Liverpool banter 8

03 Nov 2026 10:37:36
Lad's hope you are all well 👍. Just want to say that I've given up on refs as in I expect them to feck up every week. I'm not going to get myself annoyed anymore unfortunately it just seems a fact of life now. How Webb is in charge I really don't know as it's on his watch but we all know his past. As Dermot Gallagher he's just a oxygen theif that will never ever call out a ref. Anyway look after yourselves and each other. As a certain Gerry Springer would say 😂

YNWA.

03 Nov 2026 10:56:35
"An oxygen thief" 🤣 Love it Barry. It's a sad state of affairs having to resign to the fact that refs/var will never be held accountable for game-changing errors.

03 Nov 2026 11:01:29
Hopefully it will change Chewy but not any time soon I fear. That's why I'm not getting myself annoyed anymore mate.

03 Nov 2026 11:15:42
Gave up on them long ago and accepted we have to be good enough to beat teams when we are being hampered by refs.

03 Nov 2026 11:17:24
They all say these get even out during the season. But we have lost two big games due to referee decisions now. Decisions that impact title race. How the f does it even out if we loose the title by 6 points come May!!

Also, I said this previously this would not happen under Klopp, under Mourinho, under Ferguson, under Pep and now under Arteta.

Klopp would have absolutely rinsed the Premier League and the referees association and pgmol and he is watched and heard universally and his remarks matter.

Iraola is soft very soft. He needs aggression, uncontrollable rage and damage to the image of pgmol and epl is only when they really listen. He has a big platform as a Liverpool manager. He should use it. Scream, cry and create problems don't let anyone listen the end of it. Referees need to fear coming to Anfield and getting it wrong.

Its has happened far too many times against us and sorry it's unacceptable.

03 Nov 2026 11:33:34
Here here Lastfan 👏.

03 Nov 2026 11:36:12
But it did happen under Klopp Lastfanofslot? Countless incidents such as the Lucho Diaz fiasco.

Honestly I don't think Klopp bollocking the 4th official every game made the refs do their job any better. Probs made them more nervous and more likely to make a mistake.

03 Nov 2026 11:29:20
Atwell is the ref who gave a goal when the ball went wide of the posts. So it's no surprise that he cannot see an obvious penalty. How he is a Premier League referee is a mystery.

03 Nov 2026 14:58:58
I don't think uncomfortable rage is ever a good thing.

03 Nov 2026 14:59:49
I agree Lastfan, except for the point about "it wouldn't happen under x manager" it very much did. I do think their aitttude and response tosuch decisions maybe helped to influence refs or at least attempt to keep them (somewhat) on point.

In regard to Iraolas' soft nature or lack of aggression, it's one of the traits of that sort of worries me the most. Forgive me for going off on a bit of a tangent here, but when it comes to the players, the man-management etc. I wonder is he capale of motivating a wide range of personalities?

Is he a strong enough character? On one end of the scale you've got the likes of Wirtz, seems a quiet kid, on the shy side maybe, lacking in confidence etc. somebody I'm certain Klopp could easily get the best out of given his skillset. Had Florian come in under Klopp, I'd nearly bet my house te kid would have hit the ground running, or at least adjust in a much much shorter period. I don't see Iraola filling the kid with confidence and motivating him the same why I can imagine Klopp would. (Obviously I'm making presumtions here).

Then on the other end of the scale, is he brash enough to handle the big names (maybe a poor choice of words), has he got the character or the attitude that's going to inspire those in the squad who are much more sure of themselves? I'm notso sure.

I'm not saying he doesn't. He may well do, maybe he's a demon behind closed doors, I've no idea. I just don't see it in the limited public interactions we get with him. I think he's a very good manager; he's certainly proved himself Prem-worthy, technically speaking, no doubt about it.

Do you think that perceived softness or lack of aggression is something that might hold him back in other aspects of his role?


I know people will argue he did it at Bournemout but I feel that naturally, these smaller clubs that aspire to climb the ranks and have to punch above their weight to get there, tend to have a squad of exceptionally hard-working players who may not necessarily need the sort of man-management required to assert yourself on the wide range of 'personalities' I think you find at the very top.

03 Nov 2026 15:12:17
You cannot have aggression and manage a big football club. You need fire and you need to have a very rough side. All goody goody and laughs on normal business days but an absolute effigy of passion and aggression on match day.
Not all aggression is wrong i am not talking about violence here am talking about being stern being no non sense and being feared.

I disagree that managers don't matter. Try giving a wrong decision on a ferguson or mourinho team your career is over.
Even with klopp he will troll you to no end and in every conference. Yes there still might be bad decisions because to err is human but there should never be bias in the game.

This reeks of bias and its bias because huh what will Liverpool do about it. The answer is nothing because these things fall on the manager.

03 Nov 2026 15:45:10
Sounds like a good job for the PR gurus Tony and Neil. Less puff pieces on Michael Edwards please and more about the substandard, and often overcompensating, refereeing performances at Anfield.

Come on Tony and Neil. Get on it.

03 Nov 2026 09:06:13
Morning - Did anyone watch Ref Watch last night where the weekend's ref performances are scrutinised. By god, it was cringeworthy with Demot Gallagher trying his best to defend Atwell's terrible decision not to award us a penalty. Both pundits on the show (Tim Sherwood and someone else) were both fully agreed it was definately a pen, but Gallagher was diverting out of this until in the end he said "well the more you look at it, it does look like a penalty". What a f***ing moron.

He knew it should have been given, but hey, got to stick up for the boys in the club.

The level of refereeing in this league is way behind the elite level usually seen in Europe.

03 Nov 2026 09:30:10
Haven't seen the recent episode but stopped watching a long time ago. Including when Howard Webb makes his appearances.

Just got sick of hearing Dermot just explain away how a ref would make a wrong decision and how VAR couldn't do anything about it unless it was a really wrong decision, not just wrong.

Refs all the way up to Howard Webb are just a different breed of human.

03 Nov 2026 09:35:25
With reference to the RefPro / PGMOL clown show. I notice that the refs kit is sponsored. Where does the sponsorship money go? Obviously the sponsorship is worthless without the TV time and the crowd draw of the clubs involved?

03 Nov 2026 09:45:51
KBL, I watched it online and true to form, Dermot was trying his best to be neutral and started obfuscating which was even worse.

Then (as it has suddenly become the norm after the game), he started saying that had Isak gone down (as in dived) then, that would have made the VAR look into it because he fell down because there would be a reaction. This is hogwash.

VVD said it best, "Why does he need to go down. There are 50 cameras and we all saw it happen. No one seems to have an answer for that.

And one last thing. I hear people saying that had Isak gone down then, he would have surely gotten the pen. Well, I am here to tell you that you are being conned by media propaganda.

Seriously, where/when have you heard after a PL game when something like this happened, and the media pundit class esp. on SS suddenly start saying "Well, maybe Isak should have gone down",

So essentially they claim to want to stamp out diving from the game yet, they're asking a player to dive? That makes no sense to the average bear? Imo, they are saying it to divert and deflect from the fact that the VAR (Atwell) screwed up as bad as Darren England did in the Diaz situation at Spurs, imo.

Cos I promise you had Isak gone down, he wouldn't have gotten the pen either. Why? They would have waived it aside as, "Not too much there", "Not enuff force on the pull" or "Oh, he went down too easily. Play on".

We've heard it all before esp. at Anfield. We know it. We've seen it

So my fellow reds, don't fall for the con from the media. They are trying to manufacture consent and make things go away.

Sorry for the long post, KBL.

03 Nov 2026 09:52:08
Nice read, Ed. I h-thought our guys played well and esp. reacted very well to going a goal down due to an Ali brain fart that tbh, had been coming.

We had a couple of chances to equalise with Wirtz hitting the bar and Macca's header that should have gone in. At 1-1, it is a very diff. game as we were on top of them after they scored.

We just need to improve and keep working hard because Iraola is doing a very good job with the deck he was dealt coming in.

As for the Isak pen, was the VAR really asleep? Or was he doing a Darren England during the Diaz situation at Spurs where he seemed to not know what he was doing nor seemed like he was actually watching the game? i'm going for the latter.

{Ed001's Note - I don't believe England is anything but a cheat and took money for that decision.}

03 Nov 2026 10:18:08
Amazing how the BBC have an article about Darren England calling him a hero for bouncing back from the Diaz "error".

If I made an error like that in my job, I'd be out the door and black listed from my profession.

{Ed001's Note - he should have been.}

03 Nov 2026 10:20:48
Normally Ed I would be surprised by such a comment but then I also saw videos of him pre match telling Gabriel how many yellow cards he's currently on and then fist bumping him afterwards! You couldn't write it!

{Ed001's Note - that was at half-time wasn't it? I saw the pair laughing and joking and fist bumping at half-time on the live coverage here.}

03 Nov 2026 10:30:50
The game is full of corruption as we well know. VAR seems to be a way of validating any decision the refs choose to make as a panel of them agree and they're on the same bung. And how refs are allowed to officiate in the UAE and then take charge of a Man City game a few days later is beyond me. Clear and obvious.

03 Nov 2026 12:22:24
The media aren't trying to make things go away. We really need to get away from this "everyone's against us". It's a complete load of tosh.

My take on it is it should've been a penalty. Isak's reaction to it was bizarre, but sums up his personality. Is it the most outrageous incident in the history of VAR? No. That was the Diaz incident. Like Iraola said, next time such an incident occurs Isak should make more of it. Whether that will have the desired outcome is open to debate and is subjective.

03 Nov 2026 11:17:24
Thanks for the response, Ed. I think this comment was for the Match Day review you did but it appeared here instead. No qualms, man.

Wow, you went there with the Darren England stuff and frankly, I cannot rule that out because you cannot explain it.

Same as the Isak situation. You simply cannot explain how that could have been missed which is why I want the club to demand a full explanation ant the audio on that incident.

Remember when we did it for Diaz, they called us crybabies, only for the tape to reveal the absolute shambles that led us there.

Same with Coote. We were saying this guy was against us and everyone called us victims. only for him to be outed as a scouse/LFC hater and a xhenophobe towards Klopp.

I believe the same Darren England thing happened here with Atwell because there is no way on earth VAR could have missed that.

Or seen it and said, "Yeah, we're sound here". Not in a million years.

{Ed001's Note - the mistakes are too blatant to be honest mistakes.

03 Nov 2026 12:15:02
Hold the phone there Ed1.

You're going to cause a meltdown on these pages by saying that a ref took money. apparently there is no corruption in football.

All that money and there is no corruption.

{Ed001's Note - we all know it is corrupt. A fish rots from the head down & FIFA is the most corrupt of all,

03 Nov 2026 15:06:09
Yes, it's a miserable excuse for them to try and explain away shocking decisions, a feeble attempt to soften the blow through media.

03 Nov 2026 15:34:19
"Everyone's against us".

Rome, no one said that but you so that's your problem. Also, you said that Isak incident was not the worst incident in history. You're right. It wasn't. It was the Diaz incident and who did he play for? Yeah, I thought so.

And who was the VAR that nullified the kung fu kick on Macca by Doku? Stewart Atwell, the same VAR in this game.

It's so bad that Paul Tierney doesn't even do our games anymore. Nor does Darren England who has done about 3 games since the Diaz incident, I think. And Michael Oliver hasn't been seen doing our games since City got convicted. You think all that is a coincidence?

Even the pen Forrest got when Neco was fouled was adjudged to be an error. Who was the VAR that approved the pen? Michael Oliver, the same guy who has been killing us in games since he refused to send Pickford off after the VVD incident, stating that because our players didn't scream about it, he did not give it.

Wait, isn't that the same excuse they are using to bail out Atwell because Isak didn't go down or yell about it? I can keep going.

At the end of the day, We are saying what has been happening and a trend is clearly there. That doesn't mean the "They are all against us" nonsense. It means when something keeps happening byt t the same people, to the same people then, there is a real cause for suspicion. And we will continue to call it out if the trend continues.

After all, we sounded the alarm about David Coote and no one believed us.

Until they did.

{Ed025's Note - you need to pack the persecution complex in Oli, Liverpool dont get treated any different to other clubs...they just complain more, and as for the "kung fu" kick its the biggest myth in history mate the guy never had a mark on him ffs, the problem with Macca is that he is such a 24 carat shithouse that even the referee,s dont believe him anymore, i hope this clears things up for you..

03 Nov 2026 15:53:06
It's what the kids call gaslighting these days, Oli. :)

How Howard Webb has the job after the David Coote thing is ridiculous. At the very least an independent investigation into his organisation should have taken place.

{Ed025's Note - "oh woe is me"..give it a rest guys ffs..

03 Nov 2026 15:35:31
Ed1 wondering if your opinion of corruption changed over past 2-3 years?

I might have remembered wrongly, but recalled few years back u mentioned u dun believe there is corruption. Or was that Ed2 that mentioned it.

For me, VAR seems more like a legalised corruption tool, which is used to rereferee the game the way they want.

{Ed001's Note - Ed 2 & I always used to argue about it as he didn't believe there was any. This recent addition of fake generated pics to show offside is a blatant way to simply fix matches as we have no way of knowing if they got the decision right.

03 Nov 2026 16:10:30
Arh ok fair enough, didn't realise that Ed, still horrible to regardless though right!?

{Ed001's Note - it is not a good look.

03 Nov 2026 18:40:15
Yeah what are those generated pics all about?

I've always thought they're completely meaningless.

{Ed001's Note - it is a way of making it so they can pick the decision they want. How can we know otherwise when the pic is generated and so can be generated to show anything they want it to?}

03 Nov 2026 17:25:58
As a former referee I've always known they are cheating. as Ed01 says, it's impossible to make those mistakes, a trained chimp couldn't get these decisions wrong unless they were cheating. Ed25 just showing his bitter blue side with his responses, which I find odd given Everton also get cheated by anti Scouse referees on a regular basis.
These people are corrupt and have been for over a decade. Coote should have resulted in an investigation, instead they portrayed him as a gay, druggie and a lone wolf. It's obvious they are all in it together as Coote said on that video "I'm telling you now, Liverpool won't win the league this season" which we duly did purely because the referees knew every decision they made against us after that was under scrutiny.

Soon as we won the league they resorted back to the script again. Check the decisions in the seasons before Coote, after Coote was caught and then since we won that season under Slot. Last season they decided Arsenal would win it and it will be the same this season due to the City financial doping, that non pen v Brighton would have been awarded to City in seasons past, it wasn't a handball btw but they were given one v Wolves years ago when it hit the lad on the side of his body. we are watching a rigged league and have been for a decade or more.

03 Nov 2026 09:17:46
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 9 - Quick Round Up

03 Nov 2026 09:25:20
Brilliant. Thanks Ed.
Look forward to these and to reading this one properly on my lunch break.

{Ed001's Note - I hope you enjoy it mate. Was nice to get it done so early for a change.}

03 Nov 2026 10:48:21
Cheers Ed.

My boss went up to the Emptyhad at the weekend with his two boys (16 and 14) and he said it wasn't as empty as he expected but he did say how poor their support was (although they did apparently sing a song about being relegated with United)

They had a great day and his 14 year old decided to shout "Seagulls" outside of the ground only to hear the reply (Shut up you little C**t) from one of the City fans!

To be honest, that made their day and they quickly got in the car and sped back home to the south coast to avoid any repercussions!

{Ed001's Note - such a sweet story I wasn't expecting that ending.

03 Nov 2026 11:15:47
The analysis of Isak and Barcola is unfortunately accurate. The signings of those two plus Wirtz have been severely disappointing. It's hard to believe that there's so much money spent on the forward line for such little end product. I thought we huffed and puffed but ultimately didn't really do a whole lot.

I thought Arsenal were fairly comfortable especially for the last half hour. But we should have most definitely been awarded a bloody penalty!! Anyway thanks ED01. Great reading! Onwards and upwards!

{Ed001's Note - thanks sg.

03 Nov 2026 11:17:16
Brace yourself Ed01. What you wrote about Bracola, they are coming after you.

{Ed001's Note - maybe. I don't actually remember what I put now.

03 Nov 2026 06:58:59
Just catching up with views on here post the Arsenal match.
Read that we're out of the title race, read that same problems persist as under Slot, that some players don't care, no shots on target means were crap and Arsenal are great etc.

Title race is long and we're improving fast.
There was a stat v Arsenal in the 1st half that we'd had the most touches in the their box than any other team in Premier League history.
We pressed collectively and had them penned in and had wave after wave of attacks. Macca looks better to his best, nyoni was a revelation against rice, guimaraes and odegaard.

If Ali doesn't play that stupid pass they don't score. That's 2 weeks in a row his distribution has been poor.
The game was good to watch not like a Slot game and we deserved something from the game. XG number makes that clear. That's without the penalty we should have had.

Iraola is clearly improving us and we look so much better than last season and the improvement is happening quicker than most expected.
Only negative for me so far is that Barcola doesn't look like he's the player most thought he'd be. Hopefully he proves me and others wrong.

03 Nov 2026 08:08:23
I think that this side needs time, as does this manager. There are signs of improvement but until he can get the side he wants and playing at a tempo he wants then we will struggle against the top sides who are ruthless.

There are still 6 or so players to come back into the squad and then some genuine competition for places. That's a positive if we can keep a fit squad until the end of the season.

There are however some glaring weaknesses in this side. I don't like to write players off but both left backs are lacking different things in my own opinion and that midfield needs a much better balance.

The one I worry about personally is Wirtz and I see him potentially moving on. Gravenberch is also a worry but again both can play, maybe just not what we require in this team. Just my 50 pence worth. Hopefully it continues to improve and I'm completely wrong about both players. I think we would all love to see Luverpool challenge again but we look short in a few areas.

03 Nov 2026 09:24:27
I agree to that. I think the first half was really good (apart from conceding), there was a lot of pressure on the Arsenal defence and we showed some great intensity which we've lacked for a long time. We're improving each week and I'm excited to see the progress. What's weird to me is that it looks like we're just building some team spirit. Especially the signings of last year don't seem to be very integrated, but I think they are finally building some understanding. Back to the game, what should not happen is the growing frustration with the referee. While I was fuming that he gave Arsenal every 50:50 decision which engaged them to dive every time when they were pressed, I think we should have reacted more collectively.

There should be a leader who criticizes the ref, but also encourages his teammates to improve the effort and to not lose their heads.
I think there's a lot to improve and luckily we're already quite good. I've randomly stumbled across the CL final last season and for me there a a few parallels between those games. When Arsenal score early, it's very tough to create a lot of chances against them. PSG needed a penalty as well, and we all know how good they are offensively. I'm not saying we are as good as PSG or will be, but I'm very optimistic that if we continue to work and build a better understanding, we will be successful again and also very enjoyable to watch. Lots to look forward to.

03 Nov 2026 09:34:29
This title challenge talk - where did that come from? Feel like it suddenly crept up because mathematically we could be right there in the "race" if we happened to beat Arsenal.

We are a flawed squad that is building with a new coach.

This year it's top 4 and anything else is a bonus. The idea that one victory against Arsenal would have us right in the title challenge was immature.

03 Nov 2026 09:57:48
Indeed, faith. The title challenge talk was mainly media driven esp. after we won 5 in a row in all comps. and dispatched Brighton with aplomb going in. And many of our fans bought into it going into the game and I don't blame them because the optimism was there, tbh. I never believed it esp. if your are just in week 9, not even in week 19.

The team has too much ground to cover and too much progress to make to even begin to challenge Arsenal who are in year 7/8 with the same manager who has spent a billion on building a squad. You can't cover that chasm in 3 months. Iraola is that good but he ain't no miracle worker.

People just need to relax, support the team, the players and the manager because we are improving progressively and we simply cannot cheat the process. You simply cannot.

03 Nov 2026 11:03:34
I think there have been a lot of reactionary comments; had things gone our way, it could have easily been 3-1, Isak penalty, Macca's header and Wirtz's free kick off the bar. Had that happened the same reactionary commenters would be shouting from the rooftops how we hammered the champions and the title race was back on, despite it having been the exact same performance.

03 Nov 2026 11:19:20
You make a good point, Chewy. It's all reactionary, really. Emotions and all that.

It's sports at the end of the day and sports without any emotion is nothing.

03 Nov 2026 11:40:59
Are City & Chelsea in the title talk as both also have new coaches?

03 Nov 2026 12:03:42
The reason we are not in the title race @Jk is that we have lost a guy who had a habbit of scoring 30 goals every year for 7 good years. No matter what people say about, New coach, training methods, intensity, running habbits blah blah and more blah blah, that's the fact and the only fact.

It was similar with Suarez, Unless you don't find those 25 plus goals (which we have tried by spunking 300 mil), we ain't in the any race,

03 Nov 2026 15:37:00
Sonic, City don't exist anymore. And Chelsea won't be winning any titles for the time being.

In fact, Alonso had better be very careful because after two straight losses before the United win, many of their fans were already on him and asking for him to go because he wasn't playing their golden boy Estevao.

03 Nov 2026 21:20:50
I don't care about City and Chelsea.

We can all see the flaws in our squad.
We can also the positive signs in patches

The idea that a flawed squad playing inconsistently is going to challenge for the title, again, is immature.

Even if we had beat Arsenal it wouldn't have changed anything in my mind other than to be another positive step towards becoming a title challenging team.

03 Nov 2026 07:23:03
Where's the beast Ed666. I need to read his view?

{Ed666's Note - Mate I’m bitterly disappointed. You want my opinion I’ll give it you. I know people will accuse me of being the angel of doom and an anti Liverpool fan but quite honestly we were pathetic. Let me preface this by saying I don’t blame Irola for any of this because he’s inherited on the whole a bunch of clowns and I would hope his squad be exponentially different at the start of next season. I don’t care about the Isak non penalty and the Macalister chance. We were bloody awful. How many misplaced passes? How many counters broke down because of the clumsy telepathy between midfield and attack? This midfield is dysfunctional at best and needs surgery. You cannot make any more excuse’s for the forwards. What’s the point of Isak? What’s the mitigation for Barcola losing the ball all the time, running into blind alleys, can’t take on his man and looking like a grotesquely expensive mistake. Wirtz? When is he gonna actually take a game by the scruff of the neck the way Cherki does? How much more time does he need to get in tune with the pace of the Premiership? I can’t see where some people think we played well? At no point did I think we were going to win that match. In fact I don’t even think we deserved a draw. I honestly don’t care if I get flack for my sentiments. I’m gonna say my truth. We had a real opportunity to become title challengers and we bottled it. Don’t get me started about Kerkez and Gakpo. Our left side is pitiful. The only light at the end of the tunnel is Ronald & JJ. I’m gonna halt my diatribe now because I’m just so angry and frustrated

04 Nov 2026 07:26:37
Don't bottle it up Ed, Let it all out 👍🏻😂.

02 Nov 2026 23:17:47
There's soo much praise for this Arsenal defense that can be got at btw.
But When virg stayed forward towards the end of the game, he won every ball and I was confident he'd win every header. His presence was actually immense and he played some lovely touches and balls to attackers. I thought he was brilliant.

02 Nov 2026 23:56:32
We lost the game mate. He could have cut the ball out from the Arsenal cross that led to the goal so no amount of flick ons can make up for that. Any team that resorts to the CB being left up the field just highlights the desperation.

03 Nov 2026 03:11:19
whats really worrying is no shots on target. Not even testing Raya is a big worry and although so many chances created out front 3 couldn't convert.

03 Nov 2026 06:53:24
Before the game, A lot of posters were confident we would thrash them by at least a two goal margin, Suddenly they have become the best team in the universe.

03 Nov 2026 07:45:44
It's wild people solely go off what Opta says for stats, Macca a shot from about 30 yards and had Raya not been in goals it would have went in meaning its a shot on target but Opta pick and choose what shots they count which helps the betting companies too, they don't count woodwork as a shot on target when in previous seasons it was counted, there was 3 occasions where Liverpool players hit the ball towards the Arsenal net and had there been no keeper the ball goes in the net so I am dumb founded how they aren't counted as shots on target because they are the be all and end all of stats.

03 Nov 2026 07:49:07
Maybe because they kept in mind that we had beaten Brighton the week before? The same Brighton that beat both ManCheats and Arsenal this season so far? It's kind of logical, but let's not let that get in the way. 😉.

03 Nov 2026 09:02:10
Raya didn't make a save so how could the ball have gone in had he not been in goal, ChickenEkitikka?

{Ed001's Note - he caught a shot from Mac Allister, so he defo made a save, stats sites are just spreading bullshi* now.}

03 Nov 2026 10:03:49
Yeah, Ed. Seems the Opta stats bozos have succeeded in manufacturing consensus that LFC didn't have a shot on target whereas they had one from Macca and potentially another 3, per @Chicken.

Sounds like when a couple of years back, people said Doku had cooked Trent at the Etihad, saying that he had completed the most dribbles vs an opponent that season or something, according to the "stats".

Only to find out that he did next to nothing and that the stats were fugazi. But you know what they say, "A lie will travel around the world before the truth is done tying it's shoe laces". Or something like that.

{Ed001's Note - stats sites are absolute bollox these days. They just want something to post up on social media it seems it is all about getting attention for their useless nonsense.}

03 Nov 2026 11:18:27
VVD is an is physically exceptional, he's also an excellent footballer, people forget what he was like in his younger days, and at Celtic, lad would run the pitch, beat half the team and score, he's well capable of charging forward and taking players on, something I'm sure was coached out of him, I'd say he actually layed as a striker as a kid but because of his size was moved to CB.

He used to take the free kicks up there in Scotland and bang in some absolute worldies, he has a great touch and level of finesse you wouldn't expect from a bloke his size.

02 Nov 2026 21:32:29
I'm struggling to see why Isak is getting pellets for not "making more" of the shirt pull. Clearly VAR is supposed to check it. It was a clear penalty, so a clear and obvious error from the ref. So if VAR did its job or the person controlling it, it should have been flagged. VAR assistant should be under scrutiny not the player.

02 Nov 2026 21:36:46
I find it very very odd he didn't appeal for a foul / react at all.

02 Nov 2026 22:54:02
Macca would have been rolling around with whip lash for hours.

He should have complained to the ref because it definitely stopped him getting to the ball.

03 Nov 2026 00:31:33
yeah, I'm not sure we can take aim at Macca and Isak at the same time lol

Has he been interviewed at all? be interesting to hear his thoughts on the incident. Watching it looks like he is clearly impeded, but then his reaction doesn't match it.

Unfortunately, there is something in the idea that the player needs to give something for the referee to think about.

03 Nov 2026 01:06:58
Funny how Macca gets nothing but abuse for going down too easy but now Isaks getting abuse for not going down at all. You just cannot please some people. Pity it wasn't Maccas shirt that got pulled.

03 Nov 2026 04:16:52
Hypocrisy at its finest Chewy.

03 Nov 2026 06:13:00
Perhaps Isak expects the occasional contact in a contact sport?

03 Nov 2026 06:29:26
I think difference is chewy macca is going down to get a player sent off and the player shouldn't be sent off as there no 'hit' at all.
Whereas isak should go down as he is being fouled and without going to ground he is not going to get the decision.
That's my 2 cents on it anyway.

03 Nov 2026 06:31:58
VAR assistants were also under scrutiny. but the VAR 'fatigue' is what pushed it to just make a scene or complain cause otherwise u don't get it.

both is stupid, but is a conclusion made with the assumption that VAR assistants are stupid to begin.

either way, yes it should have been VARs job to see and flag it. but the expectations are already as low as it can be from them. nothings going to happen to them anyways, mistake after mistake.

03 Nov 2026 07:25:56
We know refs and VAR are crap. Surely Isak knows this. Whether he falls, dives, appeals, goes to speak to ref. He needs to do something. Doing nothing makes it look like he wasn't put off at all so no penalty.

03 Nov 2026 09:05:02
A better comparison would be Isak and Gakpo.
Both were held, to some extent, Gakpo went down but Isak didn't. Gakpo didn't get a penalty either.

03 Nov 2026 10:15:07
Indeed, Chewy. btw, don't let these media bozo's fool you saying that Isak should have gone doan and he would have 100% gotten the pen. That is fugazi and you are being conned because based on the game itself, that wouldn't have happened at all.

I promise you had Isak gone down, he wouldn't have gotten the pen either. Why? because there was a lot of diving and play-acting going on all game (esp. on Arsenal's side) and the VAR would have just waved it aside with the regular "Not enuff there to warrant Isak going down in a heap".

Further proof, Macca got pulled by his shirt in the box by Timber when he was running to provide an option for a pass and he went down. VAR looked at that and said/did nothing. That is why I say that Isak going down wouldn't have changed a thing.

Again, you're being played by the media if you believe that esp. with them saying that it's okay to dive when you feel contact, something no pundit had ever said after a game, imo.

And why would he need to go down? As VVD said, "There were 50 cameras at the game and we all saw it live".

Lastly, who was the VAR? "Stewart Atwell, the bozo who looked at Doku's kung-fu kicked Macca in the box at Anfield in a title-deciding game and didn't give the the pen.

Just saying.

03 Nov 2026 11:29:04
Oli, and compare Doku's kung-fu to Macallister's red card for a "high tackle" v Bournemouth in '23 when his foot was about 12 inches off the ground. The lack of consistency is an absolute joke. As I've said before there should be a panel of ex-pros sitting over VAR's shoulder with the power to call them out and force a reassessment of decisions on the spot, because these halfwits simply do not understand the game.

{Ed025's Note - spot on Chewy..

03 Nov 2026 11:39:27
Digger10, I think my point moreso is that you're either the type of player who does go down (and make a meal of things) or you're not. People whinge and complain about Macca for going down easy but now Isaks getting stick for not going down at all. there's no middle ground, you either go down or you don't, you can't do a half a dive if you know what I'm saying, you either commit to it or you don't. We're cucifying Macca for committing to it, and we're crucifying Isak because he didn't.

I wasn't specifically talking about Macallisters altercation with Madueweke but in fairness to Macca, given that he's "committed" to the art, Madueweke did approach him, lower his head and make contact, there's nothing in it of course, it wasn't a headbut he was just going head to head to confront him, but he did make contact with his head intentionally.

03 Nov 2026 15:43:12
Yeah, Chewy. I remember that one. However, I think Macca's got rescinded but again, that could have cost us the game. So I agree with all your points, man.

I will never advocate my players to dive at any level BUT I tell ya this: Th same people asking Isak to dive off the contact, will be the same people saying it was okay to rule out the foul because "He did not need to go down that theatrically".

They are trying to sell us a bad bill of good here, mate.

Don't fall for the con.

02 Nov 2026 17:09:26
Just a point about the game yesterday. I couldn't see but my son in the Kenny could. At the end of the game Gakpo Gravenberch going to Timber hugging laughing etc. we have just lost to one of our biggest rivals.

I understand they are your international team mates but surely you wait till later in the tunnel maybe? Not a good look. It might seem petty but I find that annoying.

02 Nov 2026 17:18:41
It was just a football match and that is inferior to the human connection they share. You will find there are things bigger than football. I have got no qualms with that really.

02 Nov 2026 17:59:49
They can have their interaction later. We have just lost but they are laughing and joking Maybe some care more than others.

02 Nov 2026 18:00:16
I agree 100% with Stevie. Iraola is friends with Arteta but he's not having a love in on the pitch. You're out of the title race and lost at Anfield. Bad time to be laughing and joking.

02 Nov 2026 18:39:13
Humans are not clones, they react in different ways. There isn't any right or wrong.

02 Nov 2026 18:51:52
I kinda miss the time when it seemed like a terrible result like this actually bothered the players. This is elite sport. Im all for the auld Roy Keane stare straight ahead lark in the tunnel. Plenty of time for backslapping and hugs in the players lounge afterwards. During the game the opposition are the enemy.

02 Nov 2026 19:09:23
WDW - there is most definitely a right and a wrong in the way humans react.

02 Nov 2026 19:10:13
Ryan can laugh at another club. No it's not professional on the pitch at anfield after a loss. The lads not the type of character I want about the place. When we were struggling he's not one to put in real performances. Too laid back and overpaid. He can go.

02 Nov 2026 19:13:32
First time Gravenberch has been able to successfully find a teammate all season.

02 Nov 2026 19:17:50
I agree Florian, I miss the days when players went to war with the opponent. Perhaps it's because the lack of commitment players have to clubs and vice versa. Maybe I'm wrong but players feel a lot more transient these days, look at Cherki last year putting on Ekitike's shirt mid game I mean honestly it's all a bit nice really! Bring back the rough and tumble, physical battles.

02 Nov 2026 19:29:39
Excellent rage bait, it snared those you would expect.

02 Nov 2026 19:35:36
Cody is just one of the nice guys, he's always helping players up off the floor, apologising for tackles etc. He's got no devilment in him at all. It can and should wait until they're off the pitch, then he can have his love ins. Not many have the passion for the club in the way we'd like as supporters, I don't like happy losers.

02 Nov 2026 19:39:57
Ugbes - Absolutely not. Liverpool need players who are annoyed by losing, particularly to rivals and under those circumstances. Those two are reportedly paid a combined half a million a week (goodness knows how) to represent Liverpool FC and despise losing. Roy Keane's take on this nonsense is spot on.

02 Nov 2026 20:01:28
Just another sign we're not at the level

True title contenders wouldn't be flirting.

02 Nov 2026 20:14:43
Would you like having Gravenberch starting away in a derby or at Old Trafford? Not sure. Lad can play but I think Liverpool might move him on.

02 Nov 2026 20:14:57
Andoni sadly has inherited the same problems Arne Slot had, how can you motivate multi, multi millionaires who get the same fortunes weekly win, lose or draw. The culture is too nice at the club from top to bottom, with only the fans who have any real worries.

03 Nov 2026 00:32:10
I personally don't care about this at all. And if you're going to go on and say that they can have a laugh later, then to me that just means it really is just feelings over facts on this one.

03 Nov 2026 06:22:53
@WarMachine, there is a distinction between right and wrong in the real world. The context we are talking about is a game of football - it is sport and is inconsequential in the real world. Congratulating an opponent (who, as in this case, may be a friend) is fine. In fact, as youngsters we were taught to congratulate the opposition on a good game after each match.

Apologies, for not placing my comments into perspective given the context. To be honest, I didn't think there was a need in a world where countries like America and Israel have taken it upon themselves to bomb sections of society off the face of the earth for little more reason than the fact that they can.

02 Nov 2026 21:39:00
Crucifixion? Good, Door to the left, one cross each!

03 Nov 2026 07:19:49
Understood WDW. I just have the view that it's right to shake the hand after the game and it's bad taste to be laughing and joking after a defeat. A defeat should not make them feel happy and joky after a game, I don't care who they see. My son plays games against his school friends on a Sunday. If he loses against them, he certainly isn't laughing and joking with them after the game.

He's not happy. It makes me think they don't care enough and then makes me think we are paying their huge wages for players who couldn't really give a damn if they win or lose. I want players playing their hardest for the club and caring a lot when we lose. Thus doesn't give me that impression. That's just my opinion.

03 Nov 2026 08:28:30
Some people really can't handle losing a game of football.

03 Nov 2026 10:20:05
Indeed, @Fifth and @Flash. This is nonsense and a sign of people doing too much trying to get a reaction. They are compatriots and national team buddies. they go at it during a game and once the whistle goes, they lay down their weapons and chat because you know, the so called "war" is over.

Also, these guys have prolly known each other since they were kids in the academies and all made it up to the top level. Should they just suddenly now become sworn enemies because they play against each other? Put the crap in the bin, man.

Also, do these people know that in the tunnel before a game, these players chat a bit, high five each other before the game and do so after the game?

Again, rage-baiting nonsense.

03 Nov 2026 11:45:20
I'm in the Roy Keane camp for this one; it's a 'fight to the death' until the final whistle goes. Once that happens you can do what you want. I get where OP is coming from, as personally, I wouldn't be saying a word to the opposition after a game, if I wanted to talk to a national teammate or otherwise on the opposing team, I would be doing it at some stage after I've left the pitch, but of course I understand why lads do it.

02 Nov 2026 15:50:35
I recall a few seasons ago when November always seemed to be a bad month for us. Having now lost our first game in November this season, I hope that's not a bad omen for us.
We need to start scoring more, and stop this habit of going behind in a lot of our games.


I can see a bit of improvement in attitude so far under AI, but we are still a lot of work in progress, and patience will be needed.

02 Nov 2026 16:24:25
"Here Here" KBL,

Sir Bob won the clubs first ever European Cup in 1977 and with it the usual League title 76/77, at Villa Park in "December" 1976 we were very lucky to get away with an absolute 5-1 trouncing, the team never looked back after that game as the above honours prove, sometimes the most disappointing loss is the best thing that can happen to you?

YNWA Andoni.

02 Nov 2026 16:40:28
I remember Nightmare November under Roy Evans.

However, more recently, our best form of the season has consistently been between the last international break of the calendar year and the festive period. Then January we see a dip, which has sometimes lasted through February.

02 Nov 2026 16:50:15
I was at that game, 007, at Villa Park in 1976. I didn't know what I was watching. Completely outplayed. Blooming hell, just realised that was 50 years ago!

02 Nov 2026 17:36:48
How was that Cornish. paradise Rome?

We had a couple of hidings at Villa park in the late 70's.
I remember Easter 79- went with my youth football team Bromley Heath to see us get pummelled 3-1.

02 Nov 2026 18:14:51
Hiya Bristol, my friend. We had great weather, mate. Did a fair bit of coastal walking. It was warm enough to laze on the beach, though we didn't. I never tire of going down there. Did you get down there this year?

I was there in Easter 79, too. Back in the days when it was an all standing away end and it wasn't all ticket!

02 Nov 2026 18:30:00
Good to hear Mate 👍
Going back down early Dec - Padstow food week!

Getting to that away end was a fearfull
Walk back in those days depending where you were parked up.

02 Nov 2026 18:41:03
Padstow food week in December sounds brilliant. Me and the wife ate at Pucellis the other week.

You are right about that walk to your car, mate. The walk back down the Blues was even worse. Brummies aren't as friendly as us Black Country folk!

To the Editors, I'm sorry for turning this site into an alternative to Facebook!

02 Nov 2026 19:14:49
November is notoriously crap anyway. Cold, Christmas still ages away and no bank holidays. Our form is probably no different to any other month but it's just not as much fun because it's November.

02 Nov 2026 14:10:00
Bit of a loaded question ED001 but i have really been excited at the progress this team is making and the spirit they show and i am sure they will be there and there abouts for challenging for things in the very near future.

What would your goals for this season be? Seem a little off city and Arsenal but I have a lot of faith in Iraola to get them there.

{Ed001's Note - get through the group stage of the UCL, qualify for it next season via the Prem and anything in the cups is a bonus. It is mostly about building a side to suit Iraola's style, this season is giving him time to look at what is there and deciding who needs to be moved on and replaced. I think we will end up top 3 in the league, which would be great considering the mess he inherited, with players unfit after working part-time last season and an SD who spent the transfer window only working part-time. I thought it would be a real struggle until Xmas to be honest, but we are already starting to look so much better.}

02 Nov 2026 15:41:17
That has been my feeling this season too. We as fans always expect instant success but finish in the champions league spots, get a good run in that and then the other cups it will have been a great season.

The other thing for me is we are enjoyable again to watch, last season was a real struggle at times to stomach but onwards and upwards from here.

02 Nov 2026 15:50:05
I agree on the whole very positive. The fitness massively improved is noticeable. Onwards and upwards with Andoni.

02 Nov 2026 14:50:59
I'd agree, Ed.

Third is the best we can do with the personnel we have at the moment.

We're ahead of where I thought we'd be too. I was worried we would be getting caught on the break often. We actually look pretty strong defensively.

02 Nov 2026 16:06:21
Biggest problem for Andoni, he's got to find a solution as soon as? for replacing the goals that Salah was regularly producing, 11 PL goals from 9 PL games quite evidently proves that is going to be difficult.

I have yet to see a game where we have been outplayed by a far better footballing team, the two PL games lost have been fully influenced by the officials to not be fair to both sides.

02 Nov 2026 16:18:10
It must've been a dream I had, that I kept reading we would walk the league if we'd had any other manager, than Slot, with the squad we had last season.

02 Nov 2026 14:58:43
Go with that Ed001 that would be a decent season
The greedy bollocks in me would like to bear Everton at Wembley in the Carabao cup though as well.

{Ed001's Note - beating Everton is always good.

02 Nov 2026 16:58:16
100% Ed, I really feel we are working towards this and actually better off where we are considering the squad and their fitness levels from the past 2 years and thought we would have more bumps than we had, it's clear the players are enjoying the set up so much more and responding to it.

02 Nov 2026 17:33:48
Agree Ed001 👍. Already massive improvements on last season TG 🙏.

02 Nov 2026 19:11:06
Rome, we don't have the squad we did last year do we? It's a different squad and different league.

I, for one, do still think AI in charge last year wins that league.

02 Nov 2026 19:25:46
It's definitely going to be an interesting season, I'm sure there will be plenty of ups and downs and I honestly don't think we have been anywhere near what we can and hopefully will be under AI. When I watch our performances this season you can see a lot of problem areas in our games ( in particular pressing and distances) however what I also see is improvement week to week. The team are learning but it will take time.

If we can get 3rd and have a run in the CL then I'd take that. When you look at our injuries they have been significant, Isak only returning after a season wiped out, Ekitike out long term, Bradley and Leoni too. Then add in Szob too. All teams have injuries but Ekitike is huge for us!

02 Nov 2026 22:57:26
I think the next 2 league games are huge. Win those two winnable games, and everything will feel good again.

Attitude has to be right now. We are starting to raise the bar. Now we got to continue to meet that bar every game and push it further.

03 Nov 2026 10:21:06
You got me excited, Ed. Suit up and let's go.