04 Aug 2026 12:55:03
Every indication was given last season that the PL had become more physical. Not saying I agree with the evolution but there was evidence of an emerging trend.
There’s scope for a maverick in any team. Eg: Wirtz - but they need support by strength to retain or win back possession and prevent conceding against the run of play.
Meanwhile we seem to be stacked with lightweight midfielders and injury prone players in addition to glaring gaps in personnel.
Amazing how one pre-season result can bring you crashing back to reality but seriously, I can’t deceive myself any longer…
3x CBs either injured or never even played for the club yet! One half of football from Leoni in the Carabou counts for nothing.
1x CF long term injured with the other injury prone.
1x RB injured, 1x RB lightweight and injury prone.
No identifiable combative midfielder.
No identifiable RW.
I’m all behind AI but come on, he’s got it all to do with the squad he’s inherited.
Patience is gonna be key again this season, I think…
04 Aug 2026 13:21:18
We're short at least 4 players, without anyone leaving, and as of now, Macca and Jones could be leaving.
It's a big worry, for sure, how thin and lightweight the squad is right now.
04 Aug 2026 13:32:27
A big club like Liverpool, it's puzzling why it's being run like this.
It was like that under Klopp as well, a very small squad and lucky we had durable players like Mane and Salah and the full backs.
I reckon new ownership in the future, new directors of football, just a fresh team outright, maybe change the way they see a Liverpool squad - for now I don't think things change.
04 Aug 2026 13:36:39
Edwards bringing together his best fantasy football
players and then realising he overlooked stylistic evolution and had to leg it.
If we don't nail
this window we will
be a top 5 team.
04 Aug 2026 13:42:01
Think you'll find the league will now go in the opposite direction in regards to the physicality from last year. I reckon now Arteta has the trophy behind him, you'll see them play some good football and with the slight change in rules it'll benefit the less physical teams.
I know everyone is in panic mode. I hope Barcola does get over the line and we do bring in a CB who can cover RB. I think we'll be better than people expect.
Ali
Frimpong Jaquet (Or New CB) VVD Kerkez
Grav Szobo
Rio Wirtz Barcola
Isak
Is not a crap team to me.
04 Aug 2026 13:59:56
Physicality is good to have, of course, but it will never beat superb first touch, quick feet and thinking, especially in modern era premadonna football. Unfortunately I'd say in our beloved team, very few have it and the worst of all are Kerkez and Frimpong.
That's the reason our attack from the flanks sucks, as well as defence. They're always panicking, and stressed players are prone to mistakes.
04 Aug 2026 14:05:35
I'm probably in a minority of one, but I am thinking that (subject to signings), Szoboszlai might get some time in the no.10 role and Barcola might get some time in the Centre Forward role.
I am unconvinced by Wirtz and Isak, and concerned that it could be a case of 'sunk cost fallacy', if we persist with the underperforming pair.
Don't get me wrong, I *really* hope they both have brilliant seasons.
04 Aug 2026 14:09:41
Nah, I don't believe that, Kloppers; I mean, just look at the way Leeds Utd. got their chances in the second half in the friendly on Sun. Long throws. That is the game now, Arteta or Arsenal be damned.
Teams are gearing up for that this season and have seen how going athletic, physical and direct have benefitted teams last season.
Even City started doing that last season hence, the Anderson signing cos of his athleticism.
Not saying you are wrong and that your premise cannot happen. I just think it will not easily dissipate just after one season.
04 Aug 2026 14:26:21
Leeds have the biggest team in the league, of course. They use long throws. It's nothing to do with Arteta or Arsenal.
04 Aug 2026 14:55:53
Another set piece season where a game's being decided by a throw in or a corner!
04 Aug 2026 15:02:04
Thing is, you either have to be absolutely technically brilliant in midfield, like PSG, City under Pep or peak Barca, or be technically proficient as well as physically and mentally tougher than your opponents, like us under Klopp or Arsenal last season. And we are neither of those things. Wirtz aside, we do not have any other brilliant technical midfielders, and we certainly don’t have anyone who’s blessed with any physicality in midfield either.
We literally have the worst of all worlds. We can’t outplay anyone, and we certainly can’t outfight or outmuscle anyone. Just a bunch of soft lads who are easy to play against. No one looked forward to playing against Fabinho, Henderson, Gini & Milner, but everyone looks forward to playing against our current midfield because they get time on the ball, and no one wants to tackle.
04 Aug 2026 16:00:42
Kloppers, what are the rule changes you talk about? I must have missed that!
Personally, I hope you are talking of corners and the way players don't even look at the ball rather than their man. I think it's a pen all day every day. I've always thought blocking any run should be at least an indirect free kick.
One commentator came up with a good idea.
He said as soon as the ball is placed down in the quadrant, it should be "in play". Any dragging, grabbing, blocking should be a penalty. It would stop after the first few games. And the skill, run, jump and heading ability would be the way it was always meant to be.
Let's face it. We are crap at defending these situations.
04 Aug 2026 16:32:11
It's not so much rule changes, but points they are meant to be following for this season. Obviously, it's referees, and they seem to follow whatever they feel like, and it changes week to week. But it's called referees' points of emphasis.
Referees will enhance recognition of clear holding actions that have clear material impact, and/or non-footballing holding actions with no place on the football pitch.
This includes penalising defenders where they are clearly only focused on opponents, and making a holding action that is impactful on the attacker's ability to play or challenge for the ball.
That's the main one for me, which should hopefully help what you said, Chrisy.
Oli, that game needs to be judged in two halves. Liverpool dominated the first half, then changed too much.
04 Aug 2026 16:43:12
VV, Those players you mentioned were not only physically brilliant. They were very good technically and on the ball, with a very high football intelligence and IQ.
I also agree with you that you have to be either a Pep-coached team or a Klopp-coached team (with respective characteristics) to make hay in the version of the PL.
My only issue with your assessment is that, unlike last season, where the team was not even being coached and the players were unfit all thru the season with taking half the week off before games, we were a soft touch.
That won't be the case now, cos we are gonna be coached for real and the system we play will be very different & daunting physically for the opponent. At least, I hope.
Oh, and if you stuck Szoboslai in that midfield of Milly, Fab and Hendo, he would not look out of place physically nor technically either.
04 Aug 2026 16:45:19
Wirtz is a technical midfielder. Hasn't shown much brilliance so far for me though.
04 Aug 2026 19:23:28
Flo, well Wirtz couldn't have shown that much when he was being played as a touch line winger or in the false 9 rather than his actual position thru out last season.
Just saying.
05 Aug 2026 07:41:05
OliRed, why couldn't Wirtz show much brilliance playing as a touchline winger or as a false nine?
I'm not sure he did play either of those roles regularly though.
And why couldn't the players get themselves fit if they felt as though they weren't by having half the week off?
I'm not sure they did have half the week off either.