Liverpool Discussion posts 5

13 Sep 2026 18:48:05
If the English sides do well in Europe again then 5th place gets Champions league. England is 15 points above second place Italy as of today. The aim for Andoni is keeping us in Europe with a top 4 finish. Now last season the top 4 was Arsenal, City, Utd, Villa. For me City and Arsenal will fight it out for the title again. Villa have had an absolute mare but could come back. United are a top side but how will they cope in more competitions with less depth. A few injuries could derail them.

So for me it will be a close call between us, Chelsea(due to one competition) Villa and perhaps another surprise side.

For me personally we should be aiming for 3rd but I'd be happy with 4th.

13 Sep 2026 19:04:33
Yeah I'd agree with that ape. Arsenal + city top 2 and quite a gap to the rest imo. All the teams u have named there have a question against them: Villa, Chelsea, utd, spurs and Liverpool who before season started u would've felt would be up there all huge questions against them. Hopefully we get 3rd certainly every chance to get it.

14 Sep 2026 04:21:28
Given our squad but considering transition from Slot ball, I think aiming for 3rd is realistic and doable.

14 Sep 2026 13:16:42
We'll scrape Champions League I reckon, but I genuinely don't give a rats what position we qualify in so long as we do qualify, Iraola can't work miracles, things will take time. What I'm most concerned with is seeing a notable development in our style and consistency, and in the players' better understanding their own roles and each other's, the footballing relationships, the positioning and the movment all need major work.

I'm ok with a bit of a rolercoaster first few months, as long as we come through the second half of the season and particularly the run in looking like a well-oiled machine.

14 Sep 2026 16:01:32
Am I the only one who thinks we've got a chance of winning the league?

We are having a shaky start but I think Arsenal and City will both go through shaky patches too.

We are starting to defend better, now we just need to unlock the forwards and we could be in business.

The connection between the team is key. We've spent 12 months with the midfield having zero connection with the back 4 and that is now improving but we've lost a bit of potency going forward. We just need to get the attack more connected to the midfield which will allow us to press more effectively and win the ball higher up giving the attackers more space to play.

It all comes from the 2 CBs. If they are higher up then the midfield can press without leaving a huge gap between the Defence and midfield. That then allows the forwards to press without leaving a huge gap between the Attack and midfield. This makes us harder to play through and puts the player on the ball under pressure which leads to turnovers.

Yes it leaves space in behind but as long as you can consistently get pressure on the ball that risk can be mitigated.

We've done it in parts this season but it's still very inconsistent. If we can nail it down I think we'll be a real force.

{Ed025's Note - to your first line RSO...yes you are..

14 Sep 2026 16:50:57
We have 0 chance of winning the league. I also think we'll finish below Chelsea, they have so many components that they can rest and still put out a proper squad.
United also have some decent players now. I'd hope we can get 5th.

14 Sep 2026 17:02:38
I mean mathematically yes we do but in terms of reality, then I think there is very slim chances indeed. Top 4 and a cup win with the team progressively getting better as the season goes on will do me. Then maybe next year we can challenge for the title.

15 Sep 2026 00:30:33
You lot need to have a little faith. I couldn't imagine supporting Liverpool and not expecting to win the league. Maybe it's because I was brought up in Liverpool in the 80s when it just felt like we owned the league title.

Of course I understand it's a long shot but with the squad we have I truly believe it's possible.

15 Sep 2026 01:10:51
I'd rather have brains than faith.
We couldn't win a raffle, never mind the league.
Either you don't watch the games or you just haven't got a clue.
We will be battling for a champions league place again.

15 Sep 2026 09:32:04
Well Chewy, you have neither.

13 Sep 2026 16:48:22
Alejandro balde

What do you guys think of the Barcelona left back completely out of favour and I think has no chance of getting back in the team behind Xavi Espart and Joao Cancelo

Miles better than what we have 22 years old.

13 Sep 2026 18:28:43
Who's a player for you who is A) overrated. B) underrated.

For me Mainoo, he's shocking but is boosted by good PR, fernandes is great against average teams but big games he's a no show.

Underrated? Nunes at right back for city. if szobo had the positional sense he'd follow suit and exceed nunes.

13 Sep 2026 18:38:20
Man United now has two defeats in 4 PL games.

All you Andoni "Bashers" be very, very careful what you wish for?

YNWA Andoni.

13 Sep 2026 18:49:04
I haven't seen many if any Iraola bashers yet 007, some of the players are getting it which is fair enough when it's long running underperformance.

When you look at Man United you see a sprinkling of good players like Mbeumo, but also quite a lot of mediocre players. How the likes of Zirksee are still around that place is a mystery. They're quite a battling team, remind me a bit of Everton, but lack real quality except Bruno Fernandes.

13 Sep 2026 21:16:26
Haven't seen one yet.

14 Sep 2026 04:18:12
Bruno Fernandes is massively overrated, he's not close to being the best player in the league.

14 Sep 2026 15:55:18
Fernandez averages 30 goals & assists a season, he's a horrible little b**tard but he's an excellent player, there's nothing overrated about him. Statistically he's been the best Premier League midfielder for the best part of a decade. Hard pill for some to swallow I imagine, but the stats don't lie.

Haven't seen a single Iraola basher yet.

14 Sep 2026 16:07:49
I agree Fifth Element. Bruno has been Utd's main problem for years. They seem adamant that he's a world class player so he's the first name on the team sheet, gets the armband and everything goes through him.

He just continues to be average and wasteful in most games with a small smattering of quality once every ten games which maintains his reputation.

I'm ok with it because as long as they all think he's great they'll keep playing him and won't get back to where they were. Nobody enjoyed the Fergie years.

{Ed025's Note - hmmmm..

14 Sep 2026 17:05:22
So he gets his 30 goals and assists average as cited by Chewy by doing something every ten games Rio. Your maths isn't the best you need to work harder at school. He may be in the twilight of a career but he's been a very good player.

13 Sep 2026 14:44:06
Milner back at LFC getting his coaching badges started apparently. cheered me up this weekend ?.

13 Sep 2026 16:16:10
Great to hear. Love to see ex players like this round the club.

13 Sep 2026 18:35:28
Love to see good coaches around the place. couldn't care less if they used to play for us.

13 Sep 2026 09:44:31
I wasn't able to watch the game yesterday but I was in the kop midweek and I don't understand these calls to drop Wirtz. Against Atletico he was pressing, winning the ball and playing key passes to create chances. If other players finished the chances he created then his assists stats (these are important for those that don't believe in the 'eye test' anymore) would be incredible.

He is one of our biggest talents and we should be unlocking his potential, not dropping him.

{Ed025's Note - hmmmm..

13 Sep 2026 10:02:00
If he'd cost 20 mil he'd of been dropped by now. He doesn't offer much but then what do most of them offer at points so it's a different one.

13 Sep 2026 10:11:01
Think it could be just about anyone been called to be dropped after yesterday in fairness. im going easy on Wirtz as I went in on him yesterday. My honest opinion on him though is that as much as I see him improving as time goes by and Ireola gets the players in that actually suit his style of play I don't think we are ever going to get this footballing unicorn that people imo are clinging onto.

He should not be above criticism and excuses be made for all the time. He will get better with more pace, tempo and runs in behind in the team but look at Keita, Sanchi, Nkunku. all absolute world beaters in Germany that found the Premier League much much more difficult.

13 Sep 2026 10:35:53
He has to do so much more imo. Good footballer and all the rest but just not effective enough. Bits+ pieces here and there but just not enough to try and build a team around.


We in transition no doubt about it and if more stability around him I've no doubt he will be better but for me your no.10 can win u a game on his own at times and I've yet to see wirtzdo that.

13 Sep 2026 13:58:15
It is just not one player the whole team are to blame. If they have mirrors in their changing room then they all need to take a long look in the mirrors and ask am i giving it all on the pitch and for the fans and the club.

13 Sep 2026 14:14:56
Hughes caused the problem! Can Hughes solve the problem? Saudi Winter window reopens Jan3-Jan31 2027, take his Dad with him for a bit of Sun? Andoni will never wait for any player, Pace is the number one must in this league for any outfield position.

AI has already got other midfield options Szobs, Koumas, Gravy? mine personally is Isak/Barcola twin CFs, two wide men Gakpo, Munoz, when we lose the ball one of Isak/Barcola sits on their No 6. Barcola had two one on one with the GK slicing right through the middle against AM.

Worked at Bournemouth for AI for the last two years, twin CFs Evanilson, Kluivert (converted winger to CF/number 10).

13 Sep 2026 09:06:23
Playing at Anfield with close to a £400m attack against a Fulham team that hadn't gotten any point this season yet a defender was our best player on the pitch.

How can there be three £100m players playing and yet not one one of them can take the game by the scruff of the neck?

If you are a £100m player you should standout in such a game even when others are playing badly. That's how you justify your price tag.

Rice, Caicedo, Enzo, Anderson, Rogers all seemed to hit the ground running when they moved not sure why it is taking ours a long time to adjust particularly Wirtz.

In fact, if you a £100m player, I believe you should be making an immediate impact even if you moved from a different planet.

I will be contacting Bayern to Swap Wirtz for Olise or Madrid to swap Bellingham, if he continues this way to the end of the season.

I know this may seem far fetched but then again if anyone had told me last year that Barcola would be a Liverpool player by the end of this summer, I would have asked them to get their head checked.


I still have hope that these guys will come good though and whenever they are playing, I will surely be cheering them on. I really hope it works out in the end.

13 Sep 2026 10:13:31
Maybe Xabi would take him in exchange for Palmer or Estevao?.

13 Sep 2026 10:22:42
I actually wouldn't mind Wirtz for Estevao at this point Florian.

13 Sep 2026 11:01:45
I said it on here in the summer I'd have taken it nigerred. Would have instantly gave us balance and a front four of Barcola, Dom, Estevao and Isak would on paper at least have been top top drawer. There were concerns about his injury but he seems to be back from that now. Just my opinion, and we all know what they are like.

13 Sep 2026 08:03:41
We just look so unbalanced. it's like square pegs in round holes. I still blame our recruitment team. We needed 2 new full backs and a holding midfielder and in the end we now have 4 wingers and most of them are left sided when we needed an out and out right winger.

Just seems strange that most of us were saying this at the start of the summer window yet we made no attempt to sign these positions. Tsimi was absolutely woeful yesterday.

14 Sep 2026 04:20:29
Our forward line cost more than Fulham's entire team, the performance yesterday had nothing to do with the recruitment team.

13 Sep 2026 02:10:48
Pains me to say this but I don't think flo is up the the physical side of the Premier League there's no doubt a talented footballer there but unfortunately if there was a offer from another club in January i'd take it just my opinion though but believe me I really hope he works out ?.

{Ed001's Note - crazy.}

13 Sep 2026 07:23:21
Wirtz is not rightly supported by the current midfield pivot. He seems to be bypassed. There was a phase in the 1st half yesterday when Wirtz didn't even get a pass for 12 odd minutes.
Just my two cents.

13 Sep 2026 09:09:32
He doesn't do anything when he gets the ball though WAR, it's his job to run the game and make stuff happen.

I do accept we don't help him either at times but he's so wasteful with the ball.

13 Sep 2026 09:26:20
Personally I'd give him the full season before making any rash decisions, but I get where you're coming from OK, Cherki by comparison is constantly creating something out of nothing.

13 Sep 2026 09:31:06
Cherki is certainly looking the far superior player, and has done since their respective switches. Just have to see won't we.

13 Sep 2026 09:41:08
Rodgers is a much better player as well, certainly in Premier League terms. Niger red is right about the £100m plus players. It's early for Barcola obviously, but you can't help but think we've been fleeced with the other two.

13 Sep 2026 10:18:02
Isak had a half chance he did well to even get close to scoring from and a header in the last minute he perhaps could have done better with in fairness. But that was it.

That was all he got all game. Now he as well needs to be stronger, needs to start winning his share of duels but he's making runs. He is just getting duck all created for him.

13 Sep 2026 10:57:23
Florian, that's the problem in a nutshell with Isak, "created for him". I can't remember the last time we had a forward who was so reliant on opportunities being created for him, he was a stylistic mismatch from the get-go. We've always had forwards who could go out there and turn a game around entirely by their own doing.

13 Sep 2026 11:17:03
Izak doesn't fit into our team. He suits an open attacking side like Newcastle or like Spurs used to be. Our game seems to be either win the ball high up or slow build up from the back. Wirtz is a bit lost as well, too lightweight for aggressive pressing, nobody to work with for intricit 1-2s.

These players were bought for what Slot thought he was doing. Now they are trying to play a style that they are not suited to.

13 Sep 2026 11:32:09
Is it the same problem with Haaland Chewy? if anything I would say Isak is a better"footballer"than Haaland but both rely on chances been"created for them".

13 Sep 2026 14:09:16
I remember when Bobby First signed for us he was getting slagged left right and center and hold my hands up i was one of them then Jurgen came and gave Bobby the people around him ie Mo and Sadio and the rest is history. Wirtz has not played with a settled team since he came to the club.

Slot changed the playing positions week after week and Andoni is doing the same trying to get the balance right. This has an affect on a player so let's hold back on Wirtz until we have a settled side and that goes for other players. We are Liverpool we never let our own walk alone.

13 Sep 2026 16:23:53
He's not going to play with a settled side at a top club playing 60 games a week of high intensity football. Theres going to be changes every game. We don't make excuses like this for any other player, only Wirtz. Poor Dom doesn't know who he's starting with in the pivot from one game to the next.

13 Sep 2026 16:55:03
Did you see Jurgen make changes with Mo, Bobby and Sadio no! Because they were settled and and new each others game. He made changes around other positions but not them three Florian.

And yes we had 60 games how many times did Jurgen, Slot change VVD
Give Wirtz time a get the other two Isak and Barcola get to know each others game then we will see if Wirtz is up to the task.

13 Sep 2026 17:27:32
That's because them 3 were freaks who never got injured. Our attackers are not made of the same kind of stuff.

13 Sep 2026 19:50:08
Whats Haaland got to do with it Florian? He plays for a different team, who have a different setup and play a different style, it's totally irrelevant. Not to mention he's a physical freak who can muscle his way into any opportunity. Outside of the fact that him and Isak are both strikers who feed off service, there's nothing comparable about the 2, either as players or in their set ups.

Pep set City up perfectly to feed Haaland whilst we're currently trying to fit 3 managers' pegs in the one hole. (Caught my missus watching that one the other night actually)

12 Sep 2026 21:28:42
This will probably be an unpopular view, and I love him as an individual.
But I think if we can get top dollar for Dom, we should sell him this summer. We could bring in a new midfield pair for the money we could get for him.


It may be like a selling Coutinho type of squad building moment.
1 step back for 2-3 steps forward.
What do you guys think?

12 Sep 2026 22:05:31
Think he deserves the same time everyone else seems to be getting allowed. was our best player last season and he sure as hell isn't the only one struggling. i'd sell Wirtz before I'd be selling Dom.

12 Sep 2026 22:35:13
Szobo with 1/9 duels won in the pivot today.

12 Sep 2026 22:52:37
Struggling alright. but who isn't? bloke shouldn't be in the pivot in the first place.

13 Sep 2026 02:21:19
I would sell Szoboszlai in a heartbeat, he's a player who will do one amazing thing every five games and it blinds people, he is our Bruno Fernandes.

{Ed001's Note - Bruno is the best player in the Prem, I wish he was our Bruno! If you think that Fernandes only does one amazing thing every 5 games, then you haven't a clue.}

13 Sep 2026 05:58:18

Surely all this is taking the pi$$ right? Selling our best player and most consistent, leader in the midfield, free kick taker, our everything! We sell him we lose all of this and our midifield become next to s****.



There is no way people are approving of this, let alone considering.

13 Sep 2026 07:06:27
Fernandes is head and shoulders above any of our midfielders, wake up.

Talking of Szob how about just playing him in his best position. If that means dropping Wirtz or whatever so be it.

I'm all for coaching evolution, but it needs to be done alongside winning matches. Play players in their best positions in a system that wins games, then evolve to a preferred system as the personnel evolve or get up to speed.

We're not swallowing the nonsense of a transition season. If anything last season was transitional, this season we've bought two starters and two rotation options that's all.

13 Sep 2026 08:52:02
Good post clearview. Agree on all points.

13 Sep 2026 09:32:53
Personally I don't think a single one of our players is bullet proof right now. None of them are performing to the level required to make them unsellable in my opinion.

13 Sep 2026 09:31:36
Fifth Element, you haven't got a clue mate. Bruno Fernandes is unbelievably good and Dom's not a patch on him, I'd swap Dom for Bruno any day of the week. Arguably the best midfielder in the Prem for the last 8 years. He's been carrying that team on his back for the best part of a decade. Phenomenal player.

{Ed025's Note - hes an excellent player Chewy, horrible little irk of a person at times mate...but boy can he play football..

13 Sep 2026 10:23:48
Wouldn't go that far either though Chewy. Bruno is better but put him in the pivot in this team and he would struggle too. Its not that long ago Dom was thriving and people were having a meltdown about "our best midfielder by miles" been put to RB.

We as fans are fickle, we all do it. Bruno was the biggest flop of the tournament at the WC a few weeks ago apparently and Dom was the player we had to build this team around.

13 Sep 2026 10:59:03
Szoboszlai is like a championship version of Bruno.
Szoboszlai might have all the technical ability but he seems to believe all the hype around him.
Our midfield lacks fight team effects with Szoboszlai and Gravenberch in there they put there selfs first rather than the team.


Szoboszlai spent most of the game in the right back position with the midfield wide open.
Give me a midfield with Endo and Nyoni at the minute till Gravenberch and Szoboszlai learn to put the team first.
If they don't learn they should be moved on.

13 Sep 2026 11:36:14
Until Bruno walks around with his hands in the air today for an hour and moaning at every refereeing decision?then we'd have that"little rat"nowhere near our club.

13 Sep 2026 12:30:23
Thats your opinion Florian, and you're entitled to it, but what I've stated is a hard, inarguable fact. The stats don't lie. Fernandes is a phenomenal player, agree with Ed, a horrible little c**t, but an exceptional footballer. I couldn't give a rats about the world cup, some '1 every 4 year' summer tournament has absolutely no bearing on what a player does year in year out, you might as well be telling me about how poor his backswing is.

Yes, Dom was our best mf by a long shot last year but he's still a country mile off Bruno, both are true. Dom's had 1 very good season hitting 20+ G/A, Fernandes has averaged 30+ a season since he joined Utd, hitting 46 one year. Those are exceptional numbers for a mdfielder, if we got that out of Isak we'd be ecstatic. Bruno's regularly putting up numbers that put him in Frank Lampard territory, and if it wasn't for the fact that United have been so poor during his time at the club, there would be a hell of a lot more respect put on his name. In Doms 3 years with us he's had just 1 season that could be considered on Brunos level. He's been carrying that team for the last 8 years, much like Gerrard did for us, they'd be in the championship without him.

13 Sep 2026 13:07:02
Not disagreeing with ye at all chewy. Just funny how footballers are perceived. Duck all LFC would have wanted Bruno anywhere near our club before the start of last season. Would have said he wouldn't get in our(at that time)title winning midfield. Yet as you rightly say he's been putting up 30+ a season since he walked in the door at United years ago.

So what changed? Him breaking the assist record last season? Apart from the Ipswich hattrick United fans seem to be on his case again this year, no pleasing some people aye?

13 Sep 2026 16:13:20
Obviously not the Bruno Fernandes of today, but a couple of years ago almost everyone on here would laugh at him running around like a headless chicken, throwing his arms up in the air and trying to be a super hero, that's the Szoboszlai I see playing for us.

13 Sep 2026 16:27:50
Has he changed his style of play since then Fifth Element? did he suddenly decide at 30 years of age to become a different character? Or did he AND Casemiro look much better as they only had one game a week to deal with?