Liverpool banter 8

11 May 2026 18:31:09
Looking at last season's fixtures and the lineups. It seems a 4231 was used all season with the occasional 433 attacking.
Back 5 was Alisson, Trent, Ibou, Virg, Robbo. So a consistent back 5 with occasionally Gomez coming in for Ibou or Bradley for Trent, Kelleher when the GK was injured. The two was always Macca and Gravenberch with occasionally Endo or Jones. The attacking midfielder was Dom. Right side was Salah all season unless he needed a rest.

Diaz and Gakpo on the left with Jota and Nunez up top or occasionally Diaz up top if injuries.

So we've gone from this as the main first choice:-
Alisson
Trent
Ibou
Virg
Robbo
Macca
Gravenberch
Dom
Diaz
Jota
Salah

To the following which won most of our games this season:-
Alisson
Bradley
Ibou
Virg
Kerkez
Dom
Gravenberch
Wirtz
Gakpo
Ekitike
Salah

11 May 2026 19:48:30
Slot could have 15 players on the pitch and we'd still get outplayed by pub teams.

11 May 2026 20:34:45
Give Slot that prime Barca team under Cruyff, Rijkaard or Pep and he will still struggle.

11 May 2026 18:17:34
According to
@Ramon_AlvarezMM
, some locker room heavyweights are now asking Real Madrid to sell Federico Valverde (27) this summer… rather him than Wharton or both if Macca & Jones go.

11 May 2026 18:49:50
Great player.

11 May 2026 18:56:16
Great player indeed, No.8. However, is that the type of character you want in the dressing room if the back story about his fistcuffs with Tchouameni (per, Ed01) is anything to go by?

11 May 2026 19:04:37
Imagine what he'd cost. At least two thirds of an Isak.

11 May 2026 19:12:18
I must have missed the back story bit, Oli. Fighting with teammates is never a good look, though you're right. A fresh start in a new country for a decent price, who knows?

11 May 2026 19:44:43
Was always keen to see u bring him in. Could give us that bit of bite we need in the middle of the park. Would be a huge improvement on Macca. A swap deal would be immense, Macca+20m??

11 May 2026 19:52:02
Yes for me.

There's only two players I'd take from Real Madrid. Trent and Valverde.

I'd be open to sending Macca the other way.

I really hope we tie Jones down. I really don't want him leaving.

11 May 2026 20:35:43
No. 8, The fight is not the issue. The back story is the main issues, should it be true.

11 May 2026 22:30:51
I could live with that.

Valverde for McAllister and cash.

Diomande for Elliot and cash.

11 May 2026 17:58:47
Love this site and especially when all the ITKs are firing different messages, causes some fun responses. I assume the standoff is between Edwards and Hughes. Edwards wanting Alonso, Hughes wanting Iralo. Personally, I don’t care; either would be a massive upgrade on slot!

11 May 2026 17:06:06
So it would seem the wheels are now fully in motion for a new manager. I personally feel a sense of relief. I don't think anybody expects us to win everything every year but what we have become in my opinion is unacceptable. Lacking energy, drive, identity, effort and cohesion.
Thanks for the ride, Arne. Time for a new chapter.

11 May 2026 16:59:01
Ed001, with Alonso seemingly coming in, can you clarify when the PL was last won by a manager who has hair?

(IYKYK).

{Ed001's Note - ouch.}

11 May 2026 17:54:21
Klopp had hair.

11 May 2026 18:36:13
On their head or on their legs?

11 May 2026 18:38:49
Artera, if he won.

11 May 2026 18:58:05
Stg, can we call whatever is on Arteta's head actual human hair, tho? I mean, they call him Lego Head for a reason, no?

11 May 2026 19:09:33
Klopp's hair was somebody else's, so does that count?
Somewhere (in Germany most likely), there may be a guy who, without knowing it, has the honour of his hair winning the Bundesliga, DFB Pokal, Premier League, Champions League, FA & League Cups amongst others.

11 May 2026 20:28:07
If not Klopp, then Ranieri.

11 May 2026 16:44:56
The Barcola one doesn't stack up for me. Not sure on this one.

Given he already earns 140k per week and the fee to bring him in it just doesn't seem value for money.

He has 28 goals in 86 games in the league, the league being the French league so transfer that to the EPL and it would in theory dip by a third.

Internationally he has 3 in 18.

Comparing him to Diomande for instance he has 12 in 32 in a much tougher league and 3 in 9 at international level.

He is also 4 years younger.



Granted the price tag will be similar but Diomande's wage is currently 14k per week there is a big difference there also.

If it was one of the other I would personally prefer Diomande (who am I though right).

I also think there is more value in his international teammate Traore albeit his output seems to have dropped off this season. I don't want Swiss football so no idea why that is.

Mane from Wolves could be one to develop and obvs play Rio more.

11 May 2026 18:52:58
I'd prefer Diomande also.

11 May 2026 19:49:19
I believe we're looking at both, not one or the other, Barcola LW, Diomande RW.

11 May 2026 16:05:43
It's great that the talk of Alonso coming in excites so many people. Is it true, though? If you read some of the Chelsea posts, they seem to think he could be going there.

My money is still on Slot staying.

11 May 2026 19:50:40
If it's between us and Chelsea, and we genuinely want him, where do you honestly think he's going?

11 May 2026 21:47:08
I don't think he's going anywhere, Chewy, to be honest. I've posted many times on here that he will be here next season.

Anyone who says otherwise is really just guessing.

He doesn't give me the impression that he is planning to leave - unfortunately.

11 May 2026 15:43:23
Rio will wear number 11 next season.

11 May 2026 15:16:33
Now Alonso is joining (we can hope). Does this mean Mo might do a Jordan Belfort and scream on the mic “I’m not f***ing leaving”? Ali may also want to stay with a change in management too?

11 May 2026 19:15:14
Whilst I'd like to see Salah stay to just prove that his bad season (still has better numbers than Saka, who's apparently the best RW ever to grace the Premier League, mind) is as much down to tactics as him becoming slow and useless overnight cos he turned 33, it's not going to happen.



He's already agreed to terminate his contract at the end of season and I'd assume that's done in writing and is binding, given it's announced, so he and the club would have to agree a new deal. Don't see that.