Liverpool banter 5

05 Nov 2026 22:11:29
Apologies if this has been a question before. but I am generally interested to know what do people think szobo's best position is? . I don't think it's in the 8 and it certainly isn't the 6, I'm not to sure about the 10 position so I reckon he should actually be our RB this isn't banter I'm being dead serious.

05 Nov 2026 22:18:06
He's regressed massively since the shrug. I'd say Sub at the minute.

05 Nov 2026 23:02:36
In a Klopp team he's perfect as the right sided midfielder. In an Iraola team, I agree, right back or on the bench.

05 Nov 2026 23:08:06
In this team, as a ten. He's better than Wirtz.
Wirtz is like a fifteen year old playing open age football in our team.

05 Nov 2026 23:31:57
This conversation is getting tiresome. His best position is 8 and it's undeniable, the stats show it too. He might not be the best defensively but going forward he does his best work when he's arriving, not leading. His goal contributions went up over 50% when he was moved from 10 to 8.

He's not a good RB he gets caught ball-watching just like Trent used to expect even more often, 2nd goal last night was entirely Doms fault, go watch it back, eyes on te ball, not his man. If Dom was to play RB we would leak goals down the right hand side.

06 Nov 2026 00:50:05
He did have an injury recently and is just coming back to starting games, I'll give him that (being generous).
The starting lineup against Fenerbahce on paper looked more than enough, I half expected another LASK away performance. At the same time though, Fenerbahce at home are where they get the best results and tend not to concede loads at home when you look at their results. Also, they needed to get a result. We didn't need it but should have been prepared for the best Fenerbahce, not expecting to just breeze past them and Barcola to get a hat trick. They are not LASK obviously. Plus we conceded 3 against LASK anyway, certainly not an ideal score line.

Sometimes the hand you've been dealt, you can't do much about just try and make the best possible use of the cards you have been dealt. That's LFC at the moment.
The players are obviously a bit lost, but the best thing as supporters we can do is just get behind them. Gakpo, Szoboszlai they all need our support.
Iraola has a challenge here, but it's an opportunity. To find a solution, even if it's a case of something like playing Isak as the only real forward, and finding room for a formation with Szoboszlai, Macca, Nyoni and possibly two others to just flood the midfield and still be able to score but most importantly get the win.
It's not like we have been scoring loads recently in the league, and that Arsenal game even with wirtz and barcola still couldn't score. So why not just find something that can grind out wins and stay solid, keep the ball and build confidence in the team.

06 Nov 2026 01:24:52
he can play as an 8 if he presses better in the midfield (i know he runs a lot but in the midfield it feels like he's just running straight to the ball carrier instead of covering lanes while going towards ball carrier, seems to get turned so easily a lot, which was fine when he was doing this as a 10), and stop occupying the space of a 10 too much and too early.

he works best arriving late but when playing with wirtz as a 10 it feels like he's also a 10 too often and we don't get the arriving late effect.

maybe i don't know what i'm talking about, i'm watching from my sofa.

06 Nov 2026 02:18:44
10 or 8

The main issue we have in midfield is the balance of strengths and skills.

06 Nov 2026 06:58:11
A large section of fanbase were crying out for him last year to make him the captain, Also won the player of the year award. Fast forward 3 months, half of the population doesn't know what kind of a player he is. its beynd hillarious.
I don't know what his true position is, But he has a terrific striking technique with the ball.

Best free taker at the club. he is the equvalent of all those average english midfilders who never make it at the top like James Ward Powrse.
This conversation wouldn't happen under Slot, because we would be abusing Slot for not knowing how to utilize his skillsets.

06 Nov 2026 07:00:38
I agree with Rigsby.

06 Nov 2026 07:09:41
I certainly wouldn't be playing him rb unless it against a weak team who we struggling to break down. I think we seen against fenerbahce playing full backs that not defensively good, szobo+ tsmi, that it costs u even against average opposition. Araujo + kerkez play that game we win imo, on the ball they not wonderful but they would've defended better and no doubt in my mind we would've won.


At present I'd play szobo in the 10 instead of wirtz, and macca+ nyoni behind. Going forward I think we will sell 2 out of grav, szobo and mac by the summer, midfield for what ai wants just isn't right balanced. There not enough defensive instinct in it. I'd guess mac, grav and wirtz go in the summer, move szobo to 10 and buy 2 x midfielders more suited.

06 Nov 2026 07:30:53
We played exactly like what most people wanted against Fenerbahce, which was Szobo at 10 with Nyoni and Macca behind him, and he did absolutely nothing; how can you be wholeheartedly convinced that Szobo should be the number 10 going forward after that match.

06 Nov 2026 07:53:12
Where did he play v Chelsea and Arsenal? that's his best position.

06 Nov 2026 10:15:25
I'm not sure long term mfahmee2 that szobo is right choice at 10 but I feel he would give u more at 10 than wirtz. We have quite a bit of work to do in midfield I feel.

06 Nov 2026 11:19:10
His best position current is RB or RW. He could also possibly do a job on the left wing. He's not a midfielder as he has no game intelligence and whilst he can run around a lot, he never wins a duel.

06 Nov 2026 12:58:09
Spot on, @Mfahamee. I don't know if Wirtz would have played better in the game but anyone who watched that game and still believes Szobo should be in the 10 as a creator (which is how we play, fact) will be waiting for a long time.

If creativity is what you want then, Szobo ain't it because he has no creative bone in his body so he can't see a key pass, lack vision and incisive passing ability in the final third to thread the needle. That's not a knock on him. He isn't a creative 10, simple as.

Szobo is a very good 8 in a 4-3-3 like Klopp had or in the system Slot created to win us the title. Why? He did a lot of running and covering for the forwards while taking up the CF position when Diaz, Jota or Darwin vacated the spot, scoring a few goals and assists. He was not the creative spark in the team.

That was Trent, Robbo, Macca and Salah. 3 of those guys ain't here anymore and Macca plays deeper now so no matter how you feel, Wirtz is your only creator in an Iraola system. It is what it is.

06 Nov 2026 13:36:24
I agree that Wirtz is more creative than Szobozslai but this season we have only scored eleven goals in the League. Wirtz has no goals and two assists.
So not only are we not scoring many goals but Wirtz has only asisted in two of them and he's the only creator in the team?
Maybe Szobozslai's pace, mobility and stamina could make up for him not having a creative bone in his body.

We know he can score a goal and score from distance but his superior athleticism could also help the team more defensively.
And despite playing deeper than Wirtz last season- albeit under a different head coach- Szobozslai got more goals and assists which is not bad for a player without a creative bone in his body.

06 Nov 2026 16:50:32
Rigsby, Szobo doesn't have a creative bone in his body because he lacks the qualities required to play that role. Sure, you can substitute his athleticism and all that but if you have the forwards we have that rely on passes being fed into them on time and in rhythm, that ain't going to work.

You cannot compensate creativity that relies on high football IQ, special awareness etc., with physical attributes at a flip of a switch. It is what it is.



Also, I can name several games where Wirtz was very good with MOTM awards (with goals and assists) to show but notice I'm not doing that because the same context that you brought up has to be considered.

The diff here is that other players like Macca, VVD, Gakpo (before his injury) and to some extent, have shown some improvement under this manager. Szobo sadly, has not.

Now to me, certain players have risen a lot higher than last season under Iraola BUT Szobo is still stuck on 3 feet. Why? He is getting heat for the things he was doing this season, which are the things his is still doing this season.

The reason it is so blatantly clear for some is because of Iraola who has unlocked Trey and improved Macca, which has given Wirtz the chance to actually play a lot better of late. Szobo is still Szobo from last season. Nothing has changed, imo.

At the end of the day, we have a player profile/system balance issue. Wirtz is a true creative no.10 while Szobo is a very good no.8 who flourishes in a Klopp system which does not require a creative 10 because the creativity came from the fullbacks and a creative no. 10 playing in the false 9.

Hence, You can't play Szobo as a creative 10 in the Iraola style. And you cannot play Wirtz in a Klopp system. Flip Szobo to a Klopp system and Flo to Iraola's system? Probably.

Sorry for the long essay.

{Ed025's Note - i would love to know when Wirtz was a creative No10 who is playing a lot better and getting MOTM awards Oli?, he has been a disappointment from day 1 imo mate, i get that you want to big up your players its natural, but sometimes you have to tell it like it really is my friend..

06 Nov 2026 17:37:56
Jesus I've read some tripe in my time but that takes the biscuit.

Some of the sentences don't even make sense.

Absolute Fugazi.

06 Nov 2026 17:50:02
Currently, RB for me and I agree he's not great there either. He's as bad as gravenbirch at 10 and vvd honestly offers more in that role (and for some reason has actually been playing there). As an 8, he just doesn't have the awareness or concentration to play there; he loses the ball and takes too long to pick a pass and too often plays a poor pass.

I agree at RB he's very similar to TAA; a defensive liability but it allows him to use his right foot, but he definitely doesn't have the vision of TAA.

Crazy how the players have inverted this year; he was our best player last year and Gakpo started as our best player this year. Who could have guessed?

06 Nov 2026 18:22:05
Right back in the changing rooms is his best position. As Neil
From
TAW says - if Dom
Is your best
Player you know you've got a problem. He is good at set pieces and has an engine on him, but what else? He's a fancy Dan, Hollywood player.

{Ed025's Note - im with you SD..

06 Nov 2026 22:10:10
OliRed, can you name the serveral MotM awards (with goals & assists) that Wirtz received, please? I still remember you repeatedly telling me that Konate was MotM in a CL final, mind. That never happened.

Yes, Szobozslai has been rubbish this season but he's still scored more goals than Wirtz.
I have said that Wirtz is more creative but he isn't creating enough. We've scored eleven goals in the PL this season.
Szob is more of a runner that can strike a ball. In the time they've both been at Liverpool, Szob has scored more and assisted more goals than Wirtz. He might not have done it creatively but goals are what count, ultimately.
How do you define 'creative' in a football sense, OliRed? And how do you measure it? Is it by bones?
I can give you facts and figures about goals. Can you do the same with creativity?

07 Nov 2026 10:20:58
I love it when Oli suffixes a sentence with "fact". Generally when he does he's spouted utter tosh.

It's my opinion (not a fact) that we should never have bought Wirtz and come the end of the season I reckon he'll be gone. I don't give a fugazi what Oli thinks of this, and that is a fact.

05 Nov 2026 20:48:03
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool v Arsenal - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

05 Nov 2026 21:37:35
Thanks Ed great read, it is a shame that a good game becomes overshadowed by the chat about such a clear referee error. I am still enjoying the way we are playing though and although there will be ups and downs it's nice to see a more front footed approach to the team.

{Ed001's Note - yeah, I am enjoying watching this team develop too. Hopefully that will be what we get to talk about all the time from now on.}

05 Nov 2026 23:28:41
Did you watch the last game against Fenerbahce, Ed? Many have been wanting Szobo to play as a 10 to replace Wirtz because he is supposedly better there than Wirtz. What do you make of him playing there?

{Ed001's Note - yes, I did, we were dreadful to a man. Wirtz is much better in that role. Szobo is ideal to play a deeper role if he can be more disciplined, that is on him to learn it.}

06 Nov 2026 04:31:10
Cheers Ed thanks for the review :)

{Ed001's Note - very welcome.}

06 Nov 2026 07:35:19
Excellent review Ed. To pick up on Szobo - positionally he seems to be all over the place at the minute and gets caught out, but my biggest concern is that he goes out of his way to jump out of any form of tackle. The amount of times I see him lose out on 50/50's because he won't put his foot through the ball is a worry.

He's a big lad so should never be beaten so easily in a tackle. We badly need a couple of midfielders who have bite and will get stuck in (alongside the obvious quality that's needed)

{Ed001's Note - he is a bit of a pussy it must be said. Far too soft for such a big lad and needs to toughen up a bit if he wants to hold down a place.}

06 Nov 2026 07:45:57
Ed, have you had a chance to watch the teenage GK that we signed last summer, or has anyone from your circle watched him play? Also, don't goalkeepers usually peak at 26 or 27 years old?

I am curious about the thinking behind spending a lot of money on an 18-year-old goalkeeper when we need to address other positions and he is far from his peak age.

{Ed001's Note - I haven't seen him yet, sorry. I haven't asked if anyone is keeping tabs on him. I will see if I can find out if anyone has seen him play. I know someone who probably will as they own an agency, as well as a couple of football teams. But it depends on if I can catch them when they have a moment to spare or not!}

06 Nov 2026 13:02:08
Yeah, Ed. The Ferne game was a train wreck of a performance collectively. Like you, I still look forward to watching us play because I know we will try to give it a go.

We just have to keep improving and progressing. We won 5 on a row coming into the Arsenal game and for me, the two losses are just setbacks in our most recent upward progression. We dust ourselves off and keep it moving.

07 Nov 2026 08:16:39
Who's Ferne?

05 Nov 2026 19:42:15
Ed033 a poll please.

If Iraola was in charge would he have wanted Isak, Wirtz and Barcola

Yes

No

Thanks Ed 😊.

{Ed033's Note -


Iraola poll

05 Nov 2026 20:19:48
Not in a million years.

05 Nov 2026 21:01:51
like all 3?
I think he would take Wirtz and barcola.

05 Nov 2026 21:13:59
Keep in mind that whilst being asked about transfers at Bournemouth Iraola said, ".they know the market much better than me. They know the players much better than me. But I don't think managers should be the ones signing the players.".

05 Nov 2026 21:29:34
Araujo and Munoz were Andoni's choices. Edwards lost the power struggle, and the signings pivoted almost immediately, with the exception of Barcola, whom Edwards had convinced the others would be a world-beater.

The reason Edwards was trusted regarding Isak and Barcola was that he'd identified both players before their moves to Newcastle and PSG, where they went on to succeed.

What was overlooked was how Isak would fit into a team that wasn't built around him, one accustomed to hard-working forwards who press, move constantly and contribute to the collective effort. Equally, there was the question of how Barcola would adapt to a league that offers so little time and space on the ball and where missed chances soon become a ball and chain.

05 Nov 2026 22:10:50
We bought Barcola quite sometime after Andoni arrived. Whilst clearly he's not his player surely he could have said not for me thanks, as given his profile he would have known quite a lot about him.

That said Munoz seems more of an Iraola type buy, in the Bournemouth profile though so at least if he doesn't slot in straight away it hasn't cost us £100m plus.

05 Nov 2026 23:10:07
It's interesting people criticizing Barcola for his performance against Fenerbahce when he's not a striker and we had 3 on the bench. Arne Slot would have got slaughtered for such a decision.


Barcola got a hat trick against LASK playing left wing and has played there twice in five games since. How is he supposed to find any rhythm and form when he is constantly being switched position?

05 Nov 2026 23:13:49
He was head coach when Barcola was signed.
I'm sure he knew what he was signing up for when he signed his contract. If he doesn't want to coach Liverpool players then he should leave.

06 Nov 2026 00:00:18
Good point 5th element.

06 Nov 2026 01:25:10
Why would he turn town the chance of managing Liverpool and getting paid 4 times whatever he was paid at Bournemouth. He's set for life, it's his career. Moving to a new company and earning a much higher salary that's all it is basically.

Directors of football and all that, transfer committees etc. Easy to use them and managers as a scapegoat to take heat off the ownership who can really pull the strings.

06 Nov 2026 01:26:23
he would have likely only turned down isak out of the three tbh.

06 Nov 2026 07:01:27
If you really think Coaches have a say in transfers then you are beyind delude, Both Slot and Irola arrived to improve the players and work with what is being served to them. Slot won the league and then faded away.

06 Nov 2026 10:01:47
Next time any poster speaks to Iraola to get his thoughts can they please ask him if he has any tickets going spare.

06 Nov 2026 13:04:08
Spot on, Fifth. But you know context vanishes if the focus is on just roasting players for the fun of it.

{Ed025's Note - what exactly do you want supporters to say Oli if the team play like they did against Fenerbache?...nice try lads?...fine effort boys?, fans will call it as they see im afraid and well they should, if you play well then im all for giving them the plaudits they deserve, but it works the other way as well mate, if they are slack and lazy then i believe the paying public have the right to dress them down and not blow smoke up their arses..its called honesty..

06 Nov 2026 13:16:40
Barry loves a survey!

{Ed666's Note - I love Bazzas survey suggestions…keep em coming Bazza!

05 Nov 2026 15:43:02
It's all abit ott on the page atm.
I don't remember *mighty*Arsenal doing much damage against us days ago. They scored via ourselves shooting ourselves in the foot. We were the better team with essentially a two man midfield. No legs macca and a 19 year old.
The game in Turkey was lapses in concentration which is still unforgivable but Forget about it. I'm sure andoni will treating it as the same.


I've seen improvement all round from last season. Yes, there's still question marks over a few players but there's been improvement all round. Still away to go regarding getting to the level required.
What andoni can't instil is leaders we desperately need in that squad though. Maybe the transfer market may help with that.
You need players that lead by example on the pitch.

05 Nov 2026 16:26:46
Ron you thinking Liverpool were the better team against Arsenal is very much your right in your opinion mate.

But it doesn't mean that it's true.

05 Nov 2026 16:36:52
But they did do damage Ron - they came away with 3 points and for all our huff & puff they managed the game pretty well.

As much as I hate to admit they're a bloody good well oiled machine managed by a hard nosed manager without any sentimentality in him whatsoever and he gets players to perform at maximum physical effort or they're out the door. Lessons we'd do well to take notice of! He's no care of players he feels don't contribute, Aubameyang, Ozil, Xhaka all dispensed with and when he didn't fancy Ramsdale he was gone as well & replaced by a world class keeper.

They're the dominant force now and it's something we've been on the cusp of 3 or 4 times in the not to distant past but we've blown it through shocking management from above.

What concerns most on here and was shown again last night is a side packed with ability but as weak as p**s mentallyb and that's been a trait in the squad for 18 months! It's going to take Iraola time to get this sorted. Probably a good 2/3 windows at a least?

Our mentality monsters from a few seasons ago are a thing of the past.

05 Nov 2026 16:57:50
They scored via our own doing. Now rice still puts a quailty ball in but we put ourselves in that position.
We were the better side and should have at least got a draw.

05 Nov 2026 17:00:52
Danny Murphy reveals Mac Allister has had a new LFC contract snub. The problems are mounting for Andoni, it never rains, it always pours, that's Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister all going AWOL, a sole 19 year old now the only midfielder who wants to have a go, and he's making a great fist of it, but even he needs the cavalry.

This seems like a conflict now in the club, between the managers and the players in one corner, and YKW in the other corner. Let's have the truth LFC?

05 Nov 2026 17:26:05
Macca is looking his wages doubled. He's not thinking about staying here for 6 years. He wants his pay doubled and it should be a resounding no. Ryan shouldn't be on what he's on.

{Ed666's Note - That midfield is weaker than one of Freddie Mercurys erections.

05 Nov 2026 17:31:59
It's a work in progress

Let's give the manager time. There clearly holes all over this squad, it barely fits a 4/3/3 as it is.

I think on a side note we miss Ekitike massively, he's got that stardust that this club is lacking now Mo Salah has gone.

Crawl to January and hopefully the squad starts to plug the gaps that Hughes ignored.

{Ed666's Note - Preach Buddy preach. I love me a bit of common sense but the problem is January is a million years away and how much despair can we take?

05 Nov 2026 18:32:41
Fenerbahce hadn't won a Champions League game since 2008 until Dr. Liverpool came to town, Aston Villa beat them 6-0 three weeks ago. I'm afraid 'we were the better team' doesn't really cut it.

05 Nov 2026 18:32:41
Although you're well qualified to throw that OTT label around, I think the reaction's been quite mellow considering we lost to a team that hasn't won a match in the Champions League since 2008. Jjust for comparisons sake, if this happened under Slot there would be uproar.

007, with all due respect, what are you on about? Not in a smart arse way, I don't understand what you mean by MacAllisters gone awol. Nobody accepts the initial proposal of contract terms, it means nothing, I would expect negotiations to continue well into the new year considering how late they started.

LFC8, very much so, I've always said I'd be more interested in how we perform towards the tail end of the season. Ekitike is sorely missed, he gives the fans that same spark Araujo does but in a different way.

05 Nov 2026 19:02:32
We're too weak and soft in midfield and it can be easily exploited.

05 Nov 2026 20:35:35
I was quite disappointed with Alison for not coming to punch those two crosses that ended up as goals until, I heard AI talking about how loud the crowd were, and maybe he couldn't communicate?

05 Nov 2026 20:17:45
Spot on, Chewy. I agree with all you have said.

Btw, is that stat you mentioned about Fernebahce in the CL real?

05 Nov 2026 21:02:56
It's only really been one game where we've played poorly (Fenerbahçe). We were the better team against Arsenal for most of the game and we certainly didn't play poorly.

05 Nov 2026 21:15:28
Unfortunately it is OliRed, commentary stated it during the match and Kuyt also mentioned it in his post-match interview.

05 Nov 2026 21:19:08
langland, it's not the crowd, they play those whistles over the speaker system, they'vebeen exposed multiple times before, videos of the stadium 1/4 full but the whistles and boos are just as deafening, I've no idea why UEFA does nothing about it.

05 Nov 2026 23:23:20
How many CL games have they played since 2008?

06 Nov 2026 00:06:17
Never thought of that Rigsby, only 14 actual CL games, 24 qualifiers. This is actually the first year they've qualified since 2008, that actually makes it so much worse from our point of view.

05 Nov 2026 11:06:37
I watch loads of old clips of Liverpool matches on social media. A lot of it from the mid 80s to 1990 period. There are loads of notable things that are recurring themes but a few points that always stand out.

Steve McMahon: In my opinion one of the most under-rated players ever. In almost any highlights package from that period, he is at the heart of everything. I'm not necessarily putting him in the Souness and Gerrard bracket but he was the heart-beat of the midfield throughout a period that a lot of people say was one of our best ever. For all the brilliance we remember of Barnes, Beardsley, Rush, Aldridge and Hansen, McMahon was the engine room and could do it all - crunching tackles, endless box to box running, long range goals, brilliant through balls and perfectly timed runs to break from midfield beyond the opposition defence. Brilliant player who often seems forgotten.

Bruce Grobbelaar: Capable of brilliance though he was, he made a lot of howlers. I'm surprised that a team with a keeper that erratic was able to be as successful and dominant. Hate to say it, but sometimes it looks like he was trying to appear to be attempting to make a save but not actually wanting to make the save.

What might have been if Souness had not dismantled that team so thoroughly and quickly. McMahon, Houghton, Beardsley, Staunton, Gillespie - all sold. Apart from Staunton who was young, the others were all around late 20s/ 30 years old. Maybe a transition plan was needed but they all had loads left to give still. Beardsley, Houghton and Staunton in particular all went on for years at the top. Meanwhile the likes of Julian Dicks, Paul Stewart, Dean Saunders, Mark Walters and Nigel Clough came to Liverpool at great expense and 30 years passed without another league title.

05 Nov 2026 11:28:07
McMahon was my favourite player at that time. He's exactly what we need now. Souness was before my time and won European cups but that team of the mid/late 80's would have had a couple and McMahon would be seen more as a legend. Souness let him go way too quickly like the rest of them he got rid of.

They were all man of match / best players for the teams they went to. Souness single handedly dessimated us and took until Klopp to fully recover and get 11 players worthy of the 80's shirt.

05 Nov 2026 12:52:19
He is exactly the type of character we need. Always remember the goal the Aldridge scored Vs Arsenal at Anfield (think it was 88) when McMahon ran after and kept the ball in when many would have let it go out for a throw, skipped past the Arsenal player and drove into the box. Quality player.

05 Nov 2026 14:09:39
To be fair RR I really don't think that Steve McMahon is underrated. Ok he's not spoken about much but anyone who remembers him for Liverpool 100% appreciates him. Yes he most definitely is the sort of player we need in midfield. Hopefully we'll get one sorted in the very near future 🙏

P. S. Thanks for bringing up the Souness era 😔.

05 Nov 2026 14:17:07
McMahon was great! I'll always remember that 'one minute' hand gesture v Arsenal at Anfield just before Michael Thomas scored that bloody goal! Great times!

05 Nov 2026 14:31:00
Absolutely fantastic player and as others have said, is exactly what this team needs.
Led by example and all round midfielder who could do it all.

05 Nov 2026 14:36:43
War Machine, I think we may be a similar age as my 'first' Liverpool midfield was McMahon and Molby. McMahon was one of my favourite players, he had that niggle and bite (albeit a bit more refined than what I have seen with Souness on highlight reels, a changing of the times I guess) which we are currently lauding Araujo for and have in the past enjoyed through Suarez and Mascherano (as well as Stevie of course).

With hindsight, what Souness did was criminal in the early 90s, Roy almost got it back but for a couple of CBs, and then we have a few near misses before Klopp.

Hope it's not another 30 years or I may be dead!

05 Nov 2026 15:19:18
The Great Dane himself was my favourite player 👌.

05 Nov 2026 15:29:35
I reckon most people replying on this are of a similar age/ generation and all remember McMahon well. Outside of that though, I don't think he gets recognition.

And only 17 England caps - inexplicable for a player who was a key man in the best team in the country at a time when the likes of Steve Hodge, Peter Reid and Neil Webb were playing for England. McMahon didn't even go to the 1986 World Cup despite having just been instrumental in Liverpool winning the double (may have been injured towards the end of the season but was back (on the bench) for the FA Cup Final). Imagine if McMahon had been on the pitch in the quarter final against Argentina. If he'd been there instead of Reid, then Maradona might not have even got out of the centre circle to score that all time great goal.

05 Nov 2026 15:40:53
Is right I remember him not having many caps but I never knew the exact number. It's definitely a generational thing remembering or not remembering Steve McMahon.

05 Nov 2026 09:34:36
Is Barcola's blistering pace a myth?
Because it's not been on display at all this season.

05 Nov 2026 09:37:47
Incase you missed it he set the then record for this season in the 30 minute cameo he played on his debut. Hope this helps.

05 Nov 2026 09:41:14
Drifts out the game to much for me at the moment. Could be tactics not suitable for him or getting used to different surroundings etc but out of all our signings he personally worries me the most. Hoping he comes good.

05 Nov 2026 10:12:58
He isn't a center forward and shouldn't be playing as one, particularly so early in his Liverpool career. Try it against lower league opposition, not in the Champions League in an incredibly hostile atmosphere. I'm not that worried about him, when he adjusts to the physicality of the need and what we need from him in the role I really believe that he will flourish.

{Ed025's Note - hmmmm..

05 Nov 2026 10:33:45
His biggest asset is Pace and he needs space to run. most wingers are nullified if you don't have space unless you are someone who can beat a man.

{Ed025's Note - for £125m you would expect him to be able to beat a man Sonic..

05 Nov 2026 10:56:14
Think he's played upfront a few times in his career PB. And let's face it the opposition were bloody woeful lastnight. He needs to be showing a lot lot more. He's not alone in that in fairness.

05 Nov 2026 10:59:34
How many wingers out there can consistently beat defenders one on one? It's not an easy skill, and is in fact a pretty rare asset, which is why a player like Rio is so valuable. I also said before he signed that Barcola is not a dribbly isolation specialist, dribbling to create against a set block he is maybe slightly above average at best.

When it comes to kicking and running though he is devastating with space to run into, similar to Munoz. I think he has also shown more technical ability in and around the box than I expected since joining us.

{Ed025's Note - he is certainly devastating PB, all the reds i ask say that they are devastated you bought him in the first place mate..

05 Nov 2026 11:02:07
We gifted them those goals, Florian, no excuses for that, it was one sustained brain fart of a game.

05 Nov 2026 10:55:52
Ed025, it would have made more sense for us to try our luck with Ndiaye than sign Barcola. I think we could have actually got him given the owners don't give af about Everton.

We actually played a front 3 of left wingers last night..

{Ed025's Note - it seems very unbalanced to me Taurus, i know these players are apparently top tier but they seem to be individuals rather than players who fit into a team system mate..

05 Nov 2026 11:12:00
We're not playing a style that ives him the opportunity to use it, we need to play rapid counter-attacking football, he will storm past defenders then.

05 Nov 2026 11:25:56
So what are we going to be, counter attacking or a pressing machine that dominates the ball? Are we to give up possession every week like the Brighton game? Hes not going to get space in this league. Hes going to face really well organised low blocks most weeks.

if that kills his game then bench him and play Rio. And look to get rid as soon as because the instances where you see on his YouTube videos where's he has 30 or 40 yards of space to run into is not going to happen in England.

05 Nov 2026 11:32:30
"if that kills his game then bench him and play Rio"
So that's £125 mill on the bench on the top of Szoboszlai and £116 mill Wirtz who should also be on the bench then.
You are however right about the style. you cannot play counter attacking if the opposition parks a double deceker.

05 Nov 2026 11:27:11
I agree Ed025, But then I look at Wirtz :)

{Ed025's Note - dont even get me started on him Sonic.. :)

05 Nov 2026 12:30:18
It is unbalanced Ed025. That's Hughes and Edwards for you. Too interested in hollywood galatico signings for their own CV rather than getting what the club needs. Does not take a genius to realise we should not be breaking the british transfer record on a left winger when you have 3 already and no right wingers.

But onwards and upwards, can't change the past or the fee so let's just hope it gets better and support the players.

Despite my little sulk here, things are better than last season.

{Ed025's Note - its finding a system that fits the players you have Taurus, may i suggest coning off the right side of the pitch.. :)

05 Nov 2026 13:24:20
I don't care how much moneys-worth is on the bench Sonic. If Rio is performing better than him bench him. On Dom and Wirtz for me it's up to the two of them to fight it out to see who plays in the 10.Its this whole thinking of the more expensive the better that has us where we are now. Carrying passengers every week.

05 Nov 2026 13:47:49
Dom should not be playing as a number 10. Though to be fair the way he is playing I'm not sure where he should be playing, because he hasn't shown that he can do what Iraola wants in his double pivot, either.

05 Nov 2026 13:57:36
Exactly PB. At least he can actually play the 10, not saying he's brilliant there but for me with our squad he either plays there or RB.

05 Nov 2026 14:06:21
Dom was part of the midfield that won the league too btw.

05 Nov 2026 14:08:02
Oli is right. Of course Oli and my self wants us to win every game, but most of all we want a manager who can build a team for the long haul. He has to try different things this season, one of them Barcola up front and Gomes at right back. That did not go right, but he will have learnt a lot.
And this is exactly like Kloop in the start, I remember a ceartain Bournemouth game we let them twice to, ended up losing 4-3. Meta Can was tried out in defence and mid and all over the place, in the end we decided he wasn't good enough.
The same goes for Iraola, he is trying different things and not all will work out. Yes Jaquet looked like Konate yesterday, I think he is clever enough to learn from that game. Rio dribbled way too much, he will learn when to release the ball when to dribble. Nyoni is the bright point, but he is there cause Iraola took a gamble with him and right now it pays off.

Mac Allister has been a clear improvement this season but I don't think Iraola can learn him to stop play acting all the time.
I'm more worried about Szobo, Ali and VVD. Szobo seems a bit lost this season, he has a big problem with releasing the ball at the right time and positioning himself in midfield. I think he has had the most difficulty playing in Iraolas system. Ali seems to have decided to make all the errors he avoided the last 8 years, that is a worry, cause he'll not improve more, maybe because of the injuries.
VVD is just coming to and end of a great career at Liverpool, we owe him thanks, but I think this is his last season at Liverpool. Slots slow Italian wide system might suit him better.

05 Nov 2026 14:30:47
Anyone comparing this squad to Klopps first squad must have awful memories.

05 Nov 2026 14:47:11
Agreed again! Absolutely chalk and cheese JK.

05 Nov 2026 19:10:36
Selling Gakpo for 90m would help justify the money spent on Barcola, although I'm not convinced that Barcola will ever reach as many goal involvements as Gakpo has.

05 Nov 2026 19:31:39
There's many ways to skin a cat Florian, and we know for sure now that passing the ball sideways and backwards isn't one of them. As a fanbase, we have to drop the idea that the high press is the holy grail of football. It worked great under Klopp, with his system and his players, but that's all gone, and its time we accepted we need to adapt to what we've got currently and play to our strengths.

We don't have to adopt just 1 style of play, solid gameplans employ tactical flexibiility, tailored strategy for each phase relative to what the opposition is doing. We're not yet capable of a highly effective press for 90 minutes, we're improving, but we're miles off anything that resembled the Klopp era, we can sustain it for periods, but the more we do it the more fatigue we will suffer come the tail end of the season. Don't forget just how unfit this team was under Slot and the fact that it was a world cup year, Iraola has not had time to up he fitness levels and we can tell from how he spoken of the need to rotate and keep players fresh that he is also very concerned about this.

You say Barcola won't get space, which is true if we play like we did last night, but space can be created, and it happens every single week, the thing is you won't do it by dominating possession with slow build-up play that allows the opposition to get every man behind the ball, we know that for a fact, it was done to death last year and that's exactly why Slots out of a job.

What we need is tactical flexibility, we need to be able to press when we feel we can dominate opposition but also recognise when its not working. At times we have to adapt that press for the likes of Isak and Ekitike so that they're tactically closing down space and cutting passing lanes without overexerting themselves, knowing they likely won't turnover the ball but will at least pressure their man into making a decision. We need to give up a little possession sometimes for the sake of solidifying the defence and rely on the pace of a quick counter when we feel we can be overrun by fitter or more physical opposition. We have to figure out a way to get Isak more involved, create space for Barcola and inject a little creativity into this side because we are majorly lacking in that spark right now. We're getting away with it at the moment because Isak is pretty clinical in around that 6 yard line and Gakpo had a good start to the season but that's not enough to be competing for titles.

You speak about giving up possession to Brighton as if it was a bad thing, remind me, what was the result of that match?

05 Nov 2026 19:41:13
Szob is a big time Charlie chan, proven even more with his shrug to the fans. I'd let him go, give trey most of his game time. We still have grav too until he's sold. Them two and isak sold find a striker a cm and a LB.

05 Nov 2026 21:21:57
I know the result Chew. A result you would have to admit we were very lucky to get. And I don't think the Anfield crowd would be welcoming of too many games like that.3 points are 3 points but as we heard on here last year the fans want to be entertained.

05 Nov 2026 21:24:10
Scouse John we have F all players with any end product. Dom is one of them who has.

08 Nov 2026 03:07:04
Are you suggesting that the more points we win, the less tickets we might sell? If we're not playing a particular style? Personally, I think the fans crys for the 'gegenpress' will fall quickly to the wayside when 3 points are regularly secured. Liverpool came long before Jurgen, and will continue long after.

05 Nov 2026 08:24:52
Last night was the worst we have played for a while, shows maybe that we are still miles off transitioning into a new system. We still looking slow and ponderous in position and vulnerable in defence. I think Nyoni is brilliant but I think he replaces the 8 and we still desperately need a six and an upgrade at full backs.

Loads of mistakes last night but the one I can't get is the Gakpo header, what is he intending to do with that, it looks like he genuinely aims it there, surely he wasn't trying to get enough on it to get that out for a corner.

05 Nov 2026 08:59:43
You're being hard on Gakpo, I thought it was a good assist 😅

Yesterday was bad, Nyoni was the shining light. The fact remains we have an unbalanced squad, we need a new keeper (I think Ali will leave and injuries are catching up) a fb, ideally two midfielders, and another 2 attacking options.

We need some bigger personalities in the dressing room, people who aren't afraid to get stuck in and roll their sleeves up, bar Araujo we have nobody who does this.

I really think we need a pressing forward too.

Still, it is a work in progress. I hope we can get top 4 and a league cup win 😬.

05 Nov 2026 09:14:35
"Last night was the worst we have played for a while, shows maybe that we are still miles off transitioning into a new system".

Alex, Yes and no. Yes, that was the worst we have played under Iraola. A true collective trainwreck with individual mistakes, lack of communication, slack defending, poor decision-making in both phases, I can keep going.

No, I don't believe we are "miles off" anything. We are exactly where we are supposed to be in terms of what the manager and the players are trying to accomplish in their development. These types of games happen and I think the loss to Arsenal (esp. with the way it happened) may have hit the players a bit harder than expected.

This season reminds me of when Klopp had his first full season in 16/17 trying to fully implement his ideas. There were games like the 5 straight wins we had pre Arsenal and then, there were setbacks like this and the Arsenal game. It is what it is and is part of the trajectory.

Sure, the team played badly and some players need to be questioned hard but overall, I just see it as part of of the development process.

05 Nov 2026 09:43:15
You'd make a good spin doctor, Oli. "We are exactly where we are supposed to be"? Really!? I don't think even Iraola would come out with tosh like that. Regards to comparison with Klopp's 16/17 season, he didn't have half a billion pounds worth of players to work with.

05 Nov 2026 09:50:27
Gakpo was excellent for the goal but then he was shocking after that. Shortly after his assist he was played through behind the defence but when Edison came out to meet him he just poked it out for a goal kick. Then for their second goal it looked like Ali shouted for him to leave it and he got caught in 2 minds. Rather than clearing it or leaving it he then flicked it on to the opposition player at the back post (who Szobo had chosen to leave free).

It was a very bad team performance where lots of the bad habits from last season seemed to resurface (which I felt started to happen in the second half against Arsenal). Ali had a shocker - his kicking was worse than Mama's and his decision making was also poor. Without Araujo in there marshalling the defence we looked lazy and sloppy (I thought that Konate had snook back in place of Jacquet at times) and conceded 3 really poor goals from set pieces. Nyoni aside (who I thought had another good game) the midfield was really poor again and although Rio and Munoz started quite brightly, the lack of control in midfield meant that the forwards got no service at all. As a result Barcola was a bystander.

I'm hopeful it was just a blip as like Oli says I have definitely seen a marked improvement as the players are getting used to the new setup. There is definitely a mental thing that kicks in during games though. When we score we seem to stop playing, take our foot off the gas and encourage the opposition back into the game rather than going on and killing the game off.

Its not a huge problem as we will still comfortably qualify for the knockouts and the main thing is that the team respond at the weekend and ensure that they put in a proper performance.

05 Nov 2026 09:55:58
Aye, OliRed, last night was a collective train wreck and we are exactly where we are supposed to be in terms of what the manager and the players are trying to accomplish in their development?
How does that work?

05 Nov 2026 10:22:33
How does anyone know exactly where we are supposed to be?

For me- and I posted it yesterday- I would expect us to be further ahead in our development to a new way of playing than what I'm seeing now.

05 Nov 2026 10:58:28
How does one go about finding out exactly what the manager and the players are trying to accomplish in their development to know they are exactly where they should be.

05 Nov 2026 11:27:09
If you like the manager we are where we should be but when you don't.

05 Nov 2026 11:29:09
"We are exactly where we are supposed to be"
Is this after or before "We walk the league if it wasn't for Slot".

05 Nov 2026 11:34:36
It's up to the manager to balance the squad he has, his gamble to play this team backfired big time. They should have easily beat a team of old men who Villa trounced, no shots on target against Arsenal, the signs are he is not up to the job, this is not a knee jerk reaction I said he wasn't the right man for the job.

If you can't beat a mickey mouse Turkish team with the players we have there's something wrong with you.

05 Nov 2026 12:18:10
Good summary Shipley. For me we're quite far behind where we should be. Our results at home particularly against very poor sides like Forest are no where near good enough, I don't care what part of the season they fell in that's just excusing mediocrity.

It feels like we've again bought players who don't suit our style or system, and we're experimenting in matches which isn't what this club is about. Ok if they're very dead rubbers or pre season, but if not you should be looking for wins and going out with a killer mentality each week and putting players in their best positions.

As for tactics whether we're counter attacking or not, or counter pressing, well clearly we should have a preferred style and flex it if we feel that's the only way to get a result because of the oppositions quality. But also put simply we're not a counter attacking club, that should be the exception.

I thought the Rafa interview recently was interesting. When asked about Andoni he was reserved in his response. He basically said he knows what he needs to do, and will need time, but he wasn't any more complimentary than that. Typical Rafa in some ways but it felt a bit like damning with faint praise.

05 Nov 2026 12:50:04
The money is irrelevant here because regardless of what you spend, football is a team game and the manager still has to get them to play together and get the best out of them. That is the reality and money spent will not change that. Neither will people's whining fix anything any quicker. This ain't microwave football where you put the team in there and in three minutes, it is good to go.

The Galacticos cost a bomb and a half back then yet regardless of who coached them, they were a bunch of stars playing in their individual gardens on the pitch. The project failed miserably btw.

So if you are hung up on what players cost, that is solely your own problem. Also, anyone still thinking that because we spent loads a year ago will suddenly make us great under a new manager and a new setup then, that is also your problem.

The new manager still has to coach them up to play as a team and keep improving game by game. That is his reality and that is where I am. The rest is just immature crash-out, as if the players chose their own transfer fees.

05 Nov 2026 13:31:57
OliRed, but last season you said it was all on Slot. All, you said. Slot has gone but we still produced a 'train wreck' performance.
Who is that all down to? Oh, it's part of the development process and part of the trajectory, is it?
And you talk about whining and immaturity when you regularly whine and refer to people doing a job as 'clowns', 'bozos' and 'frauds'.


Miss me out with all that, my guy.

05 Nov 2026 13:35:39
Is what you've described there much different to this time last year though Oli? Our net spend this summer was just about as much as last year. Twice as many players joined last summer yet their seems to be a lot more patience about results and performances this season. There isn't a huge upturn in performances or results.

05 Nov 2026 13:49:54
Jimthered, very disrespectful calling them a mickey mouse team, Iraola didn't show them enough respect with the team selection and had no clue that the atmosphere would be like that, even though we all know what fans are like in Istanbul, it's an absolute cauldron.

Villa beat them at home, away I'm pretty sure that would not have been 6-0. We also got beat away twice at Galatasaray and then trounced them at home, sound familiar?

05 Nov 2026 18:03:45
We were very poor yesterday, but there is a lot of knee-jerk reactions and false equivalences on here.

First, although yesterday was bad, I think we are playing better overall and that's down to Andoni. The problem as I see it is two fold: 1) recruitment hasn't been great so we don't exactly have the right players: wirtz I like but he and Isak, who is so immobile, just don't make sense in this team. 2) Iraola is rotating because we have games fast and thick, and it's clear that is hurting our performances because not everyone is on the same page.

Second, the resurgence of "I thought anyone but slot could walk the league" crowd that has emerged has conveniently forgotten that slot had a very different team last year that was mostly fit (barring Isak who wasn't a huge loss with how poor he was all year). That team was more fit and much closer to a functioning unit than this team is which has a lot of new players in. I think this is especially true of the attack which is why we're struggling to make chances. They just not quite connecting yet.

05 Nov 2026 18:21:23
OliRed really is the most contradictory, hypocritical poster on here. I'll give him his due though, he still posts on here. There are a few who led the "Slot out" charge, and "we would've won the league, if we didn't have Slot", who are conspicuous by their silence.

05 Nov 2026 08:06:47
Jaros

Ron, Leoni VVD, Jogo

Jacquet, Nyoni, Macca

Rio, Isak, Barcola.

05 Nov 2026 08:21:18
Wouldn't have Barcola in the starting eleven at the moment. Hes not playing well enough he should be taken out and eased in as his form hopefully improves. We havnt got time for him to hopefully get up to speed.

05 Nov 2026 08:35:00
Ok gapko.

05 Nov 2026 08:44:25
It was always going to be a tough transition. In the space of a few years we've lost or are seeing the end of the best manager we've had in decades, the best right sided player in a generation, and arguably the best keeper and CB since Clemence and Hansen. Robbo was probably in the top few left backs ever seen in a red shirt, Mane was top five left sided players. It was a golden generation.

So where next. Personally I think any rebuild needed to start with the right top level manager and transfer team on long contracts, as I don't think we've had the right squad for years and it'll take more than a few windows to sort. I just don't see this team producing consistently as there isn't any real star quality, or any more mature players at the top of their game. This is a Roy Evan's era type team who'll show up every now and again, and maybe win a lesser cup.

I hope Iraola is the right candidate but I just don't know yet, I'm not feeling it tbh although he's likeable and knowledgeable. Something is just missing which I think is his stage presence, you need that to inspire players like ours or a new top level team as it's being assembled. Hopefully it develops quickly.

As for the rest of the off the field set up I've got even less faith. It's not about the individuals it's the promote from within mentality from FSG. It more than suggests they think we're getting things right in the transfer department so why change too much. I think it needed more forensic analysis and change as it's not been successful for at least three years now.

Arne always felt like a stop gap appointment to me, Iraola seems similar but I hope that's wrong. When the new ownership beds in I can see further change as well be a squad in transition for a while as we try to rectify the huge mistakes of the last three or four summer windows, and see the last of VVD and Ali.

05 Nov 2026 09:05:27
What managers out there now wouldn't feel like a stopgap? The age of the superstar manager is gone now there's young coaches trying to make their own name. And before anyone says Enrique can we just let go of that pipe dream. i have full confidence in Iraola, if he's given the tools to do the job.

05 Nov 2026 09:23:52
It's not Iraola per se that's an issue for me, I think he's a good young coach finding his way. It's him combined with the backroom set up that's buying foreign youth players for massive money, and hoping it'll all gel. That's a huge ask of any coach, even a superstar one if such a thing exists.

We touched very very lucky with Jurgen. He was the Yang to counterbalance the likes of Edwards. Our success was all due to him really, and a sprinkle of magic in the transfer market with the players I mentioned above. The transfer magic was short lived but set us up for almost a decade with Mo, Ali etc.

That magic touch on transfers deserted us about five years ago, so now we're hoping for magic in the dugout. Let's keep on hoping.

05 Nov 2026 09:47:23
Still think we get as many transfers right as other top clubs. All our tivals have multiple cases of big money moves that didn't work out. its just we were spoilt for a few year because the transfer guys got practically every move right. People used to moan about wasting money on Keita when he was practically our only flop of them few years.😂.

05 Nov 2026 09:53:53
Nunez, Florian. Just saying.

05 Nov 2026 09:59:48
He was the start of the rot Rome😂.The few years before that(summer of 2017-2021)were peak though.

05 Nov 2026 10:44:25
Was Nunez that bad? He scored some important goals and he contributed off the ball most of the time, I distinctly remember quite a few games where him and Mo combined well together on the right.

Keita was a waster a lot of the time but even so he made some kind of contribution to the title win and wasn't a complete non factor, you do wonder what on earth happened with him because you could see that he was a player when he felt like it, which was about twice a season.

But it's true, for a while we were killing it in the transfer market, even the likes of Shaq and Minamino were good signings who always did a job when they were called upon, Diogo was a fabulous squad player overall.

05 Nov 2026 11:48:44
Clearview, our success wasn't solely down to Klopp and it wasn't "magic" in the transfer window. It was Ian Graham and his transfer team, many of whom left after Klopp wanted them to have less of a say, only to delegate that judgement to Lijnders, which is why we ended up with Nunez.

Klopp has to take his share of the blame for our decline. He was way too loyal to players that were declining and he didn't sufficiently succession plan. A good example is buying Thiago, who was old and injury-prone, when our midfield was full of players who were either old or injury-prone.

05 Nov 2026 11:48:47
Florian, tools for the job? He has a squad loads of managers would love to have, a decent manager would be able to get them to play well, we are clueless, chopping and changing on the wings, midfield not settled, Barcola playing as a striker? I'm glad you have faith in him, if this was Slot last year you'd be calling for his head and don't say you wouldn't.

05 Nov 2026 12:12:47
Minamino was a decent signing and did well in the league and Fa cup. I think he started 9 games in 3 seasons in the PL and CL.

Agree on Jota he was a fabulous signing.

124 PL appearances
79 starts
47 goals
14 assists.

30 CL appearances
18 starts
4 goals
6 assists

24 league and Fa cup appearances
14 starts
10 goals
2 assists

5 Europa league appearances
4 goals
0 assists.

His professionalism was subject to lots of debate, but what a load of cods wallop that was.

Terrific player RIP Diogo.

05 Nov 2026 12:19:38
Jim I can back Florian up here he certainly wouldn't have been calling for Slots head.

I imagine If Florian caught Slots in bed with his Mrs he would have made him a cuppa and some scran and probably wrote him a great character reference.

05 Nov 2026 12:52:39
Well, Klopp wanted Nunez so people should air their grievances to him directly for starting the so called "rot".

The kid didn't sign himself.

05 Nov 2026 14:43:55
He also didn't help himself.

05 Nov 2026 18:05:36
Jim I was about the only one NOT calling for his head. You mustn't be long around here😁.

04 Nov 2026 21:43:19
Only positive is we might have accidentally found our answer as to how to shoehorn Szobo in to the team. Play him right back, shift Araujo to CB and start phasing Virgil out.

04 Nov 2026 22:08:18
Missed Araujo big time for sure tonight.

04 Nov 2026 22:43:39
If we're down to missing Araujo then we've bigger troubles than those visible.

{Ed025's Note - he has been arguably your best player this season SG..

04 Nov 2026 22:57:43
Contrary to popular belief, Doms not good at RB, he gets caught ball watching just like Trent used to do, that's how the 3rd goal went in today.

04 Nov 2026 23:06:53
Since shrugging the Liverpool fans, you can count his good performances on one hand

Liverpool captain material? No chance.

04 Nov 2026 23:12:21
That was a bad performance today just when we were gathering momentum.

We need to nip this in the bud quickly at the weekend and get back to winning ways and far better performance.

That was disappointing I must say.

04 Nov 2026 23:40:27
We were poor. The consolation is that we are better than that. We missed Araujo - he leads by example and is turning into the touchstone for the team's all round motivation.

05 Nov 2026 06:54:06
So heading into the right direction there @davey.

04 Nov 2026 23:04:58
He has been our best player ED25. But there hasn't been many more to challenge for that accolade unfortunately. We actually do have another 10 on the pitch and 5 from the bench.

If we cannot assemble a team from that very expensive lot without 'missing' Araujos contribution then our squad is even worse than weak. If you get what I'm trying to say. I think you do.

{Ed025's Note - i do SG but you made it sound like Ronald is not all that mate, i think you missed him big time but as you say its a sorry state that nobody except Trey stepped up to the plate..

05 Nov 2026 07:16:44
It's the energy he brings and the fight and desire to compete and win, something these lot just haven't got. Such an unlikeable group of players at times. What does sob actually do? AI will have so big decisions to make, go with the status quo or try and make the best team he can out of what he's got.

05 Nov 2026 08:00:02
I do try to call it as best I see it Sonic and granted I of course wear rose tinted glasses. We need a reaction now.

No sugar coating that performance yesterday in any way. That was very poor.

05 Nov 2026 08:05:08
Slobz was at fault ffor 2 and 3 goal.

He allowed Brown all the space in the world for second.

Nothing against slobz he does not have defensive instinct.

We should have replaced gomez with Arajao. and slobs with One of Witrz or Gapko.

05 Nov 2026 08:15:09
Aruajo has been good this season but its very blinkered to think we lost because he wasn't playing. He was on the pitch for the first half shambolic performance against Villareal and played in the Fulham, City and Arsenal games where points were dropped.

This isn't me saying he's the problem, i'm just saying him alone isn't the answer.

05 Nov 2026 08:59:27
As much as i like Dom, he just doesn't fit into this team and way of playing, there are a few players that look like they have been bought with no idea of a system they were to be used in, Hopefully they will start to buy or bring players on that fit a system and have the right profile.

work towards the whole is greater than the sum of its parts YNWA.

05 Nov 2026 09:11:29
Would he not be able to play in the 10 position? i know people used to knock his numbers there but I!d imagine they were better than the guy that is playing there at the moment. Sort the midfield and let Dom and Florian fight it out.

05 Nov 2026 09:14:03
Agreed JK.

05 Nov 2026 09:58:27
For me Araujo is the key part of our defence this season. He plays like a captain and leads by example which I'm sorry to say Virg does not. Virg was so good in his prime that his laid back casual style is really starting to cause problems as he ages and it rubs off on the other defenders.

Is he perfect? No. But the defence is much better when he is a part of it.

05 Nov 2026 10:53:00
Dom played 10 last night I'm pretty sure, Flo? Dom's problem is that he just does not have the instincts of a 10. When he played 10 in the title winning season he was basically a water carrier who would pass the ball to Mo, who was basically our real number 10 in the right half space. Dom's job was to press high up the pitch, which you would think is actually his biggest asset, but he has not been doing a great job of it lately.

Say what you will about Wirtz but he actually plays the 10 like an absolute natural. He is outstanding at making himself available anywhere on the pitch, and making decisions really fast after scanning what's around him. To be a 10 you need to have a super fast footballing brain in tight situations, and the ingenuity to make risky plays in small spaces.

Dom on the other hand is just slow, he doesn't have the footballing brain of a 10. His strength is carrying the ball himself, or arriving in and around the box to get on the end of chances himself. He cannot play one or two touch football, he takes too many touches before making a play.

You have to fear for his position in this team because now you have Macca playing out of his skin on and off the ball now that he isn't left exposed, and Trey looking like an absolute natural punching the ball through the lines fast as well as improving all the time off the ball. Both him and Grav are coasting on the one skill they have in their locker that is elite, with Dom it's long range shooting, with Grav it's ball carrying, but neither of them look particularly suited for the double pivot as Iraola imagines it.

05 Nov 2026 12:54:31
Spot on, WDW. Scapegoating is futile. It was a collective disaster with blame to go round.

Just need to do better, continue to work hard and improve.

05 Nov 2026 19:17:19
Gravenberch is 1/3 Viera without the nasty edge.