24 Jul 2026 17:25:36
I am reasonably calm and patient on the transfer front and really looking forward to see what Iraola brings tactically and getting the best out of players.
What really concerns me is our total lack of a physical, mobile midfielder.
Seeing all our competitors for the top 4 strengthen their midfields with such players is a big worry.
Control the midfield and everything else is easier.
We were over run in midfield in virtually every game last season.
It needs strengthening.
24 Jul 2026 19:40:40
Try to remember that Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones, Endo, Elliott, Gravenberch, McConnell and Bajcetic were all utilised in midfield whilst Klopp was the manager. If they're aggressive and mobile enough for a Klopp midfield, maybe the players weren't the problem last season? I think a lot of why our midfielders looked so immobile and soft was quite simply down to Slot's tactics and coaching.
24 Jul 2026 20:12:52
Agreed, MK, Slot would have made prime 70's Brazil look awful.
24 Jul 2026 20:25:51
MK, I almost always agree with your intelligent posts, but this time I must disagree.
The idea that Slot, after winning us a very rare title, was solely responsible for our malaise last season is for the birds. We need to temper our expectations: we are likely to struggle an awful lot first half of the season.
It took Jurgen considerable time to make us contenders, and we need to be patient with AI. I just fear that the expectation that he will turn an underperforming squad into worldies will lead to disappointment.
We will lose many games early on, and we will have to be patient while AI gets his ideas across.
24 Jul 2026 20:28:49
Dom is a mobile, aggressive midfielder. Not sure he needs replacing?
I think Wharton would be an upgrade on Mac - but I suspect Mac will try a bit harder when it's not a World Cup year.
24 Jul 2026 20:50:55
I disagree, MonsterSounness, I think it's far more reasonable to believe Slot's change in tactics was the reason we were poor than it is to believe that 9 of the starting XI who won the league the year before all suddenly were not good enough anymore.
But it's all about opinions, and you're fully entitled to disagree!
24 Jul 2026 20:55:22
Dom is mobile, but certainly not aggressive. A true mobile defensive midfielder alongside Dom is my ideal double pivot.
Gravenberch and Mac Allister are just not up to it for me. Each would be ok alongside a proper 6.
A proper 6 brings the best out of Dom, Mac Allister and Gravenberch.
24 Jul 2026 21:22:20
I agree, MolbysMagic. For me that type of midfielder is exactly what we are missing and should be no.1 on our list. It would make a massive difference to this team. A younger version of Bruno Guimaraes is what we need imo.
Rb, experienced cb and a winger definitely needed as well.
24 Jul 2026 21:31:55
Vinicius Jr is a freebie next summer 2027.
AI to take Real Madrid players for nothing, the new LFC trend, starting with Carvajal for nothing, does not currently have a club?
24 Jul 2026 21:39:53
I don't want Dom anywhere near the midfield 2. Not because he can't do it, but because it is a complete waste. He's a goal scorer and a pressing machine. To me, it's crazy not to put him somewhere in the 3 men behind Isak. He's purpose built for that 2nd attacking line in the 4-2-3-1 and could play any of the 3 positions to a world class standard in my opinion.
We already have Gravenberch and Mac Allister to sit, which is a proven title winning combination. There is no need to shackle Dom. If Mac Allister leaves, we should replace him. Wharton seems most likely, though I'd pick Camara. Either way, I don't want Dom there and I hope Iraola agrees!
24 Jul 2026 21:47:23
MolbysMagic, just to clarify, are you calm or concerned and worried? :)
24 Jul 2026 22:01:54
None of our midfielders are remotely aggressive, bunch of soft lads, the lot of them. Easily dominated and no fight in them.
24 Jul 2026 22:13:44
See, this is why I think Wirtz was a vanity buy. Dom, for me, would be better than him as the most advanced midfielder, and I don't like Wirtz on the wing for us. I don't care what he did coming in off the left in Germany. The same people that say how good he was are the same saying we shouldn't get carried away from what Diomande has done in Germany because the defending is brutal.
We should have put the money elsewhere. Or else I don't mind putting Wirtz in the 10 because he's decent there, and I do think Dom can play in the 2 and do it well, that or putting Dom on the right of a 3.
24 Jul 2026 22:40:17
VV, totally agree. I feel Dom is our best No 10 and most advanced midfielder leading the press.
Florian Musiala, totally agree also. I would go with Dom as the No 10 leading the press, Gravenberch with a proper No 6 as the double pivot.
FPL all 3. If we signed a proper No 6, I would be very happy!
24 Jul 2026 22:46:52
Wirtz is a bit of an enigma, I was really looking forward to seeing what he can do last season but he was hugely disappointing, but I'm hoping a lot of it was down to Slot's slow footballing tactics. But he has a lot to prove this season.
24 Jul 2026 23:09:17
Even though a no 6 is the top of my wish list, I think we need to forget about it, sadly.
We seem to be linked with deep lying playmakers instead, which is a shame in my opinion, but as long as Iraola gets who he wants, then so be it.
25 Jul 2026 00:25:15
I think it's hilarious when people try to defend Slot and blame our midfield when the only thing that changed between the title-winning season and the shambles that just took place was Slot's tactics.
25 Jul 2026 01:03:00
I have a horrible feeling that Wirtz is this era's Smicer - a player lauded as the next Zidane, but just too lightweight to seize control of a game.
I really hope I am wrong.
25 Jul 2026 03:58:34
Isn't Carvahal celebrating his 50th birthday later this year?
25 Jul 2026 08:17:27
Ok - I'll get my tin hat and body armour ready as I'm going to post an unpopular one...
Dom,
For me he is not disciplined enough to play as one of the 2 in our midfield. And I also don't think he's a pressing genius.
Many of the times I watched, he does run an awful lot, but I don't always think that's effective.
I have seen quite a few games where, in effect, he's chafing the ball from full back to CB to CB. Now, it might look good as he's putting effort in, but it wrecks the shape behind him.
Go and press the ball vertically, and if you don't win it, drop back into shape. Going side to side simply opens up passing lanes, and if you're chasing the ball, you're leaving the team exposed with huge gaps to fill.
That exposes Mac and Grav a lot. Now, obviously not just down to Dom, as when he was forced to play RB we still had those issues, but it needs addressing moving forward.
25 Jul 2026 08:26:59
The only difference between last season and the title winning season wasn't Slot's tactics.
We played most of last session with two new fullbacks.
Salah lost form and it was the first season he wasn't our leading goal scorer (or joint leading goal scorer).
We had two new centre forwards who spent a lot of the season unavailable.
Wirtz was added for big money and was disappointing, on the whole.
Slot has to shoulder a lot of the blame with his tactics and unwillingness and inability to change things when it was clear they weren't working, but his tactics were not the only reason for the drop off last season.
25 Jul 2026 10:13:54
Is Dom the replacement for Salah?
He has pace, stamina, delivery. I think when he signed I may have touted him as a long term Salah replacement. Obviously no-one "replaces" Salah, but someone will need to play there.
Dom, Wirtz and another (Ekitike, Munoz, Gakpo, Rio, Elliott) rotating positionally behind Isak?
Grav and Mac A behind them.
For me, without any more signings, this is our best setup in front of the defenders.
25 Jul 2026 10:15:38
Good post, Rigsby.
25 Jul 2026 11:17:35
Rigsby, I was specifically talking about our midfield mate.
25 Jul 2026 14:03:00
Oh, sorry, Chewy.
To be honest, I didn't like the midfield when we won the League. I actually said several times that we couldn't win the League with that midfield. Before we won the League.
It was far worse last season, but I still wouldn't put it all down to Slot.
For example, if Grav was given more freedom to get forward, he should still realise that he had to sit at times.
We were poorer in every department last season, and the midfield was just one part of that.
25 Jul 2026 15:37:16
Wrong, Rigsby, a professional footballer should not be able to still do what he was doing before while also trying to improve on another area of his game. They are simple footballers not rocket scientists.