25 Oct 2026 23:00:11
I felt there were some huge positives in the way we went about the game today. Brighton are a good team, well connected, and would have been worthy of coming away with something.
I think we could all see the commitment from the players today, and that's a huge positive. These are the non-negotiables in football: work hard, compete and fight for everything.
That commitment can go a long way towards making up for a few individuals who, in my opinion, aren't quite at the level we need them to be. Inevitably, if we're going to suit the way Iraola wants to play and genuinely challenge for honours, some areas will need upgrading over time.
Alisson was frustrating today with some indecisive and slightly erratic distribution, but all is forgiven until I see a better keeper!
The full-back positions are a huge concern for me.
For years, going back to the early 90s, we've had to put up with defensive lines that flap, panic and create their own problems. Then we had the period of Van Dijk, Matip, Trent and Robbo, and for the first time in years, we had a back four you could genuinely feel confident in.
Robbo occasionally had his moments, but he had the pace to recover. Generally, that back four gave you a feeling of comfort, confidence, attacking flair and composure. Composure is the key word here.
I feel Jacquet and Van Dijk still fit into that bracket, but Kerkez and Araujo don't. At times, it feels like we're going back to that old Liverpool defence, where uncertainty and panic can creep into the back line. That's something we need to address.
Crucially, a proper number six is equally important. Someone willing to do the less glamorous work, sit in front of the back four, protect the centre-backs and cover those full-back areas when needed. That defensive balance is vital.
These are the areas I believe we need to address sooner rather than later.
In the attacking areas, I think we need to show a bit more patience. I'm not convinced we've seen the finished product yet, but these players need time to stay fit, build relationships and mould into a cohesive unit.
Wirtz is key to that, and I believe we're starting to see signs of the player we all know he can be.
It's a good result, and there are plenty of positives to take from today. But let's not allow a good result to blind us to the areas that still need improving.
Iraola won't be blinded by it. He'll know exactly where we are and what needs to happen.
It won't all happen overnight, but there are reasons to be positive.
26 Oct 2026 09:34:31
Allison had a mare in fairness. People notice Virg's decline. For me Allisons has come much more noticeably. Makes erratic decisions and his distribution has become as bad as Mama's.
26 Oct 2026 09:50:20
And just to add to that FM, he hasn't really made any great saves this season yet, something he used to regularly, now every chance on target goes in it feels like.