Liverpool banter 10

27 Mar 2026 14:47:28
Anyone else catch Jurgens' interview with the Anfield Wrap? Interesting regards Salah. A question for the older supporters, though. Jurgen had this aura about him, a natural leader who you'd fight to impress and perform for. Was it similar to Shanks?

27 Mar 2026 15:05:41
Shanks was of the age of great managers, KP

Revie, Busby, Bill Nicholson, Joe Mercer & I think Everton had a decent bloke in charge back then!
They all had the ability to get great players to perform and lesser players to play above themselves and Klopp falls into that bracket probably more than any modern day managers I can think of - I suppose Fergie comes close.



Jose & Pep, although great managers, are a bit different imo in that they seem very rigid and almost it's my way or the highway, but they've all had the aura about them.

27 Mar 2026 16:40:16
I could listen to Jurgen talking all day and not just about football. He has that ability to captivate an audience, with people just waiting on his every word. Shankly seemed to have that as well from bits u would see on old footage of him talking.
V few people have that ability, Johan Cruyff would be another.

27 Mar 2026 17:23:55
Shoulda gone to Trivargo, Digger.

27 Mar 2026 19:20:08
Fergie didn't motivate his players, he motivated the refs instead.

27 Mar 2026 19:29:18
Show Sir Ribenaberry Whiskybaby some respect!

27 Mar 2026 20:55:25
Shankly and Klopp were very similar. There really is not a lot between them both.
When Shanks spoke, everybody listened. He did not make millions of pounds like Klopp, but to us Shanks was worth billions.

He could walk on water. He was the foundation of Liverpool FC.
Klopp was like a reincarnation of Shanks. We lost belief, but Klopp gave it back to us in bucket loads and took us to another level. YNWA.

27 Mar 2026 13:11:02
Just watched Diomande highlights on YouTube. He looks so exciting. If we can do a deal for him at the right price, I will be so happy to see him as a Salah replacement. Brings genuine pace and skill. Also, seems to prefer to play on the right despite being right footed (very two-footed though). Having a right footed player on the right will also suit Isak and Ekitike more in terms of crosses, I believe.

Moreover, he is a Liverpool fan and I want us to go back to the model of buying players with elite potential that turn into superstars instead of buying the finished products already. Should also be much cheaper than Olise, and hopefully we can invest that money to buy a combative passing profile for midfield. A Joao Gomes type player would be ideal in my opinion.

27 Mar 2026 14:31:11
He's exactly who we need but wanted by all top clubs. We have to get Champions League and the pull of Alonso if he is to be in charge.

27 Mar 2026 14:39:38
Well, he is apparently a huge Liverpool fan too, Keegans.

27 Mar 2026 15:20:15
Patrik, I think he kinda denied the rumours regarding him being a Liverpool supporter and explained it's more so that his father is a huge supporter.

27 Mar 2026 13:07:08
I’m going to say it... I’m really disappointed and underwhelmed with Wirtz.

That’s not to say that I don’t think it will come good for him; I think we’ve seen enough from him to know he’s a footballer of real quality but nobody is going to convince me that when paying a transfer fee of that amount, we should expect anything other than an absolute top-level player who dictates, changes and wins matches for the team on a regular basis and is the stand out player more often than not. He is the ninth most expensive footballer anywhere ever. I know the player doesn’t set the price, but the price does set our expectation and for that amount of money I expected more in his first season (even allowing for a couple of minor injuries).

Mitigating factors include the abysmal performances of some of the players around him and the fact that collectively the team has been poor and the manager is evidently struggling but, again, for £116m I am expecting a player who stands out regardless of what is going on around him, a player so good that you could put him in any team anywhere in the world and he would still raise the standards of the team.

Looking forward to seeing more from him next season. By the way, his finishing is either technically flawed or lacks composure – quite a few very good chances he’s missed this season.

More generally, we came into this season having just signed the third and ninth most expensive footballers in the world, ever. Isak obviously unlucky with the injury but had struggled for lift off prior to that. Whilst this seems like (and is) a negative post, the positive is that next season we’ll actually get to see Isak and Wirtz together, fit and with a full pre-season, possibly with a new manager who has a better instinct for how to get the best out of them.

27 Mar 2026 14:35:42
The problem is the other players aren't on his wavelength.

27 Mar 2026 14:46:28
We can't progress the ball to him from defence and through midfield, so he is having to come and fetch it himself. That is not the best use of Florian Wirtz.

After that, we don't have enough players who want to run in behind.

Again, that weakens Wirtz's options.

Add a CB or RB that can progress the ball quicker, a midfielder that can progress the ball quicker, and a winger or two that want to run in behind, and Wirtz will thrive.

27 Mar 2026 14:48:37
RR, I'm disappointed for him tbh not in him.

He's shown more than enough to show in the right set up with the right man management, he's going to be a great player -

I think he thought he was coming into a championship winning team with a bit of swagger and flair, but we all know what happened there.

27 Mar 2026 14:56:38
At Leverkusen, all the pieces were in place for him to excel, Xhaka provided him with a safety net, Grimaldo and Frimpong worked in tandem with him seamlessly when he drifted to either side, and the two center forwards (who were willing pressers and incredibly hard working off the ball) knew instinctively where he would be and would make the runs he could pick out or rotate with him when he took up positions further forward.

At Liverpool, the full backs have either been injured, rotated or not given a consistent role from game to game. We also aren't playing in a way where our forwards are consistently trying to get in behind the defense. Wirtz, meanwhile, can play a free role and look excellent roaming in one half, and then be instructed to stay on the left wing the next half. Nothing is stable from game to game and sometimes from half to half, and the consequence is his performances look inconsistent from game to game.



As for expectations, he is not the kind of player who can change the fortunes of a club on his own, he's not like a Suarez or a Gerrard in that regard. But given the right environment and with all the pieces around him, he connects everything in the final third and speeds up the play by seeing/attempting passes that few others would.

I do wish he would dribble more with us, it was one of his primary qualities at Leverkusen, taking his man on and then causing the defense to collapse by drawing them on to him, following which he would release it to a forward running towards goal. We've seen that sometimes and Ekitike has been the beneficiary, but not enough. He has an excellent shot from range, too, but we've barely seen that at all in the Premier League yet.

27 Mar 2026 15:25:29
He has certainly had mixed performances. There is plenty to come from him. Quite shocked at the amount of times he has found himself in front of goal and produced an effort like when you try and strike the ball dreaming in bed.

27 Mar 2026 16:16:08
Beef, funny comment that! Glad it's not only me that happens to!

OP, only Szobo can look back and say he's had a consistent season at a high level. Wirtz has shown plenty of amazing moments, but often for me, the players around him are not on the same wavelength as Gmil pointed out.

That is the sort of stuff that's honed on the training pitch.

We seem to have the occasional performance in us, but it's usually a one-off game before 5-6 games of poor to mediocre to abysmal. That's not because of Wirtz.

27 Mar 2026 16:53:21
I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. Wirtz has been shocking like everybody else.

I'd point at the manager though who can't get a tune out of any of them for a prolonged period of time.

27 Mar 2026 17:02:39
First season, too soon to judge. I can think of plenty of top top players who didn't set the world alight in their first season after a big move. He went from being the main man at Leverkusen playing in a system that was ideal for his style with players who constantly looked to play through him and a manager who knew how to get the best out of him to just another number under a lot of scrutiny for us, in a wretched and inconsistent set up that clearly doesn't play to his strengths with a manager who couldn't get a tune out of a brass band.

His confidence was shot for a lot of the season due to his slow start which seems to affect him big time, and of course Slot isn't exactly the type of guy you want to be getting pep talks from, so I think we'll see a big step up in performance from Wirtz so long as the Summer goes as expected. If Xabi comes in he'll most certainly get the best out of him.

27 Mar 2026 17:51:04
If Alonso comes he'll get the best out of him like he did at Leverkusen. No concerns here, the lads not been great, but neither has anybody else because of the bullsh*t way we've been playing. Get Slot out and we'll see a massive change.

27 Mar 2026 18:17:53
Salah, mate, I couldn't agree more. Get Alonso in, please, God, and we will all see a totally different Wirtz and Ping Pong lads.

27 Mar 2026 18:36:40
He's been weak and slow of mind.

I think that will improve next season.

27 Mar 2026 21:02:33
Wirtz is carrying a massive fee on his shoulders and he is only a young lad.
I watched Wirtz a lot before he signed for us. He is an exceptional footballer, he needs to bed in to club, new country, environment, new language (Scouse), new home.
I think next season we will see the best of him.
YNWA.

27 Mar 2026 10:32:29
What does everyone think of the rules being introduced at the FIFA World Cup? These are to avoid timewasting supposedly and let the game flow better.

I have copy and pasted these from Instagram, so apologies if any are incorrect.

They are as follows:

Substituted players must exit within 10 seconds, or the replacement waits 1 minute before entering.



Throw-ins must be taken within 5 seconds - if takes longer, then the possession will go to the opponents.

Players who receive medical treatment must leave the pitch for 1 minute before returning in-game.

VAR can now review second yellow cards and corner kick decisions — if there is a ‘clear and obvious error’.

Thanks.

27 Mar 2026 10:57:08
I think these rules will be great when they are introduced to the Premier League and the refs adhere to them for the first 4 weeks of the season only.

27 Mar 2026 11:07:44
These rule changes will have Premier referees suffering with anxiety and stress if they have to police the new rules, they find it difficult enough to cope with the rules in situ, which in most cases they can not implement. YNWA.

27 Mar 2026 11:56:48
Can't wait to see the 3 minute long decision making for if it was a corner or not.

27 Mar 2026 12:04:01
I guess it's one of those where it's good in theory and then you remember it's a bunch of muppets trying to put them in place. 🤣

27 Mar 2026 12:22:59
Don't see the 5s throw in or 10s subs being rigoursly enforced for some reason.

27 Mar 2026 12:33:00
The logical answer to time wafting is stopping the clock every time the ball goes dead. Then there's no advantage to wasting time.

27 Mar 2026 13:32:18
I don't get the throw in one. Just stop the clock for throw ins until the ball is in play, same for keepers. Stop the clock until the keeper kicks or throws it into play. Stops time wasting without stopping players/keepers genuinely looking for the right throw/goal kick. Re the one where players who receive treatment going off for a minute, seems to me it mainly affects the generally injured players.

There's a foul, player needs treatment, and the benefit goes to the team who committed the foul, the other going to 10.
Men, it's the players who
Roll around for a minute and get up just before physios come on who are the prob. For me, again stop the clock, add the time on! Any "time wasting" is irrelevant if the ref "Stops time". You might get a spike in length of injury time at first, but players will still learn.

27 Mar 2026 14:50:22
I am in favour as long as they will enforce them.

Would also like something doing about the grappling, faking of head injuries and the way players like Gabriel and Saliba buy fouls for the slightest contact.

27 Mar 2026 15:11:32
I'm in favour of them but Slot will ruin the World Cup.

27 Mar 2026 15:51:07
I agree. I think any rule changes will just be eventually exploited to the advantage of teams who aren't taking the throw, they'll find a way to s***house through it.

Stop the clock leaves zero room for cheating and zero room to exploit.

You'd probs have to put a time limit of some sorts though, so they can't take the p@ss to slow momentum down.

Basically, gamesmanship is being taken to new levels every season and sucking the enjoyment out of the game.

27 Mar 2026 15:56:43
Time wasting isn't just about running the clock down, it's also about disrupting the momentum of your opponent, so simply stopping the clock when the ball's out of play isn't good enough imo.

I personally like these rules, but I feel like they will be just as inconsistently enforced as the existing rules.

27 Mar 2026 16:25:34
Stopping the clock seems like an obvious solution but Arsenal games would be about 140 minutes long a la American sports. Next, we will be watching commercials during the games, so be careful what you wish for.

The 8 second rule with the keepers seems to have been a success, so apply that to throw-ins. Some of these long throws take up about a minute, as do free kick set-ups and even corners. As long as the emphasis is on cheating to gain any sort of advantage, whether that's to waste time, win a pen or a set-piece, the time wasting will continue.

More yellow cards and a much higher bar for what is a free kick will eliminate the majority of time wasting.

The players are like politicians: they bring in rules, then look to circumvent them to gain an advantage. Rip up the script, start over and give us back our football. Stop the cheating, the gamesmanship, etc. Not more rules that will no doubt be exploited.

27 Mar 2026 18:38:24
Are these for real? Sounds impossible to enforce.

28 Mar 2026 09:13:16
On paper, they sound positive, the issue here is unfortunately that the referees seem to pick and choose when to actually enforce such rules.

27 Mar 2026 09:41:43
Regarding the ticket price increase, unfortunately people will pay it to see the team. I wish I was local to watch, but unfortunately it's a long drive from here in Dorset. Only two times I've seen us and that's in away ends. One was at Anfield in 2011, sitting with the Chelsea fans listening to their three songs. I heard the crowd singing YNWA and had to sing it in my head, wishing I was in the Kop, but also staring at Kenny thinking it's Dalglish.

I can't believe it. The other time was at Everton in the Gladys end. I think Kuyt won a penalty and I stood up to cheer, but remembered quickly where I was and had to shout cheating reds lol. Evertonian next to me said, 'Mate, you're not a Red, are you.' I said no, just fuming. Clenched my fist as he scored 😂.

27 Mar 2026 10:31:39
KP - Reminds me of an FA Cup game at Ashton Gate in 94 (I think), stood in the East End.
Had to cower behind the steel Stantion when Liverpool scored!

27 Mar 2026 10:44:42
I was studying at Derby Uni and it was my Birthday. Coincidentally, Liverpool were playing Derby at their Pride Park stadium on the same day. I just had to get tickets and succeeded, but sat with the home fans behind the goal. That day Liverpool won 4 nil. Heskey bagged a hat trick. Owen was stretchered off. When we scored, I still celebrated. I am wondering how I didn't get dealt with, but at that age, I didn't have a care in the world! There was a wayward Derby shot where the ball landed in my hands.

The ball boy tried to grab it from me, but I resisted and handed it back to Sander Westerweld, who acknowledged and thanked me. It was my first taste of watching Liverpool live, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

27 Mar 2026 11:13:33
Thanks, guys, enjoyed your posts about being in the wrong end. Now I have to revert back to reading about sacking Slot and how players are not performing and Mo leaving. Just another day as a Reds fan. YNWA.

27 Mar 2026 11:45:00
Regarding tickets and how times change. I've told this story before, so forgive me.

1984, Notts County away. We needed a draw to win the title. My partner, now wife, and I caught the train to Nottingham, simply queued to get in the away end, no ticket required.

We drew the game 0-0 to win our 3rd successive league title. Polite applause at the end. Wasn't even on TV.

27 Mar 2026 11:50:48
Had a similar experience, Keegans Purm. My cousin's husband got tickets right at the back of the Gwladys Street End for Brendon Rogers' last match. I remember Ings scoring a pen to put us 1 up and trying not to celebrate - never been so uncomfortable watching a match, I genuinely was worried about being lynched if I was found out.

We were terrible that day, and then halfway down the M6 back to Cornwall got the news that Brendon had been sacked.

27 Mar 2026 14:35:03
2001 Charity Shield
Man U friend of mine got tickets and asked if I wanted to go, but in the Man U end.
He had two tickets.
Me and a Liverpool Fan went, and when we scored, me, my mate and two random guys next to us all stood up and quickly went from cheering to standing in silence.


I then asked the two guys next to us if they were Liverpool and very quietly they said yea!!
Sadly, had to go before the Shield lift, but what a mad day!!

27 Mar 2026 00:21:22
Strange how the DM position again appears to be being overlooked. For me that’s the one glaring position that’s needed addressing since Fab left. Grav is OK at best, an absolute passenger more often than not and definitely doesn’t give you any confidence as a 'shield.' Even in the title-winning season, he was good rather than anything stand out. Anderson is definitely what we need, or a South American leg-breaker type. Someone with a bit of bite and presence.

Our need for actual wingers with pace is obviously evident, but the DM position is just as important if not more for me. Olise is decent, but definitely no Mo replacement. I see him more on the level of Eze rather than a game-changing superstar. A Rb required, 2 wingers, an experienced defender, potentially back up lb.

Will be interesting to see how the money is spent, I’ve got a feeling Mo's position and Wharton will be our budget, then whatever we can get dependant on outgoings.

I know everything is just rumours and largely nonsense at the moment, but who we are being linked with isn’t giving me much excitement or confidence that we will be challenging for the title next season. I think Anderson and someone like Joao Gomes as a minimum would just start building towards what we actually need. I don’t mind McAllister as much as people seem to on here, but his mobility is definitely an issue. Any two of Mac, Jones and Grav I’d have no problem in leaving.

I’d be more excited by hungry lesser knowns coming in, Valverde is probably the only big name I’d be excited about, 0 chance of that though.

27 Mar 2026 07:12:50
Well, Grav was exceptional last season, and like many of his peers, he's been that passenger you've described. Let's wait until we get a real manager in, aye.

27 Mar 2026 07:30:15
Definitely agree as regards a physical defensive minded midfielder with legs. Would solve a good portion of our many problems, I reckon.

27 Mar 2026 07:45:41
I think we need to go back to working class midfield.
With someone like Dom who can sprinkle magic dust over the game, we'd be covered by having another Gini/Hendo/Milner in the engine room.

I think that player is Anderson. I'd bring in him and Wharton.

Midfield group of Dom, Grav, Anderson, Wharton, Jones and Nyoni would do for me.

27 Mar 2026 08:18:40
We should get Ederson of Atlanta and/or Baleba from Brighton.

LB get Tsimi back as backup in place of Robbo.

Replace Gapko and Salah with Diomande and Bowen.
Chiesa with Elliot.

Guetrida also to cover across defence and DM.

N.Willams as RB cover.

27 Mar 2026 08:19:40
Unfortunate thing (also great cuz he is a brilliant player) is Grav's new contract which essentially means he has to start. 280,000 a week is not sitting on the bench. He was the one area I felt we could have improved in midfield with someone like Anderson, Baleba or Ederson. Grav to rotate then. He is a very good player, just not what we need.

Not a specialist at anything really. That's what we need now.

Then again,
I think if it was Xabi to come in, I reckon he'd go to the 3-4-2-1 we saw at Leverkusen.
The profile of player we have is absolutely tailor made for it. Ironically, there would not be as much of a need for a specialist 6 as a double pivot with 3cbs should suffice.

27 Mar 2026 08:25:41
Mac & Jones would be first out the door for me, Mac has fallen off massively and Jones is a nothing footballer. Both can be easily improved upon.

27 Mar 2026 08:46:31
Grav doesn't have enough strings to his bow to be a top class midfielder. He can occasionally turn a man and drive through midfield, but he doesn't even do that consistently.

27 Mar 2026 09:27:54
Gomes and Andre from Wolves would be ideal, although both going elsewhere. Alonso wanted Stiller at Madrid, so he may want him with us as well. Ederson, I agree, is good, and only one year left on his deal come the summer. I also like Alex Scott from Bournemouth.

27 Mar 2026 09:31:41
Just get Grav to play in the role he played last season.
It's Mac you want to replace with someone less top heavy.

27 Mar 2026 09:39:52
I think asking him to go forward has made him and the team look worse. Sure, he's not the type of 6 some people want, but I think going back to that could still make the team far better overall. I'm not against another 6, but some games I'd like last season Grav in that position.

27 Mar 2026 09:46:12
I don't think Grav will ever be the long term solution for DM, as I don't think he has the mentality for the position. He has the physical and technical attributes, but he's not got the desire or aggression to be the DM we clearly need.

27 Mar 2026 09:54:09
Looking at the posts above, all of the names people want replacing all won the title last season but are now crap. Don't buy it. Macca is not a 6, Grav is not an 8, we saw both like that under Klopp. Last season Grav 6, Macca 8, worked well, so why change it????? Maybe someone trying to prove a point??? Mo should've been played closer to the box, yes his legs are going so use him to get the best of what's left, but no.

For me, terrible management. Fitness levels down, tactics completely wrong for the players available, refusing to change, then when we do and play better/win, change back again. What a cock up.

26 Mar 2026 18:29:09.
I've just replied to LFC Hospitality email.
They asked me if I'm still interested in some packages.

I told the that I can hardly watch games on TV without feeling sick to my stomach with the way we are playing.
Told them not to come back to me until Mr Slot leaves our club.

26 Mar 2026 19:17:35
Legend, sir.

26 Mar 2026 19:20:50
Bit dramatic that, Chrisy. Sick to your stomach? Really?!

26 Mar 2026 19:41:41
Guess you can stomach the garbage we've endured this season, many can't.

26 Mar 2026 19:56:00
I don't think the hospital department makes decisions on the manager mate.

26 Mar 2026 20:06:38
Shows how deep they must be getting though.
I've not been able to go to the matches after my disabled son was left with a poisonous substance in his classroom at a special needs college and he ate it and ended up in the ICU 2 years ago. He now has seizures every week.


But when I was going then, it was a nightmare to get tickets. Always got Champions League ones as I was in the auto ticket scheme every year. But league games were like rocking horse s***. Unless you could afford the high level hospitality.

26 Mar 2026 20:36:59
It's not been good, Frode, but I haven't felt physically sick up till now. I bet you'll be at the Fulham game, no matter how it makes you feel. Or I may be wrong.

Really sorry to hear your story, Grino.

26 Mar 2026 21:05:29
Bless you and your son, Grino. You'll be in my prayers tonight. 👍

26 Mar 2026 22:36:38
I think a hospital and hospitality are two separate things....

26 Mar 2026 22:48:24
Holy Jesus, Grino, that sounds horrendous and hugely concerning!!! My best wishes to you and your son. I truly hope all is ok and will further improve. YNWA.

27 Mar 2026 05:43:15
Best wishes to you and your son, Grino.

27 Mar 2026 07:15:08
I'll be at the Fulham game supporting the players, because I really want CL football at the club, as I want us to thrive. I don't want that pre-Klopp period where we're consistently stuttering. If we don't make it, I think I'd throw up then, as I've been nauseous all season.

Sorry to hear about your situation, Grino.

27 Mar 2026 08:13:51
We both want the same thing, Frode. I'm fortunate that I'm escaping the nausea.

27 Mar 2026 09:12:56
Grino... that sounds terrible, hope your boy makes a full recovery. 👍

{Ed025's Note - best of luck to you and your son Grino mate..

26 Mar 2026 15:22:09
This probably isn’t a popular opinion, but with Flo, Dom, Isak and Hugo, I don’t think it’s a necessary to buy a box office replacement for Mo!?

I would prefer that LFC go back to being shrew and clever in the market, meaning the squad is deeper and balanced for next season.



Kerkez, Frimpong and Bradley can all thrive as wingbacks. Either Robbo stays or he is replaced by someone competent at left Wing Back to compete with Milos.

That is where the width comes from next season.

26 Mar 2026 15:53:19
Will all depend on the manager, I suppose.

26 Mar 2026 15:56:41
All I want is for Liverpool to buy some athletic, high energy, high work rate players. They actually don't even have to be that good at football, just good at running as we have plenty of good ball playing players already, but no work horse.

26 Mar 2026 17:10:15
I would probably disagree, but not wholeheartedly. 99% of the time I would much rather be shrewd, find a young hungry up and comer with promise. But I feel like we've left it too late to risk that, we knew this day was coming for a long time, and we could have had somebody in by now, an understudy for Mo, I mean. We've had opportunities, I wanted Olise 2 years ago, could have got him for a fraction of what he's worth now, but the stat men these days, seem to like to wait for ever more stats before making a move.



Anyway, I think taking a punt on somebody with less experience now is a risk not worth taking considering everything that went wrong this season. We really have to hit the ground running come August, with the amount of new faces in between this coming window and the last, that's not going to be easy, and the more proven quality & experience we have in the side, the easier that should be. You wanna replace Gakpo, Macca, Konate with some promising up and comers, go for it, 100%, but not Mo, not right now.

26 Mar 2026 18:06:48
If we get Alonso, and if he goes with a 3-4-2-1, assuming using wingbacks, of the rumoured incomings I can see Whalton fitting in central midfield alongside Grav or Sobbo, maybe Sobbo in the AMC 2 with Wirtz, but not sure how rumoured Olise, Diamode etc players fit in that. Interesting to get people's opinions, "if" it is 3-4-2-1, what players we should be looking to bring in, or do we think Alonso would set up differently, Leoni and the new French lad, with VVD, look right for a back 3, good on the ball, what do people think the potential formation will be and who we should be getting in, and where existing players would fit in.

26 Mar 2026 18:29:32
Grimaldo for LWB.

26 Mar 2026 18:30:32
Van Dijk flanked by 2 young athletic centre halves, Frimpong and Kerkez, wingbacks.
An athletic, mobile and physical centre midfielder signed to play alongside Gravenberch.
Wirtz and Szoboszlai as the attacking midfielders, almost like a right-sided and left-sided pair of No 10s.
Ekitike and Isak to fight it out/rotate as the striker.

26 Mar 2026 18:30:32
Minteh and Diomande for me.

Not a fan of wing back system. Skews your squad profile in the long term.

Not a fan of two strikers up front either. Ekitike has baby bird lungs and Isak is a 35 game a season player. More likely they rotate between two wide forwards/wingers.

26 Mar 2026 18:34:51
It's just coz we went big and Slot fluffed it.

Most important thing is, if it's a new manager, we go into the season with a complete squad that can play his formation.

Last thing we want is a repeat of this season, a squad set up for one formation, forced to play another.

26 Mar 2026 20:01:23
I tend to agree. We have a history of signing guys like Mo and turning them into Mo. So I would back that rather than look to spend big again.

26 Mar 2026 20:34:42
It was easier then. We were ahead in the data game. Diomande wouldn't have coets as much back then. Now, every club are looking at their dribbles per 90, progressive carries stats etc. It's driven up the prices.
The Salah from Roma would cost a lot more now.
I actually think we actually could be ahead of the curve again if we can balance the squad this window.

Hughes has made some elite signings, but the balance of the squad is all wrong. If we can somehow get a ballplaying midfielder with legs in for Macca, and pace on the flanks in place of Mo/Gakpo, I think we will see the best of Wirtz and Isak and I think we will be equal or better than City/Arsenal again.

26 Mar 2026 20:50:38
Minteh is absolutely terrible. Couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo if it was stood in front of him. You can't turn that level of incompetence into a Salah or a Mane any more than you could with the similarly goal shy Adama Traore.



For the record, both of Salah & Mane were hitting double figures in the two seasons before they arrived here, so let's not make out that they were undiscovered diamonds.

26 Mar 2026 20:58:44
Agree that the market has shifted and perhaps signing a Mo 9 years ago is closer to spending 60m as opposed to 30m.

But the point remains. We have been at our best in the market when we've signed players who are ready to bust through to the next level in their career.

26 Mar 2026 22:08:20
@ funky061,

I agree with you, I think all our summer signings are quality and we just need a few more players to gel it together.

26 Mar 2026 22:54:57
If Minteh is our target signing, then we're in a mid table expectation team. I'm sure we'll do much, much better than him. Average player. If even.

26 Mar 2026 23:03:00
Victor, with Isak/Ekitike and Wirtz in our team, we need flying wingers that can press - Minteh can do that. His off the ball work is incredible. He doesn't need to be scoring 20 goals a season.

As good as Olise is, he can't press enough to compensate for the silk of Ekitike, Isak, Wirtz.

We need balance.

26 Mar 2026 23:28:11
FPF, I completely agree. I'd take Minteh. He's also only 21. We have goal scorers and creators. What we're lacking in work rate and aggression. Where are the Mane, Milner, Henderson, and Fabinho's of our team!

26 Mar 2026 23:58:32
Minteh is one I'm on the fence with. Anytime I watch him, he's a threat, but the return doesn't seem to be there. Can he spam take ons? If so, I'm sure his output would increase playing with an elite finisher like Isak.


And he certainly has the workrate, pace, and age on his side.
Has anyone seen much of him? Is his dribbling enough to consistently disrupt a low block?

26 Mar 2026 15:15:45
Debate
So now Salah confirmed to be leaving and looking likely Robertson to follow. Konate also I’d say, probably got to be 70% likely to leave on a free. Gomez, Endo and Chiesa also could be moved on, so before transfer business coming in our squad would look like this.
Goalkeepers:-
Alisson
Mamardashvili
Woodman
Right Back/ Wing Back:-
Bradley
Frimpong
Left Back/ Wing Back:-
Kerkez
Centre Back:-
Van Dijk
Leoni
Jacquet
Midfield:-
Gravenberch
McAllister
Szoboszlai
Jones
Nyoni
Forwards:-
Wirtz
Isak
Ekitike
Gakpo
Ngumoha
So that’s 19 players not including the likes of Ramsey, McConnell, Bajetic and Danns. Analysing that squad, some big gaps to fill. Also noticeable is that Alisson, Van Dijk and Jones' deals end in 27.

Also of those 19, Leoni and Jacquet have 0 Premier League minutes of experience. Nyoni again under 90 minutes of Premier League experience and Ngumoha also not much more. So regardless of who is manager next season, there’s a lot of potential arriving players for next season. Do we need experience? Or more young players eg Diomande? A lot depends upon Champions League qualification I guess. Are we likely to spend £400m again? Doubt it. So are we going to be at the beginning of a completely new cycle next season? Are we looking to build again maybe not to challenge next season, but maybe 2,3,4 years from now. Who would get the best out of this squad? Slot, Alonso or another? Would we have the patience to let the inexperienced group develop over a few years?

26 Mar 2026 15:56:06
If you're talking about having a squad as strong and deep as Arsenal you're looking at another spend like last summer for me.

26 Mar 2026 18:07:03
Another big summer on the cards, if the club has any sense, lots of boots to fill and money isn't getting any cheaper. Personally, I'd get Diomande on the left, Olise on the right and the rest doesn't bother me too much. We definitely need options going forward, we've lost serious energy on the wings, but I think a new manager could get a much better tune out of the midfield and backline.

A RB would be nice, an actual RB, who plays at RB, week in, week out, reliably. Whether he plays second fiddle to Frimpong or not, I don't care, but if I see Dom playing RB again next season I might have to check meself in. I love Bradley but he's too injury prone, Frimpong's spent half the season on the physio table too, so reliability is key.

Somebody who can actually put a tackle in the midfield would be a very nice bonus, but with Grav signing a new deal I'm not sure that's gonna happen, unless Mac Allister is on his way out, which I wouldn't mind. If Endo goes we might get a promising young DM in, could be something to keep an eye on, would much rather get in somebody for the future rather than another Endo, nothing against the lad, did well when needed but we need to build towards the future keeping squad depth in mind, no point in having a bunch of backups the manager doesn't want to use.

Grav definitely deserves a shot at redemption for now considering he was so good last season, but a little competition wouldn't be a bad idea.

A lot will depend on the next manager, his vision and preferred setup, and how willing the club are with funds, considering it's his first season, remember all Slot got was Chiesa when he first arrived, I can understand why but that sort of nonsense will be the death of us, quite literally. We could very likely be replacing Virgil and Alisson come '27, so holding off on investment in transfers now for the sake of assessing a new manager will seriously bite us in the backside in 14 months time.

If Alonso's coming, I'd nearly write him a blank cheque, and make sure Edwards was long gone before doing so.

26 Mar 2026 20:04:07
It really comes down to how we build the squad to play the way the manager wants them to play.

For instance, signing Frimpong and Kerkez to play in Slot's inverted fullback system feels dull.

We have to keep building, but I do have worries about the size of the task, and whether the transfer team are connected with the manager.

26 Mar 2026 23:41:43
We need a right back, another centre back, and 2 pacy wingers. Job done.

27 Mar 2026 08:04:17
We don't know if Alonso will play 3 at the back? Did he at Madrid?
If and when he comes in, surely he evaluates it?
And don't call me Shirley.