24 Aug 2026 09:02:21
Yesterday was a tough watch! I’m hopeful that things will get better but the team looks imbalanced and some of our key players don’t look good enough!
Kerkez - I really want him to do well, but the jury is massively out!
Frimpong - not at the level required, Please go and sign Kayode.
Wirtz - has a lot of ability, however having watched him in the WC and last season, he is lightweight! He’s not made for the EPL. Would be a huge success back in Germany, possibly Spain! Here’s hoping for a 100m offer sometime soon.
Isak - always gonna be tough going back to the toon, fingers crossed he can kickstart his season at home next week.
Rio - didn’t look comfortable on the right, I fear he will be made a scapegoat and pure profit and we will cash in.
Gakpo - looked okay, scored a decent goal but if we can get anywhere near 100m then Barcola will be a great replacement.
All MF - balance looks wrong! We need an out and out 6. A nasty pasty to enable our flair players to do what they do!
Clearly, the bench isn’t strong enough and there are a few that we need to move on! Probs a bit late for this window but hopefully, we will have a busy week!
RW - we need one/two! Personably, I don’t get the Minteh thing as he’s out for a few months and we could always sign him in January!
Thanks to all the ITKs for their knowledge and passing on what they think will happen. Clearly the club is in transition and things change at a drop of a hat! Let’s hope AI gets a tune outta the boys and we start playing with a bit of pride and spirit. YNWA.
24 Aug 2026 09:34:31
We'll have to hope Bayern offer us something for Wirtz. Not sure who would even want Isak.
24 Aug 2026 09:55:50
Better hope Rio signs that new contract before you're trying to sell him off. As it is, he has less than two years left on his current one. Don't think he'd be overly willing to help us make a loads cash off him, seen as he only arrived at the club.
24 Aug 2026 10:05:48
On reflection, I'm happy about yesterday's game. Yes, it was frustrating to watch at times, but given it was his first Prem game in charge, the signs are already better. More urgency and tempo to the play. Not passing for passing's sake, and heads didn't drop.
Yes, 2 counter attack goals against us wasn't good, but Iraola saw where the issues were, so he should be able to coach it better. Gravenberch should have shot, and someone should have closed down sooner for the second. More positives than last season already.
24 Aug 2026 10:13:05
It wasn't the greatest watch, but it was always going to be a very hard game to start the season with. The parts that frustrated me most were holding on to the ball too long. (Frimpong & Grav) were guilty of this. If Grav had taken a shot on the build up to the 1st goal, there would have been 3 outcomes
1. Possibly scoring, as he was on the edge of the box.
2. Completely missing the target, which would have meant no counter attack.
3. Keeper saves it, again preventing any counter attack.
Instead, he took too many touches and hopelessly passed it to them to then counter attack, leaving himself and others out of position.
Frimpong had plenty of chances to pass the ball to free players on the edge of the box. Instead, he tries to dribble past players, to lose it more often than not.
The new players looked promising, so looking forward to seeing them play in front of a packed Anfield on Saturday morning.
24 Aug 2026 10:22:04
Same old rubbish as last year in midfield, Jack Bower, weak in the tackle, defensively inept, and offered zero protection to our defence. We have a poor and unbalanced group of centre midfielders. None of whom are fit for purpose.
That was a poor Newcastle side and we made them look good. The failure to address midfield again is going to cost us dearly. A better side than Newcastle would have absolutely battered us.
24 Aug 2026 10:37:28
Newcastle lost their coach and half of their squad, and people are pretending like we drew against prime Brazil.
BTW, Newcastle are closing in Nico Gonzales, a CDM from Man City, while we are adamant Irola should fine tune Gravenberch and Szoboszlai.
24 Aug 2026 10:39:02
I'm so happy I'm not you, Viktor, with all your positivity.
24 Aug 2026 10:54:03
Might have missed it, but what was the reason that Chiesa and Elliot weren't in the squad?
{Ed025's Note - Chiesa is injured i believe JK...and Harvey is crap..
24 Aug 2026 11:29:33
The thing about a no.6 is positioning is the most important quality needed. For Newcastle's first goal Grav bursts forward, and Szobo rushes forward too instead of covering, leaving a high hole in midfield. I can't see why they can't do the basics.
For Newcastle's second, there was cover, but all too close to the play, and we ended up with 4 players just a yard away from being able to make a tackle.
Separately, for both goals, why didn't VVD for goal 1 and JJ for goal 2 make a tackle earlier to buy that second for others to get back?
24 Aug 2026 12:28:44
I'm sure Ai and his staff are well aware of the problems that were on show. It's probably an eye opener seeing that in his first competitive game.
Got to trust him to get it fixed. He certainly does need to visit the site for a fix to the problems.