Liverpool banter 5

07 Nov 2026 15:42:56
Ed01 - hope your well mate

Just spent an excruciating few hours down at Ashton Gate and the talk again is of another change in manager down here.
The Stevie G rumours have re surfaced and
Looking what Frank Lampard has done at Coventry & bearing in mind they were on their arse when he took over do you reckon the job at Ashton Gate would be a good move for Gerrard?

{Ed001's Note - yes I do. He needs the drop down. And can you imagine being one of their players & getting Stevie G taking your training?

07 Nov 2026 18:29:24
It's a brilliant set up down there Ed, super ground and top class training facilities but small time mentality by the board time & time again!

He'd give the place a massive boost, unfortunately he'd want to do it his way without interference from the board which is what tends to happen down there

Thanks for the reply Ed.

{Ed001's Note - a good ground and training facilities is a big draw for players and coaches, maybe they just need to realise what they have?}

07 Nov 2026 20:03:08
Always think Stevie talks sense when he's on the tele. None of the hyperbolic sh!t£.Mightn't be an Enrique but could still be a decent coach. And like Ed said imagine playing for Stevie G.

07 Nov 2026 23:20:14
Nearly every young English player still says their idol was stevie g. The two bellingham brothers mentioned stevie as their idol. He's an icon.

08 Nov 2026 13:05:48
Icons don't make good coaches or managers often. Too much evidence of this throughout history.

{Ed666's Note - King Kenny, Pep, Enrique, Zidane, Deschamps, Beckenbeur. Zoff, Heynckes, Cruyff and Ancelotti would disagree.

07 Nov 2026 17:21:54
Looks like the PGMOL have already picked the Premier League winners.

07 Nov 2026 17:45:23
Ah what happened now?

07 Nov 2026 17:05:19
Damn looks like Arsenal in their lucky era of no other superstar manager

Will run away with the league so easily

Hopefully next season lfc will be in a much fitter and stronger position.

07 Nov 2026 17:23:34
This time last week we were in the title chase for some.

07 Nov 2026 17:26:54
Don't think they'll run away with it.

07 Nov 2026 17:41:48
Grinding out results while not playing great? Hard to look past them.

07 Nov 2026 18:00:15
City look weaker then you'd expect.
Can't see anyone able to compete with Arsenal. So fortunate they've got a decent team whilst the rest of the top teams are poor.

07 Nov 2026 18:19:42
What if they're just grinding out results Irish while playing as good as they can? ont get me wrong I think they'll walk the league because of that defence but you won't keep winning games 1-0.just no one else is consistent enough.

07 Nov 2026 19:14:03
Best squad in the league.

07 Nov 2026 20:04:20
Us or Arsenal?

07 Nov 2026 20:37:57
We sacked a manager who schooled Arteta to win the league for someone who was supposed to make our players fit and play attractive football.
Meanwhile Arsenal wining the league without playing the so called "attractive football".

08 Nov 2026 06:15:48
Arsenal do admittedly have the best squad in the league for what they want to do and how they want to play. If Rice got injured, Bruno G can play that role without many problems. They only lack a bit of quality up front, Havertz, Merino and Gyokeres is hardly a frightening set of center forwards. We have a bunch of players who on paper form an excellent squad but were bought without a very coherent idea of how they are supposed to fit together. The difference is that Arsenal have had years to put that squad together, and Iraola is only just beginning his journey in figuring out who fits with what he wants and what he doesn't.

The bright side of it all is that we are already seeing very positive glimpses of certain players who look like they will be the foundation of our future and will likely be stars in the making, Jacquet and Nyoni, and Munoz, who will be a very useful squad player and could blossom into something even better than that, Rio of course could be a superstar if he irons out a few chinks in his game. To have a young English midfielder who can pass and has positional awareness like Nyoni, that's already saved us 100m plus if he continues his development.

08 Nov 2026 06:21:57
Ah yes, a return to the good old days "One nil to the Arsenal, one nil to the Arsenal" and repeat every match, every week .

08 Nov 2026 13:07:53
If Arsenal have already won the title then, the standardsof the PL is in deep, deep, doodoo.

{Ed666's Note - maybe it is?

07 Nov 2026 11:41:39
Have faith.

07 Nov 2026 12:12:21
George Michael tribute act?

07 Nov 2026 12:21:06
I agree mate

Going off the meltdown over the Result midweek, it's a must win for Iraola. I reckon he'll be under pressure from the fans if he doesn't win.

On here was wild after Fenerbahce, usually it's me sticking in the knife to the Club after a poor performance, but the reaction here actually shocked me.

We have to win, the manager will start to feel it, he's come from what is usually considered the smallest club in the Premier League in Bournemouth, to what is usually considered the Biggest club in England, the levels of expectation have jumped immensely.

For Iraola over anyone, it's a Must win game.

07 Nov 2026 13:09:11
I don't think there is any pressure on the manager from the fans yet, maybe some from behind the scenes to play the expensive players.

07 Nov 2026 13:15:18
Don't think it was to bad on here. Was a lot worse last year when we lost in Turkey.

07 Nov 2026 13:27:01
I am definitely chalking this one off to a bad day at the office. The attitude of the senior players was poor and I hope that it will be an outlier.

Crystal Palace is the bread and butter. A must win.

07 Nov 2026 13:30:20
No pressure on the manager at all. Well, apart from the odd moron on here and other platforms. It was always going to be a stop start season. I said before a ball was kicked that he didn't have a magic wand, even though there were some who thought he'd fix everything. It was never going to happen.

07 Nov 2026 16:11:55
Top midfielder in January gives the team a huge boost. I'd like two but not realistic.

07 Nov 2026 16:41:33
There is no pressure on the manager whatsoever other than the natural pressure that rightly accompanies the Liverpool job. Liverpool fans are generally an informed bunch, and we can see very clearly that the manager is the least of our issues.

07 Nov 2026 17:04:33
The pressure is going to be relative to expectations. I don't think many expected a top two finish, but most fans expect as a minimum top 4/5, a run in the CL to the quarters at least, maybe something in the FA cup. Some fans probably also expect an improvement in our relative standing against the top two, and obviously a much more attacking style of play with more goals and good chances being created.

At the moment we're twelve points behind Arsenal, which isn't an improvement on last season, and we're not scoring more goals or creating better chances than we were. We're a bit better defensively in the league which is probably something we least expected.

I'd say we need to show more signs over the next six weeks or so of being able to consolidate top three or four, as well as some tangible improvement in attacking play and goals.

If we go into the New Year with no real improvement from where we are in those things there'll be a lot of pressure on the Jan window, and the club generally including Iraola.

That's not something we should need to be contemplating as it's just rinse and repeat of where we were at the beginning of this year with Arne, Richard Hughes and co. I think the owners will be thinking the exact same.

07 Nov 2026 17:11:44
Good win tomorrow, get us back into the Champions League spots and it will have been a decent start to the season. Only essential is getting top 5.A domestic Cup

on top of that would be a bonus. Hopefully match last seasons CL run. Get to January, get some of the longer term injured players back and maybe a signing and we should see improvement.

07 Nov 2026 17:53:46
Sorry @Rome, But what should Adoni Irola fix? His predecessor won the league and finished inside the CL places and left a very good squad. Other than "players intensity" what should Irola fix at LFC?
If he doesn't win the league then that's a failure. Isn't it?

08 Nov 2026 02:04:33
Most fans expectations in the summer were a top 4 finish and entertaining football this season. We were highly unlikely to be battling for the title. i'd say Iraola is meeting those expectations while implementing his tactics and philosophy. There were always going to be hiccups in his first season just no need for people to wet the bed when they happen.

07 Nov 2026 08:02:55
Hello ed1 hope u well. How do u see our goalkeeping situation panni g out next season? Ali hasn't been to his usual standard so far this season, but with his quality maybe he could bounce back. The fenerbahce game was as poor as I ever seen him. do we give mamar a shot at it next season? I know u not is biggest fan and in fairness u called it when we initially signed him that he poor with his feet, but the way ali playing with his feet not much better.

He is a good stopper mamar and his couple of games this season I thought he looked better and more comfortable, still young in keeper terms.
The young Belgian we signed by all accounts is great prosect (know nothing of him myself) but a teenager as 1st choice in goals for lfc is a v big ask, although if u good enough u old enough I suppose.

{Ed001's Note - I would offload Mamardashvili, he is not a good keeper. Far too slow. Ali has been off it, but still produces the saves most of the time, Mama never will do that. It all depends on if any of the youngsters are ready to step up, if so, keep Ali for a year to help them through. If they aren't, then I would have to say it is probably time to buy a replacement for him and move him on, so that a youngster (we have a couple of good ones) can be the back up and learn from the matchday experience.}

07 Nov 2026 09:34:23
I think Jaros has lot of potential, I hope there is a path for him.

07 Nov 2026 09:58:25
Always thought Gazzas mate Jimmy FiveBellies would be a good goalie. Try finding a gap past him!

07 Nov 2026 10:22:06
Brughmans, Pecsi and Jaros are all good goalies. I love Alli, but have felt for a while now his heart isn't in the club like before anymore. Gets injured a crazy amount for a goalie these days too.

If the kid Brughmans is anywhere near ready I would take the chance on him with Pecsi as second choice. I'd imagine Jaros will want to move on if he is not first choice.

07 Nov 2026 10:23:34
The Belgian giant is on his way.

07 Nov 2026 10:33:58
Jaros ruptured his ACL in February while at Ajax. Don't know how his recovery is going.

07 Nov 2026 10:54:59
Jaros is predicted to be back in Jan I believe, but it will probably be longer. Recovery from this injury has further setbacks along the way.

07 Nov 2026 09:28:49
What's your opinion on Verbruggen from Brighton Ed?
Every time i've seen him, he has impressed me.

{Ed001's Note - good on the ball but not top class at actually goalkeeping. very average goalie.

07 Nov 2026 11:54:24
Jaros is a quality keeper, I'd genuinely like to see him given a chance once he recovers.

07 Nov 2026 12:28:34
Thanks for the reply Ed.

07 Nov 2026 13:31:18
I think Verbruggen's name came up because of a) Arne Slot and the Dutch connection and b) he will only have one year left on his deal in the summer.

07 Nov 2026 12:07:28
Ed001 I'm on the same boat as you when it comes to Verbruggen although some 'ITKs' on the Twittersphere suggesting he is top of the pile. Whilst Mamadashvilli has been slightly better on the rare occasions he's played he is glued to his line and cannot defend a cross for the life of him.

Would have personally looked at Costa when we signed him, or the subsequent summers since as he seems a far better all round keeper.

07 Nov 2026 12:22:12
Ed001 Allison was a special goalkeeper. I'm not sure we'll attain a keep of that quailty for a long time. I'd keep him for as long as he wants to stay.

07 Nov 2026 14:10:46
Suzuki Ed? I think currently he is the best with his feet. But I don't know how good he is in other aspects like shot stopping and dealing with cross.

{Ed001's Note - he is good him.

07 Nov 2026 19:15:18
Villa keeper looks the part.

07 Nov 2026 19:37:06
Suzuki now, with Luca joining too. But only if Alisson won't be extended.

Mamar needs to leave for both parties, possibly a pseudo swap plus cash deal for Suzuki?

06 Nov 2026 22:29:13
Well I know someone who's going to be cocker hoop with a nose bleed tonight, Yes Ed You. Our Epigrammatic Evertonian Ed025 🕺

Blimey mate 5th 😲, are you still upright 🥃 😁

That boring ole Moyes fella's doing rather well. has he had a head
transplant because your mob look somewhat entertaining 🤔

But alas Ed I can put a stop to this exorbitant behaviour lickety-split 🤓, it's quite easy, all I have to do is transfer into my fantasy team, Pickford, The ponytail puller, that Barry Lineker fella, and you're lot should be toast once more 😁

I'll have to make sure i entertain this cunning plan before our upcoming Derby extravaganza 💪


YNWA.

{Ed025's Note - we are doing ok at the moment Mick, how long that will last is anyone,s guess though mate, but ill enjoy it while i can.. :)

07 Nov 2026 09:21:24
Season's not over yet.

07 Nov 2026 09:32:36
Take the money for Barry while you can Ed25!

It's a shame Richard Hughes is gone or we might have signed him for £150m.

{Ed025's Note - he has done well Taurus, but i would still swap him for a proper striker mate..

07 Nov 2026 11:37:10
That lad DLC isn't bad is he Ed025?

{Ed025's Note - i like him Taurus but he had done his time with us mate and had gone stale, we create a lot of chances because we have a good midfield and if we had a prolific goal scorer we would challenge for a CL place i suspect..

07 Nov 2026 14:05:09
CL!? I think you mean Europa Conference league Ed.

{Ed025's Note - never underestimate Merseyside,s finest Taurus, i did say with a prolific scorer..

07 Nov 2026 16:53:02
Yeah maybe with prime Pele Ed.

{Ed025's Note - yeah he would do mate.. :)

06 Nov 2026 18:34:45
25 goals and assists for Dom last year, the most contributions for any CM in the entire league, during a season where the rest of the team completely let him down week after week, winning player of the season, and just 9 games in, after a short period of injury, we've got people debating whether we should sell him or shoehorn him in to RB.

Are we ok, did we hit our head?

06 Nov 2026 18:38:26
But apparently he doesn't have a creative bone in his body.

06 Nov 2026 18:57:01
Agree Chewy - Plays for me every time over Wirtz when fit.

06 Nov 2026 19:16:09
We are now playing a completely different system. Dom just fit any position, he can't win his duels and is an average passer at best, not sure how we solve this.

06 Nov 2026 19:19:27
Wirtz won't make it in the Prem.

06 Nov 2026 19:23:35
I think people are jumping to conclusions very quickly and game to game.

I think we got to give to Christmas at least. I think it's clear this squad is missing some pieces but also, players are still adapting. No need for panic mode in my opinion. W

We could really do with beating a struggling Palace side though. We absolutely need the 3 points and the weekend to freshen the mood up again.

I was still in good mood on where we were going after Arsenal but Fernabache was brutal. we need to put that behind us with a win ASAP.

06 Nov 2026 19:48:27
Dom was a rolls Royce the first few months after he joined. He played as an 8 and looked like a great signing. For whatever reason he regressed as an 8.
There's a great player in dom but he has to respect the position and *positioning. He just can't bomb forward when he wants and he needs to be more switched on positionally defensively.

These big contracts have almost sent players mentally to a far away beach. That's why competition is imparitive. Dom shouldn't be guaranteed anything without consistently performing.
Dom also has a great passing range. For some strange reason his passing has also regressed. He nerds to mentally switch on.

06 Nov 2026 20:30:03
I just see a prima donna who flounces and throws hissy fits far too much rather than a player who wants to roll his sleeves up and getting stuck in. I wouldn't be arsed if we sold all of Szoboszlai, Mac Allister & Gravenberch if I'm honest: That display and petulant behaviour after the cup game against City sealed it for me. Had an absolute shocker of a game and gave it the big one to the travelling fans who rightly showed what they thought.

He's done nothing since to make me think differently. He definitely doesn't work in a two man pivot and I don't see him as a number 10. He'd possibly work as a number 8 in a three man midfield, but firstly we don't play that way and secondly, I can't see him wanting to get his boots dirty and tackle anyone.

06 Nov 2026 20:34:47
I think he's sh*te chewy, he's a big head, believes his own hype hence the shrug. He's our equivalent of Bruno Fernandes.

06 Nov 2026 21:52:03
Last season was under a different coach and with a different system so you can't count it, Chewy.
What Szobozslai did last season is now a fugazi because it's a different system and under a different coach.

06 Nov 2026 22:06:48
I'd want to bring in replacements before we start getting rid of players.

06 Nov 2026 22:16:35
Szoboslai is up hos own backside.

07 Nov 2026 00:19:22
Triple score and 180 points @Rigsby for using the 'f word' 🙂

There are a lot of comparisons being put forward that just aren't valid. In recent times Klopp, Slot and Rodgers are different people with different temperaments and differing personalities.

They each see the game in different ways and they approach the style and set up they want in different ways.

07 Nov 2026 02:36:50
Even wirtz had a better season last year than this year. Ekitike also had a good season.
People who bad seasons bad were vvd jones salah konate kerkez and frimpong. People who had horrible seasons were macca and gravy.
I think we were slot was murdered by salah jones and then vvd. He was up to something great clearing the squad and playing different football.

Now this team is just gassed can't run can't play can't do anything better than last year.

07 Nov 2026 07:31:58
Whether fans prefer Slots or Ai's style of play or entertainment value is opinion.

Personally I'm preferring this seasons style as it's slightly more entertaining but fact is the club is Currently on the same amount of PL & CL points as this time last season.

It's only been 9 & 4 games but progress is visible in style of play but not yet results.

07 Nov 2026 10:16:09
We have the same amount of points as last season JK23, but I expect us to surpass this. Last season we got 1/4th of our total points tally in the first 5 games afterall.

07 Nov 2026 09:35:27
I've put in an order for "Basque Fraud" t shirts, which, with the permission of the Eds, I'm hoping to sell on here. I was also thinking of ordering some baseball caps with the same logo, but would appreciate some feedback on that before I go ahead.

07 Nov 2026 12:30:14
Taurus I hope we get more points than last season mate. But I also hope Sydney Sweeney and Michelle Keegan take me up on my offer.

07 Nov 2026 12:37:03
Victor and scouse John, completely agree. If I'd said that, the heat on my @ss would have been too much.
I do think dom is close to Bruno Fernandez in terms of comparison of behaviour but hasn't went against the manager.


That's why it might never happen but a bellingham loses his head at teammates not bothering to tackle or track back rather than a idiot berating fans at the end of a match.

07 Nov 2026 13:33:48
Whatever happened to "we must be patient, give the new coach time to implement his methods"?
That seemed to go out the window pretty sharpish once we lost a couple of games.
There are more fans of winning than fans of the club on this site - the minute the winning stops the support disappears and the abuse of players and staff begins.


Modern day fan hysteria, it's almost becoming a medical condition.

07 Nov 2026 13:37:52
Talking absolute waffle there Ron, Szobosla's game improved quite dramatically when he moved to the 8. He went from an AM whose creative abilities were under great scrutiny to a CM who won Player of the Season by a country mile; his goal contributions went up by 50% which is massive, and almost every other stat, bar the number of shots and touches in the opponents' box, went up significantly too; Completed passes up 80%, key passes up 39%, big chances created up 23%, tackles won up 39%, interceptions per 90 up 157%, duels won up 24%, the list goes on. The truth is that he pi**ed off the fans with a shrug back in April and now people with thin skin will jump at any opportunity to have a go at him.

I see you're point Vik, but I'd argue it's the wrong system for this group of players, a fair few fans complained that Alonso was married to his system when he looked the prime candidate for the role, yet now we want to shift players on because they don't fit the system Iraolas clearly married to. For me it doesn't work with the current personnel; people can complain about this player or that, but at the end of the day, this midfield won the league without Wirtz in it. Nobody can convince me it can't be more effective were a better-suited system in place. I agree a more traditional 3 man midfield would be a better fit for our current squad. I think Trey, Macca and Dom should be in there at the moment.

Trey's proven himself now, and Maccas upped his game whilst Grav and Writzs performances still fall short. Wirtz is highly mobile and gets involved in a lot of link-up play but he's not doing numbers, and the mollycoddling doesn't seem to be helping. I'm all for giving the lad the season to prove himself, but we need to solidify the midfield, and it's not going to happen with him in there, particularly if Iraola continues to refuse playing a DM. We're essentially playing 4 forwards without a traditional 6 or even a defensively minded 8, it's an accident waiting to happen. In the meantime, Wirtz is getting preferential treatment because of his price tag, he should be benched, and like any great player, if he's really got what it takes, he'll prove it when he gets his opportunities.

Rigsby, I can't count anything done previously because it was under a different coach? 🤣 So we've never won any trophies then because Iraola hasn't won any. Makes sense that, good point mate.

WDW, I agree, every manager is unique, but you can have all the different personalities or viewpoints you want, at the end of the day, 3 points is 3 points, and you'll win more of them if you employ a system that suits your squad rather than shoehorning players into roles that don't work. (At least for the interim, if the long-term goal involves replacing a number of them.)

Funny that, LastfanofSlot. He was playing absolutely rubbish football according to every fan and pundit on earth, and it's entirely his fault the team is still unfit, as the decline clearly happened under his watch.

I agree JK, the style of football has improved in places, particularly when the games free-flowing, we look more fluid, there seems to be more cohesion, we want to progress the ball faster, and we're pressing better as a unit, though we're stilla ways off, it won't happen oernight, we're still seing remnants of Slot at times, particularly against the low block. I just hope Iraola has the vision to experiment with more than just swapping wingers, because more needs to be done in order to get the best out of what we've got. Early days yet, will be interesting to see how things progress. I look forward to seeing further improvements in the new year, and I'm very keen to see how we'll perform at the tail end of the season.

07 Nov 2026 17:04:55
Dom is nothing like Bruno in the way he conducts himself. Absolute idiotic comparison in my opinion.

07 Nov 2026 18:00:43
Were better to watch Chewy, I'd agree. I don't think we're more coherent, if anything we look a bit all over the show but at least there's more attacking intent. It's end product that's been lacking.

My view of last season was that Arne didn't think we had the right personnel to play expansive and win, particularly against the fabled low blocks. He tried to control and strangle games and look for narrow wins. It failed of course, and in no small part because of defensive frailty but also lack of clinical finishing with Isak being injured and others like Gakpo well off form.

This season the back four is generally better, but we've struggled more in the goalkeeping department which has cost us, and in creativity, and midfield too easy to play through. Isak has given us a more clinical edge, but there's not enough goals coming from other areas of the team or enough good chances being created.

Szob is the only player in midfield who's shown ability over time to score goals in this league, so although he's struggling a bit this season he's shown he can do it and he should have a place in the side. Macca and Trey should be the other two right now. Wirtz drops out, particularly in the league.

In attack only Isak is nailed on when fit at the moment, the other two positions are where the problem lies. Rio has shown flashes, same with Munoz and Barcola and Gakpo, but none are consistent enough. We need at least one of those four to step up and cement their place.

08 Nov 2026 02:53:40
Yeah, I'd agree with pretty much all of that Clearview, spot on. When i said we look more cohesive I was referring to our press, it's not got a tap on Klopps of course but compared to last season where you might see 1 player press the ball at a time, there's more of group effort, it's nowhere near perfect but there's been improvements.

06 Nov 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool v Arsenal - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

06 Nov 2026 08:33:58
Another good read ED01. I fully get it about VVD. At one stage he was just outside the Arsenal box when their defense had the ball and were playing it around their backline. I was pointing it out to the other lads in the pub at the time. Good point about Taffarel too and I agree on Rio.

He wastes so much time and opportunity. I can't see it with him regardless of all the hype about him. He just doesn't cut it for me. It was a good match but I thought Arsenal were comfortable. Playing within themselves as you put it. Anyway much appreciated! Onwards to ultimate victory I say!

{Ed001's Note - thanks sg.}

06 Nov 2026 09:10:32
That's a good review eds1. The only point I don't really agree with is kerkez. I didn't think he had a particularly good game.
I was expecting more development from Iraola with certain players. Mostly kerkez, getting him back to the player we seen at he's previous club.

I know you probably won't agree. Also Isak, we can all see he's not doing enough up top so Iraola can see the same. I do wonder if it's to protect him from injury. If that's the case then he must be sold in my opinion.

{Ed001's Note - yeah I don't agree but it is what it is with him, he gets crucified for others failings a lot of the time.}

06 Nov 2026 09:25:46
Insightful as usual, Ed.

{Ed001's Note - thank you Coco.}

06 Nov 2026 09:56:07
Great review Ed.

With you on Kerkez, he seems to be a whipping boy when things are not his fault. We look defensively more solid with him in the team too.

{Ed001's Note - thanks Taurus.}

06 Nov 2026 11:16:44
Good read, Ed. Especially the bit about the refereeing bias at Anfield. The numbers presented by Tompkins are stark. I still get angry at the Salah headlocks being allowed.

Trey has been brilliant. I wonder if he looks extra good because we've missed having a half decent passer in there that makes himself available to receive passes from his team mates and seems to know how to position himself? Or is he just as brilliant as he looks?

I think Rio is improving. I like him on the right at the moment as he's being forced to change his game. I wonder if putting him back on the left hand side has made him revert to previous habits.

Szobo and Grav are conundrums for the club at the moment. I did say in the summer there's an argument that we might need to change all of our midfield (tactical fit and contracts running down) bar Trey Nyoni. It was a bit tongue in cheek at the time, but is starting to be a big concern.

With Trey stepping up and Macca finding his form again, it feels like fixing fullback will actually be the bigger priority now.

06 Nov 2026 11:16:34
Great read, Ed001, thanks. Two questions for your opinion if you don't mind.

1) It's been 14 months since Wirtz is with us (he joined June 2025 but I'm counting since September). It feels like we either change everyone around him since they're not doing what he needs or we sell him for a player better suited (like a Nico Paz who is doing very well at Como). Or do we give it this season and see what Iraola can do? What do you think? It's a crucial decision because I think it has the most bearing on how our offense operates.

2) Do you think we should have kept Salah? He is doing very well in Turkey (people will now moan it's a "lower league") and racking up records there too. We saw how he had changed his game to include more assists and there is no doubt in my mind he would have added more stability to our offense. And served as guidance for Rio and Munoz. What do you think?

{Ed001's Note - 1. I think we have to give it the season at least. The problem is that we don't have a good bunch of attackers in front of him, so he is being hampered, so that might not even be enough time to really judge him.

2. Yes. I said it at the time and I stand by it. We got rid of Salah because of a personality and culture clash with Slot, not because he was not worth keeping. It would have been far better for the club to give him another year to help the team through this transition period. We didn't even buy anyone to replace him either, which is crazy.}

06 Nov 2026 12:14:49
Good read that, Ed001. I'm totally with you on the corruption of the refs. And that's not just from a Liverpool perspective. It's clear and obvious. Fans of all clubs can point to poor decisions going against them. The one that always stands out for me - and there are a lot to choose from - is the Rodri handball against Everton.

{Ed001's Note - thank you k2. I agree, there is something rotten in Pro Ref, and Howard Webb is defo rotten as they come.}

06 Nov 2026 12:20:17
Nice read ed001. Agree with Kerkez having a good game, I don't really understand why he was getting pelters after that one.
I do feel as if Isak is either being managed to avoid injury or burnout and is being instructed to not put in 100% or he's still not at full fitness after that long injury.
It would make sense seeing as though there's nobody really to rotate him with that's going to be a proper goal threat.


I did find it astonishing we didn't bring in another striker in the summer on loan and chose to rely on Koumas who will run for days but isn't going to score the goals Isak does.
So it would make sense he's being managed until Ekitike comes back or we get someone else in.
I do hope we make some reinforcements in the Jan window though, the gaps in this squad are massive.

{Ed001's Note - I hope you are right on Isak, if not we are in trouble because he is not good enough like this.}

06 Nov 2026 12:39:17
Now this is a cracker of a review, Ed01. I had a slightly different read on some of the performance, but also I cannot disagree with you having had some time to ponder. The first half against a top like Arsenal was right from Klopps book. It may not have been perfect, but I seriously enjoyed it. Everything seemed to go downhill since Trey left the pitch. Whether it is because of Szoboslai or a collective decline in intensity due to tiredness, I cannot tell.

I love Szoboslai and his workrate, but I remember in his first season at Liverpool, under Klopp there came a point where he wasn't the starter anymore. Perhaps positional discipline was one of the reasons. But I am loving how Iraola is managing Trey's game time. Young players are being given the time like they were under Klopp.

{Ed001's Note - thank you Das. It will be interesting to see what Iraola does with Szobo going forward, it is a difficult task to figure him out.}

06 Nov 2026 13:14:58
One of the worst decisions ever made by the club was the Salah decision. Ridiculously stupid.

06 Nov 2026 12:45:36
Awesome read, Ed. It must have been very hard to address these non football topics but it had to be done. These guys are literally playing in our faces and taking us for mugs and personally, I'm outta Fs to give.

Oh and to those saying Isak or players should start diving, that again is absolute fugazi rubbish. We have examples of players who didn't dive in the exact situation and VAR checked and gave the pen:

Salah vs Arsenal in 19/20: David Luiz held his shirt. Salah didn't dive and ref got the pen.

Welbeck in 24/25: Got his shirt pulled back by Kulewsewski vs Spurs. Stayed on his feet and VAR gave the pen.

Vardy in 24/25: Got his shirt pulled by Ryan Fraser from the Saints as he was about to score. VAR checked and gave the pen. Oh wait, Fraser got sent off for DOGSO.

Absolute fugazi.

As for the game, we just weren't at it and we are still a bit fragile in big games esp. at the moment when things go against us. Same thing happened vs Ferne.

Just have to keep working hard and keep building and believing.

{Ed001's Note - thanks Oli.}

06 Nov 2026 16:50:31
What's all this "fugazi" about? Doesn't it mean fake?

{Ed025's Note - buggered if i know Rome.. :)

06 Nov 2026 16:09:03
Ed001 it's everything I think myself. From the players to the alleged corruption. So for you to pick my mind is a great compliment 😉😂.

{Ed001's Note - not sure who it is a compliment to.

06 Nov 2026 17:59:18
Fugazi is a post-hardcore band from the eighties, I have no idea what they have to do with Liverpool, but I do love their music.

06 Nov 2026 18:20:35
Thanks for the reply Ed001.

{Ed001's Note - very welcome mate.}

06 Nov 2026 14:43:13
When the talk is about the standard of refs I always think back to a Liverpool Chelsea game where a Liverpool player is holding off a Chelsea player keeping the ball by the corner flag until the second Chelsea player stretches out and pushes the Liverpool player out of play for a goal kick, but by using his foot to do so in the Liverpools players back in front of the lino, and how nothing much got said afterwards over it either is unreal. How Manchester refs get to ref Manchester teams in any game is something that needs looking into.

Its not so much now but throughout the 90's early 00's you would always hear commentators, managers moaning about Liverpool always getting soft decisions at Anfield mostly man united players or ex players but others also. It was never true but possible something in the refs mind now and they're over compensating.
But it is a more widespread issue then just Liverpool.

In midweek 2 hand push in the back by the Liverpool defender clear as the Isak one certain penalty, the Arsenal player falling over in his own box picking the ball up, seems the more obvious you commit the foul the more likely you get away with it even the Martinez sending off the other day you can see the ref looking straight at it on the moment of impact yet gives nothing lucky VAR actually did something about it.

But often when you see the lower clubs breaking forward getting fouled nothing given the bigger team trips on there shadow and its treated like a crime scene.
On the isak pen again, I see a few mentions we had an apology though I've not see an apology anywhere, what I did see in the Athletic was an ex ref backing the decision saying it took for replays to show the incident otherwise no one noticed as an excuse to cover up not given the foul and saying by overturning it would be re reffing the game which they don't want. So this re reffing the game is the new clear and obvious as any decision that gets changed is re reffing the game can't be described as anything but that. Also the saying its swings and roundabouts and evens itself out load of bullhooks.

Not getting a decision in a close match like against Arsenal which would have changed the momentum of the game although against Arsenal it wouldn't have been much change by them just maybe they start falling over and walking even slower for set plays that bit earlier, but it would have been a red and also meaning a suspension which impacts further matches also, isn't evened out if we end up getting a soft decision in a game where we win comfortably and has no impact on the momentum of the game.

07 Nov 2026 09:41:44
No way is Dom an 8. A 10 at best, but right now he is doing nothing to warrant a starting place in the team. The squad being so poorly balanced is probably the reason why he can walk straight back in after an injury. Trey and Macca are our best options in the middle, but Slob, Wirtz and Grav have been awful.

Wirtz will need to be moved on, he is a great player but will never cut it in the Premier League for me, his confidence is at an all time low now as well. He is one player that I really want to succeed but just don't think he will.

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.