13 Sep 2026 11:53:55
I see James Pearce has the clubs back saying "the club didn't sign midfielders because they believed AI would get more out of them"
In truth they've left him hanging because the midfield options are not good enough!
13 Sep 2026 12:24:13
The club weren't the only ones. Lots of the fanbase thought so too. No doubts he'll get them performing better until he can get players in and out to suit his system better. Andoni's a manager he's not a miracle worker. Only Jurgen was that.
13 Sep 2026 12:29:11
It was a failure of Hughes not to move on the right players to make room for a new midfielder. Lamine Camara was there for the taking all summer and allegedly wants to play for us. In the end we only sold Jones which meant to replace him required a homegrown signing. There were no English midfielders other than Elliott Anderson who are remotely similar to Camara in terms of style and quality.
I do think we'll see Nyoni break into the team more and more as the season progresses, but I've said it before and I'll say it again, Szoboszlai is not an 8 and Wirtz is not a 10. Wirtz should be a false 9 or a left side attacking midfielder. Dom should quite clearly be the 10. If Iraola manages to coach them to perform with Dom as an 8 and Wirtz as a 10, he is a football genius.
Right now I honestly think Nyoni and Macca should be our sitting midfield 2. They'll both tackle or make a tactical foul. Dom and Grav seem to be happier letting people go past them, then chasing after them. Reactive, rather than proactive defending.
13 Sep 2026 12:35:54
It's only 5 games so not a big sample size but Ai has used
Nyoni 4% of minutes
Endo 0% of minutes
McDonnell 0% of minutes.
So currently it looks like Ai is trusting 4 players for 3 positions.
13 Sep 2026 12:36:37
We can't do anything now, we wasted another window
The best thing they can do is work hard to get the fitness levels back.
2 backward steps against Fulham, it looked like Arne Slots football. It was absolutely dreadful to watch for the majority.
13 Sep 2026 13:10:31
It's like telling a carpenter that he doesn't need a hammer because he should get more out of the saw we bought last year.
13 Sep 2026 13:12:47
After yesterday, I think it's clear our midfield 2 for big games will be Mac and Szob, Grav has played himself out of the team, and I'd have him behind Nyoni at the moment.
I expect (and hope) Nyoni will start midweek against spurs, hopefully he's ready to show he can be relied upon.
13 Sep 2026 13:09:45
Yep, we wait again for the next window to open and close having not fixed any issues.
A 10-year old LFC supporter could have done a better job than Richard Hughes did over 5 transfer windows.
13 Sep 2026 13:17:38
I do get frustrated when people say we couldn't sign midfielders without moving players on. This is a bullcrap excuse that no ambitious club would come up with.
The remaining obligation on Endo's contract is less than £3m. We could easily have told him to find another club at the start of the summer and if nothing came up by the last week of the window, pay him the £3m to become a free agent and find another club.
Chiesa's situation is different as his contractual obligation is a lot more due to this salary. But again, we could have told him to find another club at the start of the season like any other big club would do.
13 Sep 2026 13:20:28
Dom at both red bull clubs rarely played as the central midfielder. He was used mostly on the wings and as the attacking midfielder. It's like putting prime Gerrard in the middle.
13 Sep 2026 13:26:10
In fairness from them stats JK it looks like he's trusting 3 players for 3 positions. Although Nyoni may force his way in. Not having the homegrown issue. Endo or Chiesa could have been left out of the squad for all the good they are going to do this season.
No the club, along with a lot of fans thought we'd be grand with the SIX midfielders we have for the pivot.
13 Sep 2026 13:16:20
Blaming hughes is funny mk, this stuff happened long before hughes was here. Look at naby Keita, klopp had to put up with him for full contract length. If it was city he'd be gone new player in.
How on earth is anyone going to ever get rid of grav and sob on that money, that's why Mac isn't getting a contract so they can get rid but the sad reality he's the best of those 3 granted the bar is low.
13 Sep 2026 13:19:17
Reckon that trust won't last JK23.
13 Sep 2026 13:25:22
Unless you're wearing rose tinted specs and prone to bouts of toxic positivity, any reasonable person could see how weak and pathetically soft our group of midfielders are and how much we needed a midfielder who can defend and add some physicality.
Not good enough in possession and they arevworse out of it. It's not even October and we already look like we're in limp home mode.
Thing is, I highly doubt we'll enter the market for a midfielder in January too, with the usual line being punted out that there is no value in the market and the club feel we can get by with our current options. Yet another season written off.
13 Sep 2026 14:28:59
Why should Dom clearly be the 10 MK? Genuinely curious. The 10 role as I see it involves the ability to jink out of tight areas and play little intricate passes to the striker or wide forwards which I don't see Dom having. Dom has an engine, ability to charge forward, a good long shot and the ability to spray long balls.
Which to me would be an 8 if and its a big if he can learn how to win tackles and get some positional sense. Hoping Iraola can coach that into him.
13 Sep 2026 14:42:53
Fm, just from current minutes, Wirtz and Szob are way out in front with Grav and Macca similar.
From the last 2 games though I'd think Macca has forced his way in and Grav his way out.
Ok as above mate Grav is currently playing his way down the pecking order.
I can possibly see Grav, Nyoni and Endo starting Tuesday night.
Although saying that, Slot got pelters for Palace at home last season so maybe Ai is going to go strong.
13 Sep 2026 15:15:31
"After yesterday, I think it's clear our midfield 2 for big games will be Mac and Szob, Grav has played himself out of the team, and I'd have him behind Nyoni at the moment.".
This!
13 Sep 2026 16:44:29
The best 10 we've ever had in the Prem played like Dom, only a lot better. I didn't see Stevie jinking out of many tight areas but my jaysus he could belt a shot and slip his CF in. Both things Dom can manage.
13 Sep 2026 17:46:07
'Only a lot better' Florian. Indeed. If only Dom was a lot better he could play the number 10 role like Stevie did. Stevie actually could jink quite well. I haven't seen Dom slip his CF in much.
13 Sep 2026 18:42:54
The difference with Steven was that he did it all virtually every week. He could shoot, create, free kicks, he quite liked a tackle, physically dominant, and had amazing drive and determination. What a generation of midfielders that was across Europe.
13 Sep 2026 18:48:19
But Stevie had that brilliant Alonso-Masch pivot behind him Red. All important. Just look at how much it's affecting poor Florian at the moment?.
13 Sep 2026 19:51:11
Florian comparing Szobo to Gerrard. Szobo isn't in the same galaxy as Gerrard. Szobo isn't in the same galaxy as Coutinho who was an infinitely better '10' than Szobo too. That's it's for Florian's Firecrackers this week.
13 Sep 2026 20:41:54
Seriously, these fake comparisons need to stop. If you think comparing Rice to Gerrard (or Souness) is ridiculous (which I do) then, the comparison btw Szobo to Gerrard is even more ludicrous.