behind them.

For me, without any more signings, this is our best setup in front of the defenders.

25 Jul 2026 10:15:38
Good post, Rigsby.

25 Jul 2026 11:17:35
Rigsby, I was specifically talking about our midfield mate.

25 Jul 2026 14:03:00
Oh, sorry, Chewy.
To be honest, I didn't like the midfield when we won the League. I actually said several times that we couldn't win the League with that midfield. Before we won the League.
It was far worse last season, but I still wouldn't put it all down to Slot.

For example, if Grav was given more freedom to get forward, he should still realise that he had to sit at times.
We were poorer in every department last season, and the midfield was just one part of that.

25 Jul 2026 15:37:16
Wrong, Rigsby, a professional footballer should not be able to still do what he was doing before while also trying to improve on another area of his game. They are simple footballers not rocket scientists.

24 Jul 2026 16:55:04
Good afternoon guys,
I bumped into a mate of mine today who is heavily involved in youth football set ups both in UK and in the States, soccer schools etc.
We got talking about the whole Slot debacle and he was telling me that he had been told by a few colleagues (scouts etc) that the unrest at Anfield around Slot started in the March of the title winning season.

Many players started to turn against Slot due to bad man-management etc…. He didn’t go as far as saying that the players downed tools last season but apparently Anfield wasn’t a nice place to be….

Just thought I'd share this with you guys! It’s not often that I get info like this and I couldn’t wait to share with ya’s

24 Jul 2026 18:48:35
Makes perfect sense; those with a keen eye have been criticising Slot since right around February.

24 Jul 2026 20:49:57
Wouldn't surprise me this, didn't come out that Slot never watched any of the youth teams and basically blank it all.

24 Jul 2026 21:48:46
Slot was absolutely shocking for us after his first 6 months. He has set the expectation and belief levels so unbelievably low that some people are writing off half the players in the squad and starting XI. It's staggering how much of a negative impact a bad coach can have on the perception the fans have of the players. You've got to be pretty spectacularly bad to make Alisson, Frimpong, Virgil, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Wirtz, Salah and Isak all look dreadfully bad. They've all been in Bundesliga or Premier League TOTY's.

The only one I'd let him off on is Frimpong, as he really doesn't look suited to a back 4 in the Premier League. There is absolutely no excuse why the rest of them were made to look so poor, though.

Iraola has got to re-do Klopp's greatest achievement now; turning doubters into believers. I thought the fans were feeling positive after the Iraola appointment, but apparently 3 weeks without a transfer is enough to derail it all, which shows how fragile the belief is right now.

24 Jul 2026 21:56:36
He's not our manager anymore. He won the league, he had a crap season & now he's gone.

Get over it and move on.......

24 Jul 2026 22:28:36
I appreciate the hate, but I don't get how Slot made Alli, Frimpong and Isak look dreadfully bad. I think all three injuries and subsequent lack of fitness or rhythm played a massive part in that. And I don't think Szoboszlai and Kerkez were bad at all. The other four had poor seasons by their standards. Wirtz, in fairness, was getting used to the league under huge pressure, but to put the kind of performances Salah, Macca and Grav put in directly down to Slot is just wishful thinking for me.

I actually hope you're right though, and Slot walking out the door was like Thanos clicking his fingers and all these players that are still here have terrific seasons. We'd need very little signings then too.

24 Jul 2026 22:52:29
A keen eye Chewy? Stevie wonder could see things weren't right

25 Jul 2026 00:27:26
I'm talking about February of last year, Areola. A huge % of fans were still supporting Slot in February of this year.

25 Jul 2026 04:01:14
@Chewy, not according to the first poll about Slot that was around about Feb or March.

25 Jul 2026 08:12:53
Huge percentage?! Slot was as popular this Feb as Gary Glitter at a nativity play!

25 Jul 2026 08:37:00
How did Slot make Isak and Salah look bad?
Isak arrived unfit and broke his ankle before Christmas.
Slot's tactics didn't help Salah, but he's not the same player.
I'd add Wirtz as well.

Slot failed to get the best out of him, but he also let himself down with a lot of his performances. Or maybe he just downed tools because of conflict with the head coach, in which case he let the fans down too.

24 Jul 2026 16:49:54
What is everyone's honest expectation for this season?? Can we win the league this year or not??

When Slot won, that season we had 5 set forwards. Diaz, Salah, Jota (RIP), Gakpo and Nunez all were really effective.

Last year, we lost jota. Didn't replace Diaz. Salah declined. Nunez left.

This year, Isak has yet to settle. Majority wants to sell Gakpo. Chiesa is not settled properly. Rio is a kid. Ekitike was performing well but he isn't available. Munoz will take time to settle. And any other new forward has not been bought early enough to get enough pre-season

I thing due to our forward line, we will struggle this season and may not be in Top 3 let alone winning the league.

So, will top 4 be a realistic target for this year or should we be lenient with AI if we do not get champions league this season.

24 Jul 2026 18:24:53
With the squad the way it is at the moment, no, I do not think we can win the league this year. Top 5 and maybe a Cup. Quarter finals of the Champions League, I'd settle for that.

24 Jul 2026 18:37:29
I just can't wait to see a different brand of football. Add the mooted signings into that and we'll have a much better season. As for winning the league, I don't see it, but if Andoni gets time to build, I have full belief in the way he plays.

24 Jul 2026 18:40:26
Unless we bring in at least 3/4 new players, I don't see us winning the league. I find it hard to see us even qualifying for the Champions League, to be honest. Arsenal and City are clearly better than us, and we saw last season with United that having no European football can be a real benefit. I see Chelsea under Alonso, with no European football doing a United and finishing third.

As it stands, I see us battling it out with Spurs, United and Villa for 4th and 5th, which is unacceptable in my opinion. The club should be at least attempting to win the league or Champions League. That's not on Iraola, though, but on those above him.

24 Jul 2026 18:48:53
Nebeel, let's not get carried away here, and remember history. Going into the season Slot won No. 20, you could count with both your fingers and toes how many LFC fans were saying with chest that we were gonna win the league. More may have said we could challenge if...

It was Slot himself who said it was after smoking Utd away that he thought we had a good chance of challenging. Then, as the results started to come, he and the guys decided to go for it.



Now I say all that to say that I would just relax and not take the season we won as some kind of measuring stick, cos even we didn't win, we could win, esp. after Klopp had left. So, let's not make comparisons with that season, cos the rules and conditions have changed drastically.

So like Ecogsi, I'm just here for the vibes to see what Doni can do with this team and go from there.

24 Jul 2026 18:54:54
Tbh, I'm not concerned with challenging, I want to see a comfortable top four finish and really solid cup runs in at least 2 competitions, I'm talking qtr/semi finals minimum. I don't really care which one; I just want to see that Iraola, with his style and this squad, can handle that busy schedule and then we build from there.

24 Jul 2026 18:57:20
Think there will be a massive improvement, clearly stuff weren't right there last season, good players fell off a cliff, optimistic we get to see some good football again, fingers crossed. 🙏

24 Jul 2026 18:59:08
I don't think you can put Nunez and effective in the same sentence. But I would say challenging for a cup title and finishing in the top four would be a good season.

24 Jul 2026 19:51:14
Expecting exciting football but top 5 finish. It's going to take time for the players to get fit enough to play the Iraola way, so I think we will have a better second half than first half of the season.

24 Jul 2026 20:01:13
For me, we already have a good side in Iraola's 4-2-3-1. This side will easily finish top 3 now we have a competent head coach, with or without signings. Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, Virgil, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Isak.

I hate the defeatist attitude of some of our fans. None of those players became bad overnight. Jacquet, Isak, and Kerkez are the only 3 there who haven't won a league title. Yes, I think we can improve a few positions, but that's a bloody good team still.

Personally, I'd like to replace Frimpong, Macca, and Gakpo with Kounde, Camara, and Barcola. Kounde improves us at RB and offers CB cover given we have Leoni just back from a knee injury. Camara adds a different profile to our midfield, and Barcola injects some much needed pace into the attack.

In terms of squad players, we are fine as far as I'm concerned.

I mean our 2nd XI would probably finish top 8. Mamardashvili; Bradley, Gomez, Leoni, Tsimikas; Endo, Jones; Rio, Elliott, Munoz; Ekitike.

Chiesa and Woodman seem keen to stick around as well, and it doesn't hurt to have experienced and good characters in the dressing room.

It's the first XI that I want to upgrade. I hate signing squad players. You should always focus on improving your best XI because they're the ones who will start 40-60 games a season. Slot was just a muppet who never rotated unless he changed the whole XI in one go for a Cup Game. It made our squad players look a lot worse than they actually are. No team of relative strangers, all lacking match fitness/sharpness, can just rock up 3 or 4 times a season and pull a performance out the bag every time.

Make 3 more good signings to improve our best XI and, for me, we'll challenge for the title.

{Ed025's Note - i usually agree with a lot of what you say MK, but that 2nd XI would not finish top 8 in the championship mate..

24 Jul 2026 20:35:24
Top 5. This season will be a process. Slightly alarmed that Bournemouth conceded more from set pieces than us.

We need to be patient with the new guy.

My money is on Chelsea for the title. No European games, with good signings.

24 Jul 2026 20:37:04
Ed025, I have to say, I agree with you. We'd be playing with 9 men most of the season, due to Bradley and Gomez being made of crisps.

{Ed025's Note - and Chiesa and Endo would be at the pensioners bingo twice a week Rome.. :)

24 Jul 2026 20:55:40
Ed025, I stand by it. Slot made them all look terrible by only ever playing them in a team with 9-11 changes. I'd have no problem with any one of that 2nd XI coming into the team for 5 games to cover an injury. With Klopp at the helm, we won the Carabao Cup with a weaker XI than that.

{Ed025's Note - they might do a job in the odd game MK but over a season would be found out mate, Ekitike would do well i suppose but the rest of them are mediocre at very best..

24 Jul 2026 22:36:12
I think the first 11 listed would have a battle to finish in the Champions League places, to be honest. It could be 4 places after all, and I definitely see Arsenal, City and Chelsea finishing above that team this season. Then there's Spurs and Utd. For me, if we don't improve the first 11 from that listed, we will be nowhere near the title.

24 Jul 2026 22:39:14
After Slot's first season, anything is possible, so don't write us off.

Citeh have lost Pep and look like they're losing Rodri.
Arsenal were terrible last season, and they're in for a shock this season without Saliba.
Manu have Carrick as manager. 😂
Chelsea have too many players to have a settled squad.

And we've got Iraola.

24 Jul 2026 21:58:51
Ed025, I think Bradley, Leoni, Jones, Rio and Elliott are all solid top 5-8 players. Ekitike is a top 1-4 level player. The rest are probably top 9-14 level mid-table players. Munoz I can't comment on as I've never seen him play, but being in the Spain squad at 22 indicates a level of competence.

None of them are anything close to Championship level though and you know that mate, c'mon. For me the main problem with our squad players has been underutilising them. We leave them to decay and lose fitness/sharpness then throw them all in at once in January when the FA Cup and League cup hot up. Then act shocked when an XI that's never lined up together before and is barely fit can't cope with an aggressive underdog playing like it's their cup final. Slot's got a lot to answer for. He's trashed the reputations of our players.

I have faith anyway. I'm happy for people to disagree with me, and I won't be letting the negativity drag me down. 25 players don't go to sh*t over the space of 12 months. One head coach can though. I predict we finish top 3rd and win a cup this coming season and we are not going to be signing 11 more players, because our squad depth is far from mediocre.

{Ed025's Note - i fancy you for top 3 as well MK, your first choice players are very good and i expect more to come, but i think you are over-egging the fringe players you have mate, Leoni nobody has seen him play..could be anything, Jones...will always be Jones unfortunately, Elliot could not break into a weak Villa side for a reason...hes just not very good mate, I happen to like Rio and Ekitike, but the rest of them are tramps..

24 Jul 2026 22:49:33
We've barely seen Leoni. He played 60 minutes against a Championship side. He's 19 and coming off a serious injury. It's taken Rodri nearly a year to get back to his best after the same injury. If he's anything other than 4th choice this season, then we have problems.

24 Jul 2026 22:56:21
Top 6 or 7, just down to the fact that Hughes won't get the players in, we obviously need. Doesn't make sense him seeing out this window when he's obviously going. Ai will suffer because of him.

24 Jul 2026 23:14:49
I think aim for top 4 and leave it at that. Anything extra will be a bonus for me.

I just want Iraola to turn around the culture into a healthy one again and instill hard work into the players and a passion for the crest. Then focus on the title on his 2nd season.

24 Jul 2026 23:19:10
Let's hope not, Areola. At the moment our only senior RW has started one league game in two years and the only actual true right back is still months away from playing. We need another CB as well, at least.

25 Jul 2026 02:05:55
Elliott not breaking into the Villa side had nothing to do with his footballing ability and everything to do with a manager who never wanted him. It was an easy out for them since the obligation to buy was based on the number of games played.

25 Jul 2026 04:13:56
I'd say top 3 is realistic. The people I know in Italy speak highly of Leoni, but I've never seen him play, and as a sports psychologist, I've never seen a group of players (Italians) struggle so badly with homesickness, so I'm always skeptical.

Jacquet will surprise a lot of people, I think he's ready for first team now.

25 Jul 2026 08:49:26
I'm interested to see what Iraola with some of the squad players.
Most of MK's second eleven are unproven or simply not good enough.
As usual, I'm happy to be wrong though.

25 Jul 2026 10:28:55
We can be optimistic and realistic at the same time. Leoni and Jaquet look like two good young CBs, but the other side of that is the only other CB at the club at the moment, besides Van Dijk, who has played one minute of Premier League football, is Joe Gomez? Let that sink in. Then our one right back is months away from playing, and his backup is a RB/RW hybrid who hasn’t nearly convinced or managed to stay fit for any length of time. Our wingers consist of a 17 year old gem, Munoz who looks decent, Gakpo who is decent but no world beater, and Chiesa who has started one league game in 24 months.

Our top scoring forward is out till the Spring, and it remains to be seen if our other CF, our record signing, can stay fit for any length of time. On the plus side, it looks like our pre season will be better this year and we won’t have as many new first team squad options being new to the club as we had last year. We will play good football and be entertained, but I see results going a bit like Jurgen first season. Enjoy the ride reds.

25 Jul 2026 12:37:21
I agree, MK, if we sign 3 first team players, which should be 2 wingers and 1 centre back to play alongside VVD, then yes we can fight for the title.

Like u, I am fine with midfield, but the attack needs players and Gakpo needs to be retained too.

24 Jul 2026 14:32:23
Hi Ed1

Hope you are well fella.

Have I missed something or was there not talk of an ex player joining the coaching staff?

We all went crazy for milner and Thiago. and then nothing happened. I guess now preseason is up and running there will be no more staff additions.

Thanks for any insight (if any)

{Ed001's Note - there was talk of it, but I don't remember it being from anyone presenting it as info, rather than just their opinion.}

24 Jul 2026 15:30:38
There appeared to be reliable interest in Thiago, but him not having the coaching badges may have presented visa issues. He cited the lack of coaching badges in an interview recently.

24 Jul 2026 22:31:11
Still hoping for Milly to be honest.

24 Jul 2026 23:16:39
I'd take Milly as coach, or if not possible, can he still play RB? :)