23 Aug 2026 19:04:24
Looking forward to your match review Ed001.
Penny for your thoughts. We look so open in midfield, clearly needs shoring up but who comes out. Right now for me it's Wirtz. Do you think there is room for Wirtz in this team? Could he operate in the 8 role of we went back to a more Klopp type midfield with a DM and 2 8's.
I really want the lad to succeed but the more I watch him the more I'm not sure he's going to work out with us.
{Ed001's Note - he isn't the issue, the other 2 are more of a problem. They both play too far forward
23 Aug 2026 19:30:08
This is the same conversation as last season.
Grav needs serious competition. He's not good enough to be anything other than a 6, and if he wants to play like that today, positionally, he can sit on the bench.
23 Aug 2026 19:32:23
Watching Wirtz is like waiting for the other shoe to drop. You just know the next disaster class is coming. The worst part is that he is doing everything right; he's pressing and getting his foot on the ball, but he has no runners.
I'm hoping Iraola can get the balance sorted either by dropping this midfield pivot or getting a signing in with athleticism, because if this season doesn't work out for Wirtz, you wonder if he will ever get his confidence back.
23 Aug 2026 19:38:07
I just think Gravenberch is not that good. A Bayern reject who thinks he's prone Viera. And Mcalsiter, who is useless.
23 Aug 2026 19:43:02
He's such a good player but a luxury that others have to do his hard work. At the moment, we lack a holder/destroyer type player, but we haven't had since Fabinho left.
23 Aug 2026 19:46:52
For me, Grav just doesn't serve a purpose, he's not an AM, he's not quick enough to be box to box.
He should have stayed a CDM.
23 Aug 2026 19:47:54
Thought Wirtz was our best player. Szob was awful, should have stopped the second goal, if he can't tackle, shouldn't be playing in midfield. Worrying AI has us set up same vc as Slot. Very worrying.
23 Aug 2026 19:52:18
I agree the other 2 are a problem, but Wirtz has just looked so average for a year now. Such a disappointment.
23 Aug 2026 19:54:46
Grav got 2 assists of an assist today, both on the edge of Newcastle's box.
23 Aug 2026 19:56:40
I'll be copying and pasting this all season. The jury is still out.
23 Aug 2026 19:58:11
100%. Gravenberch and Szoboszlai is like playing against the ghost of Bill Shankly.
23 Aug 2026 19:39:53
Don't talk too much sense, Ed. :)
23 Aug 2026 19:43:37
Ed your thoughts on Isak? Abysmal game for me but i thought If he had a set he shudv took the penalty. Didn't seem like it was an option tho.
{Ed001's Note - he looks sluggish & like his battle had gone. He didn't handle. the boosat all well.
23 Aug 2026 20:02:26
Basically the exact same squad as last season, possibly weaker. How can we expect to get better without adding 4/5 new players?
23 Aug 2026 20:10:31
I do believe AI has said we are light on the wings, and if that's addressed, I'm certain that we will see the best of Wirtz.
23 Aug 2026 20:01:11
Not very often i disagree with your wisdom Ed001 but the other 2 although are a problem can't be blamed for Wirtz's poor passing or being dispossessed so easily. He really needs to improve his game in my opinion.
23 Aug 2026 20:15:50
I thought Wirtz was ok to be honest. He pressed well, linked play well at times, nearly gets a goal too.
Having watched that, it is clear we need Grav to sit more, or just go out and sign a defensive midfielder.
I also think that bench highlighted the lack of depth in the team.
Munoz looked much more comfortable at rw than Rio to me.
This team needs its defense to play high. VVD, as great a servant he has been, is now looking like a problem in this set up. We need cbs to press and engage the opposition, not stand off them.
First time seeing Jacquet, he looks a player. Very aggressive and front footed, but also very comfortable on the ball.
23 Aug 2026 20:17:25
Grav wondering too far forward is what led to their first goal. And if I'm remembering right, led to the second as well.
The first goal was particularly disappointing. We saw both the best and worst of Grav in that movement. He pulled off a lovely turn into space, then he should have looked up and made a pass, but instead bombed forward with his head down instead and then messed up his pass. Leaving a big gaping hole behind him.
He needs to be a lot more positionally aware and sit back. I would have thought after last season that would have been really bloody obvious to him. I hope Iraola gives him a boot up the @rse for that and he starts to be more positionally sound.
Saying that, if he does wonder too far forward with a run then someone needs to wake up and jump into midfield and cover the gap. So it's not totally his fault, but also, yeah, just do your job properly, Grav, and be the 6 and we won't be counted so easily.
Thought we saw some good and bad today. This team is going to take a few games to get up to speed, and it's clear some players will do better than others, and it's also clear we need reinforcements quickly.
Munoz was entertaining to watch. I'm going to bet he becomes a bit of a fan favourite this year.
I also liked how aggressively attacking Kerkhez was at times as well.
Thought Rio was totally ineffective. But he's a kid, so can't criticise too much.
Isak and Wirtz just didn't really click today. But with Rio and Gakpo either side of them, it was going to be difficult for them. Let's hope these wingers that are coming in are going to finally unlock all that talent. I do think we need another proper striker to rotate with Isak as well.
They say you learn more from your mistakes and there was plenty today. But there was also glimmers of hope as well. This team is going to be frightening when it eventually clicks.
{Ed025's Note - really Mikey?..i cant remember the good mate im afraid..
23 Aug 2026 20:28:31
So last season, the reason Wirtz was bang average was down to Slot. I know it's only one game, but this season, it's because there are no runners, or those behind him are too forward thinking. When does the time come that it's maybe down to Wirtz?
23 Aug 2026 20:39:19
First game I'm not worried about.
23 Aug 2026 20:49:11
Grav has beautiful balance and turns so well out of trouble and strides through the opposition. The trouble is he then passes it to the opposition and leaves himself 40 yards out of position. If he's going to do that, he needs to find the pass, or, for their first goal, take the shot.
And Szobo needs to be staying back to cover him. If they both go walkabout together, then one of them needs dropping. It doesn't work. I thought Dom was poor today, in and out of possession. He was strolling back at times when we lost the ball. No excuse for someone with an engine like that.
23 Aug 2026 21:10:19
Wirtz needs better players around him like he had at Leverkusen.
But not Frimpong who he had with him at Leverkusen. He's awful. ?
23 Aug 2026 21:22:03
Spot on Rome, also Red. Thing with Szob, he's an offensive midfielder, and a good one at that.
I don't think we've got the personnel with the right savvy and discipline to hold, but there's no way we'd get two top class players in to play deeper at this stage of the window, and without selling Macca or Grav.
Grav can break the lines, but he's been wasteful for a while. If he doesn't shape up he'll need to be replaced, but regardless we need someone now who can anchor the midfield.
23 Aug 2026 21:24:04
Gravenberch isn't a 6, he can't defend. We should cash in before the window closes, get him and Endo gone and bring in 2 DMS.
1 of the new DMs
1 of Nyoni/Mac Allister
1 of Szoboszlai/Wirtz
That current midfield will get another manager sacked. It didn't work last year, and it was worryingly foolish Iraola thought it would be any different this year.
23 Aug 2026 21:57:44
It is about Wirtz, whatever way you look at it. If he can't also adapt, it'll be up to Iraola to make it all gel. We'll know all come next May.
23 Aug 2026 22:03:26
And we do need 5 players, LFC8. Anyone thinking what we had on the pitch and bench is good enough to challenge for the PL and UCL titles are in Alice in Wonderland territory. And there's a good few here.
23 Aug 2026 21:18:27
I was trying to be balanced and not be too negative ed025 lol
But yeah there was some good as well. We seem to press higher up with a bit more intensity at least. You can see some of the players seem to get it as well, even if some don't yet.
{Ed025's Note - sorry Mikey i did not see any of that myself mate, it was all very slow and measured for me with very little intensity..
24 Aug 2026 00:02:19
Wirtz might be better with runners and better players, but he doesn't need to keep giving the ball away and running into touch because he doesn't have them. Just pass to a teammate.