12 Jan 2026 17:24:53
Xabi leaves real madrid any chance of him coming to us?
Agree0
12 Jan 2026 17:28:39
Did they lose over the weekend? That'll throw the cat amongst the pigeons.
Liverpool Discussion posts 3
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12 Jan 2026 17:21:45
This place is about to have meltdown Eds ?.
Xabi has left the building.
Agree1
12 Jan 2026 17:17:25
Oh Xabi Alonso has left RM does this mean that the candidate we want has now become free so could be see you soon Arne? ?.
Agree0
12 Jan 2026 12:47:19
Hi Ed001, I wanted your opinion on something if you are available. Over the past 5-6 years a lot of our best youth prospects (apart from maybe Trent, Quansah, and Jones) have suffered significant long-term injuries, a lot of which have also been stress-fractures. As far as I can recall, Chambers has been out for over a year due to a persistent back issue. Brewster had to miss like 18 months due to an ankle+knee layoff. Gordon, Bradley, Bajcetic, Danns have all suffered huge injuries over the years, mostly related to stress fractures in the back amongst other things.
Calvin Ramsay too arrived with a huge reputation but has had terrible luck with injuries. Owen Beck has been decimated by hamstring injuries too. I might have missed out some others too, but its really unfortunate. While not all might have become stars for us, a few of them would have progressed to squad members by now, if not for these injuries I think. Do you think something is wrong with the fitness program of these kids, or its just pure bad luck? Nothing kills a young players momentum like a year on the sidelines.
{Ed001's Note - for me there are problems. For one they are only playing football and not varying their sports, so putting repetitive strain on the same parts, without building up other muscles to cope. Unless things have changed, academy players taking part in other competitive sports is frowned upon (some academies outright ban it). For me that is a huge mistake. You can learn something from playing other sports, as well as building strength and fitness with different movements to the body.
Secondly, and this is also partly connected to the first, they are not as fit as they need to be, because they are limited in how much they can be trained by the academy. If they then went out and did other sports, they would improve their overall fitness and possibly, depending on the sport, flexibility too.
You will never stop injuries altogether, but you can reduce the incidences and minimise the risks. I don't think we do anything like a good enough job at doing that.}
Agree1
12 Jan 2026 14:58:05
I'm also surprised at the high level of injuries we see with young players these days. Sport science is meant to have massively improved our ability to prevent injuries, yet it seems like there's even more injuries with young players today then there was 20+ years ago. I have to agree that it certainly seems like something just isn't adding up. Ed makes a valid point, at schoolboy level I was training in 3/ 4 sports a week, including mma, which put a massive emphasis on the importance of flexibility with lengthy stretching sessions. I was always extremely flexible in comparison to the rest of the team and suffered from far less injuries.
Obviously stress fractures are related to growth spurts but even still they seem far too common these days, makes you wonder are these kids getting the right training and nutrition in on the daily. I also find it strange that so many kids are coming through without a pick on them, there seems to be very little emphasis placed on the importance of overall muscular development. Weight training has been proven to stimulate an increase in bone density/ strength. I know they do strength training but, I believe the weights are restricted as a precaution, players are not encouraged to lift heavy. I wonder could this be a contributing factor/ oversight. Rugby players are encouraged to lift heavy from a very young age and they actually suffer less injuries even though it's a contact sport and more physically demanding.
It seems like focusing too much on football has left us lagging in other departments.
12 Jan 2026 12:42:27
I watch Barcelona v Real Madrid last night which Barcelona won 3-2
People on this site say but we beat real Madrid well yes we did because they are awful.
Alonso has got a massive job on his hands if he wants to stay there .
They have no structure it is all individuals no cohesion they really do look average if it was not for the real keeper the score line could of been a lot more .
I think Alonso has bitten off more than he can chew with madrid they have some excellent players but they are all individuals were as Barcelona are a team play football as a team all work for each other but the do look vulnerable at the back . Hans Flick has done a great job with them if i was choosing our next manager Flick would be my no 1 reminds me a lot of Klopp. YNWA.
Agree2
12 Jan 2026 13:31:03
I don't like the high line that Barcelona play. I've watched their games last and this season and teams don't take advantage of it at all. I personally think Spanish footy has taken a bit of a tumble in the past 2 or 3 years.
I never thought I'd say this, but I'm warming to Kane at Munich. he's like dust, he's everywhere on the pitch. he seems to be playing a better all round game. but hey, just my opinion. ?.
12 Jan 2026 15:19:53
I do agree that Kane is great and probably getting better certainly in his all-round game. but it's definitely clear that good players in the premier league become world beaters in the Bundesliga, there are tons of examples.
also great players in the Bundesliga often take a lot of time to adapt the the prem.
If Kane came back to the prem he'd be a good player not someone who looks like the best striker in the world (in my opinion anyway)
12 Jan 2026 11:12:39
Rather than post about who we should and shouldn't sign and who should be sold etc I thought I'd offer a view of something we badly miss. A leader.
I saw a video recently of a conversation between Ben Foster and Tom Cleverley (admittedly I'd seen it before) and they were discussing how blown away they were of how Jordan Henderson operated as a captain and leader when they played against us at Watford.
I know, technically, he wasn't seen as maybe the best in his position but what he did have was a voice (I remember the covid season when no fans were allowed in the stadiums and you could always hear him barking orders at everyone on the pitch and ensuring they're doing their job)
We badly miss someone like that. I know some are going to say. Well, Virgil is our Leader! Yes I agree. but is he? I love what Virg has given to our club but over the last 12 months I've seen him behaving a lot more like what Bruno does at United and throwing his arms up in the air complaining about incorrect decisions or digging other players out. and I really hate seeing that. Maybe he'd be best just concentrating on defending and let someone else do the shouting instructions.?
Are there still any leaders out there that can get this team going in the right direction again? I'm not sure? Maybe Klopp brought out the best in him? Milner also seemed to be that type and maybe the game is losing that type of player now? Can't be coincidence that Brentford are doing so well despite losing so many key players!
Interested to hear eds and posters opinions on whether these types of players are a dying breed now and, if not, who would be someone they'd go for to bring that much needed voice to the team!?
Cheers.
Agree0
12 Jan 2026 13:13:39
Henderson was so underrated. Ok, technically not the best and rarely won us a game but we rarely lost when he played. Definitely noticed him more when he wasn't playing.
12 Jan 2026 13:41:43
I defended Henderson as a player right up until he took Saudi blood money rather than fight for his place. I think a lot of our issues this season are tactical, but at the same time I do think we miss his leadership. And that hasn't helped.
Virgil's form always seemed to suffer when he had the armband prior to last season. He bucked that trend a bit last season, but obviously things aren't going well this season. I think not having Robbo, another strong personality on the pitch all the time (and when he is there, he's usually struggled with his own form) is working against us too.
12 Jan 2026 13:46:12
I completely agree 2Shoes. I've said it a few times this season. I love Virg as a player but I'm not convinced by his leadership when the going gets tough. If what I've been reading is true and Szobo is close to signing a new contract then I think that we might see him take over from Virg at some point in the next couple of years.
12 Jan 2026 15:11:32
Completely agree, t's something I've been saying for a long time, Van Dijk, as great as he has been for us, is not a great leader in my opinion. He's a good captain, a standout defender, but he's not going to turn the tide in crucial moments. I don't see him inspiring others or lighting a fire under anybody. I really wish Szoboslai was the man to step up to the plate here, and I think he's the only one in the squad capable of it at the moment.
If handed the armband, he certainly has the skillset necessary to inspire the rest of the team. It would be interesting to see if he has the character. A Gerrard, Keane or Terry type would massively elevate the current squad.
11 Jan 2026 20:54:26
It is possible that Liverpool are reluctant to spend money this January because they know they will be sacking Slot in the summer and want to give the new manager a war chest to buy some players that will suit his system or the way he wants to play.
Are they worried if they spend money on say 3 players that will restrict their ability to spend in the summer window.
Agree0
12 Jan 2026 07:57:24
Slot will only have a limited input so changing manager won't really change things.
12 Jan 2026 08:32:34
Doing well to get 3 players in. I'd be happy with one.
12 Jan 2026 09:01:36
Hughes picks the players for the club based on his and Edwards joint footballing vision. Never really understood this not letting Slot have any more money lark.
12 Jan 2026 09:18:26
It's probably just a risk management call. They've crunched the numbers, think we'll get top 4 which is the aim, save £20m on buying Guehi now pay him £10m signing on in the summer, buy a few youngsters, job done.
Variables are probably Mo and Chiesa. If both go in Jan we may replace with one new buy now, if just one or neither leave we'll probably sit tight unless a market opportunity presents at good value.
12 Jan 2026 11:20:52
Hugo, the risk of +-£10m on Guehi or whoever is nothing on the risk of not generating revenue from progressing to the latter stages of the Champions League this season and qualifying for next year's competition.
12 Jan 2026 11:38:39
Relying on Konate and Gomez to be fit the entire remainder of the season is at best shortsighted and worst a potential act of self sabotage. It's better to spend the money now and make sure we have a squad capable of getting champions league than not. If those two are out for any period of time we are up sh*t creak without a paddle as we'd be down to just van Dijk, don't @ me with "but player x can play there", putting midfielders in central defence would be a catastrophe and there's no one in our under 23's capable of filling that gap.
12 Jan 2026 15:18:14
No, Slot doesn't make transfer calls, that's a Hughes/ Edwards job. Their vision for the team's development defines the clubs movements in the transfer market. If they feel particular additions will strengthen the squad, moves will be made irrespective of the situation with the manager. The main reason I believe we are holding back this window, outside of the usual difficulties presented by a January transfer, is the fact that we spent the best part of a half a billion pound only to go backwards.
It's difficult to justify further spending this season when you already broke the bank once only to make a fool of yourself.
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