Liverpool Banter 2

26 Aug 2026 20:23:02
Is Wirtz our new Smicer? Both cost big bucks, and were tidy enough players - but just not gamechangers.

{Ed0666's Note - I’d have prime Smicer over Macca now

26 Aug 2026 20:42:38
Smicer was 4.2 million. Pocket change in the football world.

26 Aug 2026 20:47:29
Never rated Smicer whatsoever, but he had a helleuva game in the 05 final.

{Ed0666's Note - what did you not like about smicer mate?

26 Aug 2026 20:53:15
Last season. It was obvious from about October, that this current crop of players cannot, and never will, be able to play 4/3/3.

So now Hughes has cocked up another window. Wouldn't it be easier, to switch to a 442 diamond (like we should've done last year) to accommodate the squad, rather than spend £80m on dross wingers.

Pack the midfield. Protect the defence. And our attacking fullbacks provide the width.

We've let Iraola down and thrown him under the bus here.

Hughes has turned us into a laughing stock. Embarrassing window for Liverpool Football Club. He should never have lasted a day into this new campaign. It's a disgrace.

Nobody leaves, nobody signs, just go as we are and wait until that Clown has gone, and do business in January, switching back to Iraola's preferred formation with 2 new wingers, a defensive midfielder, and a friggin right back.

{Ed666's Note - irrespective of the formation we play we are still lacking in quality.

26 Aug 2026 20:56:02
4.2m back then was massive.

26 Aug 2026 21:02:21
4.2 is massive in every day and age, mate... At least that's what I tell my girlfriend.

{Ed666's Note - Every millimeter counts mate

26 Aug 2026 21:03:33
He's Czech..
He's great..
He's Patrik Berger's mate..
Vladimir, Vladimir.

26 Aug 2026 21:14:20
Czechs had a good team then, of the two at Liverpool, I preferred Berger. They both had injury problems, if I remember, but were good players.

Around 2000 we had a very good team when everyone was fit, goalkeeper aside, it was better than the team now by some distance. Hyypia and Henchoz were a great centre back pair, Macallister, Hamann, Gerard, Fowler, Owen, Heskey upfront.

{Ed666's Note - Hamman was seriously underrated

26 Aug 2026 21:17:13
I found him bit lightweight and not much end product with him ed666. What did u think of him Ed?

{Ed666's Note - I thought he worked his socks off. Got into pockets and scored some important goals. Would have a young smicer in the squad today without any hesitation mate.

26 Aug 2026 21:35:44
He was inconsistent, but what balls to bury that penalty the way he did in Istanbul.

26 Aug 2026 22:01:12
I agree with all of what ED0666 said! Well put Sir.

{Ed666's Note - Thanks ghost

26 Aug 2026 23:40:31
I didn't rate Smicer and his transfer fee was nowhere near the one we paid for Wirtz (even allowing for them being different eras).
He wasn't great in Istanbul either. We got battered apart from eight minutes when we scored three goals. And Dida should have thrown his cap on Smicer's shot for our second goal, but that was the first time I was on my feet that night! I still get goosebumps & Smicer's expression was a picture!!
I'm also remembering, probably wrongly, that we started the second half with Smicer as right wing back but put Gerrard there when we'd got back level.

{Ed666's Note - I bet Smicer will live off that goal for the rest of his life and so he should. I still can’t get over the Dudek double save at the death!! How did shavchenko not score?? Absolutely mind blowing.

26 Aug 2026 20:18:31
Every day my mood gets lower with this transfer window.
Now that it's taken so long to get the PSG deal over the line and our recruitment team are clutching at straws we look like amateurs.

Didn't Hughes learn anything from the last 2 widows? Crystal Palace have you in their pocket, lad.

The first sign of madness is to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

I agree with some people saying it may be best to just stop now. Get to Tuesday with what we have. Get Stc out the door and start again in the winter.

Useless.

26 Aug 2026 19:34:06
Liverpool are all in for Bruno Cheyrou, young midfielder from Lille, for whom he scored 11 goals in 27 league games. Strong, good vision, and has a shot in him. Full French international too.

26 Aug 2026 20:17:08
The next Zidane if the pundits were to be believed.

On a side note, Newcastle are losing at home to West Brom. They'll probably turn it around, but shows you we weren't up against greatness on Sunday.

26 Aug 2026 19:29:26
James Pearce has said we are looking at Yevhen Konoplyanka as an option on the RW, after ruling out a return for Andrei Voronin.

26 Aug 2026 20:25:22
Arda Turan has been spotted at Blackpool Pleasure Beach with Richard Hughes. Arda was having a coffee while Hughes was on the tea cups, eating candy floss.

26 Aug 2026 21:34:51
Nabil Fekir, how excited I was.

26 Aug 2026 22:17:49
Simao Sabrosa was sat on the plane. 😳

26 Aug 2026 23:42:53
If Hughes is schmoozing players at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, there'll be no transfer budget left.

26 Aug 2026 19:01:21
Evening ed001,

Would love to hear your opinion on the whole Richard Hughes debacle

I understand the club couldn't just replace the above with immediate effect, but some have mentioned Julian Ward should have stepped in? I'm not so sure mate

Cheers
Drogie

{Ed001's Note - I think some two should have stepped in, maybe even 3 - Gordon and maybe Hogan to do the negotiating and someone from within the recruitment set up (whether Woodfine or someone else) to produce the targets for them to get. Ward would have been much better than Hughes as well.}

26 Aug 2026 18:17:54
On the off chance the club is monitoring this site today- ed1. If you were richard hughes- who exactly would you go for at this late hour when addressing our issues. Asking for a stc

{Ed001's Note - I think it might be a bit late to go for what I would suggest, Hughes can't even get a deal done in a full window! But ok:

Sadiki/Lamine Camara - we desperately need someone to put a foot in somewhere in that midfield.
Rayan though he might be impossible so maybe we need to take a punt on someone like Bala. Best player I have seen in Asian football by a margin, since Son. Fast, strong, good technique and skill, though his tendency to throw himself down looking for fouls is annoying. He works extremely hard and is very well versed in a pressing system after working under Paulo Sousa. The options are very sparse, so I think that we need to take a chance on someone like him. He can play all over the front line as well and wouldn't cost the earth I would expect.}

26 Aug 2026 20:17:25
Doubt Richard Hughes is online tbf, he's still trying to figure out his abacus.

26 Aug 2026 20:23:46
Cheers ed1 mate. Much appreciated. Who knows maybe he'll pull something out of the fire .deep sigh

{Ed001's Note - that worries me a lot. It will probably end up being a world record move for Mathias Tel or some other dog muck donkey. Still, least we haven't sunk low enough to have to loan Jack Girlish to rescue our season.....yet.}

26 Aug 2026 20:55:03
What is Bala's full name Ed. Not a name I heard before.

{Ed001's Note - Guilherme Bala - plays for Shabab Al Ahli so I get to see him every week here. He was the best player in the AFC Champions League Elite by a mile last season. Hard to be sure how well that will convert to European footie, but he has looked good against Saudi and Qatari teams with much bigger budgets and some excellent players. I am astonished he is still there to be honest, I thought someone would come in last summer and it is even more astonishing this summer no one has gone for him when there is such a paucity of wingers out there. His workrate, especially when you consider the heat he is playing in, is top class.}

26 Aug 2026 21:33:48
Very very interesting Ed. Thanks for this. I know we're not linked but I'll enjoy researching him so appreciate the name.

{Ed001's Note - I will actually be genuinely gutted when he leaves as he is such a good player to watch but he does deserve a step up in level I think.}

26 Aug 2026 21:50:01
That worries me too, taking another punt and overpaying. Hopefully someone at the club says "nahh dickie lad, see you later". Off you pop.

26 Aug 2026 19:19:15
Smokescreen

26 Aug 2026 19:48:54
Hello John Henry,

You are definitely going in the right direction for Andoni to renew his two year contract?

26 Aug 2026 19:59:48
Andoni is going to ask if there's a six-month break clause.

26 Aug 2026 18:55:55
Liverpool are set to meet PSG's number regarding Barcola. The deal will be in the region of £130 million.

There will be no more signings now after deals for Minteh and Sarr rebuffed, unless a market opportunity presents itself. It will most likely be a loan signing now if anything.

26 Aug 2026 19:15:45
🗣️ Resign! Resign!

26 Aug 2026 19:15:33
Yeah but you haven't got a clue what you're talking abut so.

26 Aug 2026 18:41:05
Ed033 could you do a poll please.

Sarr in

Yes

No

{Ed033's Note -


Sarr In?poll

26 Aug 2026 19:09:01
Never sign injured players.

{Ed0666's Note - I’d gladly sign Minteh now if it meant not signing Sarr.

26 Aug 2026 19:20:31
If it's Sarr or nobody, then it'd be a yes from me. Good player, surprised he didn't really kick on after his last move, maybe prefers to be a bigger fish in a small pond, which would be a worry, but we need pace badly at the mo imo.

26 Aug 2026 20:59:40
Not Sahin again, Barry. 😁