Liverpool banter 5

09 Aug 2026 16:22:41
It's going to be a long season. At least Iraola is angry about the result unlike the Dutch fraud.

09 Aug 2026 17:28:19
It's like someone who's remarried still banging on about their ex.

09 Aug 2026 17:47:34
Maybe some people are a little upset with the way Slots left the team, fitness-wise, and with second-string players and younger players getting minimum minutes under Slot? I think people are allowed to be concerned as fans, or do we just wipe last season from our minds?

09 Aug 2026 19:26:11
Mcgov, people should stop banging on about Slot. He's gone. Whatever we do now has nowt to do with him.

09 Aug 2026 19:54:51
Well yeh. That's usually how a new season starting works. God knows people forgot quick enough last year that Arne had delivered the title the season before. Whatever happens this season, good or bad, is on Ireola.

09 Aug 2026 20:08:49
Playing style and performance is on Iraola, I agree, but squad depth and playing staff is nothing to do with him. He’s only in the door a few months, the club and the higher ups have a lot to answer for in regards to recruitment and squad building of late. God knows they were quick enough to take credit for things in the past. I’m not sure we can be fixed in 1 window, I think it may take until next summer to properly mould this team.

Iraola can only work with the players at his disposal and currently I’d say Liverpool aren’t 5/6 players short of a complete squad. That can’t be put on Iraola or Slot to be fair. But at least Iraola's football is easier to watch. I know the team faded, but it’s pre season, we aren’t at peak fitness and are still
missing players.

We will be sound.

09 Aug 2026 20:37:53
Dhfc, I'm looking forward to watching us under Iraola, the change had to be made. However, there were plenty of posters on here who were saying that last season's squad was good enough to walk the league. I consistently said that that wasn't the case.

Putting aside the fact that Salah and Robertson have gone, they were both passed their sell by date, it was clear that the team and squad were in need of a refresh.

I pray that I'm wrong, but there was no way that Iraola was ever going to come in and wave a wand, like a good many on here thought he would.

People may be tired of me saying it, but last season wasn't all down to Slot, as much as he had to go.

09 Aug 2026 16:22:39
Another case of a brilliant first half followed by an absolutely brutal second. At least Iraola's getting a very clear view of who his starting 11 will be.

09 Aug 2026 17:06:39
It's easy to see why we've pivoted the transfer policy to players like Araujo. The exits of Mo and Robbo have left us seriously short of leaders.

I'd thought Chiesa might find a fan in AI, but seemingly not. He and Harvey need to get some game time.

At this particular moment in time, it could be that Koumas has the nod over Fede, but that could still change. Nonetheless, I suspect a lot of late window exits as AI strives to get the balance of the squad right.

But we need leaders.

09 Aug 2026 17:22:01
Yeah, earlier in the window I was calling for us to bring in a couple of young diamonds in the rough due to the inflated market, but I think it's very apparent that what we really need at the moment is experience off the bench.

Tbh, Elliot doesn't do it for me. He never came across as the type of player who could become a starter for a club like Liverpool, nor does he have the ability to be an impact sub.

When it comes to Chiesa, sure, he puts the effort in, but he's just not the player he once was. He looks rusty every time he gets on the ball, in my opinion. If we look to build real depth, they will both be moved on by next summer.

09 Aug 2026 16:22:26
Don't think this is an overreaction and I understand we have some injuries but we need quality reinforcements badly.

09 Aug 2026 17:19:50
Weak and soft in midfield.

09 Aug 2026 17:37:40
I'll get my boots.

09 Aug 2026 16:22:21
And again, the players who played in the 2nd half are more than likely to not be starters, with the exception I think of Kerkez, although he didn't cover himself in glory today.

Been said this entire window... our squad depth is seriously lacking.

09 Aug 2026 16:20:43
Unbelievably poor 2nd half performance, really disappointing and quite frankly worrying.

09 Aug 2026 16:20:08
Leaking too many goals.

09 Aug 2026 15:34:04
Ed001 what's your thoughts on left back this season.
Kerkez new start for him and first choice and hopefully back to the form he was before last season under Slot.
Tsimikas For me Ed nothing against him he is not good enough and if we are having players of his level surely they should be from the academy.

{Ed001's Note - he is good enough.

09 Aug 2026 15:47:17
Endo needs to be shown the gate.

09 Aug 2026 16:53:10
I would have said the same thing for Marshmellow and Pingpong. At least Endo's gonna be rusty due to severe lack of playing time.

09 Aug 2026 15:22:18
Lewis Koumas is moving me, not gonna lie.

Was picked in the most senior side for this game, while Chiesa, etc, were on the bench. I can see him taking Chiesa's spot, and being a viable option. Full of running, got a decent cross on him, and quick too.

Been impressed, and so has Iraola by all accounts.

09 Aug 2026 15:44:42
If say a good bid came in for Ali, and as we know Mamardashvilli is not up to being the number one, who would you go for if available to take over the number one duties? To be fair, on e helluva hard act to follow.

09 Aug 2026 15:57:32
It would have to be a stupid bid for Ali because I can't think of many top keepers.

09 Aug 2026 16:03:47
God, we need some speed in this Liverpool squad. It's too slow for Iraola football.

09 Aug 2026 16:15:29
Agreed, LFC8. It's why Slot couldn't even attempt to play this way last season. You can see why he was annoyed Diaz was sold and not replaced.

09 Aug 2026 16:27:56
We were unlucky today. If Monaco don't score 3 goals, we win that.

{Ed025's Note - love it JK..

09 Aug 2026 16:28:45
The problem is the lack of fitness. We dominated most of the first half. We looked exciting, we played fast and we created chances. Then we walked around the pitch for the second half because last season's lack of fitness is not just gonna magically disappear.

I don't know if the subs had a hard workout before the match to make up for the smaller amount of minutes, but they looked shattered from the minute they came on and as a result could find a team mate or close down an opponent.

I can't remember Elliot completing a single pass, and Nyoni wasn't much better.

Munoz and Rio added a little bit of excitement, but by the time they came on, we were unable to get the ball forward.

09 Aug 2026 16:31:44
@funky, Slot could have had Usain Bolt playing for us and we'd still be slow. Past tense, thankfully.

09 Aug 2026 16:42:19
I wonder how long we will continue to blame Slot for our lack of fitness. It's like this government still blaming the Tories.

09 Aug 2026 16:43:49
It'll take at least 6 months for the manager to get this lot match fit, never mind fit enough to play his style of football.
What Slot did over the 2 years is criminal.

09 Aug 2026 16:44:11
Lewis Koumas played really well.
First half again we looked promising, but second half poor.
Rio is not a right winger.
Harvey Elliot came on to a great reception... but he looks the least fit of all the squad, I'm afraid.

He looks out of shape and sluggish.
Disappointing result in the end, but fitness levels will
surely improve before the Newcastle game.
And hopefully a few new signings too.

09 Aug 2026 17:04:58
Lord Nukem, when you say the 2 years, are you forgetting we won the PL? I could've sworn that we did.

09 Aug 2026 17:22:45
Elliott looks like a pub footballer. Unprofessional that. Midfield is painfully weak and soft, can't believe anyone still thinks we're good in the middle of the pitch as we are absolutely not.

09 Aug 2026 17:45:18
Blaming Slot for the players looking knackered from the minute they came on in the 2nd half, with only one pre season game left, and with a lot of the 11 having been back training weeks, is crazy. Munoz, in fairness, gets a pass, but imo it wasn't tiredness, it's just the level of the team as a whole just wasn't there in the 2nd half.