Liverpool banter 9

06 Dec 2025 02:30:48
Hello all!

A source close to Giovanni van Bronckhorst reveals he is open to managing Timnas (National Team) Indonesia, per Bung Harpa on YouTube

@TimnasXtra on X.

06 Dec 2025 08:08:53
A close source to me is open to cheering as soon as he f@@ks off . clueless.

06 Dec 2025 10:07:17
Bring back Lijnders, really good coach in his book ….

06 Dec 2025 12:49:45
In all seriousness, I think Lijnders was a good coach, especially as an assistant. It's only when he started getting more control did things go sideways a bit. Even Klopp said he played a key role in our title winning season. Some people are just meant to be good assistant coaches but not the head, and I think Lijnders falls under that category.

06 Dec 2025 13:41:43
So its GVB’s fault now?

06 Dec 2025 13:43:21
To be fair @Drac, I think he’s a good coach too.

City seem to have studied the ship this season since he arrived.

I read that Jurgen stepped back to let Lijnders take more of a day to day lead role but I don’t think the role suited him. Some people are more suited to a second-in-command using their strengths rather than having to deal with the ‘big picture’.

I’d have hm back as long as the role was clearly defined and managed.

06 Dec 2025 14:01:04
Well GVB wasn’t there at the back end of last season when Slot started to tinker with tactics… the problem is Slot and he needs to do one.

06 Dec 2025 15:20:23
Indonesia? I’ll drive him myself.

06 Dec 2025 15:24:15
GVB has been teasing us about the Indonesia job for weeks. Just do it, bro.

06 Dec 2025 16:30:52
I am open to GVB taking the post.

06 Dec 2025 01:43:05
I do t think Klopp would be the answer it would take 6 months to get the fitness required.

As much as id love him back I love the manager and the personality even more.

He was truly a rockstar manager.

06 Dec 2025 08:52:22
These are top level athletes, 6 months is crazy talk. I wouldn't worry about a new manager whilst we still have one, carra let us know that work is being carried out regarding suitable replacements if Slot doesn't turn things around.


Klopp was undoubtedly great but ran out of steam towards the end, the trick is where do we find the next Klopp if the current set up doesn't improve.

06 Dec 2025 11:08:52
Their are a lot of ifs but if Klopp came in on an interim basis it wouldn't be about imposing his ideas. His sole target would be top four, which with this squad any good manager should manage. Stabilising the bad feeling and handing it over in the best hands possible.

If he did come in, it has to be short term, if we start clamouring for him to stay past that it'll end in tears.

I see very few short term options other then him, long term is an even harder thing to judge. The main thing would be getting a manager who gets a tune out what we have, the second we turn to someone who says it's not my squad and I need £2-300m. We will end up in a spiral we have been on before and similar to United with a Mish mash of players for multiple different set ups.

If, although I do think it's more when, Slot goes, the next long term manager is crucial to get right. We cannot take the decision lightly especially when we have so many good players in the team. It's be horrible to see that wasted due to poor management choices.

06 Dec 2025 11:57:51
A win tonight and a win against Brighton that’s us firmly back in top four contention, and everything looks different with Wolves coming up at home. If not it starts to get away from us, and not even Jurgen could do it.

They’ll know who if anyone is coming in in terms of January transfers, and will know when a decision needs to be made to give us a chance top four wise. It’s probably after Brighton if things go badly between now and then.

06 Dec 2025 15:25:04
Less concerned about the table right now. Our performance levels are eroding by the game.

06 Dec 2025 16:30:56
Why would Klopp leave a cushy permanent job to come to us on a 6-month interim?

06 Dec 2025 16:41:07
Yep the table will take care of itself if we start to perform. But I have no idea what this team looks like if we start to play how Slot wants us to. I dread to think what it might look like. The first thing we need to see is fight and there is none of that.

06 Dec 2025 01:37:55
Very hypothetical I know.

But what would Enrique do with this squad and who would he replace.

I know I’m dreaming but I’d love him at LFC.

06 Dec 2025 09:04:17
The firstly thing would be to make them fitter.
Then replace Konate
Then buy a top number 6
And finally use tactics that work.
Oh I nearly forgot, stop macca marking the biggest player in a corner because that’s just ridiculous!

06 Dec 2025 09:11:39
@longthing: that you get taught that in junior footy, big on big and always leave a man or two on half way line when you defend a corner.

06 Dec 2025 09:43:35
How i've tried to make sense of it (but don't agree with) is that we keep the big lads for the second ball. So someone like macca picks up the deep runner if he doesn't win it VVD and Konate are in place to deal with it coming back in. See the Dan burn goal, you wouldn't want VVD that far out.

06 Dec 2025 10:24:47
That’s what they do Ernest. It’s the latest fad in the coaching manual, City do it as well. The small one is the disruptor, with the big guys behind to make the real challenge if needed.

06 Dec 2025 11:17:55
Spot on Hugo.
It's the new "style" of modern day defending.

The funny thing of this new "fad", is basically what leads to all holding, pushing, grabbing etc from corner kicks.

The officials don't really help the situation either.
I reckon, that if you take a good look, 90% of corners should result. in some sort of foul.

06 Dec 2025 12:22:52
Enrique has been fortunate that he and Luis Campos have been on the same page. Mendes, Pacho, Neves, Kvara, Doue etc were not pulled out of thin air.

But what really stands out is what Enrique has done with Vitinha and Dembele. I would never have imagined that those two could produce the physical output they do - Dembele's pressing last season was outstanding and should be an example to those who think Isak, Gakpo and Ekitike cannot be made to press.

06 Dec 2025 13:36:26
The one that makes you wonder about the sanity of modern coaching is the play out from the back into midfield and then back to defence patterns of play.

Sometimes the degree of skill needed to work it out from the back is amazing, from defenders and keeper. But then it goes into midfield and they quite often end up passing it back to a defender who ends up lumping it anyway.

We’ve ended up with some very technically skilled defenders and goalkeepers, who are less able to actually defend or save shots or crosses than their predecessors would have been. It’s madness at times.

Of course the latest fad, long throws. We’re one of the few teams who aren’t doing it, although Jo has a decent throw on him so maybe we’ll join that bandwagon next.

I predict the next tactical new wave will be right footed right wingers, and left footed left wingers. With two up front.

06 Dec 2025 13:45:00
If a player is incapable of closing down his opponent in tandem with his team mates then you have to ask what are you doing on a football pitch in the first place?

06 Dec 2025 14:15:20
Hugo, I am not sure whether we'll see traditional wingers anytime soon as the current coaches are petrified of transitions while the attack phase is in a wide and vulnerable shape.

Much of what we see in the PL right now is the result of the fear of transition, fitness/ injury concerns and the technical improvement of defenders on the ball to resist press. The Klopp style counterpress is being used sparingly, and in Slot's case, not at all.

And naturally with fear, focus shifts to small margins gained from set pieces and cynical fouls/ time wasting.

I really don't like the way its going.
Transition is what makes the Premier League a good watch.

06 Dec 2025 14:33:43
Very true that. As you say you wonder where it ends up, safety first keep the ball philosophy stifles the play. That’s Arsenals achilles heel despite them having good attacking options, and it’s become ours.

Maybe that’s why the league as a whole has become so inconsistent and compressed this year, too much fear of losing from the so called top teams which gives the lesser teams more chance.

06 Dec 2025 16:53:10
Longthing, Macca marking Dan Burn at the time seemed poor now it totally makes sense. Slot is the master of making poor decisions but standing by them and trying them over and over until they finally don't work.

I find the man totally baffling and I have no idea what his goals are. Since hearing on here that he's jogging off to Holland during the week I'm wondering if he wants the sack and the payoff. Yep absurd I know but I'd like someone to put him under pressure in a presser and try to get inside that brain of his.

06 Dec 2025 17:16:47
FPF totally agree.

05 Dec 2025 23:04:41
Ed’s
And anyone else - A genuine question and apologies if it’s been asked and answered before but I’ve not seen it .

What is the actual “chain of command” within FSG EG Henry, Werner etc and down to the board namely Edwards and Hughes and then Slott

The scenario being that you bought / invested heavily into a huge misfiring business 10 / 12 years ago and proceeded to acquire the services of a hugely influential manager.
That manager galvanised the business into being once again one of the worlds great businesses and brands, and won that business great honours although at times through a bit of a helter skelter ride but with that rejuvenated brand attracting the best employees from around the world .
The manager resigns and is replaced by someone who initially impresses beyond belief that the years of hard work and success can continue but then suddenly from nowhere his performance levels drop so dramatically and impact so badly on the core employees that the business and brand fast become a bloody laughing stock .

Basically when do the real high level guys like Henry etc get involved and say to Edwards and Hughes enough Is enough and they have to act now with Slott

I’ve gone from thinking it’s a blip, to I’m still a believer then to a doubter but still a supporter of the man to now convincing myself that he’s shot and hasn’t got enough in him to get us out of this mire, resulting in the reputation and brand of the club being damaged enough to put off possible pivotal and important future transfer targets

Sorry if it’s a bit long winded - watching the test match highlights and getting more and more incensed! 😂.

{Ed001's Note - they hired guys with more idea about football than them to run the club for a reason, they don't get involved much at all. If things got so bad they stepped in, it is likely they would then reconsider the role of those they'd appointed to deal with it as well. They will have regular conversation and get reports but they would prefer to let the club run itself.}

05 Dec 2025 23:17:56
Cheers Ed 👍

Really looking forward to tomorrow

Getting another hiding in the cricket then tuning into the 5.30 KO!

06 Dec 2025 07:49:30
Bristol red- whereabouts are you in Bristol mate?

06 Dec 2025 08:33:41
Werner is the chairman of the Board of Liverpool and part owner of fsg and lives in the US, according to his bio. So he will attend LFC board meetings and meet up with the overall CEO and set their objectives, represent the club internationally, but fairly arms length by the look of it.

Billy Hogan is overall club CEO, so would be responsible usually for oversight of all day to day operations at the business but also seems to be based in the US so in reality is probably mainly overseeing the commercial investment and just a figurehead for certain things. He speaks publicly occasionally on Liverpool club things, whereas Edwards doesn’t, so that suggests he’s the main boss.

Michael Edwards is football CEO of FSG which is overseeing us and any other clubs they buy, who then has Richard Hughes as Liverpool Sporting Director working for him. Looks like Richard is Arne’s day to day boss.

In terms of transfers and contracts it’s Hughes on most of it in terms of putting the commercials together, with a review by Edwards, and then a recommendation to the Board. Board is probably just a rubber stamp unless there’s something odd in the commercials. I doubt board would have a view footballing wise it’s more from an investment value side.

Arne and Richard would discuss staff requirements first, with Hughes making the recommendation to Edwards I’m assuming.

Although FSG are very arms length they have the Chair and overall CEO US based on the commercial side to oversee and protect their investment. The football club related oversight stuff is Edwards who’s like their rep in Europe, then Hughes day to day based at the club like a managing director in a regular business who hires and fires.

Looks like Arne is just on football coaching duties. Arne’s is the head of HR, learning and development, and talent management. Arne deals with the sick notes and back to work interviews, productivity, and resource deployment.

Not sure who manages the medical side, possibly Rich as well, rather than Arne.

All very complicated. I’m sure they understand it which is the main thing.

06 Dec 2025 09:43:41
Cheers Hugo 👍

SirBob - At the mo we are down in sunny Padstow, Cornwall but our general abode is in Downend.

06 Dec 2025 10:04:43
No problem Bristol. I forgot GVB, he’s on cone and bib management. He splits his time between the UK and Indonesia apparently.

06 Dec 2025 10:06:48
“Let the club run itself” what a great business model. Explains a lot!

Will we adding “into the ground” in a couple of years time?

06 Dec 2025 10:10:39
What does Ward do?

06 Dec 2025 10:10:56
Very envious, Bristol. Padstow is one of my favourite places. Have one for me in the Custom House. Cheers to you, mate.

06 Dec 2025 10:46:14
Ward is on youth and academy and technical innovation in player development. Whatever that means.

You can imagine the conversation in the country club in greater Boston. How’s the franchise going in the UK, amazing it’s tripled in value in the last five years, now worth 5bn. More than the Penguins or the Red Sox. When are we buying the next one. End of conversation.

06 Dec 2025 10:49:30
In there last night Rome after the padstow brewing tasting session!
Xmas food week here atm and loads of live music - booked in for the party boat at 2.00 then out in time for the KO!

Actually might stay in the party boat!

05 Dec 2025 19:47:11
If we do sack slot I'd hope we'd get an interim manager until the end of the season if we couldn't get who we really wanted now.
Naggelsmann is top of my list to take over. I think he's potentially special. I don't want Glasners football. Zidane, alonso, ariola I'm not fond on atall for many reasons.

05 Dec 2025 20:51:44
Do you think an interim manager will come in and turn things around? I don't think you've really thought this through. Forgive my ignorance, when was the last time an interim manager stepped in, turned the fortunes around, and then stepped down for an incoming manager.

To be honest, unless there's a permanent solution to our problems, I suggest we stick with what we've got; and I'd guess that's precisely what Edwards and Hughes are doing.

{Ed025's Note - Martin O,Neill at Celtic Rome?..

05 Dec 2025 21:06:02
Evening Ed025. With respect, does Scottish football count! Even Gerrard did ok up there!

{Ed025's Note - it was the only one i could remember Rome, mind you at my age i cant remember if iv put sugar in my tea mate.. :)

05 Dec 2025 21:17:24
To be fair my mate, you shut me up with O'Neil! I never claim to always be right. I'm often proven wrong.

I've stopped taking sugar in my tea for that very reason!

{Ed025's Note - i dont think anyone can shut you up Rome...and i can certainly live with that mate.. :)

05 Dec 2025 21:20:36
Gus hiddink, not Liverpool related but he done well at Chelsea as interim.

05 Dec 2025 21:37:24
Scouse, you've shut me up as well, mate! I'll get me coat!

05 Dec 2025 21:55:14
Remains to be seen, but we should be good enough to make top 4 whether we keep Slot or not.

The real question is what is best for the medium to long term.

05 Dec 2025 21:57:09
Not really a fan of interim managers as well, Rome but sometimes, they are necessary. Whether they take the job full time afterwards, is another story.

05 Dec 2025 22:10:24
Didn't Rafa do a decent job at Chelsea too.

{Ed025's Note - and at Everton Keith....oh wait no he never because he was an absolute bag of crap who has not got a jar of glue mate..

05 Dec 2025 22:11:39
You never know. Di Matteo won the Champions League as interim manager, with Chelsea.

I remember it well, even though I forgot the year. Chelsea was doing very well under Villas-Boas. Then he lost 2 or 3 consecutive games, and Abramovich's trigger happy fingers did the rest. Di Matteo took over as interim for the remainder od the season.

05 Dec 2025 22:48:30
Faith you really believe were good enough for top 4 if we keep Slot . it looks nowhere near top 4 for me . hope im wrong because im a Liverpool fan but think if we keep him on . can only see 6th to 8th myself.

05 Dec 2025 22:54:19
ArAy1969, and got sacked which is what saw Rafa getting the interim job.

05 Dec 2025 22:57:48
What did Rome do for us.

05 Dec 2025 22:56:39
Ed25, slow down on the Rafa slander. Even you said at the time that Rafa should never have taken the job cos his affiliation with LFC would always be his downfall whenever things went south, which eventually happened cos we all knew it would.

You were very gracious with him at the time and I agreed with you that Rafa at Everton was a lose/ lose situation. Now you are changing your tune and calling him all types of names. Not a good look, mate.

{Ed025's Note - i was full of expectation at the start Oli, turned out he was a bit of a numpty mate, after Liverpool he never seemed to keep a job down mate...i think that tells you all you need to know about the clown...just my opinion of course..

05 Dec 2025 23:21:50
This is the real conundrum and I’d guess the reason why Slot is still in situ. Sack the manager and bring in what would clearly be the clubs 2nd or 3rd choice replacement or give Slot till the summer and get there preferred option who they obviously believe is a higher caliber than what is available now. Question is can we afford to wait ie can slot achieve champions league football.

Jury is currently out! In terms of an interim I actually think the only viable option is Klopp as he would most likely be happy to do the job for a short period however that would make the next managers job even tougher kinda like when Fergie stepped down but was always lurking the corridors of old Trafford.

06 Dec 2025 00:13:03
I know everyone is clutching at pearls at the moment but we are literally 2 points away from top 4.

06 Dec 2025 02:06:30
Ed25 - You don't criticize anyone like that. but why take it all on Rafa?

Was surprised with your rant.

{Ed025's Note - a bit of it is tongue in cheek Sami but he was really awful at Everton mate, not only was the football abysmal but the players he brought to the club were not worth a carrot and cost a fortune, add to that his miserable demeanor and it adds up to a marriage made in hell..

06 Dec 2025 04:48:39
Yeah but Ron, we are two points from fourth on a downward trajectory. Im sure we’d all love to win the majority of the next 20 odd games and be close to the top, but all the signs of this season suggest we will have a tough time staying above mid-table.

06 Dec 2025 08:05:51
Darwin, we are “close” to top 4 now.

Maybe I should stop reading Stromsgodset’s posts.

06 Dec 2025 08:46:23
To be fair ed25, Everton were a basket case 😂.

{Ed025's Note - we were Irish, but he made it worse..

06 Dec 2025 09:47:32
In that case we should be fairly optimistic for the season, Ron. The treble is still on regardless of how awful we have looked.

06 Dec 2025 10:05:10
Yes the fall out from Rafa at Everton lasted for years, as the "fans" were willing the team to lose hoping for Rafa to get sacked.
That gave the players the message that losing week in week out was ok and until Moysey came back that is what they did, and flirted with relegation for a couple of years.

{Ed025's Note - i dont know anyone who wanted us to lose Langland, but it was a very dark time in our history when the fat Spanish waiter came to our club mate..

06 Dec 2025 12:18:32
We’re on an upward Darwin, points wise. Performance wise slightly up as well. Tonight though is as always the key game. If we win it’s definitely onward and upwards, if we lose its a bit back to square one.

I think we’ll win tonight, Isak and Wirtz to score. No interim required and a decision will be made in the summer on Arne. That’s what I’m hoping anyway.

06 Dec 2025 13:02:49
Ron, if you stop reading my posts, your life will be a lot duller . embrace my posts ha.

06 Dec 2025 16:02:57
Ed025 why was oniell ousted so quickly. Loves the club, was doing well. What was the hurry to get in a foreign manager? O'Neil could have easily been very good until the end of the season. Bizzare for me.

{Ed025's Note - he done a brilliant job Batman, but who knows mate maybe he did not want the stress of a full time appointment?..

05 Dec 2025 17:41:57
The Slot tactics conundrum continues.
As I said on here before his current tactics bare no comparison to the tactics he used in Holland.
I understand he would need to change a few things but he has abandoned everything he used and worked for him previously.
He had an energetic and mobile team.
4 defenders who could all play at centre half.
2 centre midfielders who were decent on the ball but who were also mobile and physical playing Behind a numerous 10.

He also played two tricky and skillful wingers who were fast, could beat a man from a standing start, on the inside and outside, who would get to the byline and cut the ball back into the area.
These 2 wingers were instructed to give it everything they had and both would regularly substituted between 60 to 70 minutes with fresh legs brought on to see the came out.
His team was quite exciting to watch.
We now have none of this and he seems to have given up all the tactics he built his career on and part of the reason he got the Liverpool job in the first place.
We are now playing at a snails place. We hardly win any first up tackle and certainly next to no second balls. Add to that we a being outmuscled all over the park.
Something has got to change and quickly.

05 Dec 2025 18:18:04
Excellent analysis. I too expected his whole style to revolve around wingers. I suspect that remains his intention, but we seem to be struggling to get the ball to our wingers in space.
Mo’s not entirely untelegraphed regression has left us with a static right hand side, which does mean we are stuck aimlessly passing the ball sideways, waiting for a gap.


I do think Frimpong’s injuries have hurt us hugely: he was one of the most exciting right sided attacking forces in Europe before he joined us, and he would have given us an outlet.
Feels to me like Mo’s final game before Afcon would be an opportunity to give him a big send off before he moves on.

05 Dec 2025 18:30:26
Molby - this is why I wondered about the fullbacks we bought and their suitability to play how Slot plays.

Same as the wingers.

Yesterday Slot said Dom’s long term position is CM but at the moment he is using Dom’s versatility to plug gaps.

It says to me that the squad still needs work to play Slot’s way.

05 Dec 2025 18:49:44
Erik Ten Hag tried as you say the Dutch Tactics and he did have cup success winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. English Cup football is totally different to the Premier League as it is "knock out" football, where in the premier you must have good winning consistent performances over a tiring premier league season.

Dutch football is a farmers league standard, top players or top managers will not work in Holland because there is no big money to be earned, Ajax were the last dutch team to win the UCL in 1995, they are also the last dutch team to even be in a UCL final losing in 1996, so last century?

Slot is a duck out of water, never managed a big, big club and never managed top, top players and it is greatly showing he is vastly out of his depth, the new manager ASAP for me must have successful PL experience on his CV.

Of course Henry only likes the sound of the tills jingling with cash, that is only where he is most happy using LFC as his personal cash cow, he is also using our very fierce loyalty to LFC to just basically walk all over that never ending loyalty, knowing full well even if we were playing in the conference league this weekend, Anfield would still have sell outs every home game.

We have a manager with no capable aptitude for the future and an owner also, LFC is currently just going round and round in never ending circles! The Joke of the Premier League?

YNWA 97 and 20.

05 Dec 2025 19:03:47
Or maybe Dicky gave him a lamp when he asked for a table?

05 Dec 2025 19:08:51
Monster Souness, this is why when we signed Kerkez and Frimpong, I was convinced we were going to move to wingbacks and a back 3. Wirtz as a 10, Isak and Ekitike up top.
I think plans were originally made thinking Salah was not going to be here this season.

05 Dec 2025 19:10:46
To be honest, there’s only thing that we should analyse here…. would we be better off without slot. The answer is a resounding yes. How much more time and money do we give this guy to build ‘his’ team before we realise he hasn’t got the minerals manage the team?

05 Dec 2025 19:27:04
Dont know how this man managed to win a Premier League at a canter.

05 Dec 2025 19:45:50
Because he had a fairly sensible game plan and tactics until we lost to PSG and then he ripped it up and threw it away because he became obsessed with them and our players burning out.

05 Dec 2025 19:58:26
007 Henry and fsg don’t run the club absolute stupid take on this.

05 Dec 2025 20:10:05
Molby, as an avatar for our 2nd greatest midfielder, I take your thoughts seriously. Last season was great. This season, I was expecting Van Gaal ‘92-94 football. Finidi George style wingers. Kind of like Klopp had with Mane and Salah.
England ‘66 were wingless wonders, but that was at home.

No matter the generation, you need wingers.
Lack of them killed us under Houllier and Benitez. Tactics can only get you so far, ultimately teams need those wide players to monster a game. Prime example: Robben and Rubery for Bayern. Two flawed players, but you need them to define a game.

05 Dec 2025 20:40:14
@007 “our very fierce loyalty to LFC” eh? That one made me laugh.

05 Dec 2025 21:58:47
Ed1 said that the recruitment was for Slot to play the way he played in Holland.

This is why I can’t understand the recruitment. Molby is absolutely spot on about how feyenord played. And may have been why Slot didn’t want to lose Diaz even tho that was going to be inevitable.

With Gakpo and Mo, especially this version of Mo that can’t dribble anymore, they can’t be the long term wingers suited to how Slot played in Holland.

I think there is a lack of synergy between the playing philosophy and the recruitment strategy and the actual recruitment.

I get the argument that Slot should make it work but imo, it means that analysis of the team’s performance has to keep in mind the contradiction of recruiting players who are not directly suited to how we apparently want Slot to play.

05 Dec 2025 21:59:33
"I understand he would need to change a few things but he has abandoned everything he used and worked for him previously. "


This!

05 Dec 2025 22:38:10
I honestly think if we had signed Guehi he would have tried a back three in some games.
Konate/ Gomez on the right side, Van Dijk in the middle and Guehi on the left.
Gravenberch, Jones, Endo and Mac Allister as the deeper midfielders.
Bradley, Fringpom right wingbacks
Robertson/ Kerkez left wingbacks
Szobozlai right side no 10
Wirtz left side no 10
Ekitike/ Isak Striker
Instead we are desperately sort of centre halves and that is affecting overall performances.


Konate and Van Dijk have no competition and both performances have dropped off dramatically.

05 Dec 2025 22:52:03
Florian. That was last year, this year we are 9th n playing terrible can you explain that little bit.

06 Dec 2025 14:17:11
Great post that Faith. I wonder if things are a bit too over complicated in the structure. Probably tempting to do that when they’re investors based abroad. It’s definitely worked business wise but arguably we could have had a few more trophies if Jurgen had been given more power sooner.

I read a piece on ESPN about Emery at Arsenal, and how he struggled in the post Wenger era. It was partly due to the structure of the club hierarchy, partly his personality and communication, he didn’t fit and gel with some of the players. It was recognised after he left that the squad needed more rebuilding than was appreciated at the time, he got the sack for results but it then took Arteta years to get it fully back on track as there was still a clear out required.

Some similarities to what we’re facing I think. Jurgen left things in a better place than Wenger but there are a few more things that need knocking down before they’re built backup.

05 Dec 2025 15:43:05
I think gakpo needs to trust his left foot a bit more, the amount of times he could of got to the byline (in many games I might add) and cut it across is shocking! One trick pony at the moment. On another note please don't offer konate a contract.

05 Dec 2025 16:18:04
Gakpo is cooking guys, one of these days he's going to go left, and all their defenders will go right. It's going to happen. :)

{Ed025's Note - i say that when i book a plane ticket TRK.. :)

05 Dec 2025 16:49:16
If Gakpo is cooking we're all getting salmonella.

05 Dec 2025 16:25:00
Robben did it for years. You know what he’s going to do, but you can’t stop it

Gakpo, you know what he’s going to do 😂 so you just stop him coz he’s slow and needs 12 touches.

05 Dec 2025 17:39:29
Did gakpo not go the outside and cross with his left for our 1st goal against West ham?

05 Dec 2025 18:55:43
Spot on Digger 10! left footed Gakpo cross for Isaks only PL goal thus far.

05 Dec 2025 20:42:15
Rebel, I would argue Gakpo doesn't have one trick. Blinkers on, head down, shoot, miss, fall down.

05 Dec 2025 22:02:24
Gakpo has a left foot and uses it tons esp. since he arrived. The issue seems now that he doesn't use it as much as he was cos the LB is overlapping on the outside when he cuts in. Prolly to make sure we don't lose the ball cos that seems to be the priority these days.

So the question should be: Why is he not using his left foot to dink balls over like he was doing in the past?

Is this by instruction?

05 Dec 2025 13:41:18
Chiesa has played 139 minutes in the league this season and got the winner against Bournemouth, equaliser against Palace, assisted the equaliser against United, and saved us with goal line clearance against Sunderland.
Happiest man on the field when Wirtz' equaliser.
I just don't get why he's not playing more? Just play him.

05 Dec 2025 16:08:07
Join the club my friend.

05 Dec 2025 16:12:13
Finally, someone asked Slot why Chiesa isn’t getting more game time, and this was his response:

"Every player has the possibility to start, but we have many options to start in his position. He is indeed having an impact coming off the bench. "

On a previous occasion, when asked about the "lack of competition" for Gakpo’s spot, Slot said:

"You can look at it in a way that if someone plays a lot, it gives them consistency and confidence. When I speak to players who don’t play a lot, they say they need minutes for confidence. I don’t think Cody suffers from a lack of competition. Players can play in his position. "

Then he mentions: "I haven’t tried Ekitike on the left because of Isak's injury record, and Rio’s minutes are being managed because he’s only 17."
And Chiesa? Well, according to Slot, he’s doing well coming off the bench for the 5-10 minutes he gets here and there.

So, there’s a lot of competition for Gakpo's spot, but apparently, no competition for Gakpo's place.

Slot is literally talking out of both sides of his mouth here. There’s blatant hypocrisy.

At this point, it’s clear as day: Slot’s got an agenda against Chiesa.

05 Dec 2025 17:06:46
It couldn’t do much harm at the minute to start him, I mean it couldn’t get much worse. The worst that happens is that he’s crap (like most others) and he gets hooked at 60 minutes 🤷‍♂️.

05 Dec 2025 17:47:56
Surely the real question is where does Chiesa live?

05 Dec 2025 17:48:51
A manager who doesn't reward merit and good performances is not needed at Liverpool as simple as that.

05 Dec 2025 17:57:23
If I was cheisa and I didn't start tomorrow evening I'd left my boots head out the door and straight home.

05 Dec 2025 17:59:28
He lives in his house in Liverpool 8 days a week.

Google it.

05 Dec 2025 18:45:49
Guess you know it's true.

05 Dec 2025 19:15:00
Chiesa should be playing but I’d play him in salah’s position. Salah offers absolutely nothing, can’t cross a ball, can’t tackle, can’t score, can’t dribble…. his time is done and I hope if we get a decent offer for him in January from the Arabs, take it and jog him on.

We can use that money on someone else. I mean at the moment, other than a couple of players that included Chiesa, none of the current team are playing good but salah has been 💩 all season so far.

05 Dec 2025 19:46:25
Chaos, you’re talking absolute dog 💩 if Salah is the centre of our woes what does that say about the rest of the team too. They’ve all been garbage so we may as well sell the lot. Salah didn’t even start the other night and we were woeful then.

05 Dec 2025 20:00:41
Salah can't score? 😂.

05 Dec 2025 20:46:41
Chao, Salah not been the same but who has bar Szobozlai. Very disrespectful to a club legend and the man that won us the title last season.

Frode, does anybody not talk rubbish to u? 🤣🤣

We The Reds, suggesting Slot is talking out of both sides of his mouth is generous; I'd call it a different body part. I just can't with this man. A deflected goal from a clean sheet being the latest trip he's on. Maybe he forgets we also scored a deflected goal.

05 Dec 2025 22:10:37
""Every player has the possibility to start".

Well we know that is patently false and has been royally debunked by the way he treats Chiesa, Endo and Gomez (till recently) .

"So, there’s a lot of competition for Gakpo's spot, but apparently, no competition for Gakpo's place. "

Yep, you got it. Man's waffling cos he is under pressure and clearly is talking with both sides of his mouth and his arse.

Sounds like the way BR used to talk when the pressure started getting to him back in the day.

06 Dec 2025 11:58:59
Try to consider that no1 keeper been in and out of the team understudy comes in new to club does not know how everyone plays in front of him VVD Konate never have the same full backs no understanding.

Midfield maca had injury problems and can not catch up his fitness Grave has just gone of the boil sboz carried the team .
Mo has been hit very badly with the loss of the late great Diogo.

Isak has struggled which i did expect i have seen it so many times before over the years but i do think there are signs he is adjusting .

Gapko does score goals but my word he is so easy to read he is a one trick pony.

Hugo is very talented and needs a good run in the team but will he get that.

Chiesa we can not ask anymore of the man he wears the shirt with pride gives everything when he gets his 5 mins

Slot had good first season but been a disaster
this season tactics and system is pathetic so easy to read and play against might work in Dutch football but not in prem .
I can only see him being moved on he has had enough time to change everything but has not and he will pay the penalty and very soon.
YNWA.

05 Dec 2025 12:04:00
Hearing salah has benched slot for tomorrows game.

05 Dec 2025 12:27:31
Thats a fair old weight to Bench, but then we all know Mo is Hench.

05 Dec 2025 12:38:55
if i read that correctly then i 'm really happy.

05 Dec 2025 20:00:45
Hench and on the bench.

06 Dec 2025 04:56:03
Mo has been stinking the place out recently so i’d suggest Hench is the Stench on the Bench.

05 Dec 2025 12:03:05
I got to see us in Anfield for the first time since 2005 (Crouchy scored his first against Wigan that day) so this is probably the reason I really enjoyed the game despite the performance.

I was very impressed with the stadium revamp. And as always the Liverpool people made us feel very welcome so thank you for that. Any time I fly into Liverpool I always feel like I'm home even though I live in Ireland.

As for the game itself, what I took away from it is the team are so frozen from the fear of losing that they aren't able to play with their normal freedom.
For me it explains why there is no creativity, pace is really really slow, passes are short, too long or given away. The players are overthinking everything they do. They are so afraid of making a mistake that they are making mistakes.

Starting with Leeds on saturday if we can string a few results together confidence will grow which in turn will lift this fear that is paralysing the squad at the moment.

We are playing at 50% of our best, only 14 games in and just 2 points off 4th. We could win the feckin thing yet (always the optimist lol) .

So that is my topence worth be it right or wrong.

Enjoy the Christmas everyone.
YNWA.

05 Dec 2025 12:38:12
You too mate.

05 Dec 2025 12:50:45
You too Verdo glad you enjoyed it 😊.

05 Dec 2025 11:53:45
There’s an umbilical cord between Ireland and Liverpool and I have always felt welcome on my work travels in the Emerald Isle.

{Ed025's Note - i love the place BT..

05 Dec 2025 13:21:08
Glad you enjoyed it mate.

05 Dec 2025 14:10:54
What's not to love lad's 😁.

05 Dec 2025 14:36:21
Verdo, happy you got to go to Anfield. Please, how are we supposed to string some results together when we play such a wretched system? We don't press, don't move teams around, don't move the ball quickly, take no risks etc.

Alos when you have oppo. managers/ players mocking us for being soft and easy to play agains, what does that tell you?

Mate, I hope you are right about however, I do not see any of that happening anytime soon. We may win a game here and there like WH but other teams don't sleep and have a way of playing us and it works. Others will do the same and if we don't have a solution nor change, PSV and Forrest and all other debacles will keep happening.

Oh and had it not been for "Fede", we would have been embarrassed yet again just like Blackpool did us when Roy was here and we all know how that felt.

Happy Holidays to you and yours, mate!

05 Dec 2025 16:14:28
Wait until they see the highlights on Clanbrassil Street Barry! 🥳💥.

05 Dec 2025 16:52:59
Very true SG. Where exactly are you mate?

05 Dec 2025 18:19:28
I'm in the Sunny South East now Barry. I lived in El Paso for years though! In the good places and the not so good ones! Loved every day of it. I'm assuming you're in the wee county yourself. obviously! 🥳.

05 Dec 2025 19:36:04
I am indeed brother between El Paso and Drogheda. Dundalk would be home local club.

05 Dec 2025 22:12:33
@Shankly, visited Dallas back in the day, man. Lovely city.

What's El Paso like, my friend?

05 Dec 2025 23:50:47
Sorry to disappoint Oli but it's a different El Paso! . a very, very different one indeed! . Our El Paso is actually in reality Dundalk. A large town in County Louth. It's very near the NI border and during the troubles it was a very hot, hot bed, hence the title! Different times. Regardless, for me it was full of great people, great memories!

06 Dec 2025 10:57:58
Still is SG. Full of genuine working class people with a great community spirit. Well mostly 😉.

05 Dec 2025 11:50:17
Highlights from Slot's interview:

- Top 4 the aim this season

- On team's performance vs West Ham and Sunderland:
"A step forward. if not for the deflection (Sunderland's goal), we would have kept 2 clean sheets. "

- On Generating More Chances for Isak:
"He's not the only No. 9 that suffers in some games from not getting as many chances. It's more important for them to touch the ball at the right time than to touch it so many times. "

- On Chiesa:
"Every player has a possibility to start, but we have many options (Cody and Gakpo) in his position. "

- On Leeds:
"I looked at Leeds-Chelsea. So, I know what to expect. It will be long-balls, low-blocks. just like we have faced in all of the games, maybe with the exception of two. ".

05 Dec 2025 12:28:16
I bought into the whole “positional play evolution, ” the “calmer approach, ” the “trust the process” nonsense. But at this point? It’s not a process — it’s paralysis.

Arne Slot has turned us from a high-octane, transition-killing machine into a slow, predictable, sterile-possession lab experiment. Everything feels overcoached and under-executed. No verticality. No bite. No identity that actually hurts opponents.

The pressing? It’s like Klopp’s blueprint got photocopied 20 times and now the lines are all blurry. The build-up? Fullbacks inverting into zones they don’t even look comfortable in. The attack? Endless U-shaped passing with zero threat between the lines.

I don’t care how “modern” it’s supposed to be — if your system turns elite players into confused traffic cones, maybe the system isn’t it.

I’m not saying he’s a bad coach. I’m saying he’s the wrong coach for us. Wrong tempo, wrong structure, wrong everything.

At this point, the football is flat, the identity is gone, and the results look like a team waiting for instructions that never come.

05 Dec 2025 13:30:53
So Chiesa has to battle Cody AND Gakpo for his position?

05 Dec 2025 14:15:52
The Elliott response was cold. He’s still a player for the club and contributed a lot during his time here, so that answer wasn’t the best.

It seems that when Slot decides he doesn’t like a player, that’s the end of it. This has been seen with Chiesa, Endo, Gomez, Nunez, and Harvey. Meanwhile, Klopp has managed to get good performances out of all of them, even when they weren’t always in the best form.

05 Dec 2025 14:21:37
I do love a good melodrama, particularly leading up to Christmas time. You just know that there’ll be a miracle or two and we’ll all live happily ever after.

We haven’t played as badly as this since Harold Macmillan was Prime Minister, yet we are still above Newcastle, Tottenham and, surprise, surprise, the People’s Team and we are level on points with Amorim’s army. We are two points off a top 4 spot and we have yet to see Arsenal have their annual wobble and Arteta to start second guessing himself.

05 Dec 2025 14:40:07
""A step forward. if not for the deflection (Sunderland's goal), we would have kept 2 clean sheets. ""

And we would not have won that game, Arne.


"- On Chiesa:
"Every player has a possibility to start, but we have many options (Cody and Gakpo) in his position. "


Notice he never says Chiesa's name. This is not the first nor second time he has done this when Chiesa's name/ contribution is brought up.

Also as you stated, the only options we have at left wide forward is Cody and Gakpo cos no one else seems to ever get a look-in depsite the actual options being available

Pathetic.

05 Dec 2025 15:37:10
So Gomez, Nunez, Endo and Harvey havnt played because Arne doesn't LIKE them? Holy Jaysus, what next. They didn't or don't play because they are not good enough to get in the team, a fact 99% of Lfc fans would agree with.

Chiesa not playing these last few weeks can have something to moan about but that's about it. Why particularly should Slot be worried about a player whos not even in the squad this year when his job is on the line?

05 Dec 2025 16:10:19
Florin. Endo should have been playing a few games in the last 8 games either as a starter or sub. the midfield is all over the place n at least he gets stuck in n he knows his role.

05 Dec 2025 16:13:42
With you Florian.

05 Dec 2025 19:38:26
Endo is not as good a player as Grav, Macca (even when on wretched form by his standards) or Szob in Slots eyes and most other peoples too. So why when your job is on the line would you play someone you don't rate? The Japan coach also prefers other players to Endo, he mustnt like wataru either.

05 Dec 2025 20:06:08
I don't think I'd be picking Chiesa, Endo, Gomez, Elliott and Nunez if I could help it.

05 Dec 2025 20:51:57
I wouldn’t pick Nunez if you pointed a gun at me, well I probably would I suppose but I wouldn’t be happy about it.

Chiesa is a really interesting player. When he first got here, common opinion, certainly on this forum, was that he was a damaged, injury riddled, has been who should be nowhere near the first team. 18 months later, and despite him never having started and completed a full game, and despite the coaching staff having worked with him for a year and a half and still not picking him the same forum now have him promoted into the ‘dogs b0ll0x’ category. Strange.

05 Dec 2025 22:20:40
"They didn't or don't play because they are not good enough to get in the team, a fact 99% of Lfc fans would agree with. "


Florian, this is not always true. Slot has shown he will not play guys he does not trust regardless of how well or pathetic his "tried and trusted" are playing. To me, that is poor man management.

Jose at Inter Milan said the best coaching he had to do back then, was to coach keep the players who don't play involved as he would play them but sparingly cos they were going for a treble in 2010. Klopp for the most part used to do that as well.

This is how you plit the dressing room and create sacred cows. Slot has agendas vs certain players like Chiesa he doesn't want nor didn't sign. That much is clear hence sometimes, ability has nothing to do with it esp. if the so called "sacred cows" have been bricking it for weeks.

05 Dec 2025 22:21:49
I wouldn't pick Nunez if it was him pointing the gun at me.

05 Dec 2025 11:22:47
Bradley is back fit. It wouldn't surprise me if Slot put him in goal going by the season so far.

05 Dec 2025 12:09:07
Brilliant Endo 😂.

05 Dec 2025 12:14:26
I understand your desire to be humourous about the current situation, but I prefer to read and follow the posters and EDs that speak from a knowledgeable base and put forward constructive opinions and criticism be it positive or negative. That's why I love reading them here. I ignore drivel. I can find that anywhere.

05 Dec 2025 12:40:14
Your probably better off skipping the Banter section then Shankly.

05 Dec 2025 12:45:38
So we can't have a laugh on here now. 🤔oh, hang on. let's just move this black shroud away from my face.

05 Dec 2025 12:52:06
Oh no SG are you having a bad one?

{Ed025's Note - sometimes you need a break from all the gloom and doom Barry, a bit of humour lightens it up a bit imo mate..

05 Dec 2025 11:55:56
Shankly was always cracking gags, good and bad, so maybe rename yourself? Sourness? Fabio Bore-me?

05 Dec 2025 13:24:20
I think Slot is glossing over things we could have easily lost to Sunderland. I’m in the Slot
Our camp and have been for a while now. Rubbish football and mid table mediocrity.

05 Dec 2025 13:55:24
Nah. Titty-lip Camara.

05 Dec 2025 14:13:09
Sure it's the Banter page Ed025! Isn't that what it's all about mate 👍.

{Ed025's Note - for me it is Barry, we want it to be an enjoyable experience mate and if that involves the odd joke or aside i cant see nothing wrong with it myself..

05 Dec 2025 14:27:03
To describe the original joke as ‘brilliant’ is a tad too much in my opinion. I’m reminded of Alexei Sayle and his joke about being an alternative comedian.

Still any attempt at humour these days is really welcome.

{Ed025's Note - some on here wouldn,t smile if the seen a chair walk WDW.. :)

05 Dec 2025 14:49:15
Thanks Barr, but I'm good! . just having an aul' whine lads. I'm off for a Snickers now though so I'll be better soon! 🤚🤚💥💥🚀🚀🥳🥳🤣🤣😘😘😘 Love to all!

{Ed025's Note - cut the Snickers out SG and try doing a Marathon.. :)

05 Dec 2025 15:38:05
I'd smile at a decent joke.

{Ed025's Note - watch this space..

05 Dec 2025 16:10:32
I stand by what I said Brilliant Endo 👏.

05 Dec 2025 16:13:09
Shankleys ghost . bet your invites to parties are lost in the post, lighten up.

05 Dec 2025 16:55:31
In fairness to SG he's always about the banter lad's I think he's just having an off day which is allowed.

05 Dec 2025 22:22:39
Ed25,are you messing? I would run for the hills if I ever saw a chair walk. Or pick a sprint. Just saying.

{Ed025's Note - how about if you seen a slot walk Oli?.. :)