Liverpool banter 8

06 May 2026 10:12:08.
I always quite liked Arsenal, or at least out of all the other teams they were the one who I felt least dislike towards. Maybe this is only because, back in the late 90s and early 00s, they were the only team that ever put up a challenge to Manchester United. We were so far off the pace at that point that perhaps I just wanted anybody other than United to win, and Arsenal under Wenger were to Ferguson’s United what Klopp’s Liverpool were to City.

But I really don’t like this current Arsenal. I think it just comes down to how dislikeable Arteta is. I am objective enough to acknowledge that if Arteta is manager of your team and your team is winning and having success, you don’t really care about how he conducts himself, but watching the final stages of that match last night kind of summed it up. What was Arteta even doing? Like some deranged lunatic running up and down the touchline, chasing after the ball (to try to hide it or slow things down?) every time it went off the pitch, bumping into players and officials.

And what about the Arsenal subs? Half the squad were lined up along the touchline, really close to the playing area all along the side of the pitch. Deliberately getting in the way, kicking the ball away when it came off the pitch, trying to block access to the replacement balls. It was like a Sunday league match. By that stage of the match, I believe Arsenal had used all of their substitutes so there was no reason whatsoever for players to be “warming up” or out of the dugout at all. Not surprising at all that tempers started to flair between the two benches.

Not sure how they were getting away with that last night. I think we’ll see some clamp down on this in future.

06 May 2026 11:21:28
I feel the same way about this current Arsenal side. I detest them. I used to love watching Arsenal play under Wenger.

I remember back in about 2002, I think it was, I used to think that Arsenal and Deportivo played the best football in Europe, Arsenal with Henry, Pires etc and then Deportivo with Valeron, Luque and Victor etc.

The football they both played was a joy to watch.

06 May 2026 11:34:06
All I will add to my earlier comments, specifically in relation to last night, is this.

If your actions are making Simeone, of all people, look like a choir boy, how much of a **** are you actually being?

06 May 2026 12:02:37
The referees have enabled all of this. If they don't enforce the rules, these desperate coaches will continue to push the barriers. Arsenal's sporting model is one of desperation than of sporting excellence.

06 May 2026 12:49:52
Does Arteta make Simeone look like a choir boy, honestly? Arteta isn't much different to Klopp, living and breathing every minute of the game, pumping the crowd up after a great win, etc. Not really a fan of the football he likes to play, but if he wins the double or even any of the big trophies then it's hard to argue he hasn't done the right thing.

He has spent a fair wedge of money, but he has the strongest squad in the PL in my opinion.
I keep my annoyance to what's going on at our club and not having a jealous eye at another club/manager because they might succeed. We should have done far better to compete with them and our team failed miserably.

06 May 2026 12:57:14
Crazy to think this Arsenal team could do a League and CL double.

Can't remember the last English team to do it.

If it happens, it will show how far the beautiful game has fallen.

Credit where credit is due, though, their fans will be buzzing and won't give 2 s##ts.



But it will bring a whole new meaning to winning ugly. Although we can't say much, we just play ugly, win, lose, or draw.

06 May 2026 13:25:01
I think we all know this. At the end of the day, the history books will only remember the titles and the wins. Everything else is just a part of the process. So the current breed of managers will coach, and do, every little thing to gain an edge to win and be in the history books.

06 May 2026 13:30:44
For me, Arteta's touch line tactics aren't my issue cos lots of managers do it. He is such a bit cringe about it cos he wasn't doing it before and used to get pelters for showing no passion and only then, did he start doing it, imo.

I do agree with a lot of what RR has said. This version of Arsenal under Arteta are supremely annoying and their diving, cheat or "Dark Arts" antics are just wretched stuff. The subs lining up at the touch line, escalating things and whinding up the Atleti players and staff, is something I've never seen any team do in all my years of watching the sport. Calafiori getting involved with scuffles here and there.

Was any that even necessary? And they wonder why people can't stand them and are rooting for City (absolute cheats, btw) to win the title over them.

Funny enuff, this same club under Wenger used to cry and whine when other teams were doing the same thing back then, calling such things "not the Arsenal way" and all that. Well, it seems that part of the "Arsenal way" has been abandoned when convenient. That's fine as we are all hypocrites in a way, as sports/football fans.

All in all, they are dire to watch and their antics and pathetic conduct of their manager and players are just in severely poor taste.

06 May 2026 13:39:24
JK, didn't City do it only a couple of years ago? Before then, though, I'm not sure. Utd in 99?

06 May 2026 13:53:21
Yup. ManU did it twice (1999 and 2008). ManC did it in 2023. We did it thrice before the EPL ('77, '81 and '84). (Thank you Google).

06 May 2026 14:56:18
Cheers, Gents. Totally forgot about City a few years ago. 3 times in 26 years shows what a feat it is.

Without coming across as bitter, I hope it doesn't end up 4 in 27.

06 May 2026 16:16:02
I'm going to double down on my original post. When I watched it on tv last night, I thought it was like nothing I'd ever seen - apart from in Sunday park football - but I've just seen a clip of the passage of play that I was talking about and it was even worse than how I first saw it.

Really quite extraordinary that Arsenal were allowed all of those players standing on the touchline, deep into the other half of the pitch (when none of them could claim to be legitimately warming up because Arsenal had used all of their permitted substitutions).

And then, throwing the ball into the crowd and even booting another ball onto the pitch to stop the opposition from getting on with the game. Like a bunch of hungover lads playing on a dog poo covered park on a Sunday morning.

06 May 2026 16:22:16
Let's be honest here. If we'd got Leverkusen, Sporting and Atletico in the knock out rounds last season or even this season, it's likely we'd be in the Final too.

They got an unbelievably easy draw, and after Barca somehow managed to blow it against Atletico, the final was the absolute minimum Arsenal should've got to. Anything less would've been a huge failure given the draw they got.



They only scraped through against Sporting, who are second to Porto in the Portuguese league. Forest knocked Porto out of the Europa. We beat Atletico in the league phase, as did Arsenal, and, in fact, Atletico had lost 5 games in the CL this year. They're not great.

You can only beat what's in front of you, but what was in front of them were teams that should've been easily dispatched over 2 legs.

06 May 2026 17:04:33
Irish, the behaviour last night was embarrassing beyond belief.

06 May 2026 08:39:36
"I wish we had a couple more days off at times because I think it works both ways." Did VVD really say this when questioned about the players time off after the game he just lost?

The press love to exaggerate or take things out of context. But for me if i'm the coach and my Captain said he wants more days off, cheers to that armband pal. Then again it is Slots team pushing for these breaks. I see what Ed and the itk mean when they imply that there's like 5 players putting in an effort and getting angry at the others. We need a big culture change asap more than anything!

06 May 2026 09:00:03
MrJones, Slot has enabled this nonsense. He has been giving them days off for fun, and clearly, they like it, so once Slot created that monster, what did we think would happen? They would obv. want more days off cos well, they like it. Who wouldn't?

And it's not like they are using these breaks to recover physically, resting their bodies in healthy ways as pro.

athletes (sleep, rest etc.). They are going out on jollies, going on flights, things that do not help your body recover as a high level athlete.

This is why, to your point, Salah was saying the standards are dropping and guys are just settling for mediocrity. Again, it starts from the manager.

06 May 2026 09:05:40
Imagine if Virgil said that to Shanks?

He'd be thrown out so quickly his feet wouldn't touch the floor.

06 May 2026 09:11:09
It won't be long when players have stand-ins to do their training for them...

06 May 2026 09:23:25
Truly embarrassing. Should be busting a gut every week. Salah is a true pro in the mould of Ronaldo and Messi for longevity and their fitness, what would Milly make of it? Looks like some of the others think this place is too cushy and Slot is allowing it.

06 May 2026 09:34:24
I'd like to earn £300k working part time hours.
Now, go do some laps, you big lazy sod.

06 May 2026 09:59:13
Our players (apart from Szobozlai) don't look anywhere near as fit or athletic as the likes of Arsenal, City, PSG, Bayern and so on.
We need a Manager who'll make sure they are !!

06 May 2026 10:11:35
Always helps to have the full quote for context:

Van Dijk was also asked about the perception aired on social media that Liverpool's training schedule has been light. He defended the suggestion that his side have had too many days off.
The players had one day off in the week leading up to the Manchester United game and are scheduled to have one day off this week before they play Chelsea on Saturday.
When it was put to Van Dijk that some of his team-mates went on holiday last week, the Liverpool defender said: "I'm not sure it's a holiday.

It's a city trip. But I think if you have one day off, and you don't have many days off, they decide what they want to do with their families. We are not kids. Everyone is an adult."
"I wish we had a couple more days off at times because I think it works both ways. You see Pep Guardiola giving [Manchester] City three days off the last weeks in a row and they are doing pretty well. It is finding the right balance.

{Ed001's Note - not sure that is a good defence, as your context has not helped it. Perhaps if the players trained with the intensity City do, they might earn more days off. But the half-arsed lazy arses we have need more work. I am sure you think you are defending Virgil, but you are just making it worse.}

06 May 2026 10:20:03
Darwin full quote does add more context, fully agree. Does make me question why players were flying abroad and back with only 1 day off, or have I got this wrong and they weren't abroad (positive someone said a few were in Italy or something shopping).

With 6 league titles in 8 years, Pep could argue he's found the right balance.

{Ed001's Note - Pep trains with high intensity, unlike Slot and Peeters.}

06 May 2026 10:27:43
Thanks, Darwin. I did find it amusing that MrJones provided a quote completely out of context whilst saying how the media like to take things out of context.

06 May 2026 11:04:03
When times are tough, anything and everything can be perceived as a problem.

06 May 2026 11:40:29
Feels like everyone who has a different opinion to you, Faith, is perceived as a problem.

06 May 2026 11:46:58
Not really JK, altho I do enjoy you popping up every now and then to attack the man, not the point.

06 May 2026 12:13:00
Slot should be setting the example. Oh, wait, he is.

06 May 2026 12:15:21
Is it true that Slot travels back to Netherlands a couple of times a week, and predominantly stays near Manchester Airport for convenience? Read a lot of media about it lately, but how true is this?

06 May 2026 12:31:37
Virgil backs Slot. He will say whatever he needs to in front of the press to help maintain image and support among the fanbase. I wouldn't trust a word out of his mouth when it comes to this sort of thing.

06 May 2026 12:48:31
Probably good that the skipper doesn't present more disunity in the press in'it?

06 May 2026 12:49:34
Hardly an attack, Faith, is it.

Apologies if me replying to you, replying to everyone, has offended you.

06 May 2026 13:32:03
Sorry, but Faith has a very valid point in regards to human nature. When you're winning, everything gets a free pass and you're celebrated. And when you're not, then everything gets looked at under a microscope, examined, judged and criticized.

{Ed001's Note - yes but it is working when you are winning and not when you aren't.}

06 May 2026 13:39:48
Ed01, the full quote of VVD literally made things worse. This makes him look even more detached from reality and completely out of touch.

Also, comparing us to City under Pep who rides his players every session, is just bonkers. Has someone told him that City have a chance at a potential treble despite their "days off"? Nice deflection but VVD ain't slick.

Again, it all starts from the manager who is off on his own jollies to Holland every chance he gets, barely trains the team and getting paid full wages so why won't the players take advantage and want the exact same thing? They like it.

06 May 2026 14:33:48
I posted the full quote because the OP took one sentence out and used it to slate VVD for his abilities as a captain. It is the sort of editing tabloids do to reinforce their agendas. You can read it any way you wish, but at least appreciate the whole of Van Dyke's comments instead of pretending he 'just wants more days off'.

06 May 2026 15:58:56
The team is underperforming.

Ergo, they have not earned "more days off".

Virgil, being captain and a senior player, is part of the problem. The game has always come too easy for him. Now his pace and athleticism have gone, he has to work harder - but he doesn't, and he wants more days off.

He hasn't read the room with his comments.

06 May 2026 16:34:26
I posted this a couple of days ago and it still irks me.
We've been crap all season. Running out of legs after 70 minutes in games and the Captain is looking for more days off and citing City as an example of how it works.
Sorry, Virgil. Give your head a wobble and start acting like a Captain of Liverpool Football Club.
This and this "cool" stuff is starting to grate.
Extra time on the training ground and do your job instead of blaming those around you when you make mistakes should be the way to go.


Get extra days off when you're top of the league by 10 points with 3 games to go.
Not when you're fancying about in 4th or 5th place and getting beaten by a poor United side.
I love the guy and he has been immense, but this year his work-rate, play & attitude has fallen off a cliff.

06 May 2026 16:44:30
Darwin, not slating the man at all, I will always admire him for his time at Liverpool and the things he has achieved. He should not have said it, in my opinion. I would have loved it if he had said "we are going to work harder, we don't deserve any days off".

With what is happening on field and off field, that is the example the captain should be setting. I'm unhappy with the culture seemingly being set. You may have missed that in the context of my op.

06 May 2026 17:24:40
VVD's comments, Dutch loyalty.

06 May 2026 21:39:11
Virgil's not actually looking for more days off. When you have to defend something, naturally you will attempt to make it look like a non-issue by attempting to flip the script. The instinctive response to "You get too many days off" in that case is "I don't get enough days off". It's the easiest way to shut down accusations.

07 May 2026 02:20:23
Thanks, JK, not offended.
Just amused.

Chewy, tend to agree, I wouldn't read massively into what VVD's saying as if he is campaigning for anything.

But when the chips are down, everything gets scrutinized.

07 May 2026 05:59:43
I guess some people are easily amused.

06 May 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 35 - Quick Round Up

06 May 2026 03:22:35
Ed001
Lots of posters say we don't need vast amounts of change this summer, not sure I agree but if we were only able to buy three players for the squad this summer who would be your choices?
Mine would be:

Kayode RB
Diomande RW
Sadiki M

Barcola LW as a back-up should any of the above not happen.
All young, upward trajectory players with bright futures and excellent form this season.

{Ed001's Note - mine would probably be the same to be honest, except for Barcola. He has great ability but I am not convinced by him at all. We need graft and dig most of all.}

06 May 2026 07:23:50
An excellent choice of 3, shughes55. If I was going to go full fantasy I would add Julian Alvarez and use Hugo on the left when fit instead of Gakpo.

06 May 2026 09:02:20
"He has great ability but I am not convinced by him at all. We need graft and dig most of all.".


Been saying this, as well for time, Ed01. Not convinced of Barcola either. I do like Sadiki because he is athletic, skillful and has a good shot on him. Kayode? Not my kind of player but he can defend and get forward. His end product needs some work, too.

06 May 2026 10:07:47
Barcola is the only one of those 3 I'd go for. Kayode and Sadiki haven't done enough for me.

One decent season in the PL isn't enough. It reminds me of the Rodgers days when we signed anyone who'd had a decent season and they almost always flopped.

We need to be signing elite players not taking chances on one season wonders.



I like the attitude from last season's transfer business. We need a striker, let's go out and get the very best available and pay the money for him. It obviously takes longer to build the squad that way but we'll be all the better for it.

{Ed001's Note - one decent season? Kayode was in the Prem last season too. And Sadiki wasn't signed out of nowhere, he was signed because he stood out last season too.}

06 May 2026 10:33:10
Sorry @Oli, are you saying you agree with Kade or not? I think that there are better options. He's at Leticia, and can defend most of the time, but I think he is journeyman standard in the context of the PL.

06 May 2026 11:24:42
If it's only 3 players then I'd go for one in each position group.

Geertruida
Defend across the backline, heading into prime years, leadership quality which we will need to add to the team and defense, especially.

Diomande
Looks fantastic, quick, direct, physical. Just basing off of the heat map, so can be out of context, but appears to be busy in the defensive half as well.

Very young, lots of upside, will pay back his fee over the lifetime of the contract.

James Garner
Love this guy. Real battler, workhorse. Wins 60% in the air and on the ground, busy defensively, and creates over a chance a game. Looks like he'd be a model pro for the next decade, and we need personalities like that in the team for sure.

Bonus 4th is that we keep Harvey Elliot. ;)

06 May 2026 12:23:14
Dream scenario.

Diomande.
Anderson.
Alvarez.

Reality.
Diomande.
Anderson, as I think, still possible.
Wharton.

06 May 2026 13:01:05
Garner has certainly had a standout season. I think I would still hell for leather for Anderson tho. He looks like he could play at a top club with ease, a Rolls Royce of a player, dare I say possibly better than Rice? Break the bank and get him. 👍

06 May 2026 13:41:36
Wdw respectfully, who is Kade and Leticia?

05 May 2026 23:17:12
I'll be surprised if Issac surpasses the goals and assists of Darwin after the same no of minutes played. Definitely won't beat his defensive contributions nor goals from outside the box.

06 May 2026 00:15:17
Why would you say that? He's had one injury and fitness ravaged season with us in a team that's been poor all over the pitch and has a history of scoring 20+ goals in the Premier League.



He's a class act. I'm really excited to see what he can achieve with us. I certainly don't see the point in expecting the worst before he's even had a chance to get going.

06 May 2026 01:35:51
Would like to see the stats on how many shots on target Nunez had to Isak. Isak hasn't had any service, and I recall Nunez missing open goals!

06 May 2026 05:17:12
Things have gotten pretty reactive when fans are pining for Nunez.

06 May 2026 06:52:21
For some reason, a lot of our fans pine after every player we sell: Diaz, Darwin, Elliott, Morton and Keller, to name a few.

06 May 2026 06:53:59
It's just because Nunez embodied the fight, grit and determination (save for that one game when it was obvious he wasn't playing for Slot) that the team is so sorely missing right now.
Moving him on at the time was obviously the correct decision, but in hindsight, I'd have definitely kept hold of him.

06 May 2026 06:57:36
We could probably bring Nunez back on a free as he's not playing in Saudi as he was removed from the league squad.

From 86 million to not being deemed good enough in a Saudi retirement league paints the picture.

06 May 2026 08:23:59
What Westwood said.

06 May 2026 08:52:16
What JK23 said. Just add a touch more sarcasm, please, if that's ok.

06 May 2026 09:04:34
StockAitkinandJohnston, I don't understand these comparisons. It's just a bit lame. For ex., did Darwin come in with no preseason, unfit to play, got played and broke his leg, all the things that stifled Isak?

If any of the above did not happen with Darwin, then what is the point of the comparison? That would be none, imo.

06 May 2026 09:07:37
He had the right attitude and commitment, but then so do 90% of the lads in the Kop every week.

Their footballing ability is probably not too different either. Sorry Darwin, not enough ability.

06 May 2026 09:27:35
I still think that, when fit and in a team that creates chances for a central striker, Isak is as close to guaranteed goals as almost anyone; probably only behind Haaland and Kane as a "number 9".

My concern is that he goes to the World Cup, still not fully up to real physical condition and picks up another injury that then derails pre-season again.

06 May 2026 09:36:32
Only way that's going to happen is if Isak leaves this summer.

06 May 2026 10:11:08
Slot's style of football absolutely kills strikers. Darwin wasn't even getting any chances to miss, Jota couldn't get involved, Diaz struggled in the false 9 aside from that one game against Spurs, Ekiteke started on fire but then regressed the more he adapted to the system (or lack of), Isak is just another victim of that.

Isolated, seemingly banned from drifting wide or deep like he did at Newcastle, unable to get in behind because we play too slow, getting no service from wide because the wingers don't pass and full backs aren't allowed to overlap.

We could have prime Harry Kane, Benzema, Lewandowski, Ian Rush. They'd all struggle in this team.

06 May 2026 10:14:13
Nunez was given every opportunity to shine in the Premier League and missed most of them from 6 yards out.

06 May 2026 11:25:39
With regards, Isak, perhaps on this occasion we are the dried up grass on the other side.

06 May 2026 13:02:49
Statistically it's a fair point to make; Isak's most impressive season so far was 24/25, Newcastle were at their best, and Isak was in a system that was perfect for his style, receiving lots of service. He got 33 goal contributions.

The season previous, Darwin still wasn't firing on all cylinders, he was receiving lots of criticism and missed a lot of opportunities, but he also managed 33 goal contributions.



I'm not saying Isak isn't capable of surpassing that by any means, he is a class finisher, and there's no doubt about his quality. But based on history, and factoring in his likelihood to miss games due to injury or need for rotation as prevention, the argument is definitely valid.

06 May 2026 14:22:03
@Chewy, so considering your last statement within your last paragraph, the question now becomes: Who's "genius" idea was it to let Isak play games without a proper preseason?

06 May 2026 21:46:32
Don't think I understand the question or how it's relevant, Oli.

05 May 2026 22:13:13
Bad enough that Liverpool are really, really bad at the moment. But, to see Arsenal progressing to the Champions League final, and clear favourites to win the Premier League, makes it all that much worse. Say what you want about Arsenal and Arteta, and their unsportsmanlike conduct and awful way of playing, but they are in with a real shot of making history.

They are going to be even more unbearable than usual.

05 May 2026 23:49:16
They will get smashed by PSG.

06 May 2026 00:06:46
I'd agree, flidby, but in a one off game anything can happen, I guess. Ideal scenario is that the impending CL final distracts them from the league and they lose both.

In any case, we have been in 5 out of the last 20 CL finals, so they'll have to go some to have anything close to our European pedigree.



To put that into context, we have been in a quarter of all CL finals in the last 2 decades. That is incredible given the amount of teams who have thrown billions at it in that time.

We are very spoilt.

06 May 2026 00:33:54
It is far easier to stomach them winning anything than City scamming another treble.
Arsenal are just a football club subject to the same rules and forces as Liverpool. City are a proxy political entity that cheated us out of two more titles that we'd have certainly otherwise won, and are throwing every effort possible at subverting the jurisdiction of the game with this ridiculous court case.


The whole country should appreciate them not winning.

06 May 2026 03:20:37
Agree, Lowe1FC.

Arteta learned the dark acts (tactical cheating on the field) from Pep, and has taken it to an all new level.

Don't understand the hate against Arsenal when compared to City, who cheated at all levels.

06 May 2026 06:32:52
They won't get smashed by PSG in my opinion. Arsenal are very good defensively and aggressively. I can see them frustrating PSG or Bayern and winning.

06 May 2026 06:38:56
You see, I find it far easier to ignore anything City do.

I've come to properly despise Arteta and that Arsenal team.

It will be a very bad day for football if Arsenal win the double as it legitimises everything Arteta has done.

06 May 2026 06:48:06
Wassa, Ignoring everything City is the tribal, (in my opinion) immature perspective on it.
Arsenal's success is a reflection of good decision-making as a club, and it tells other clubs to get their act together. If City had their way, football wouldn't be a competitive sport - they'd simply quash any and all attempts to threaten their dominance in a way that legitimate, competitive clubs like Arsenal could never do due to said forces.


Ignoring that due to some "unbearable fans" (get off Twitter - you won't notice) is small time.

06 May 2026 06:59:26
Arsenal are anti football whereas Slot's current Liverpool team takes the beautiful game to another level.

Like watching poetry in motion.

06 May 2026 07:04:09
What has Arteta done that's so bad, Wassa?

06 May 2026 07:25:18
It is far from tribal, Lowe, and it isn't immature in the slightest. The idea that my hatred of this Arsenal team comes from some tools on Twitter is fantasy, mate.

With regard to City, whilst those 115 charges still linger in the background, everything City do is meaningless to me.

As for Arsenal - please don't treat them as some plucky underdog. Arteta has spent over a billion pound in his time as Arsenal manager. He's net outspent Pep by some distance over that same period, and they've only been outspent, I think, by both Chelsea and United. So don't bring financials into it.

My hatred of Arsenal is purely and simply down to two things (1) the play style and the (2) this "dark arts", i.e., cheating.

They cheat, every game. Gabriel, as an example, constantly drawing falls and falling over as a centre half to give them back possession, it's embarrassing.

If a mouse farts near an Arsenal player, they are ok the deck.

Arteta practically interfering with play every chance he gets by getting close to the touchline. He knows exactly what he's doing - it's like having a 12th man on the side pressing opponents. Watch him last night - it's cringe inducing.

Then there is the playing style. I can't respect any team that spends over a billion pound to play like prime Pullis Stoke. Rival fans used to admire how Arsenal played the game. Now they have succumbed to that "win at all costs" attitude. Everything they largely stood for under Wenger has gone in the bin.

The fact is, if every team approached the game like Arsenal now do, it wouldn't be worth watching.

06 May 2026 07:46:30
They were beyond lucky to not concede last night and should have had at least one penalty given against them. If they give up that many chances against PSG, then they will lose.

06 May 2026 08:17:21
I don't want them to win either comp this season, but in reality I don't really care.

They have had a ridiculously easy draw in the CL this season, so reaching the final is no achievement.

In the league, if they win, they will have been the least worst team.


I know many said it about us last season, and I personally dismissed this view, but looking on it now I can see their point.

I would prefer City and PSG/Munich to win.

06 May 2026 08:38:06
I'm with Wassa, I've grown to hate Arsenal under Arteta. Loved Wenger's teams. They went from 1 nil to the Arsenal to great football, now they're playing 1 corner to the Arsenal. Not condoning City's cheating by any means, but Arteta is having a bigger detrimental effect on football than City's cheating. No one wants to watch Arsenal, or teams trying to copy them.

06 May 2026 09:03:39
2nd that Ron, League has been getting worse and worse for a few seasons now, we weren't great at times when we won it last season and dare I say, boring mostly. Every team playing the same way and a lack of tactical and exciting managers to blame.

Hence the need for Iraola for me. Hope PSG bury them and City win league, but it looks like City have blown that themselves.

06 May 2026 09:18:15
Arsenal have made a CL final and hats off to them. They will be hard to beat in the final regardless of who they play. That much we do know.

Now that being said, I cannot stand the way Arsenal play under Arteta with all the cheating, diving tactics they do (can't stand it when Macca does it either), and some of their fans have become just absolutely insufferable. Keep in mind that under Wenger, we had no issues with their fans as they were very humble, likeable and we shared our deep dislike for Utd. We were cool, right?

When Arteta came, all that changed. They started taking pops at Klopp, denigrating his/our achievements just to make Arteta look good and on the level, w/o the cache to boot.

That did it for me and to me, this is where the dislike and disdain for them started and this, across rival fans including ours, in my view.

This is why I agree to an extent with Wassa & @Scouse. Can't stand them and their arrogant manager. As for City, I don't care. Why? Simple. When they brag about all their trophies, I would like to ask them (considering the incoming verdict re: all these 115 to 130 charges on their head top) to tell me which of their trophies do they think are actually legal, at this point. I bet you, they couldn't tell you. That's all I need to know.

06 May 2026 09:37:22
They will bottle both, don't worry.

06 May 2026 14:23:40
"You see, I find it far easier to ignore anything City do."

Wassa, I find myself in the same boat, mate.

05 May 2026 21:39:01
Is it just me, or does it feel like Arne Slot won’t be here next season? People forget the human side of football—living away from family is tough, and if it’s not clicking on the pitch or with the fans, why stay? I haven't seen any signs of his family settling in England.

I’d love to see the club go after Sebastian Hoeness instead. He’s got the tactical spark we’re missing. 🔴

05 May 2026 22:26:36
"Money" is the reason he would stay because he probably won't get a gig as big as this again.
Liverpool's best exit is to pay him off and agree a mutual parting.

05 May 2026 23:04:48
He won't need money. He will be dining out on last year's prem for the next 10 years. Giving advice to all and sundry.

05 May 2026 23:17:41
Not cheap Ibiza.

06 May 2026 08:18:12
None of them need money, John, but they all crave more.

05 May 2026 19:21:00
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 35 - Quick Round Up

05 May 2026 19:50:19
Nice one. 👌 Thanks. 🙏

05 May 2026 19:51:35
Loved the part about Konate's positional sense, even though I feel it's very harsh towards the Turd. 😳

06 May 2026 01:07:56
ED001 - do you really believe Guehi has been excellent up until this game?
Anything I have seen other than his first 1 or 2 games have been bang average / very poor IMO

{Ed001's Note - he has been very good for City.}

06 May 2026 08:00:51
Guehi was a bad miss for us. Hughes and Co made a right balls of that one.

06 May 2026 10:29:35
"Shockingly bad and the kind of performance that should have seen Liverpool looking to replace Slot straight after."

Ed01, how many times have we seen this? It has become the norm to the point that people are and have been numb to it for months. I know I have.

{Ed001's Note - almost every week this season.}

05 May 2026 17:47:37
I don't recognise the concerning traits of this version of LFC no matter who the Head Coach is! I don't see a plan or tactical nous!

I do see a poorly motivated, poorly coached, unfit and unbalanced squad!

05 May 2026 22:26:12
I don't think the squad is unbalanced but injuries have unbalanced it as they would with most squads.

05 May 2026 22:49:24
StockAitkinandJohnston, the squad is imbalanced in midfield, not one of our midfielders is capable defensively.

06 May 2026 00:37:26
It's the same midfield that won the league last season, Vik, so it can't be that unbalanced, can it?

We can always do with better players in all positions, of course. I don't know a team that couldn't, but with everyone fit we have a very strong, very balanced squad. 2 players for every position.

I get why people might question the quality in depth after this season, but they certainly weren't at the start of the season. It's the multiple injuries to one position that have made the squad look stretched and unbalanced.

RB and CB are both good examples. We've had 2 RBs and 2 CBs injured for most of the season.

We've had at least 1 of our strikers injured for most of the season. Ali has been in and out and now we are on to our third choice keeper due to injuries.

All of this has an effect on the balance of the team and the squad because we've had to overplay players and play players out of position in most games.

Virgil and Konate have played too many games and don't look like they want to run. They defend on the back foot, which opens space in the midfield, which then makes the midfield look unbalanced etc etc.

Cause and effect.

06 May 2026 07:01:49
Definitely injuries, Beckers.

Without them we'd probably have sewn up the quadruple, Super Bowl, post code lottery and Eurovision Song Contest by now.

06 May 2026 08:22:08
Stock, Aitkin & Waterman were famous for churning out multiple turgid all-sound-the-same s*** records back in the day and it's ironic that in the same unoriginal manner, StockAitkinandJohnston is rehashing and remixing the argument put forward before 22/23 from some corners that we didn't need to sign any midfielders because we "nearly won the quadruple" the season before, so the midfield was still good enough to compete. Last season is completely irrelevant, and it has no bearing on this season. We've won nothing this season, and will win nothing this season.

If we carry on with Slot, and don't bring in some suitable quality in midfield, the next season is a write off too.

We still have not adequately replaced Fabinho, and it looks like that mistake is going to continue going forward. Our group of midfielders is entirely imbalanced, there's no physicality, no defensive nous and no leaders in there, just a bunch of powder puff soft lads who are scared of getting their hands dirty. If this season shows anything it's that last season was an anomaly.