Liverpool banter 10

01 Sep 2026 08:38:46
Great video on YouTube from PSG thanking Barcola and wishing him well. They put up 40mins of highlights. I suggest you all watch. What a player we have.

{Ed025's Note - i think you said that about Wirtz.. :)

01 Sep 2026 09:18:18
Wirtz is class - not his fault he has zero movement ahead of him.

01 Sep 2026 09:49:25
Seen quite a few mention movement ahead of Wirtz now, but does that mean he can only pass the ball to Barcola now he’s here (and possibly even Munoz)?

Having a 116 mill attacking midfielder that can only use 1 or 2 options ahead of him isn’t exactly a weapon.

01 Sep 2026 09:09:11
Ed025 I think Wirtz is a wonderful footballer but the midfield behind him is not set up to get the best out of him or any of our forward players.
I think we need two new midfielders I would love Adam Wharton and someone to partner him in a double pivot.
Wharton would break the lines early and give Wirtz the ball in the right positions.

{Ed025's Note - im not disputing his ability Grino, maybe its about the players around him or the system mate?...but he has been very underwhelming up to now i think we can all agree on that..

01 Sep 2026 09:41:19
Indeed, WarMachine. Ed25 is doing too much, as usual.

Same Ol' stuff. Different day.

{Ed025's Note - are you saying im wrong Oli?, i only say what i see mate and is just an unbiased opinion, he could prove me wrong and im fine with that..i would also be fine if Emilia Fox phoned me up demanding sex.. :)

01 Sep 2026 09:47:22
Well ed25 if Barcola and Wirtz both fail it says more about us than it does about them.

Is it a coincidence that Gakpo is also another one who stands out for his country but gets pelted on here?

I think the whole team setup was disastrous last season and made everyone look bad but also the players giving up didn't help one bit.

It's going to be a tough old season reigniting and re-educating some of the players we are left with.

{Ed025's Note - you have some excellent players StEA and i believe Wirtz could turn out to be one of them mate, the thing for me is that you have very good individuals but a very average team, maybe Andoni can change that and if he can im sure you will have a good season..

01 Sep 2026 10:10:51
That's right, JK. Wirtz needs a Prime Pele, Maradona and Messi in front of him to function.

01 Sep 2026 10:17:07
Said this for over a year now, Wirtz is not the problem. He is a fantastic player who is light years ahead of the players around him. The tepid football that we have been playing does not get anything from him; you can blame Wirtz for players not understanding that they have to move.

It ain’t rocket science. I was taught as a kid that intelligent movement in football is one of the best things you can do; standing around will get you nothing. Anyone remember “pass and move”? Pretty simple concept, but lots of modern players don’t get it or have been trained not to.

{Ed025's Note - i cant argue with that CGD..

01 Sep 2026 11:21:11
JK, maybe we should play 4 or 5 up front then to give Wirtz more options, or maybe we play him at CB, better yet, stick him in goals, 11 options in front then, he'll set the league alight.

Wirtz was a country mile off it last season. The "he needs better players around him" excuse will only wash for so long.

If he's as good as everyone thinks, he will adapt. Hopefully he shows evidence of that this season. I believe playing in the 10 will help massively as he's clearly not a winger, he was a huge threat in our last game and I expect to see more of that going forward.

01 Sep 2026 12:24:27
Once folk have stopped banging on about Hughes, they'll then turn their attention to defending Wirtz. Tiresome. The reason he's been bang average up till now is because of him. No one else.

01 Sep 2026 12:48:53
Rome, you seem to be late. The "Wirtz does nothing" brigade have been out 3 months after he arrived last season.

01 Sep 2026 12:47:31
Ed025's Note - are you saying i'm wrong Oli? ,

Is gambling legal in Vegas, man?

{Ed025's Note - i like that Oli, but what you are forgetting is that im holding all the cards on here mate...watch you dont become a busted flush.. :)

01 Sep 2026 07:44:31
My thoughts on transfer deadline. Liverpool will try to get a last minute Lamine Camera deal over the line. Gakpo will only leave if we get in another winger, Sarr, Mbaye or Minteh. Everything else will be players leaving on loan. I was tempted to say my sources tell me, but that’s been done to death haha. Just gut feeling based on what’s been discussed before.

01 Sep 2026 08:29:25
My thoughts are, everything's been done. This time tomorrow Hughes will be gone and we can all get on with supporting our club.

01 Sep 2026 08:36:57
Could not agree more, Rome. Although I do find it very strange that he was even kept on.

01 Sep 2026 08:56:08
Barry - Lack of oversight from FSG, simple as that. Whatever specific explanations there are, they all come back to a lack of oversight from the owners. As it transpires, Hughes spent significant time working for his new employer during the summer - this is disgraceful on a new level.


If FSG gave half as much of a c**p about the footballing operation as they do about higher revenues, Arsenal’s league title wait would have gone on another decade.

01 Sep 2026 08:59:12
I really hope Camarra happens.

01 Sep 2026 09:03:03
Agree, Rome. Hopefully back to winning ways on Friday night.

Ipswich away should be winnable but I suppose we thought that the first 2 games.

The club are currently winless in their last 6 league games.

Looking forward to hopefully finally seeing Barcola in a LFC shirt.

Ipswich and their crowd will be well up for this so let’s hope the team are too.

01 Sep 2026 09:12:59
Rome, I'm with you. I find it hard to see any more incomings.
I don’t know where the club is financially with all the money we have spent in the last two years. This summer we have spent another £200m and I might be forgetting some, but the only player I can remember us selling this summer is Jones for £30m.

01 Sep 2026 09:20:40
Did Hughes work for us whilst still at Bournemouth? He’s got form for it, so even more negligent.

01 Sep 2026 09:22:16
Lowe, when you say that Arsenal would still be waiting for their league title, that implies that our squad, last season, was good enough, and then given that we've strengthened, this season's squad is also good enough. We all know that isn't the case. Your statement, therefore, doesn't stack up.

01 Sep 2026 09:46:31
Indeed, Lowel. I don't really blame FSG for things that happen with people who run the club from day to day but on this one, they screwed up badly. How in did they allow these shananigans since last season to fester to the point of the 3 bozos (Edwards, Hughes and Slot) wrecking the club due to their pathetic egos?

I can tell you. They are all best mates (as Ed01 kept telling us) and when that happens, lack of rigorous oversight, focus and concrete planning is what you get and the club and the manager and fans are now paying the price.

I kept saying it along with many others, all 3 of them should have walked and the fact that Hughes is not only taking a jet from B'mouth to Liverpool to do his work, he was allowed to run deals for both Al Hilal and Liverpool in the same window.

FSG is going to have to carry the can for this one, i'm sorry.

01 Sep 2026 12:44:15
“Therefore, that implies this, and that implies that”.
Whatever, mate.

01 Sep 2026 14:03:52
Liverpool FC is wrecked, is it?
I reckon it'll be back in action on Friday.

Always with the drama, you, OliRed.

01 Sep 2026 07:25:03
It can't be true. Hughes has been allowed to work for his new Saudi club at the same time he has been doing business for us.

So if he was supposed to have left already and he is doing us a favour in overseeing this window. That is complete ineptitude from the people responsible for replacing his position.



On the other hand, if he's just gone and said hey I'm gonna do it because you can't fire me right now because you have no backup, it's very unprofessional.

This whole situation confuses me. I've never seen a business or organisation operate like this.

01 Sep 2026 08:22:52
He wasn't doing business for us so he had the time. Fair play to him for stealing two wages, I say. Wish I had the sense to do the same... I'd be a very rich man.

01 Sep 2026 08:22:25
Its all hearsay with no proof, people are just spinning a story that works

01 Sep 2026 09:31:24
Kloppers. A respected investigative journalist has broken this story, it’s not just some wild speculation or internet rumour. FSG have been asleep at the wheel letting this happen. He should have been fired or put on gardening leave the minute that Edwards left.

01 Sep 2026 09:47:26
Kloppers, it's not hearsay. It is all over the media that Hughes was doing exactly what is being alleged.

01 Sep 2026 09:50:44
Sorry, but this is not the first time FSG have been asleep at the wheel. For the Red Sox as well as us.

Sadly, their measure of success is $s, not trophies. Sometimes they intertwine, others they do not.

Time to pass the baton to a group with more enthusiasm and youthful vigour. Who knows whether that is the new consortium or not?

01 Sep 2026 09:53:11
I’m hoping 1892 consortium comes in with a better strategy, because this has been an absolute sh*t show.

01 Sep 2026 09:54:50
Roll on Meta/AWS/Amazon Prime shirt sponsorship. 500 million shirt sponsorship.

01 Sep 2026 11:08:14
At least he's going and we can be rid of him.

What worries me is that we don't seem to have any plan either when he leaves. I would have thought that would have been sorted by now and announced. We can all wish for someone new but what happens if his replacement is worse?

And why would we announce that he is leaving and not announce a replacement is lined up?

Again it all seems strange and I hope the club make me look a right idiot and they have a master plan that they are keeping close to their chests.

01 Sep 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - OptimumShots has posted a new article entitled, Where Everton Stand Under Squad Cost Ratio

01 Sep 2026 04:33:28
As someone mentioned before, our non homegrown players are now at 17 excluding Ekitike and Chiesa. So unless we somehow move on some non homegrown players, we are stuck. If we had sold Gakpo and brought in Sarr, we still couldn't bring in a midfielder even on loan.

On a sidenote, whoever comes in as the new sporting director has a big decision on his hands as we need a new lb and RB plus a midfielder or two. Add in the captain and Ali who are out of contract next summer and Rio who needs a new deal.

01 Sep 2026 05:11:51
Could just be wishful thinking, but I still think Iraola can get a tune out of Kerkez... The new SD definitely has his work cut out for him though.

01 Sep 2026 05:20:41
If we got a dm, I would assume Endo wouldn’t make the squad.

01 Sep 2026 05:31:18
We can bring players in, we just can’t register them all for the Champions League group stages.

We have 19, not 17. 2 will miss out unless someone is sold. Probably Ekitike and Leoni.

Becker, Marmadashvili, Kerkez, Tsimikas, Araujo, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Leoni, Endo, MacAllister, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Chiesa, Munoz, Wirtz, Gakpo, Barcola, Ekitike, Isak.

01 Sep 2026 05:51:07
Even though the transfer window for incoming signings is ending today, outgoings in other leagues can still continue in the coming days. I have a feeling Chiesa will leave. Endo will stay unless we sign another MF.

01 Sep 2026 06:11:19
Not really stuck, just means two of the non-HG will be spending a lot of time in the stands.

01 Sep 2026 06:57:15
We are not going to spend £50 mill to replace Endo. Unless one of Grav, Szob, Macca departs, we won't sign in a starting CM.

01 Sep 2026 07:16:05
Ron, if you read what I said it's 17 plus Chiesa and Ekitike, who obviously won't be included. The Premier League squad is 25 players, of which 17 can be non-homegrown. So one of Chiesa or Endo won't be in the Prem squad.

01 Sep 2026 08:00:39
Jacquet and Leoni do not need to be registered as non-Homegrown in the Premier League. They are considered U21s.

In the Champions League they must be registered, as you only qualify for the B-List if you’ve spent 2 years at the club and are 16-21 years old.



Basically we’ll just leave Ekitike and one of Chiesa or Endo out of the CL squad until January and go from there. They can all play in the Premier League though.

01 Sep 2026 08:04:04
Don’t rule out a Marmar loan/sale.

As was always the case, Endo and Chiesa are dispensable.

We might not like it, but this is Richard Hughes who has given ZF this summer.

01 Sep 2026 08:42:17
There goes our CL hopes if Chiesa and Endo can't play.

01 Sep 2026 09:06:10
This has been covered many times. Ekitike obviously won't be registered, as he can't play. Most likely Leoni won't be either, as he's still going to miss at least 2 months of proper football. Endo and Chiesa are fodder and should be replaced by Koumas and Nyoni, so that's potentially 4 less than everybody is twisting their knickers over, meaning we could easily have 2 spare non-HG spots right now without selling anyone.

There's no issue.

01 Sep 2026 10:03:54
Kerkez really improved by the end of last season. Hopefully Ai can bring him back to his Bournemouth form. A right winger who works hard tracking back will help the rb slot. I really think Ai will sort it out, just might take a few more games.

01 Sep 2026 02:24:41
Salve all,

A bit of a break from the constant flow of frustrating transfer news (or rather lack of it). I wanted to bring up the situation for Senior CB once VVD goes (which I assume he will). Watching Araujo so far, he has been very impressive. He dealt with Delap in the time he was on, and I know it is very early in the season, but I think we sign him permanently. He looks like a great defender and would suit us well. My hope is that AI recognises this and gives him sufficient game time at CB to partner Van Dijk and maybe Jacquet moves to RB.



In the midfield, I think Wirtz and Szobo start together with either Grav or Macca. I can't see either dropping to the bench. They're just too good. Attacking wise, Barcola will start always on the Left, Isak down the middle and Munoz/Gakpo on the right. When Ekitike returns, Chiesa is sold or leaves and Ekitike learns to play on the wings.

Hope we do well this season, there have been many diamonds among the rocks.

01 Sep 2026 03:18:32
Yes, after Delap ran around Araujo and into the box, Araujo started to play well. You could see him geeing up his teammates to keep pushing for the equalizer.

01 Sep 2026 03:44:25
Agree on Araujo.

I think Szobo should be our starting RB. I'll admit it drove me crazy slot played him there, but he's a way better RB than mid. He's too often caught dwelling on the ball and his right footed crosses/through balls can replace what TAA used to provide.

Also, I've never liked him but the sooner we give up on Isak the better.

He offers literally nothing unless you place the ball at his feet with an open shot of goal and half the time he hides behind a defender so he isn't even available for a pass. Out of possession, he basically plays for the other team because they can play right through whatever space he occupies. Gakpo center for now and Ekitike can rotate in when fit.

01 Sep 2026 04:08:13
I'm not so sure I would push Szobo to RB yet. I think he needs time and coaching to make that position his. He's ahead of the play too much, as if he was the 10 when we have Wirtz playing as 10. With his long shot prowess I'd rather him make the late runs.

If there's anything I'm hoping after switching from Slot, it is that we coach and improve upon our players.

While there are some holes, we do have a pretty good squad tbh imo. With better guidance the good players can become great, which is what was missing last season.

If we can get the midfield positioning right, the fullbacks can be our strength.

01 Sep 2026 07:01:17
Dominik Szoboszlai used to be one of the best ACM in Europe before his arrival to Liverpool FC and I am convinced we bought him to play the Lampard role for us. We shouldn't have signed Wirtz at all. That is what happens when you change SD every 12 months and hire coaches who have no control over transfers.

01 Sep 2026 07:45:10
It’s either Szob or Wirtz in the side for me.
That’s why Szob moves to various positions including RB.
Defensive he is not.

01 Sep 2026 09:20:28
The current full backs with the exception of a fit Bradley will never be our strength. Frimpong gives great effort. But neither can pass well enough. Neither can tackle: Frimpong because he is too lightweight; Kerkez because he plays the man and not the ball. Neither can cross effectively.

Neither can head a ball. Both are poor out of possession. Both lack positional sense defensively and both are not good enough to be an attacking threat that concerns the opposition. We desperately needed new full backs this window and I am surprised more than any other position that was not attended to.

01 Sep 2026 09:38:19
I’m still waiting for Bradley to also show he is the answer.

01 Sep 2026 09:55:50
The problem you have here with the midfield is that Iraola wants his midfielders to be able to play those penetrating passes that break lines into the final 3rd to find the attacker or the no. 10.

Based on what we have seen, neither Szob nor Grav can do that cos that is not their game as they lack that type of vision. This leaves you with Macca as the only one with that type of vision and passing ability to find the forwards and Wirtz from deep, all that was on show vs Forest. If his legs hadn't gone, he would be a perfect solution here.

And even tho I wanted him gone, I cannot deny what my eyes are seeing.

Therefore, Macca has to be in the team as he can execute these tasks. Then, this leaves who between Grav and Szobo can play the 8 role behind Wirtz, one who can cover, recognise danger and snuff it out in transition while being able to help in attack with their passing and running.

Not sure who I would pick as both have the same flaws as in, they are careless in possession and lack defensive awareness in transition.

01 Sep 2026 10:06:02
Why give up on a striker we paid so much for? AI will play more to his strengths. Jesus Christ, give them a chance.

01 Sep 2026 00:38:50
Hughes has been a 2-year disaster show, emphasised more by his relationship with Edwards, who was a disaster of a reappointment.
We now need to seek a new, outside recruitment man with a proven record of upcoming players who then develop into stars.


The full-back issues and a lack of a striker will ruin our season.
Fair play to Barcola, signed for us despite the s*** show in the background.
Nothing to see today, I’m afraid.

01 Sep 2026 01:35:23
Really? Are you serious?

In the last 2 years we've won the league, signed the best player in Germany, the 2nd best striker in the Premier League, another excellent striker, the best left back in the Premier League, a right back who won the Bundesliga going unbeaten all season, the best young French CB from Ligue 1, the best young CB from Serie A, a former Barcelona captain and now one of the best wingers in world football.

In that time we've tragically lost a player, sold the likes of Nunez, Doak, Morton who most deemed not good enough, we've lost the scouser in the team because he fancied the bright lights of Madrid, we've lost our talisman and record Premier League goalscorer who's time was up and we lost Konate who again, most deemed not good enough.

Frimpong was injured for a lot of last season and was only really signed as backup to Bradley who we were all excited about but he got a serious injury, Leoni got a serious injury, Ekitike got a serious injury, Isak broke his leg, Ali has been in and out of the team with injuries.

We've now changed managers and the players are struggling to adapt immediately. Communication and cohesion isn't quite there but it will come.

I seriously think all the hate and doomsday scenarios are totally unnecessary. We are in a good place. When the players get that cohesion and we get players back from injury we will be a serious force to be reckoned with.

It was always going to be difficult moving on from Klopp. It was always going to be difficult transitioning from Salah, Mane, Bobby, Trent, Robbo, Virgil, Ali etc. to a new team and still stay as successful.

How do you replace Mo's goals? You won't find another wide forward like Mo so we've had to go a different way. We are transitioning from a false 9 model with 2 wide forwards and a solid, compact midfield to a proper 9 with a 10 and a more creative midfield with wingers staying wide and feeding the forwards.

We've needed to sign a whole different profile of player. We tried playing Salah and Gakpo as wingers with Isak or Ekitike through the middle and it didn't work. Just like it didn't work for Klopp when he tried it with Nunez.

I literally could go on forever but I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. We are nowhere near as bad as some of you think and have done some excellent business in the last couple of windows. We haven't reaped the rewards yet because we've been in between styles of play and haven't had the right profile of player and we've had a lot of injuries.

We will get there but we were never going to complete the squad in 1 or even 2 windows. We have a squad that, if Iraola gets them going, can seriously challenge for everything. I know many won't agree because all you can see are negatives but I honestly believe it.

Front line options consisting of Barcola, Isak, Ekitike, Wirtz, Gakpo, Munoz and Rio is absolutely frightening.

Yes we need Bradley back and Kerkez needs to step up but is it so impossible for that to happen?

Sorry this post wasn't meant to be this long and well done if you made it to the end but I needed to remind everyone of just what a good squad we are building here.

01 Sep 2026 02:00:18
Stepover
You’re entitled to your opinion and I have mine.
You do you and I will do me. 👍🏻
I hope your positivity pays off, mind you, but I am one of life’s realists.
I still stand by my statement. Our full backs are undoubtedly some of the worst in the Premier League.

Wirtz is now 14 months with the club and yet to show me anything that tells me he is top class. He is not.
The squad balance is poor. We win nothing this season.

01 Sep 2026 02:22:58
I wasn’t really aiming that at you, Hughes; your post just echoes most posts I read on here, so I replied to it with my own thoughts.

I would hasten to add, though, mate, you are not a realist. You are a pessimist. Realism is very often used to excuse pessimism.

It’s about how you perceive reality. I look at our reality and I’m excited. I look at the players we’ve signed and see bags of talent. I know it hasn’t clicked yet, but I’m sure it will.

You look at our reality and see problems. You see negativity. You see that the team isn’t performing as you’d like, and you can’t see it getting any better.

From my point of view it’s much more likely that we will get better than not. There’s too much talent in our squad for that not to happen. We are building a team to get the best from Wirtz and Isak and we will. And when we do it will be a joy to behold.

{Ed666's Note - And here’s my reality the squad we CURRENTLY have is light years away from challenging for the title. This could miraculously change by 11pm tommorow evening but at the moment we are going to draw and lose more games than we won. This is not a reflection on Irola but in fact the way he’s been let down by the lack of reinforcements. Look at City & Chelsea the way they have recruited. They’ve identified holes in the squad and plugged the gaps. We have need a right back, a right winger and a midfielder and what do we do we but a goalkeeper and a striker for the future. Why are we even entering competitions this year if we have no chance of winning anything. Fcuk this transition season crap give the manager a team he can compete with. I might be eating humble pie tommorow night and I gladly will if there’s some incomings for the first team squad.

01 Sep 2026 03:17:27
I'm with Rios, though maybe not too excessive. I do accept the reality that our SD is ferked up big time, and can't understand for whatever reason the Board allows him to double as AlHilal's SD at a crucial point, but I also think we have some really above average players that can be coached into becoming better.

Challenging the title, maybe not this season. But I'm optimistic we'll be Top 4 and, if luck (which plays at least 10% in each game) comes our way, we might surprise everyone with a trophy this season.

I'm a coach, lived my life in football. I had a fair share of turning professional once upon a time and I'm certain we can do well with this group of players.

That includes Kerkez and Frimpong. It depends on whether some players are able to restrict their nature and be disciplined, whether they'd run and sacrifice for their teammates and the badge, and lastly whether they can let others take the glory instead of thinking they're better than the others (even if they are) and put their shift in.

Expect injuries as Iraola's and Klopp's style of play will have us running on fumes by the eleventh hour. But if everyone does their part as a team, us fans will start to enjoy Liverpool's football again.

01 Sep 2026 03:19:58
Whatever people want to say about money spent, the players we've bought and their reputation prior to coming to us, the objective facts remain that the squad is imbalanced and not ready to challenge on four fronts.



I will leave a slight caveat in that Iraola's coaching may make a difference but that we may not see the real fruits of that until later in the season.

01 Sep 2026 03:59:01
Well said RSO.

01 Sep 2026 04:05:08
In a vacuum, some of the signings we have made are world class signings. But teams are not just a sum of their individual parts, and windows are not made on one or two signings.

Context is everything. Matip retired and we signed Chiesa. The following season you can look at things in isolation and say Quansah > Leoni or Kelleher > Mamardashvili is good business. But we were still desperate for a CB and spent 200m on 2x CFs and no wingers for a system that needs wingers and only has 1 CF. We also created our own problems adding Wirtz to the team, because then Szobo had to be moved out of position, we had 3 senior left backs and had to force Kostas out the club.

Which brings us to this calamity of a window. We finally replaced Matip with Jacquet, Ibou left and we brought in Araujo. Again, we can say this is good business, but players of Konate's age and calibre should never be leaving on a free and this is becoming a habit. We are desperate for a right winger because we just forced the only one we have out the club so what do we do? Go and buy 2 more left wingers.

So yes, Gakpo > Barcola is a massive upgrade but we didn't sell Gakpo and are instead left trying to fit square pegs in round holes on the right, we still have nobody to take control of the midfield, and the full back situation is up for massive debate. We also have 7 contracts expiring next summer, Araujo's loan ending and 4 more contracts the summer after... more holes needing to be plugged.

You know the situation is dire when people are arguing about which sub-par player is a better fit for us... at the beginning of the window, names like Senesi, Nunez and Bowen were being thrown around because they were free/cheap and achievable and fixed gaping holes in the squad while leaving money to upgrade elsewhere. Players like Sangare or Palestra that would drastically improve our starting 11 gone to other Premier League clubs for fees well within our price range.

We have turned into post-Fergie United, I'm afraid... just chasing the big name and hoping fans won't notice the leaky roof

{Ed666's Note - name me one of these world class signings mate?

01 Sep 2026 04:18:53
Summer 2024, folks.

01 Sep 2026 04:38:02
It's the 16th of September (NZ time) 8AM and I'm up early to watch the Spurs EFL Cup game. And what a turnaround the season has been. After that extraordinary Tsimikas brace against Athletico Madrid (4-2 final score with Mcalister and Gakpo netting the other two) preceded by the Ipswich hammering (Isak hat-trick and a brace by Cocacola) and followed by the closer 3-1 against Fulham (yep that Tsimikas again finds back of the net) the Reds are humming like a well tuned Valiant Charger running a hemi 265.


Bring on the Spurs! Go the Reds! Go the Greek!

01 Sep 2026 05:03:26
@666 When I say "world class signing" I don't necessarily mean the player is world class, just that the signing is one that one of the biggest clubs in the world would make to dramatically improve their team.

Isak was the 2nd best striker in the league when we bought him, replacing what many would consider a failed signing.

Barcola is a pacy, multiple Champions League winner, replacing a player many consider 1-dimensional and not good enough.

Wirtz was considered generational when we bought him.

My point is that last season if instead of Isak we had spent the money on Rodrygo and Guehi, both players that are arguably not good enough but fix problems in the side, then it is a better window overall.

It doesn't really matter if we go out and buy Kvaratskhelia next year if we don't replace Alisson, Virgil and Salah with some players that at least play in those positions. We need to go back to actually building a team, rather than just buying the next big name "market opportunity" and giving our manager a pat on the back and telling him to work it out.

01 Sep 2026 08:04:22
Some are misusing realism when they mean pessimism. It may be your reality, but it isn’t mine.

Neither am I an optimist. I think it is better to have a balanced perspective. My half a glass is exactly what it is, half a glass.

01 Sep 2026 08:44:59
Good luck to all the optimists on the site, I hope you end up being right and I’m wrong.
I see a 5th place finish at best, and a no show in all the cups.
Maybe an early exit even in the CL.
Good banter all the same, boys and girls, love to all.

The Pessimistic Realist xx

01 Sep 2026 08:51:59
I put it on the club. It's been a collective balls up. Maybe not backing Hughes is them realising this. Either way, those above have to shoulder some of the blame. Were they not reacting because of the deal to sell a percentage of the club? For me, I have faith in AI, and once he gets us playing, I imagine half of Hughes' signings to be moved on.

01 Sep 2026 09:10:53
You could sign the best player from every legue in the world; it doesn't mean they're going to succeed in the Prem, or that they'll gel, or fit the manager's system. It's not about signing "the best players", it's about signing the right players.

Hughes has been absolutely useless, and so has Edwards, no idea why they brought that snake back in the first place, pure conman.

01 Sep 2026 10:01:57
Scouse, I agree with you even though, I agree with a lot of the posters who have a diff. opinion to yours. This tells me that our issues are multi-faceted, which tells me how much of a shambles we have been over the last 1é to 18 months.

Im just happy the 3 amigos have/will be gone so we can start afresh with a new vision and new energy and ideas.

Now also, I see Ed's point that whether we can win the title or not is not that important for this season, at least. The more important thing is to give the manager a squad he can work and compete with and here, the club (via Hughes) has failed massively.

Multiple things can be correct at the same time, essentially.

01 Sep 2026 03:11:13
I've a gut feeling that you won't be eating any humble pie unfortunately Ed0666

01 Sep 2026 07:04:26
People who allign with Ris has zero ambition to win the league anytime soon, They would rather we play good football and next year is our year than actually addressing the problem.
Ed666 nailed it.

01 Sep 2026 09:32:36
I do understand your frustrations Ed666, Hughes and all the other pessimistic realists but the fact is we have a squad of excellent footballers with a few players who were considered world class before we bought them.

The midfield of Grav, Szob and Macca have won a Premier League title so they can't be that bad can they?

A forward line of Barcola-Isak-Gakpo/Munoz is, on paper as good as anything in the league. Far, far, far better than anything even the champions have.

I think people are allowing last season's poor form to cloud their judgement without taking into account the mitigating circumstances.

The team need to shake last season off, Iraola needs to get them playing in his way and I really believe we'll be a force.

{Ed666's Note - with the greatest of respect mate I couldn’t disagree more. Irola might be an excellent coach but he’s not a magician. This midfield won a premiership two seasons ago and are pitiful now and the forward line you mention is not firing otherwise we’d have 6 points now. We need a right back, a midfielder and a right winger for us to even be in the mix and I don’t know why this hasn’t happened yet?

01 Sep 2026 00:22:13
A day to go but very hard to see how we bring any suitable reinforcements in time. An abysmal window from those running the club, leaving a paper thin squad with serious gaps, and serious question marks over its ability to maintain enough fit players in key positions. Can’t believe we took so long to appoint a new manager, then utterly failed to back him in the market. We’re a great club at generating revenue, but are seemingly unwilling to actually spend that revenue when and where it is needed.

I do think Iraola is the right person - but the club have sold him horribly short, and I think it will be a tough ask to get a Champions League spot with so many weaknesses in the squad. Perhaps a lack of ambition from owners who already have their exit strategy lined up.

01 Sep 2026 00:48:39
Agree! I think most people are realistic and understand that the market was a little bit bonkers, but to strengthen the squad in key areas when there were (are i.e. Camara) affordable options is just downright criminal.

01 Sep 2026 08:05:00
It's all about the money, money, money...

01 Sep 2026 10:03:01
I agree, Pete.

31 Aug 2026 23:54:35
Salve all,

From what I've seen, Araujo is a great player who could succeed VVD as the senior CB to partner Jacquet and Leoni. He has a wonderful pass and he has barely put a foot wrong. I think he gets more game time and, if Frimpong continues to perform poorly, then Jacquet/Araujo go to CB.

I know it is early in the season but this seems like a good decision. I also think Wirtz and Szobo both play in the same starting team. You can't have one out.

In terms of transfers, I think we need one midfielder. Camara or Kone. It's going to be a very interesting season.

01 Sep 2026 09:35:08
And in which one of the 33 minutes he's played did you make that decision?

01 Sep 2026 10:10:18
Stradaros, I like your optimism re: Araujo, but even though I believe he can be very good, I think it is too early to tell.

And as for replacing VVD, I wouldn't go that far either.

I agree that Wirtz has to play in the no. 10 cos he is way more creative than Szobo is.

Can they play together? It depends, cos Szobo in the 8 is very poor and careless in his passes and decision-making on the ball. Same for Grav.

Therefore, I would only play Szobo with Wirtz, with him being the runner behind him covering for FB's in the half spaces. Same for Grav.