Liverpool Banter 3

08 Nov 2026 15:52:38
This team is littered with moments players. Outstanding players can put in a performance for 90 minutes. Some of these players are being shown for what they are. The tempo and pace in the game, I assumed andoni would transform us from this. Cracks are being papered over here. a lot of players do not suit what we thought we were getting under this manager.


But then, should the manager be getting more?
It's a result at least. Barcola looks the exact player I kept wishing we never pursued. I said he wasn't worth 40 million and got berated. We got robbed and whoever scouted him should not be in the same role.

08 Nov 2026 16:00:49
Ron, do you ever have anything positive to say about this team? I get that it wasn't a performance that we would all have wanted, but the team stuck in there and won the game. Do we need to win by a huge margin and limit the other team to no chances? Barcola didn't play well today but his one 'moment' as you say was excellently executed, that pace and that composure in crucial moments was actually what we bought him for.

08 Nov 2026 16:06:29
Our South Americans got us through that game today. Could do with more like them.

Trey Nyoni is a wonderful player and quickly making a case to be the first midfield pick.

Now, it would be nice if we pulled a few out of these pointless internationals.

08 Nov 2026 16:07:32
Was thinking the same thing PB, one of the main reasons I'm not on here as much anymore. It's like everyone expects perfection week in week out.

3pts is 3pts. The performances will come and I fully trust Iraola to get us where we need to be and get rid of players that either don't fit the system, don't work hard enough or are simply not good enough.

We go again.

08 Nov 2026 16:10:58
Outstanding result today.
So pleased for Wirtz, he needed a goal and will kick on now.

Isak scores again - the lazy beggar.

08 Nov 2026 16:11:35
Average performance but it gets the ball back rolling. Hopefully the start of a momentum run now.

08 Nov 2026 16:18:53
Give it a rest, pathetic to moan after a comfortable away win. Barcola needs time. May not be a £100m player but he's clearly a good player. He works hard, tracks back and is still adjusting to the league. The second goal was down to him, but let's disregard that eh?

08 Nov 2026 16:23:33
Good to get the 3 points but comfortable?

{Ed666's Note - it wasn’t comfortable by any means. They should have been at least a goal or two up before we scored and created after us scoring.

08 Nov 2026 16:24:26
2shoes, when we think about it we could call Salah, unquestionably one of the 3 or 4 best Premier League players ever, a 'moments player' too, how many games did he have where he did nothing and had a rubbish touch that bounced off him for 99% of the game and then scored a worldie or had the vision to pick a magnificent pass out of nowhere? Salah was world class because he had the ability to turn the tide of a game even when we were playing badly, and even when he was playing badly.

I too want more overall consistency from our attacking players but let's be fair, the difference in these games when we aren't playing well or having a hard time is the class and quality of the players we have on the pitch, and Wirtz, Isak, Barcola all showed their quality when it mattered to get us a result. Does that excuse their overall game? Possibly not, and it's fair to expect more, but you also have to commend them for showing their class when it counts.

{Ed666's Note - Salah would still be the best player in this current team had he stayed. I’ll die on that hill

08 Nov 2026 16:30:23
Be more creative with vocabulary than "moaning". I almost kept the usual hanger ons included in the post as I knew some of you would come out of hiding.
We're not winning the big prizes with what was on display today.

That's not "moaning". That's realism. Join the united page where you're winning the league every year then a realtiy check hits like a train.
We're into mid November now. It should a lot better as a whole than this.

08 Nov 2026 16:33:33
This is very much a team in transition and it's very clear to see when you watch performances like today, we have some great players within the squad but they are not putting in the performances that they are capable of, that's down to both players and coaching staff.

Hard fought 3 pts today but time and again I see the same concerns;

1 - not taking care of the ball, no look passes and flicks giving up easy possession leaving us out of shape, I understand these are high risk/high reward passes but sometimes they are being done in crazy areas of the pitch and just not clever at all.

2- press, players pressing in isolation and vacating space in the midfield trying to regain possession that just isint on. Szob and Wirtz are massively guilty of this. Our press isint helped by our defence dropping off and creating way to much space between the back line and forward line. Leaves our midfield isolated and in no man's land in the centre of the park.

3- Attack holding the ball up, we lack physicality up top, time after time the ball bounces off our attackers and causes a turn over in possession. All of our attack much prefer to play facing the attack and nobody wants to play with there back to goal.

4- individual battles, we are now favouring a man to man system and this relies on the fundamentals of winning your individual battles, this isint a strong point for many of our players such as Wirtz, Gakpo, Kerkez, Barcola and Szob. This has includes defending- far to often we see attackers run off the back of our players and they don't track there man, Kerkez is a glaringly obvious example but Szob is right up there. To a lesser extend I would say Rio is guilty of this also.

Again we are a work in progress and the positive is we are picking up points and remaining competitive while we adjust to AI and his style of play but defenitely some work to be done.

{Ed666's Note - I’m not sure why we aren’t pressing in packs out of possession? Has AI deserted that tactic or does he not feel he has the players to do this? It’s very confusing..

08 Nov 2026 16:35:33
Anyone know how much distance Isak covered?

And was he running, jogging, walking or dawdling or leisurely strolling?

{Ed666's Note - Somebody needs to give him an adderall pre game

08 Nov 2026 16:35:51
So glad we didn't just win 2-0 the entitled moaning would have been off the charts.

08 Nov 2026 16:53:26
Have Kit-Kat will you Ron.
Or a Snickers maybe.
Those Yorkies don't suit you.

08 Nov 2026 17:25:41
Had a boost bar mind you chewy ☕.

08 Nov 2026 17:29:22
Well said, Ron Keague.
Isak is a bit of an enigma.
Doesn't do much but still gets a goal.
Imagine what he could be if he moved around a bit?
Loved Nyoni's little cameo again.
Getting excited by this lads potential and I hope Iraola will improve him even more.

08 Nov 2026 17:30:58
LFC have now conceded the second most penalties in the PL so far at two, Brighton has conceded three penalties.
Referee Kavanagh who was born in manchester who sent Gravenberch off recently, has this afternoon just given man United their usual old trafford penalty, yet LFC or EFC can't have a PL referee who lives on the Wirral Rob Jones.

Cunha has dived again for the penalty- per mark goldbridge words.

08 Nov 2026 17:45:36
JK23 it's funny but Isak actually covered more distance than Barcola

Isak - 9.6km
Barcola - 7.5km.

08 Nov 2026 18:25:39
Cheers Ugbes.

Must be online propaganda to appease the posters that chipped in to buy him and don't feel they are getting their value for money.

08 Nov 2026 18:45:15
Fun fact - lazy Isak covers 9.8km/game and the Balon d'Or winner covers 10.2 km/game.

Not a lot in it 5% ish.

08 Nov 2026 19:31:39
Excellent thread, got it all this one - almost all the usual weekly gripes in one post match thread. Forget the fact we won, forget the fact that we moved into the top 4, let's all just regurgitate the usual complaints about not playing well, the midfield being poor, Isak being a lazy enigma, the need to sign replacements for most of 5he squad, etc, etc etc. in the spirit of being a whining, whinging blame seeker I'm disappointed that nobody has mentioned Kerkez gave away the penalty, surely that requires an outburst of faux rage and the need to buy a replacement as soon as soon can possibly be.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Monday morning and we can get back into our normal cycle of criticism, starting with the ardent hope that we are seriously looking at midfielders to come in and replace the shower who have somehow managed to get us into a CL qualification spot, even though none of them are fit for purpose as we are told every day.

08 Nov 2026 19:24:56
Ed666 what do you make of where we are as a team and performances?

{Ed666's Note - As a team we’re transitioning clearly. I’d get rid of Gakpo, Ping Pong, Grav, Macca, Slob, Gomez, Mama, Kerkez, Chiesa, Endo and start again. We’re at least five players from being a force. Right back, right winger, left back and three midfielders. Performance wise raggedy to ok and with the odd good performance. Irola has inherited dysfunction and players that can’t do elementary football things and hopefully he’ll be given the tools in January and the summer.

08 Nov 2026 21:04:34
Social Media and a generation fuelled by a, usually unacknowledged, sense of pentitlement and the expectation of instant gratification have a fair bit to answer for.

The arrival of football manager games is just the icing on the cake, I guess.

08 Nov 2026 21:54:16
What's that quote? If you don't moan when we're winning, don't complain when we lose. Or something like that.

{Ed666's Note - Doesn’t apply to me I moan in both instances

08 Nov 2026 21:27:25
Ed666 I'd like us to bite the nail and sell the likes of both macca and grav. I truly hope we're getting two top midfielders in as I think Carra eluded to. Dom has a lot to do this season to prove he's a Liverpool player. He's simply not good enough as a central midfielder. I think it's all went to his head and he thinks he's guaranteed a Starting place.


We'll see how well we're run if macca gets another contract doubling what he's on. Lads 28 next month. The club need to stop handing out massive contracts to fake superstars. There's not one superstar in the entire squad.

{Ed666's Note - just sell the entire midfield all 3 of them and start again. It can only improve us? Macca is only playing ok now because he wants a contract what happened to the last two years? This team needs remodeling up and I really hope Ai gets to start doing it in January.

09 Nov 2026 10:23:48
Fair play to them guys that can't do elementary football things getting to LFC in the first place.

08 Nov 2026 15:11:13
Ed033 a poll please.

Does Sozobozlai fit into a Iraola system?

Yes

No

Not sure

Thanks Ed 😊.

{Ed033's Note -


Sozobozlai poll

08 Nov 2026 15:38:16
He's absolutely awful atm, I don't think it's AI system he's just playing crap.

08 Nov 2026 16:08:08
He's not alone there.

08 Nov 2026 16:12:30
I think he is just not in form right now. Needs more time.

08 Nov 2026 16:37:27
He really wasn't good today, great delivery on the free kick, though Macca also did very well to get free, how he is such a threat in the box when it comes to headers is a marvel to me, he's always the one who gets on the end of crosses into the area. The most frustrating thing with Szoboszlai is how many touches he needs to get the ball moving, several times today somebody would make a run down the flanks or into the channels and Dom just wouldn't see them, he needs to take a few touches to get the ball out his feet and then the opening disappears, then he just passes the ball back.

Like Gravenberch his first instinct is always to carry, he's not a scanning midfielder who assesses what would be the quickest route forward like Nyoni or Wirtz. He either runs with the ball or gets on the end of chances in and around the box, he can't really do much else when we have possession. It's frustrating because he does actually have the passing range, he just doesn't have the vision, intelligence or foresight of a passer in midfield, despite having technique and passing range on paper his versatility seems very limited in an Iraola system, he's an all action 8 who's not particularly outstanding out of possession and needs to have the ball at his feet to run with to be effective.

Macca on the other hand is having a superb season because he has an excellent footballing brain and can adapt. He always knows where he needs to be off the ball, he is extremely combative, and because he isn't a player who relies on his athletic gifts he makes the ball do the work.

{Ed666's Note - Controversial thing to say but I would Sell Macca, Slob and Gravy in the summer and start that midfield from
Scratch.

08 Nov 2026 17:28:07
Patrick. Macca still shouldn't be getting his wages doubled. He's 28 in December. He can still be good for us but we shouldn't be putting a huge contract on the table. He reminds me of dom and Ryan when they're seeking new contracts, suddenly the performances improve.
I'd let macca and grav go. There's better out there.

08 Nov 2026 17:50:22
As stated before he's sh*te. He looked good in slots team because we played at a snails pace. But in a team that wants to move the ball quicker doms not your man. Just hope andoni grows a pair of balls and plays his form players that includes playing gakpo on LW instead of moving him right to give Barcola a game.

08 Nov 2026 18:04:06
Not controversial at all E0666 I was just saying the exact same thing this week mate.

{Ed666's Note - such shortsightedness from us mate. Our right side is paralyzed.

08 Nov 2026 18:41:53
Shrugoszlai been average for a while.

08 Nov 2026 19:33:37
@666, not quite scratch - we'd still have Nyoni and Wirtz.

I assume you'd get rid of Endo too?

{Ed666's Note - yes I’d get rid of Endo and Chiesa mate

08 Nov 2026 14:36:11
Some of these players are very average, and some of those average players cost over 100 million.

08 Nov 2026 15:11:43
Hard watch that's for sure.

08 Nov 2026 15:18:59
Just lazy some of em!!

08 Nov 2026 15:38:57
Even Jacket seams to be losing focus though he's been iffy today.

08 Nov 2026 15:51:54
Well all three of our 100m players had a goal involvement today.

08 Nov 2026 16:05:06
Yeah seams strange to moan but be honest that was rubbish, most of them struggle to compete 2 passes in a row.

08 Nov 2026 16:13:44
It wasn't a good performance but let's be fair, each of the three came up with the goods when it mattered, and their involvements in each of the goals was quality. Quality is what makes the difference and what we paid for. Great cameo from Munoz too, he has fire in his belly and fire in his boots.

08 Nov 2026 19:35:46
Really easy solution if you don't like it, you turn the telly over in the pub and watch something else.

{Ed666's Note - that would annoy a lot of people in the pub no?

08 Nov 2026 13:58:30
I don't think this game is going to be as easy as many believe. palace are our bogey team and again Mac and szobo as the pivot isn't ideal. I hope I am wrong though!

08 Nov 2026 14:44:19
Mac goal with a sobbo assist ;)

08 Nov 2026 15:19:21
Now wirtz. I bet carragher loved that one.

08 Nov 2026 10:17:59
Eds can we have a vote please on who the fans would like to see join the club in January.
It's a crap window generally for top class signings so I'm working on the basis we will add one player only.
Names linked off the top of my head are:

Seys
Banjaqui
Camara
Sadiki
Scott
Minteh

Please add any others I might have missed?

{Ed033's Note -


Top signings poll

08 Nov 2026 10:45:06
I voted Titi Camara.

08 Nov 2026 11:01:43
Me too, LFC8

Ti, Ti, Ti, Ti, Ti, Ti, Ti Camara.

Not one of our most original songs.

08 Nov 2026 12:20:47
Outside chance but i would like us to look at andre from wolves and rovella from lazio.

08 Nov 2026 10:14:08
In January 2018 we signed Virgil Van Dijk and 5 months later we found ourselves in the Champion League Final.

If you could sign one player in Jan who could help take us to the Champions League final, who would it be?

08 Nov 2026 10:25:32
We didn't get to the CL Final just because of VVD.

08 Nov 2026 10:31:30
Declan Rice would probably be the one who'd help the team the most.

08 Nov 2026 10:31:47
I know we didn't, but he certainly helped. Not quite sure if we would have made it with a CB pairing of Lovren and Matip or Lovren and Klavan.

08 Nov 2026 10:34:37
Hotshot Hamish.

08 Nov 2026 10:39:16
Showing your age there, Footyfan :)

08 Nov 2026 10:40:39
Luis Amor Rodriguez.

08 Nov 2026 11:17:01
Like Footyfan's recruitment strategy so I'll go Billy the fish.

08 Nov 2026 11:33:46
In 2018 the team was almost complete in other positions. VAN DIJK came to make a team complete.
Now the team us weak in differebt positions.
We need some muscles CM Fabinho like, RB, strong Right wing or left wing that why i like Minteh, AM or no 10.

08 Nov 2026 11:49:30
It says something about the quality of individual players in today's game that I can't think of a player that would make as seismic of an impact as Alisson, Salah, Mane, Robertson or Van Dijk. Maybe one of PSG's full backs on either side would make a difference for us? In midfield Rice is probably the pick of the bunch but he also has certain limitations, maybe Rodri would still be the best fit for what we might want.

On the wing given our current needs, I don't know, Lamine Yamal probably lol.

{Ed025's Note - i would love to know what Rice,s limitations are PB?, i think hes a fantastic player mate..

08 Nov 2026 11:58:26
For me it's a defensive midfielder.
Probably Sadik as I think we can get him.
It would give the midfield more bite, make us harder to play through.
Gives the defence more confidence and the attack more freedom.

08 Nov 2026 12:57:06
Indeed, Ed25. Rodri has a mobility problem because his lack of mobility (esp. with such stiff hips) was pretty glaring prolly till now.

Rice is a brilliant player so I too, want to know what his limitations are. Not saying he has no weaknesses. Just saying they are hard to pick out because his qualities seem to overshadow them.

{Ed025's Note - yeah im a big fan of his as well Oli

08 Nov 2026 13:06:12
Very difficult question to answer as its more than just one position that is a problem.

Caicedo would probably give us the most defensive impact.

Vitinha might give us the ball progression and cohesion in possession.

Still very difficult to win big things with our fullbacks though.

08 Nov 2026 14:01:58
Rice is no Gerrard nor a patch on him so this idolism is bizarre. The game overall has regressed. Quailtys went down on all fronts. Years ago you could name umpteen worldclass midfielders.

08 Nov 2026 15:04:59
If all of our players played to their full potential we're 2 fullbacks and probably 2 midfielders away from challenging.

08 Nov 2026 15:27:11
Rice isn't Gerrard but that's a bit of an unfair bar to compare him to one of the top 3 best midfielder in PREM league history lol

I don't think it's unfair to say that as an all round midfielder rice is probably the best in the Premier League currently.

08 Nov 2026 13:05:32
I think his limitation is that he doesn't play for Liverpool Ed25. We would big up him if he was part of our team.

{Ed025's Note - never a truer word said Taurus..

08 Nov 2026 08:07:28
I hate being negative, but today I can only see one result, a Palace win. They are in terrible form overall and have had a torrid start to the season so it should be straightforward. But I can see another tepid wasteful day in front of goal and a 1-0 Palace win to take us in to the international break.

I want to be positive but the players we have spent a huge amount of money on simply do not work as a team. Poor recruitment is now biting us in the ass.

08 Nov 2026 08:57:16
I see you still have a Fernabache hangover. Try putting the Brighton, Bournmeouth or Brentford result in your mind instead, or even all 3.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion & view point, but I do honestly thank Fowler that my brain isn't wired this negatively because for me everyday would be so miserable.

08 Nov 2026 10:48:00
I'd like Gakpo and Munoz to start on the wings. I fancy us to win ( I always do) but it's never been easy there.

08 Nov 2026 10:54:24
Going for a 4-1 win.

Isak 2, Barcola & Gakpo the other 2.

08 Nov 2026 10:55:47
Bit of a bogey team, it'll be a scrappy hard fought game. A win would be a brilliant result.

08 Nov 2026 11:42:50
Ismaila Sarr is injured, Mateta is suspended, Wharton is out of form, they have pretty much sold all their good defenders, they played a European tie three days ago, the fans are starting to call for the manager's head and they don't exactly have pace in behind, I'm not sure we should be shaking in our boots.

Their best player this season is probably Kamada and Tyrick Mitchell is their top scorer with 2 (in the same match).

08 Nov 2026 12:12:18
I'm going a scrappy hard fought 3-1 to us with a late goal to seal it! But it won't be comfy or pretty to watch.

{Ed025's Note - Palace are a mess BR..4-0 to the reds for me mate..

08 Nov 2026 13:00:58
SzSz8 for me, Brighton was our best and most cohesive perfomance of the season so far esp. in the PL.

We took the fight to them, rode our luck a bit I agree but we played with conviction and efficiency in both boxes. Sure, they had a lot of possession but simply clouldn't hurt us because we set up to nullify them and hit them on the break.

As for the Palace game, I don't do scores nor predictions because I know football games can get mad esp. in that stadium. All I want to see i'd whether this team has some shame on pride esp. after the Ferne game.

We shall see.

08 Nov 2026 16:19:09
@Bristol_Red:

Where did you get your crystal ball?

"I'm going a scrappy hard fought 3-1 to us with a late goal to seal it! But it won't be comfy or pretty to watch."

Any chance you could message me your Lotto picks?

08 Nov 2026 13:22:35
Your speaking like a man full of current confidence Ed 👍.

{Ed025's Note - i thought you would win BR, but your guess was superb mate and i hope you had a bet on it?..

08 Nov 2026 03:58:40
Some people still think we have a chance at the title. I need that delusion in my life.

We probably should focus on both cups as chance for a trophy because the CL and PL are not what we are challenging for.

We haven't really seen much changes in terms of football still no identity i don't know what we play for 90min.

But hopefully ownership change brings a new era for us.
A new day a new dawn
FSG era has been good but more of a what could have been.
Hopefully we look at some right kind of characters for the club starting with midfielders and full backs.

08 Nov 2026 04:20:40
Name one non-fictional person that believes Liverpool can win the title.

{Ed666's Note - I honestly thought we were in with a chance if we’d have beaten Arsenal. I’m being straight with you. Now we got the same chance as winning the premiership this season as Blackburn rovers have

08 Nov 2026 05:46:01
I agree, I did too, but this was posted a week after we lost to Arsenal and Fenerbahce. Not one person alive thinks this team can win the title now.

08 Nov 2026 06:07:45
Are you sure you don't see a difference in terms of how we play? Because I can see big differences that are clear as day. Is this what two losses does to us, I see people here saying we look the same as we did under Slot and I wonder if we're even watching the same games.

Yes we let in three stupid goals under Fenerbahce, but I really don't think that's going to happen again, we're not consistently leaking goals in a systematic way.

08 Nov 2026 06:26:48
Yes because there would not be 2 bad losses if anything had improved in first place. Playing well in 3 games and then regressing back to wasteful no identity football is not improvement. Its rather more concerning because it means the characters in this team can't rally on positive results and results get to their head and they let their levels drop or even worse they aren't fit to give their all week in week out.


So yea you can remain in your dreamland and realise the same by end of year it end of season.
I won't judge iraola because its too early but there isn't daylight between him and slot at the moment. Slot still won the league because he had salah, iraola as it stands looks like wont.

08 Nov 2026 06:46:34
Agree, the difference is clear, we are playing with a greater energy and enthusiasm but the problem is, the players are not good enough.
We have signings such as Wirtz, Frimpong, Kerkez, Barcola who are simply not playing well and some for 15-16 months now. Then you have a midfield that have performed poorly for 18 months plus.
Add to that established players like VVD and Allison who are several levels below their best and are now showing consistent signs of decline.
We have a long way to go yet before the squad is ready to challenge, but the signs are good, Jacquet, Araujo, Ndukwe (when he is back) are excellent signings, Nyoni is playing really good and will get better too, Isak is scoring (I too would like an alternative striker) and he is a proper forward, Barcola I believe will improve and be the player we have seen on the European and world stage.


We must get the midfield and LB/RB positions resolved and we need a striker that can alternate with Isak and cover until Ekitike returns.

08 Nov 2026 06:51:22
Ask the manager and the team and they will tell you they are not too far behind to go on a good run and make up ground on the leaders. They will talk of still being in four competitions and battling on until it's mathematically impossible. They will talk about belief and how the impossible can be achievable.

Ask some fans and they will say that losing a game to Fenebache and Arsenal means all is lost in early November.

08 Nov 2026 07:46:39
People are allowed different opinions of the game Pat.

08 Nov 2026 07:50:15
I thought if we hadve beaten Arsenal we would've got a major boost out of it and been in a title race although still would've thought Arsenal as a whole package good bit ahead of us.
Today's game massive for us, fenerbahce midweek did seem like a hammer blow performance wise, threw it away against mediocre opposition.

Good positive performance + win today stills leaves us having had a good start to season I feel.

08 Nov 2026 08:15:48
Call it delusion but who says it's impracticable?
Go on a 15 winning streak and you lot would change your minds. It's still Nov guys. We are in a good way, that is all that counts at this point.

08 Nov 2026 08:18:59
Again you are just referring to results rather than the way we played. Fenerbahce yes we were terrible and threw the game away, but I think Iraola just got it wrong with team selection. Play your first choice front line (maybe leave Rio there on the right) in their proper positions with Araujo at right back and we probably win that game and Iraola takes off his attackers, Wirtz and Araujo after an hour to save them for Palace.

I do not agree that the Arsenal game was a bad loss, Arsenal put in a magnificent defensive performance to keep us out, and we were just not at the races when it came to finishing the great chances we did get (Macca usually buries that header, and 9 times out of 10 Isak would get a penalty for that). A game against Arsenal is never a game we're going to get loads of chances in (and neither will they against us), you have to score the one or two opportunities you do get.

I have no idea what you are talking about when you talk about 'no identity football', we do have an identity even in these very early days with Iraola, we show signs of the high press penning teams in, but we don't have the fitness or understanding to sustain it for long periods yet. We also show signs of how quickly we can get up the pitch when we transition from a zone to a man to man swarm and win the ball. Most importantly we have shown that we can defend and that we take pride in defending, when teams get in and around our box we have a solid shape and don't look like conceding. The spaces between attack, midfield and defence are much smaller, and as a result our double pivot doesn't look exposed, which is why Macca looks like a player reborn now.

All of this and you say that we don't look like we have changed? I wonder if you just watch the highlights or check the score.

08 Nov 2026 08:40:46
100% agree with that PB I have enjoyed watching our development and there was always going to be ups and downs. I thought the game against Arsenal was a great game which we pushed the current champions hard. I rewatched the full Fernabache game and it's not as bad as seemed to be have written about.

Bad result definitely, but not as bad a performance, they are a part of developing the team and learning, which I think the team and Andoni Iraola will benefit from.

08 Nov 2026 09:48:04
We still have to do well in the league and champions league to show that progression.

And while I'll be surprised if we pulled off the champions league, I'd be less surprised when we won in 2005.

Also while you call some people deluded, with equal measure they can call you a defeatist. Personally, I'm a fan of the never give up mentality that some people show. Defeat will be accepted when someone else is raising the cups. Until then, we just keep going for everything.

08 Nov 2026 09:51:40
Putting aside the s*** show in the week, we have improved defensively. This is in no small part because of Araujo and Jacquet. There is also more urgency going forward and it's not as boring and laborious on the eye, though in some games I honestly haven't noticed any difference to last season.

I've said on other threads that Iraola was never going to come in and flick a switch. I'm still waiting to see the improvement in players that a lot of folk thought would come about. We all know who those players are.

It's going to be an up and down season, like I always expected it would. Hopefully reinforcements in January, though I won't hold my breath.

08 Nov 2026 09:57:47
I've seen teams start worse than us and win the league.

We're not even halfway through the season.
Totally ridiculous to write us off.

08 Nov 2026 10:08:43
It looks like Frimpong could well be going as early as Jan, so if that's the case I do think we'll try and bring a RB in.

Any other movement will probably depend on form and fitness between now and then. No one is nailing down the RW spot so maybe Minteh as well.

08 Nov 2026 10:12:57
Rome, but are you only watching the highlights or checking the score?

08 Nov 2026 10:14:26
Patrick, part from defending better because of better players like Jacquet and araujo there is hardly any difference.

What intensity are you speaking of?
Our attack is disjointed and the midfield is a sham absolute sham we don't press and we don't even pass or keep the ball either. We don't really run either?

So what exactly is this pattern or deep press that you are seeing? If we pressed our running stats would have been better no?

08 Nov 2026 10:19:05
I rarely watch us, JK, as I'm having trouble illegally streaming nowadays. I just go by what I read on that Twitter thing.

Hope you're well, mate.

08 Nov 2026 10:27:02
I think we're miles off a title. Interesting to see fans think we're close.

Come summer we've still not replaced Salah, then you've got VVD & Ali. I genuinely think we're years away.

FSG timing on this sale isn't a coincidence, I think they're looking at it, and decided they can't take us any further.

08 Nov 2026 10:28:32
Same mate, I only watch when John Barnes is playing.

All good here mate. Hope you're well?

Hopefully 3 points today with Digger on the scoresheet and a clean sheet for Grobs.

08 Nov 2026 10:51:52
I still think we can do it. Why wouldn't I? The top 2 are not much better than us just getting favourable shouts.

08 Nov 2026 10:53:52
I've no idea why we've bought Speedie, but hope he proves me wrong.

2-0 today. Jocky with a header and Spackman.

08 Nov 2026 11:06:46
For the anoraks, my post would be factually incorrect, as Spackman left before we signed Speedie.

08 Nov 2026 12:02:40
Lastfanofslot, I think there's been a fair bit written over the last year or two about the whole 'running stats' thing, and the conclusion as I understand it is that running the most doesn't mean much.

Watching the games with my own eyes I can discern that the team put a shift in working for each other pressing, covering and defending. I'm not sure why you don't see that, it does perplex me a bit. Also I'm not sure that we can't pass the ball, to me we don't have as many problems as we did last year progressing the ball from our box to the opposition box, and Iraola has tried different solutions successfully in games. The problem is when we get in the final third we lack ingenuity. I think that will come in time as the team play with one another more under Iraola's instruction.

I think that he has already fixed the most important thing, which is defending. In the Premier League I'm pretty sure we haven't let in a single set piece goal yet? That's huge considering where we were last year. If you can't defend, you won't win anything. The new coach has been in the door for less than a quarter of the season. Maybe let's take consolation in the improvements that we can see week to week? I honestly think that the team looks better in these early stages than I expected them to be.

08 Nov 2026 12:26:07
He hasn't fixed a thing. Its just better players. That brighton game we won was just outright better players saving the day. Brighton carved us like butter. Just didn't had finishing that day.

08 Nov 2026 13:02:49
He hasn't fixed anything".

Now I know this is delusional as heck.

07 Nov 2026 19:40:39
I just need to get this out and know it will never happen but I can't help thinking the Chesney Hawkes song 'I am the one and only' could be adapted to be a song for Nyoni. I feel better already.

07 Nov 2026 19:58:04
See now you can enjoy your Saturday night KD.

07 Nov 2026 21:22:28
Combined transfer fees for Nyoni, Ngumoha in 2024 equals £3.5 million, well north of £80 million today?

Rio needs to score goals now like the horror Sterling did at a similar age.

07 Nov 2026 23:11:53
Move your decimal point three positions to the left 007 so it can reflect the percentage level your comments resonate with the general consensus.

08 Nov 2026 02:07:02
Rio and Trey and Koumas and one or two more of the youngsters need to focus on improving their performance and levels of consistency, first and foremost.

08 Nov 2026 11:20:49
Made me laugh that KD7 "we've got Trey Nyoni, nobody we'd rather see" 🤪.

08 Nov 2026 13:03:56
Strange thread.