Liverpool banter 5

17 Mar 2026 19:05:03
I had some ITK knowledge about our next DoF, Manager and his first 3 signings . But my dog ate it.

17 Mar 2026 23:22:14
It's true, I'm the dog's window cleaner.

17 Mar 2026 18:51:47
Did I just read correctly? Slot slating the support of fans? If I remember correctly, was Hodgson not the last manager to do that? We seen how that went.

I know Klopp talked about fans leaving early before, but that was under completely different circumstances.



Looks like the writing is on the wall.

I never ever want us to lose a game, but I don’t want this guy at our great club any longer either.

17 Mar 2026 19:44:28
What did he say?

17 Mar 2026 19:52:29
@Flo, I think the better question is what did @L8red read! Pretty certain there was nothing in the presser where he had a go at the fans. Quite the opposite to be honest.

17 Mar 2026 19:58:56
L8red, back up what you said there, regards to Slot criticising supporters. I haven't read anything. Be interested to know where your info has come from.

17 Mar 2026 20:27:54
Slot came up with this:
"People have told me when I came here, that this club is different than other clubs, they will support the manager for such, such, such a long time.
"But, if you are supposing something, then I must have done a lot of things wrong, and that's never a nice feeling to have, because being in the club that's always so supportive for the manager, in good and bad times, then if they are not happy with me, then apparently I've done so many things wrong, and that's never a nice feeling to have.".

17 Mar 2026 20:15:38
L8red you little divil you😉

17 Mar 2026 21:50:50
@nutter, You have conveniently left out the start of the quote where Slot said

"So the moment, if it's true what you say - I don't feel this at all but you are supposing something...".

17 Mar 2026 18:20:24
This tie should not have been difficult for a top team. However Liverpool are far from that right now. I thought Galatasaray could run riot in Turkey and take a big lead to Anfield and we could have faced an embarrassing aggregate score. As it is it's 1-0 to them. But we all know the script, boring, dull, negative football and a 1-0 loss. It's on the cards.

If they score early or it's 10 mins to go and it's still 0-0, the crowd will be toxic. Yes, toxic. The final whistle will be drowned out by booing of we don't go through tomorrow. Slot is on borrowed time; if we lose tomorrow he's done by Thursday lunch time. It could get really uncomfortable tomorrow for the players and management should we lose.

17 Mar 2026 18:39:47
Name me a team in this tournament this season that can't lose an away game to Galatasaray by the odd goal. Galatasaray, no matter what we think of them, have an incredible home record. But, thankfully for us, it's a two-leg affair, and we have a chance to turn it around at Anfield tomorrow night. We're all optimistic and excited for it, right?

17 Mar 2026 18:53:24
Tried to give you a thumbs up, Florian, but it doesn't seem to register now.

17 Mar 2026 19:20:27
I think we need to change the site from Liverpool Banter to #@&! Slot! until the end of the season, or until Slot's sacked, whichever comes first.

We get it. Nothing has changed, Slot is still in charge and the team still plays boring, slow, backwards passing footie. We still can't beat any team in the PL or CL, we're going to lose to City and be out of the FA, we're more likely to get relegated than top 4 (or 5), and if Slot would only play Chiesa and Rio more we'd be at the top of the table.

#@&! Slot!

17 Mar 2026 20:18:02
Must be where all my thumbs up do be King.Sort it out Eds will yis? 😁

17 Mar 2026 20:45:28
I have a horrible feeling we win 1-0 over 90, and it goes to ET. By then we will be dead on our feet.

17 Mar 2026 20:52:41
Floran, we all know where your thumbs up.

17 Mar 2026 21:00:25
I think we'll be the better team. Still have scares cos the likes of Osimhen and the blonde wingers are good players, but in the end we'll be in the last eight.

17 Mar 2026 22:14:49
Yis, all know nothing, Chewy. I support the team, which invariably includes the manager, and as my friends would tell me, when it comes to this club I am an eternal optimist. I cant help it if I look at things differently to a breed of fans that exist today as to what LFC means. Thats not saying theyre wrong, but I certainly dont think Im wrong compared to them.

Even today, in the posts above, the negativity! C'mon, get behind the team. Believe we can win. Fooling yourselves that we havnt had loads of worse seasons than this since 1990, and pitying yourselves because you expected to win everything this year, doesnt help. Ive had loads of seasons loving supporting this team when weve won nothing, but maybe thats just me.

18 Mar 2026 06:44:34
Nothing wrong with being an eternal optimist. Me? I'm a realist.
Of course, we had worse seasons since the 90s, but not as League Champions and £450 million invested on new players.

18 Mar 2026 07:47:18
Surely "investment" must take into account outgoings?

Transfer spending will always go up, and comparing it to the 90s requires context.

In 1995/6, overall PL spending was EUR228.44 million
In 2025/6, overall PL spending was EUR3.996 billion
An increase by a factor of 17.5.

18 Mar 2026 07:57:41
That's how I feel about things on this site recently, RedMob. Anybody who says otherwise is mocked or called out, and somebody invariably comes out with 'don't tell us how to feel and ram your opinions down our throats'. Then we have the inevitable litany of 'why hasn't he been sacked yet? Everybody responsible should be fired immediately!' posts every day.

Maybe things are a bit more complicated than that? These people's jobs (and other people's jobs at the club) are on the line when making a call like firing Slot and hiring somebody like Gerrard.

And as for the eternal '450 million invested on new players' thing, is that supposed to be a guarantee of success? In my eyes, the rebuild of the team is only half done, and the failure to get Guehi has had a much bigger effect than we all anticipated.

I think the priorities in the summer weren't quite correct, the coach and the higher-ups weren't exactly on the same page, and we could have shifted priorities around a bit by bringing the purchasing of certain positions forward and delaying others. Still, the loss of Diogo meant that we absolutely had to buy another forward, and probably Ekitike and Isak were top of the list of targets anyway.

18 Mar 2026 12:37:53
@Chewysuarez7, that's some nasty work.

17 Mar 2026 17:05:33
After listening to Slot's press conference today, I genuinely think he must be from a different universe or something. Not even angry, just genuinely intrigued to see what is going on inside that man's mind to say the things he says.

17 Mar 2026 17:54:25
I can't listen to him anymore, he's gone from a shrewd, measured guy to a deluded blamer with zero self-awareness.

17 Mar 2026 18:00:23
I tuned in and he seemed in good spirits, smiling and happy. Whether that's a front to mask the uncertainty, I don't know. He doesn't look like a man that will be sacked this week.

17 Mar 2026 18:56:24
He's a calm guy. You can't change people, mostly.

Xabi also seems like a calm guy. Will he bring the fire to the team that people expect, along with his presumably superior tactics?

17 Mar 2026 19:32:20
I love Xabi, and if he comes in I hope he'll be a huge huge success. But they've faced each other twice in the last 2 seasons and I'm sorry I didn't see superior tactics outa Alonso.

18 Mar 2026 12:39:05
Mango, you're a better person than I am. I stopped listening to the geezer months ago. The only way I get a whiff of what he says in pressers is what people on here present as his quotes.

17 Mar 2026 16:39:17
If you was Chiesa would you tell the manager to f*** off?

17 Mar 2026 17:03:30
No, because I'm not good enough and shouldn't be playing for Liverpool Football Club.

17 Mar 2026 17:13:32
Arnie J, lad, I see the potential in you. Don't talk down to yourself. You can play for Liverpool, at least this version of Liverpool.

17 Mar 2026 17:24:20
Lol, Mango. That cracked me, about time.

Btw, Chiesa is not good enough but Gakpo has been? Once again, great response, Mango.

17 Mar 2026 17:24:40
Scouse John, I reckon Chiesa already has, that's why he won't play him.

17 Mar 2026 17:30:58
What does he expect him to do in 5 mins?

17 Mar 2026 17:52:05
"Not good enough," even though he's reduced to five-minute cameos, and when he does start, is often playing with kids under a manager with zero tactical intuition. Until a new manager comes in, I refuse to criticise him.

17 Mar 2026 17:54:51
My wife seems to be satisfied in 5 mins, John, sometimes twice if she's a lucky girl!

17 Mar 2026 18:57:38
Chiesa is good enough, remember we were after him previously for around 80 million mark. He hasn't had enough opportunities.

17 Mar 2026 19:07:57
Not a bad life though, bit of training and then sit the first 85 mins out. Still get paid.

Could be worse. 😁

17 Mar 2026 19:28:46
Arne Riise?
You'll be welcome back, mate, and all will be forgiven. Just score a banger against Galatasaray.

17 Mar 2026 19:33:22
Would you pay 80m for Federico L8red?

17 Mar 2026 22:29:30
Gakpo has offered more than Chiesa this season, and that's not saying much.

18 Mar 2026 12:40:33
Flo, would you pay 80m to free Slot from his contract to come coach your team?

18 Mar 2026 16:25:31
It would cost a lot less than that to get rid of Slot, Oli. What has he got left on his contract, a little over a year? Doubt he's on Jurgen levels of money, so, in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn't cost huge sums of money to pay him off.

Don't think it's money stopping them doing it, they just must think he's the best option till May.

17 Mar 2026 14:02:01
Don’t know how others feel, but for me it’s quite telling just what a contrast of emotions this upcoming match with Gala is compared to ‘that’ Barcelona match. For me it wasn’t blind support, or hope we would get a result against Barca, I genuinely believed it, even more so in the stadium, you could literally feel we were going to do something, it was like one mind believing something into actual existence.

That feeling’s been killed off for me and I think a lot of supporters, I think the belief now is that if we get attacked, we are likely to crumble.

I don’t even know whether I expect us to win, or hope, because outside of there being no consistency, there doesn’t seem to be any real passion from most of the players to make something happen.

I think if Gala take their chances (which they will get) we will be in massive trouble.

The passion and support is obviously still there from the crowd, but how quickly hope and belief switches to resignation is absolutely evident and understandable.

17 Mar 2026 15:04:24
I remember these boards, there was one mind, alright, and it certainly wasn't the result which the players miraculously achieved.

17 Mar 2026 16:22:28
Klopp was a hero, but we need to stop. Don't forget we finished 5th, because his midfield was a little tired. Arne Slot has had far worse to deal with this season, imo. Not blameless, but Arne is not the headline reason for this messy season.

17 Mar 2026 16:45:33
Yeh I knew we was gonna win that Barca game. You could feel it outside the ground with the coach welcoming.

I'm going tomorrow also, I'm more looking forward to my chippy before kick off than the actual game.

Arne has sucked the life out of Anfield, it's like a miserable morgue.

17 Mar 2026 17:02:10
His press conferences border on delusional now. Last season he spoke so much sense, and now it's like, who is he trying to fool? Even when he tries to be honest, he makes excuses.

I honestly feel like he is gaslighting us fans. We all know we SHOULD beat Gala easily, but as soon as we see the line up with Dom at rb and Gakpo lw that hope will fade.

17 Mar 2026 17:26:50
Funky, who is to blame then, n how is it worse than what Klopp had to put up with?

17 Mar 2026 17:53:21
Florian is also a historian now? What's his next trick to leap to the defence of Slot?

17 Mar 2026 18:28:35
I'll add that to the list, shall I, Florian? So, let me see, that makes me a lying, Scientologist, apologist, historian now. Jesus, that's a mouthful. Do you not remember these boards then? Sorry, every post was only sweetness nd rainbows towards Jurgen when he was here, I suppose. Slot is the only manager the pitchforks and nooses have been out for. 😀

17 Mar 2026 18:56:39
Klopp did come in for a fair bit of stick on here too, if we are honest.

However, he always gave us something to cheer about to brighten the pessimism.

Maybe a miracle happens tomorrow night. Maybe not. I am still going to watch and cheer them on.

17 Mar 2026 22:08:16
There were zero pitchforks out for Slot last season. So your revisionist history is irrelevant. They're out this season because he's been crap. But I love your cult-like propaganda.

18 Mar 2026 12:42:13
"I'll add that to the list, shall I, Florian? "

Frode, seems the guy is talking to himself again.

Just like the Dumpster in the WH.

18 Mar 2026 16:30:49
Sorry Oli, how dare I make such a mistake. Musta been the tenth tinny that did it.

18 Mar 2026 16:34:12
Factual history, Frode. Seems we're not very nice to all our managers when we don't get the results we desire. Cult-like propaganda. 😆 Jesus, Frode, go easy, will ye.

17 Mar 2026 12:24:25.
Cheers @Robbo. I'd be very happy to see Jones stay and Mac Allister go at the end of the season. Am has been a great player for us but age is catching up. Jones has time on his side and will get better and better with more time on the pitch. Also local lad factor.

We desperately need a special-ist DM though.

17 Mar 2026 12:46:25
I don't think it is age that is catching up with Macca. He only just turned 27. He was never quick. Now he's slow and, like the rest of the team, poorly conditioned by the current coaching team.

However, yes, it would be an opportune time for us to move Macca on and replace him with a more mobile profile.

17 Mar 2026 12:53:16
Jones will get better and better? This has to be some kind of joke. I've been watching him make the same mistakes season after season. A good squad player for the Europa League next season. That's his level.

17 Mar 2026 12:55:46
Don't see the need to keep Jones, people moan he slows the game down, passes sideways, etc., and now people are clamouring to keep him ffs. Don't care where he's from, not good enough. Bring someone else through who must be better, because most don't rate E Jones.

17 Mar 2026 13:02:39
Jones will be Liverpool's Lingard.

Always the kid with potential, until bang, out of nowhere, the kid is 30.

17 Mar 2026 13:06:01
Players slow the game down and pass sideways and backwards because that's what Slot has instructed them to do.

17 Mar 2026 14:10:13
As others have said, Mac is only 27 and Jones is only 2 years younger than him.

Has Jones shown so far to be one of the first names on the start sheet? No, not with the other quality we have in the squad.

Has his style of play been influenced by what the managers have asked him to do? Of course, so sideways and backwards may not be his instinct, but if that's what he's been told to do, then he does.



Would I like to keep him? Definitely. He's currently on £15k a week and I doubt he would need a massive salary to stay - definitely a massive hike on £15k, but I can't see him joining the highest earners here!

17 Mar 2026 14:13:16
There was never a single shred of doubt in my mind he was always gonna stay at Liverpool. Trent leaving was the best thing that could've ever happened to Jones.

17 Mar 2026 14:18:33
I like Jones, and if he's happy to not always start, then fine. But the sideways and backwards passing isn't a new thing; Curtis did this under Klopp too. By the way, I don't necessarily see it as a fault in his game. If, by going backwards, he chooses the right pass and keeps the ball, im fine with that.

17 Mar 2026 14:57:11
I'd sell both Mac Allister & Jones. Madrid are interested in Mac so let's fleece them for as much as we can, and no Madrid sloppy seconds either just cold hard cash.

The rumours I've seen floating around are that Jones agent is apparently asking for £200k a week and a more prominent starting spot, that's a double no if that's true. He's not worth half that and he's not good enough to be a starter.

Mac's lack of pace & physicality is being found out far too regularly so it makes sense to part company.

Jones just doesn't have the brains, physicality or final ball to be an effective midfielder at a top club, when he makes a pass, too often it's the wrong one which lands a team mate in trouble as he's far too casual, he's weak in the tackle and his positional sense and sense of danger is non existent. I can't think of one thing he does well, he's like a taller Joe Allen.

17 Mar 2026 16:46:03
Have to say, I think Nyoni's done well in his recent little cameos. Maybe this will come into the thinking of who goes and who stays this summer.

17 Mar 2026 17:00:41
Viktor, Jones isn't asking for £200k p/w.

17 Mar 2026 17:30:23
The Fields, what is he asking for? Plus, there is no way he is on supposedly 15k a week, but if Grav can get a reported £280, then Jones should at least be doubling his wages.

17 Mar 2026 17:50:05
Got to agree with Viktor on this.

17 Mar 2026 19:04:38
Strom, I know he is one of the lowest paid established players at the club, and is looking to double that. So, in the region of £120-150k p/w.

17 Mar 2026 22:54:06
The Fields, that doesn't sound too bad compared to what others are getting. Not greedy, n he's a local lad. We need that in the squad.

17 Mar 2026 09:33:02
Question for Ed's and posters who follow the other European leagues.
Who would be the best option of the 3 CB's we are regularly linked with, Van de Ven, Bastoni and Schlotterbeck
Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - van de Ven is simply not good enough, injury prone and has a hideous attitude - avoid at all costs.
Bastoni is not keen to leave Italy and maybe lacks a bit of pace.
Schlotterbeck looks good on the ball but I am not convinced about his defending.

Not really sure about any of them to be honest. Bastoni did look much better, but he seems to be regressing.}

17 Mar 2026 10:14:42
Reckon we should be targeting a defender in the 26+ age bracket. We need to bring some experience into what is going to be a very inexperienced defense, especially as VVD edges closer to the end.

17 Mar 2026 10:41:47
Schlotterbeck is my pick of the three for his ball progression. But I do share concerns about his robustness for the Premier League.

17 Mar 2026 11:06:37
In this version of the PL where robust, athletic players are becoming the norm at CB, we need CBs with pace, physicality and athleticism to come in.

Being good on the ball, ball progression, etc.

Sure, none of those would be out of place; hence, it is all about what trade-offs you are willing to make in your scouting of the player(s). Same goes for midfielders we are trying to get, imo.

17 Mar 2026 11:57:09
Ed001 am with you on Schlotterbeck from what I've seen the few times I have seen him looks an awful defender.
He might be good on the ball but from the defensive side you might as well put a midfielder there if that's what's important ball playing.

Can we please have someone that can defend with some pace.
van de Ven Did not look to bad last season considering who he plays next too but this season he has been just has bad and his attitude has been nothing short of terrible.

{Ed001's Note - he was awful last season, he has been a dreadful defender every time I saw him play since he joined Spurs. He couldn't tackle a fish supper and can't control his pace, hard to forget the ludicrous times when he just flies completely past a forward who is stood still and misses the ball altogether. He is an embarrassingly poor player, in a time of generally crap defenders worldwide.}

17 Mar 2026 12:05:04
Schlotterbeck is the best of those in terms of ability on the ball and passing range, and is the closest thing that we can get to Virgil in terms of those respects in European football, I think. Defensively, he is a lot more like Konate, though; he loves to step up and engage players and has decent mobility to cover space, but sometimes he gets caught out. He has also played in a back three brilliantly in Freiburg and in a back four at Dortmund, so he is versatile in that way.



Bastoni has been found wanting at the highest level this year. Not sure he would be worth the money Inter would want right now. Van de Ven is just awful, with the worst attitude you could ask for. He's been playing like he just doesn't care if Spurs go down because he's sure he'll get a big move.

17 Mar 2026 12:33:35
I personally like Van Hecke at Brighton, Murillo at Forest, and Ballard at Sunderland. I think we're better looking at the EPL for CBs. There are too many variables for foreign league CBs, and those 3 are consistently good and obtainable.



We're not replacing what Virg has brought to the team over the years with a like-for-like player. So, I'd like a solid defender to eventually replace him rather than someone viewed as a playmaker defender.

17 Mar 2026 12:47:47
Think Van Hecke is into the last 12 months of his contract this summer too.

17 Mar 2026 12:59:18
While I love the way Van Hecke punches those passes into midfield and forward lines, he is too slow.

17 Mar 2026 14:13:24
I'd agree with FPF that Van Hecke is a bit too slow, but I wonder if, with only 1 year left on his contract, he could be a good option whilst Jacket and Leoni settle into the prem and recover from injuries?

However, my favourite would be Murillo, left-footed and a LCB; he would be my natural heir to Vvd, and having a season learning from him can only help.

17 Mar 2026 14:14:18
Murillo and Bastoni.

17 Mar 2026 15:46:07
Rugby Parker, them 3 you mentioned would be my pick. Every time I've seen Ballard, he has looked solid.

17 Mar 2026 08:40:00
Ed001, if we were to luckily lose Hughes and maybe Edwards.

Is there anyone you would be hoping for to come in their place? I guess its hard to see directors effectiveness if you're not involved in the process.

{Ed001's Note - off the top of my head I can't think of anyone, maybe look at who Chelsea were interested in and make sure to avoid them though!}

17 Mar 2026 09:31:35
Man, that sounds as hopeful as starting a war with Iran

17 Mar 2026 09:41:57
What happen to the guy at City Ed? The one who appoint Guardiola and the one who is at Barca before coming to City. Is he retiring? He would be good I would guess.

What about Ragnick? He seems to know his stuff and how he wants his team to play and the players needed for his system. Don't know much about others.

{Ed001's Note - I don't know why no one has already hired Begiristain, suggests he is not wanting a new role as I know he had a queue of clubs waiting to offer him roles when he left Citeh last year. That is why I didn't suggest him, he is probably unavailable.

I would agree about Rangnick, but he seems settled coaching his national team and I worry that his previous spell at Man Utd would count against him with us. If things weren't perfect, he would be an immediate scapegoat I think.}

17 Mar 2026 10:22:47
Begiristain would be ideal. He is Basque, as is Alonso; they were born about 15 miles apart.

17 Mar 2026 10:36:26
Paul Mitchell.

17 Mar 2026 11:01:20
The guy who got us Szobo.

17 Mar 2026 11:08:39
"Maybe look at who Chelsea were interested in and make sure to avoid them though!}"

Ed, that's some real nasty work right there, mate. Brilliant!

As for DOF's out there, Ocampos (I think he's the one at PSG) would be great but he is in a job, sadly.

17 Mar 2026 11:26:04
Jorg Schmadtke. I thought his signings were impressive for the money spent.

17 Mar 2026 12:10:53
I was thinking of Schmadtke, but all he mostly did was pay the release clause for players, so there was not much negotiation taking place.

He did get a good deal for both Endo and Grav, though, so there's that going for him. But Szob and Macca wanted to join us, and had relatively low release clauses that we just triggered to bring them over.

It was also hard to judge the outgoings that year, too, since the Saudis were going ham and overpaid for so many players, including Fabinho and Hendo. We got lucky with that, imo.

17 Mar 2026 12:57:29
I wouldn't rule out Julian Ward stepping in, to be honest. He's already very involved anyway. That gives Edwards and Spearman the continuity for now, as they will surely be doing a tonne of legwork right now to prepare for this summer's business.

17 Mar 2026 14:46:10
Anybody know much about Timmo Hardung at Frankfurt? He came second in a study behind Begiristain for SD's who added the greatest net value to the squad.

17 Mar 2026 17:04:04
I like the RBL SD, Sebastian Schuppan, I think.