Liverpool banter 9

24 Mar 2026 16:11:07
According to Graeme Bailey for TEAMtalk on Tuesday, 'sources close to' Alonso have indicated that he's 'ready' to get back into a coaching role, and it's claimed that the ex-Liverpool player 'remains firmly in pole position' to replace Slot if FSG were to make a change in the coming weeks or months.

24 Mar 2026 14:27:59
I now believe we will struggle to get 60 points this season. Would have expected 6 pts from the last two games but got one point.

24 Mar 2026 15:01:16
If we had a manager who would stop over thinking everything and just play how we know we can (see the Galatasaray game) I'd have absolutely no doubts we can still finish top 3 and win a trophy this season. However, Slot just seems to have lost his head completely. Within an hour of the Gala game he was making excuses saying we can't play like that every week. Yes, we absolutely can you clown. We know we can, because we did for 9 years under Jurgen Klopp and most years we either won trophies and/or picked up 90+ points. So don't try and gaslight the fans into thinking it's impossible to play with intensity twice a week when you have spent £450m on the senior squad and also have a whole squad of u21's at your disposal.

I went through the remaining fixtures earlier with a Chelsea fan, a Man United fan and another Liverpool fan. We all estimated Liverpool will finish around 57-59 points. Looking at it a few hours later, that actually seems quite optimistic given our current form of 1 point from the last 3 games (two of which were against the teams in 17th and 20th place). It would also represent our lowest points tally since the 2011/12 season when we accumulated just 52 points unless we win all 7 remaining games.

If you actually break down Slot's time at the club, yes we've won a league title. However we did so with 84 points. That's the same tally we mustered in 13/14 under Brendan Rodgers, who in his other two full seasons managed 61 and 62 points. Right now it's touch and go if we even get near those tallies this year, so Slot would seem to be at a similar sort of level to Brendan Rodgers, with the only real difference being he caught City and Arsenal off guard last season. Their interviews are certainly equally as cringeworthy. Although at least Slot's not focused because he loves his family, whereas Rodgers lost focus because he was cheating on his wife with someone half his age!

Ultimately, I don't want to diminish the achievement of winning the league last year. Had we been pushed harder, we likely could've tallied up another few points. Emotionally it also meant so much to so many of us regardless of the lack of competition. Whatever way we dress it up or spin it though, Slot chose to let the standards slip after the league was mathematically finished and the fitness levels seemingly dropped so far, that an interrupted pre-season was not enough to pull them back to the standards required. I'll be forever grateful to Slot for winning number 20, but his times up. He's made too many mistakes and he doesn't seem to have the inspirational personality or the man-management skills to turn the situation around.

24 Mar 2026 17:10:21
Almost totally agree, MK.

The 'almost' bit is the points last season - if we hadn't got it wrapped up so early, we would have got more points, I don't doubt. We went into coast mode, like we did when we won it 2020 (we may have got more points that year, but as we won it with so many games to go, we took our foot off the gas at the end).

Pundits and others point out that Slot has the joint best win rate after 100 games as Kenny, better than Klopp.

However, I think the important bit is that the majority of the wins were in the first 50/60 games, and since then we have been on a downward trend.



Klopp may have won fewer of his first 100, but his 2nd 50 was better than his first 50.

That's now my issue with Slot, there doesn't seem to be any improvement.

I was a Slot fan until (probably) November time. Thank you for the league title, Arne, but I can't see how we would ever win another one with you. Seeing a path to another league title is a must with any manager of ours.

24 Mar 2026 19:57:32
Did we go into coast mode or did Slot start deployment of his insipid tactics around last February?

24 Mar 2026 11:10:10
April fixtures
4th- City F.A. Cup quarter final away
8th- PSG away
11th- Fulham prem home
14th- PSG home
19th- Everton prem away
25th Palace prem home

If we somehow get through the PSG tie the semis will be 28th/ 29th.

Not sure on the F.A. Cup tie if we get through but I'd presume between the Everton and Palace games.

24 Mar 2026 11:27:35
I love the ambition. Unfortunately I think by the 14th of April our season will be effectively over, and all about scraping 5th place to save face.

24 Mar 2026 11:28:13
Well, the cup games aside, KP, we need min 7 points from the 3 league games to give us a fighting chance of CL.

I see the Utd game away as a bit of a free hit, but Villa & Chelsea will be must win games.

24 Mar 2026 11:54:55
We're so poor, and with a frequent flyer manager, I have zero confidence in us winning any of those fixtures or ties now.

24 Mar 2026 13:07:09
Don't think we can afford any free hits, can we?
The wriggle room we are playing with is so small, and we are literally relying on everyone else to fail... Worse than us...

It's not like we are playing teams who have checked out for the season either. They are all chasing Europe!

24 Mar 2026 13:07:17
That list says 2 points in the league and out of both cups.

24 Mar 2026 13:55:44
Mks, serious question. Is 5th even viable for CL right now? I have been hearing that this may be off the table with how useless the PL teams were getting smoked out of the last round.

24 Mar 2026 14:39:49
OliRed, I read a report the other day that due to how high the Premier League's coefficient is currently, we just need 1 draw from the 10 games coming up to earn the 5th Champions League spot.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Villa, Forest and Palace (I hope) can manage 1 draw between them! The 5th qualification place is all but assured.

24 Mar 2026 15:03:32
I believe the question shouldn't be if the coefficient means English teams get 5th, it should be will Liverpool finish 5th.

We are asking the wrong questions.

24 Mar 2026 15:35:47
I think we will beat Fulham. The rest is anyone's guess.

24 Mar 2026 15:23:13
Slot can end his PSG wet dream with a bloody good rogering from them.

24 Mar 2026 15:55:00
Thing is, Irish, think most of us would have said the same thing about Sunderland, Leeds, Forest, Spurs, Burnley, Amorim's United, PSV, and Palace, but Slot contrived to mess those up.

24 Mar 2026 18:45:03
Why can't it just be Slot and the players?

24 Mar 2026 10:34:02
Hid I love the a French. If anybody is interested, read the BBC Sport item on PSG asking for their league game against Lens to be postponed. The Lens response is brilliant and is bordering on existential. Picture Harry Redknapp or Fat Sam speaking for Lens.

24 Mar 2026 11:36:59
That was a good replay...

I actually didn't know that PSG had rescheduled their game against Nantes, which was sandwiched between the Chelsea games in the CL... and now they are pulling the same stunt again.

The fact that UEFA themselves have not said anything is quite worrying.



Surely UEFA could step in here and simply tell PSG to get on with it... all the remaining teams have games in between the CL fixtures, so why should PSG get special treatment... again!

24 Mar 2026 13:34:09
The decision is the French league's to make, not UEFA's. The French league will be looking to boost their coefficient so I am expecting this fixture to be re-scheduled.

24 Mar 2026 13:59:03
JLC, This is nothing new. These FAs, like Spain, France or even Germany, actually help their teams with scheduling/postponing games to allow their PL teams to prepare fully for midweek CL games and give their best. They do this all the time and have been for almost 30 years. Only in England/the PL is this something new and strange.

24 Mar 2026 15:39:14
Nothing to do with UEFA at all.

24 Mar 2026 16:29:07
It feels like it gives those teams an unfair advantage... and could potentially question the integrity of the competition... allowing teams to basically gain an unfair advantage... then again, integrity and UEFA are not 2 words you would normally find in the same sentence.



Since the English clubs' coefficient is so high in the European competitions, the FA will do nothing for the clubs who are still in the competition.

I don't like the situation, but who am I to bitch and moan...

{Ed025's Note - you are a Liverpool supporter JLC, its part of your DNA mate.. :)

24 Mar 2026 16:33:36
Anyone seen a reason why the PL won't extend the same courtesy to Liverpool if they asked? I'm being a bit disingenuous here but why are clubs in other leagues seemingly allowed to make these requests, and have them agreed? Buit naughty if you ask me.

24 Mar 2026 17:33:12
French league did the same last season and moved a few games of PSG to moreanageable dates to help the team represent France in champs

Unlikely to happen here, as we have an FA who wouldn't even move a fairly meaningless cup game so we could represent Premier League in a world event and forced us to play our literal under 23s team.

24 Mar 2026 17:35:11
Very true Ed25 mate.
So on that note.why is the sky and the sea both blue.
The sky should be red.WTF mate. I can't believe how unfair this is.

Oh.VAR was brought in to cheat LFC!!

{Ed025's Note - to be fair JLC you have had a lot to moan about this season mate, the manager and the players have let the supporters down when it seemed you were the team to beat this season, but the problem may be that i think you need quite a few players who will not get a proper Pre-Season due to the WC but a new manager coming in will hopefully negate that..

24 Mar 2026 18:35:30
Can see the excuses already for next year Ed25.lack of a pre-season has messed us up.

I reckon, since we might be buying a whole new team, we should only buy players that won't be at the WC, that way, we can have a proper pre-season.

{Ed025's Note - its not ideal JLC but with a new manager and the bounce that will bring i can see a big improvement on the cards mate..

24 Mar 2026 10:23:49
As miserable as it is, it's just bonkers that champions league football is fully in our hands with a few games to go. We are in a bad place i know but Villa and Chelsea are just as vulnerable right now, and we've a point on Chelsea and we have them at Anfield.

i wouldn't risk anyone against City who is fatigued after the international break. PSG and top 5 is everything now. We are not consistent but we still have performances in us-Arsenal home away, inter away, athletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Marseille away, Newcastle, Villa at home, and i'm going to include the away win at Sunderland.


Keeping everyone fit will be key. Rio coming through now, Isak back on the bench, Flo and Frimpong getting back to full fitness from injuries, we can do it. I won't be surprised if don't make it but we really can still pull it off despite this horrendous season.

Anfield can get us over the line against Chelsea, we can get a result against Villa they look knackered. However, Everton away has defeat written all over it. Moyes has been brilliant, they are 19/1 on Paddy power for top 5. Couldn't rule it out.

24 Mar 2026 11:37:14
Anfield couldn't get us over the line against Forest, PSV, United, Burnley, Spurs, Sunderland, Palace, Leeds or Man City.

24 Mar 2026 14:01:50
"It's just bonkers that Champions League football is fully in our hands with a few games to go".

Are you sure, @Funky? Cos with the way we have been playing, literally nothing is in our hands.



Shoot, we can't even take care of our own stuff out there on the pitch with the pathetic, life-sucking football we are playing, so again, where is this "CL is in our hands" coming from?

24 Mar 2026 15:43:20
I still remember the days of our 68 games unbeaten in the PL at Anfield. Ahhh, the memories.

24 Mar 2026 15:47:35
Funky, I wish I shared your optimism, can't see us getting past PSG. I watch every match thinking yes we can win this game, but this season esp im like after half an hour .. nah.

24 Mar 2026 09:44:45
As painful as it is watching us struggle week on week, I think in the long run not sacking Slot now and waiting until the end of the season is the right call.

Of course lots can happen, but imagine Gerrard came in now as an interim and turned it all around immediately.

We'd then be in the situation Man United found themselves with Solksjaer - he did well at the start, so they gave him the job full-time instead of getting more experience. It then fell apart. They may be repeating history with Carrick. That's their business, but I wouldn't want us to fall foul of the same errors.

Love and respect Stevie G, but managerial-wise he isn't for me for the long term, and I have a feeling once interim, it could get hard to justify him not staying if he got short-term results.

24 Mar 2026 10:09:56
I think it wouldn't make sense to not hire someone in case they do too well.

It's by no means a guarantee if someone like SG came, we'd do better, but it would be hard to be playing worse.

24 Mar 2026 10:13:53
Jimjam, the only reason we're still 5th is because Chelsea are more hopeless than us. And now the teams behind them are catching up and *will* overhaul us at the rate we're going. And I don't see us getting past PSG.

We keep Slot and, barring a major turnaround, our season will peter out and we'll be in the Europa next year.

The logic against replacing him, that Stevie G might be too good, is ludicrous imo. If he keeps us in the CL places, I'll risk it, thanks.

24 Mar 2026 10:37:15
Imagine they said to Stevie G: You have a short term contract until the end of the season at which point the new permanent manager, who will not be you, will be appointed.

That would seem to be clear enough, although they will keep Slot for the remaining games, no matter what.

24 Mar 2026 09:38:57
FastDog1977's post would make an interesting poll On Who’s To Blame For Our Drop Off This Season?
FSG %
Edwards %
Hughes %
Slot %
Players %
Circumstances %
Maybe Ed33 can assist with the poll?

{Ed033's Note -


LFC Drop Off poll

24 Mar 2026 10:38:47
Does anybody really think it is down to one cause? Life isn't that simple, is it?

24 Mar 2026 10:45:04
Slot, Edwards and Hughes. The players' lack of professionalism also plays a part.

24 Mar 2026 10:46:26
I picked Edwards as he hired Hughes and Slot. I think all 3 need to go.

Obviously, players are to blame as well but I still like the players we bought in. These are good players.

I see Frimpong busting a gut with early training at the start of the season, Wirtz putting effort in to bulk up for the Premier League. Kerkez is all effort etc. etc. These are not lazy guys.

And the other players have won the league and proven they can work hard. And that's all before we start talking about Jota.

I believe in this squad with a few pinpoint additions. But we need a new leader who will get that fight and fitness back, and a recruitment that can pinpoint what we need without having to spend 100 million on the position.

24 Mar 2026 11:49:13
Yeh, September 2nd we were all saying we won the transfer window.

Where it fell down was the players don't fit the system we play, or what they are being asked to do.

The few times we play to their strengths, they all look decent.

So all three should go. Mac Allister should go, as he has always been a fall down and roll around guy, and has nothing to do with anyone else.



And I would even keep Gakpo, as how much of a shocker he had this season, he's not alone and his numbers were pretty decent and looked okay when he and Diaz were fighting over the left forward space.

24 Mar 2026 11:50:34
Spot on, Davey.

24 Mar 2026 12:06:06
Picked Slot, Hughes, Edwards, and the players who haven't showered themselves in glory either, blaming FSG is a bit weird.

24 Mar 2026 12:31:20
Thanks Ed33 👍

{Ed033's Note - With the poll, People can choose more than one option if they want to.

23 Mar 2026 23:50:20
Not in the know, just wondering if the reason we haven't gotten rid of Slot yet to bring in Alonso, is it because we may be considering other alternatives along with him that may or may not be available come the summer, depending on various factors?

As an example Luis Enrique? If PSG won the Champions League again, would he think maybe a new challenge is needed?

ED01, if Enrique was available come the summer and we could get him, would you still pick Alonso? Or would you favour Enrique?

Thanks.

{Ed001's Note - I would probably take Enrique, it would depend on how interested he was in the role etc, but all things equal, you would have to take Enrique over Alonso.}

24 Mar 2026 05:19:31
Enrique is a fantastic manager. Did what everyone else couldn't at PSG and win the CL.

Knows the game. That's for sure.

24 Mar 2026 09:11:11
Maybe, the reason XA hasn't yet joined is if he did join before end of season and then got thumped by PSG and failed to qualify for CL, he'd instantly be on the back foot.

24 Mar 2026 09:11:47
Very few of the big name managers left that are still relatively successful. Pep and Enrique! I'm sure I've missed one or two. All we have are these young coaches, all who come with risk, in my opinion.

24 Mar 2026 14:02:55
Enrique over Alonso, for sure.

23 Mar 2026 21:26:26
So for a bit of fun with the international break upon us and it being a World Cup year I was having a pint with my neighbour and we were trying to name the best Liverpool team we could think of, of British players who have played a game at the World Cup finals!

So criteria must be to of played minutes in a World Cup final game and be British or Irish.

My team:

James

Trent - Hanson - Thompson - Nichol

Beardsley - Souness - Gerrard - Barnes

Owen - Kenny

Subs - Hunt, Aldridge, McMahon, McManoman, Wheelan


Be interesting to hear other picks.

23 Mar 2026 21:55:17
Didn't Bale play in a World Cup? He gets in ahead of any of them, including Barnes. Prime Bale was insane, and if it wasn't for Messi and Ronaldo at the time, he'd be more rated than he is.

23 Mar 2026 21:57:52
Phil Neal over Trent all day and twice on a Saturday.

{Ed025's Note - as a full back light years ahead John..

23 Mar 2026 22:03:27
Agree with that, Scouse. Roger Hunt also has to be in there. He's a World Cup winner.

23 Mar 2026 22:05:47
Queen, when did Bale play for Liverpool?

23 Mar 2026 22:14:31
Ray Clemence?

23 Mar 2026 22:22:58
Clem a million times over James.

23 Mar 2026 22:27:31
Keegan over Owen, all day long for me.
Keegan and Dalglish up front. 👌

23 Mar 2026 22:27:36
Clemence didn't play in a World Cup, gents.

23 Mar 2026 22:53:20
Clemence & Neal didn't play a World Cup game.

23 Mar 2026 22:54:24
Fowler played in the 2002 World Cup. Him in. Judas out.

23 Mar 2026 22:55:05
Tight call on Keegan tbf, Ron, but he only had a minute v Spain in 82.

23 Mar 2026 22:59:08
Neal played in 1982 WC, Bristol.

23 Mar 2026 23:06:43
Can we make an exception for Clem?

23 Mar 2026 23:08:26
Sorry, Rome, my mistake!!

Neal in for Trent & Owens failed a fitness test & Hunt comes in!!

24 Mar 2026 00:05:50
John Wark did he play for Scotland in World Cup?

24 Mar 2026 01:25:13
Houghton, Staunton, Mark Wright on the bench? Definitely in the squad. 😁

24 Mar 2026 02:57:00
Prime Bale over Prime Barnes is a brave one. :)

24 Mar 2026 03:53:06
Bale never played for Liverpool.

24 Mar 2026 05:14:16
Indeed, West, read wrong, quickstepped to the criteria. Thumbs up.

24 Mar 2026 05:15:01
Also only replying to a comment above. :)

24 Mar 2026 05:23:16
Sorry didn't read the bit about the World Cup... just shows you some greats never had the chance.

24 Mar 2026 05:21:05
No Ian Rush? Hard to beat our record goal scorer at a striker. Only scored 4 against Everton though (eh Ed025)

{Ed025's Note - i was a massive fan of Rushie Elspriggso, first player i can remember starting the press from the front mate..

24 Mar 2026 08:23:25
Bale over Barnes? Has the world actually gone mad?

24 Mar 2026 08:50:41
Even if Bale did play for Liverpool, it's no contest with Barnes - a genius and virtually unplayable, even towards the end of his career.

I'd go with the OPs selections, other than Robbo in for Nicol, and did Rob Jones play at a WC? If not, then Neal...

Oh, and Rush or Fowler instead of Owen.

24 Mar 2026 09:42:09
I don't really know who played at World Cups, and I can't be bothered to check each player if I'm dead honest. My British Liverpool XI would be:

Clemence
Neal, Smith, Hansen, Kennedy
Liddell, Gerrard, Souness, Barnes
Dalglish, Rush

To be honest, other than Salah in for Liddell, that's probably just my all time Liverpool XI in general.

24 Mar 2026 10:27:37
Not sure anyone on here actually had the chance to see Liddell play apart from Rome, maybe?

24 Mar 2026 10:34:25
Before my time, Bristol. Born in 1962. There have been posters who remember him, but not sure if they're about.

24 Mar 2026 11:22:00
Bristol, I spoke to my wife's Grandad about Billy Liddell before he passed away, and he told me Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney were the only better players he'd seen play. I've read a lot about Liddell as well and his affinity for the City of Liverpool (not just the club) is bordering on unrivalled. He could easily have moved to a Division 1 team when Liverpool were relegated, but he stayed for his entire career purely for the love of it.

Proper legend.

Also, if I picked a British team from just players I've actually seen play for Liverpool, then my team would be pretty relatively average.

Kirkland
Trent, Gomez, Carragher, Robertson
Milner, Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling
Sturridge, Crouch

So I'm heavily reliant on what I've heard about our legends from others!

24 Mar 2026 11:30:28
Rush never played in a World Cup, not even close - otherwise he'd be one of the first names.

24 Mar 2026 14:29:07
What about Ian Callaghan World Cup 66?

24 Mar 2026 14:43:13
Nice reply, MK. 👍

24 Mar 2026 16:23:41
Cheers Bristol. Both my own grandfathers were not really interested in football, so I had very few stories from them. My Dad's only just into his early 60s and was also a glory hunter (supported Leeds or Liverpool depending on who was winning then lost interest in football in the early 90s when they both stopped winning). So although I'll occasionally get stories from him about Ian Rush or Billy Bremner, anything before the 70s was a mystery to me until I got chatting to my wife's grandad.

He was an avid follower of Lincoln City, so when Liverpool were relegated to Division 2 he saw Billy Liddell play quite a few times in the flesh. He did stand by it that Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney were better though! One day these legends of the game will be lost from living memory and that is such an inevitable shame.