12 Aug 2024 21:35:52
Ornstein reporting we are currently unlikely to sign an alternative number 6. Hopefully this changes.
12 Aug 2024 21:47:20
As painful as it is to say, I think we need to go into this season with the players already at our disposal. Bringing anyone in now would only result in a panic but that we would need to be rid of the following year. We need to go with what we have in the DM position, attempt to strengthen in centre back and potentially RW, as cover for Salah.
This is far from ideal, and I am honestly furious, but a Rabiot, Berge, etc, would just be a stop gap, which, ironically, Endo was supposed to be. No point adding depth to the 6 position if the quality is not at the sufficient level.
Once again, not ideal as we really needed a capable 6, but we have left ourselves in this position. Really bad start from Hughes.
12 Aug 2024 21:54:21
I agree, he is coming across as extremely inept and out of his depth.
12 Aug 2024 21:55:10
My biggest worry is that we don't sign anyone but then loan/ sell the players who were on the fringes if the first team last season which leaves us very bare.
12 Aug 2024 21:55:59
I tend to agree Mango. I think we should stick with what we have. Focus on the contract situations of Salah, VVD and TAA so everyone knows where they stand.
If Diaz leaves, sign Gordon, and if Gomez/ Sepp VDB leave we’d obviously really need a CB. But other than that let’s role.
If there are any unexpected outgoings in other positions in the next 2 weeks then that’s down to the poor planning of the club.
Time to focus on the season ahead.
12 Aug 2024 21:58:39
Hughes is dreadful. Complete Wasteman who isn’t fit for a club this size.
12 Aug 2024 22:00:53
And you can kiss away yet another season because we’re run by absolute losers.
12 Aug 2024 22:03:13
Definitely a bad start for Hughes. He’s obviously got the nod from agent and probably the player that he was interested in the move, but then he’s changed his mind and screwed LFC and Hughes.
Surely there should be a back up option rather than putting a band aid on the problem. We will probably not sign anyone because they feel our squad can cope…where’s the ambition there? Get a proper DM in to push us on.
12 Aug 2024 22:06:20
Does feel a bit of a sickener at this point. I’m just hoping the club change their mind about sending Baj out on loan now.
12 Aug 2024 22:10:14
A stop gap is definitely what we need if we can’t get our top target. Get someone like rabiot if needed for a season or 2. We need legs in our midfield desperately. 2 seasons wasted not strengthening the same position.
Also while all this mess is going on we have our captain and future captain with only a year left on their contracts. If it’s not complete incompetence I’d almost think it was self sabotage….
12 Aug 2024 22:12:46
Last season we missed out on Caicedo and Lavia and signed Endo instead for about 1/ 8th the cost of Lavia and Caicedo.
That turned out pretty well.
12 Aug 2024 22:13:16
Remember last year when we were failures because Chelsea gazumped is to 160M worth of substandard midfielders. Trust the process that ME, JW and JK put in place. We only sign to improve and if there's no one available at the right price we wait.
12 Aug 2024 22:21:23
Brummy, but we got a stop gap in Endo last season in the same situation but cos he didn’t cost 115m or cos no one had ever heard of him, the knives came out. So what do we do?
12 Aug 2024 22:25:24
Wasn't Endo the stop gap? Do we now need a stop gap for the stop gap?
12 Aug 2024 22:30:12
Brummy, why sign Rabiot? He’s not a number 6, he’s just a very very mediocre box to box midfielder at best, he wants 250k on a four year contract. Short termism doesn’t work. I’m guessing you have forgotten the other stop gaps we’ve signed. So let me remind you.
Steven Caulker
Ozan Kabak
Arthur Melo
Stop gaps aren’t the answer. Rabiot is not the the answer.
12 Aug 2024 22:35:19
Beggars belief. *No signings for 11 months and 12 days* - don't know why the fanbase puts up with it, owners have been content for us to be 2nd which is one thing, but now seemingly content to be 3rd (or worse) . Penny for Slot's thoughts. Surely, surely, surely they bring a couple of players in still before Sept 1st. We were cut through time and time again last year, and I don't think 2 in the pivot (especially if one is Endo, Jones, or Gravenberch) will make much difference to be honest.
12 Aug 2024 22:45:57
Knives well and truly out. Good luck Eds ??
We tried to sign a player, he didn’t want to come. Time has been wasted. But let’s keep it in perspective?
Team looks good in pre season, players are all injury free and we have a game on Saturday to look forward to.
12 Aug 2024 23:09:42
Personally thought we should of gone into January transfer window for 1 or 2 players myself.
12 Aug 2024 23:12:02
If we go into this season with the current players at disposal Slot doesn’t have a hope. City and Arsenal have pulled further ahead. Villa Spurs Chelsea Newcastle and United have closed the gap to us. We’ve lost Matip and Thiago and no one has come in.
12 Aug 2024 23:23:38
It's ok guys, Nyoni has come on so much he's like a new signing!
But in all seriousness, I do think we have a good enough squad. We just need to hope Slot can get players like Gravenberch and Bajcetic firing in that #6 position which I'm sure he's capable of.
12 Aug 2024 23:39:00
This is amateurish simply put. FSG may be running the club financially well and avoiding PSR concerns and fair play penalties but the men they have employed to direct the football at the FOOTBALL club seem as useful as a fart in a bottle.
Either the DOF is setting slot up to fail or they are under the illusion that failing to win major trophies is acceptable as long as we "challenge".
To get absolutely nobody in to strengthen the team where weaknesses were exposed last season is one thing.
To allow 3 of our best players to be avaliable for pre contracts in January is fkkn unforgivable.
12 Aug 2024 23:48:08
So our captain says we need to strengthen bit lads are expecting him to sign a new deal while we absolutely embarrass ourselves again, are ye completely bonkers, massive 3 weeks for Hughes and Edwards now. Laughing stock we are.
13 Aug 2024 00:16:27
We became a laughing stock (again) . Why leak the info to the press? It’s clear that Hughes isn’t cut out for job in a big club and it’s crazy we have no plan B. Truly disappointing the way he bicker around with our targets. It’s good that this saga is over and I won’t want a 6 who is indecisive IRL. Imagine being indecisive on the field, the character resonates clearly.
13 Aug 2024 00:50:12
I still don't understand the notion that we need a midfielder. The two 6's in slots system are not destroyer type DM's, more tight ball playing progressive midfielders. For those roles we have Macca, Grav, Jones, Bajectic, Morton, McConnell, Nyoni, Clarke is still here and Endo if he stays. I'd be fine with giving the current crop a go at slots system for a year and see how they get on.
13 Aug 2024 01:39:41
So Westwood, you’re happy to write off another season and potentially finish outside of the top six? We couldn’t defend last season and our midfield certainly won’t protected our defence any better this season. We won nothing until we signed Fabinho and until we adequately address centre midfield properly we won’t be winning the league. It’s evident the club thinks it’s an issue else they wouldn’t waste time on it otherwise.
13 Aug 2024 02:06:22
IMO, both VVD and Salah need either big pay check due to their age or trophies. I don't see that with us. So they may leave as free agents. If Slot can't make impact and I am sure it will be impact on contract extensions too. VVD, Salah likes can leave. Even TAA might.
13 Aug 2024 02:09:46
The reaction in here is pure the fat kid from Harry Potter ‘but last year, last year’ lads changed his mind, more fool him he won’t win frig all, even if Barcelona by him via very. Reality is the squads great and we see how we go. I’m probably one of very few who thinks we never need his profile anyway, always though we need a destroyer to help when we’re getting kicked about the midfield. Plays come, players go, some don’t come. Some don’t go. It’s football not top trumps.
13 Aug 2024 03:26:05
If there is one bright spot to this failed signing it’s that the crying posts on here are absolutely bloody hilarious ?.
13 Aug 2024 04:56:07
All you cry babies having a sook over a player who is very similar to Macca and isn’t the profile of running and hard tackling CDM you’ve all been craving for the last couple years.
This is a lot of wasted emotion on this is funny to read and Embarassing at the same time.
Why?
Cos it shows that a whole bunch of you can’t see that all you really want is a new name. Not the right name just a new one, anyone, irrespective of how things have changed under Slot.
Again, it’s pretty funny to read.
13 Aug 2024 05:54:35
From what i've read Zubi said he would come, we offered him a lot more than Real and yet he changed his mind because when push came to shove he didn't want to leave his boyhood club. Not sure what else you expect from Hughes?
13 Aug 2024 06:34:34
Eds do you have to vet each post? I think I would need a drink or a huge tub of ice cream next to me to read some of this rubbish. Can't believe people are having a go at FSG or Hughes for a player deciding not to leave their club.
If it was Trent it would be fine though.
I am just waiting for Zubamendi to get some abusive social media posts from some so called fans.
Can't read some of this crap.
{Ed001's Note - it makes for a long day mate, but yes we do.}
13 Aug 2024 06:40:37
I feel like the new manager needs a bit of backing in the market and, so far, he hasn’t had any. It’s not a good luck for transfers to drag on, for targets to reject the club. Rivals have strengthened - are we arrogant enough to assume that we’ll win things as is? As soon as the schedule ramps up and injuries come into play we will flounder, and the failure to bring in quality (quality being the important point here) will be crucial. Do we have enough to get another CL spot? Probably, but surely that isn’t the limit of our ambition?
13 Aug 2024 06:50:13
That list you give there Westwood isn’t finishing in the top 4 IMO, it’s full of Championship players with a couple of exceptions.
13 Aug 2024 06:53:35
No point crying over Zubimendi staying with his hometown club, we'd be ecstatic if Trent does the same.
Hughes does come into focus a bit though no? From what it looks like so far we've properly targeted/ pursued Gordon, Yoro, Pacho and Zubimendi and come away with none. Still a couple of weeks so let's see on Gordon, any others.
Probably needs to at least get the Trent, Virgil, Trent deals done to show something from the window.
13 Aug 2024 07:04:29
No doubt it’s disappointing, but Christ the reaction on here is mad!
Jones and Gravenberch could be very effective in the double pivot.
Bajcetic will get back up speed, Trent wants to play there (which might help persuade him to stay) .
Slot has not had much time with the team, they’ll all be better placed to make decisions when he’s worked with the full squad for a reasonable period of time.
13 Aug 2024 07:04:29
Endo was a stop gap and we didn’t win the league. I think at this point anyone who is better than Endo no matter age/ profile is worth signing as another stop gap.
Thats the only question we need to ask at this point. Who is our specialist 6 - Endo and can we sign a better player. If so sign one even if not perfect for what we want long term.
13 Aug 2024 07:52:02
It’s transfer Armageddon. These posts are brilliant. Guarantee most people have never seen Zumbi play apart from an average cameo against a pants England.
Move on.
13 Aug 2024 07:56:26
The way I see it a lot of posters are consoling themselves for missing out on Zubimendi by convincing one another that he isn't even that good. He is that good, and he absolutely was worth trying to convince, because he suits Slot's system to an absolute tee. Does Mac Allister have the same sorts of qualities as him in the deeper pivot role? Maybe, but I'm not entirely sure either, for me I'd want Mac Allister closer to the goal than in the Wieffer role. Missing out on Zubimendi is devastating imo, and it would be difficult to find somebody with the same profile and a similar skillset who would offer what Slot would want in that position.
It's very irritating because clearly Zubimendi or his agent indicated that the move was possible, and somewhere along the line Sociedad convinced the player otherwise. I'm sure it wasn't a case that he never wanted to come and we're just incompetents shooting in the dark. People who want to believe that can think what they want, there's no helping them.
Ederson is obviously a very different kind of player that Liverpool like, but Ed has said that chances of that happening are quite remote, whether that's because another club is stepping in or whatever. Varela? Also quite a different player but aggressive off the ball and good carrying the ball and bringing it forwards, wonder if he's in our thoughts right now too. Rabiot is a decent shout to make up the numbers but at his age and the wages he demands I really don't know if he's a good shout, even though he is a consummate professional and will do a job.
The matter of greatest urgency right now though is tie trent to another 4 years and Mo and Virgil to another one year deal, or else Hughes is seriously going to start getting a pasting in the press.
13 Aug 2024 07:31:50
Ed001 you all deserve medals I couldn't do what you do. It is really appreciated everything you do. I bet you look forward to the end of the transfer window, does it at least calm down a bit?
{Ed001's Note - I really have grown to hate the transfer window. It normally gradually settles afterwards, but it does depend on results then.}
13 Aug 2024 07:34:39
Eds if it was me on here I'd be "uh oh Liverpool have had a failed transfer, fans are going to be going off on one, somebody get me a bottle and a tub of Ben and Jerry's stat! "
{Ed001's Note - I just sit by the wall and bang my head on it repeatedly. If I do it enough, I can begin to almost understand some of the idiocy that gets posted then.}
13 Aug 2024 08:22:42
Patrick, why would Trent, Salah or Van Dijk commit their futures to a club which evidently doesn’t match their professional ambitions? Why would Salah or Van Dijk sign their final contract just to play for a club which seemingly can’t attract top players and is seemingly happy with scraping top four and the occasional cup run. As for Trent, he’s entering his prime years, he can choose to go to Madrid and win everything or stay here and win the occasional domestic cup every few of years. I suspect all three will leave.
This is a farce for the way that we’ve evidently briefed the press, turned it into a public saga, then only to have the player reject the offer, so that’s Tchouameni, Bellingham, Lavia, Caicedo and Zubimendi reject us over a relatively short space of time. If this wasn’t an area of the pitch we felt was weak, why bother making it such a public spectacle? Why leak it to the press? So much for a crescendo, more a sh*t show.
It was evident last year our midfield options weren’t good enough and there’s no reason to think differently this season. Arrange them any way you want but the results will still be conceding sloppy goals and no protection to our defence.
13 Aug 2024 08:37:32
Ed001 Almost understand? ?.
{Ed001's Note - it would take a lot more to actually understand some of it.}
13 Aug 2024 08:37:51
Absolute comedy gold.
All based on rumours too.
13 Aug 2024 08:44:58
We still have time, Viktor, let's be patient and not give ourselves a seizure panicking, can't be good for your health being so negative all the time mate.
13 Aug 2024 08:48:20
This is fine.
*Bangs head on wall x 5 times.
I like turtles.
{Ed001's Note - I am still trying to train my turtles to be ninja but they don't seem to be getting it. Maybe I need a rat to act as an interpreter?}
13 Aug 2024 09:21:10
Just a point that there can be 67 games this season, so having a bare minimum squad isn't great. Chelsea with their huge squad and City with 50m players on the bench will have a much better time of it.
Look at our squad and imagine Robbo injured for 3 months, VD out for 3 months, salah out, are we really going to be in a safe spot?
{Ed002's Note - The squads over the agre of 21 are of the same maximum size.}
13 Aug 2024 09:37:28
I mean Chelsea have signed 14 players 21 or under. Which means they have that to fall back on. Seems like interesting business as I would assume they hope to improve value and make a killing on lots of potential young players developing.
{Ed002's Note - They are not all able to actually move this summer, and others are being purchased by BlueCo to move to Strasbourg, and some will go on loan and others in to the academy.}
13 Aug 2024 10:07:40
Faithworks your notion about fans just wanting a new name is pure folly. We finished third last season, have holes to fill and clearly areas to improve. This moral high ground you’re taking makes you sound like a dotard and highlights your rose tinted outlook. Fans simply want improvements….
{Ed002's Note - Perhaps Stefan Bajcetic will get a chance?}
13 Aug 2024 10:15:45
No matter how optimistic a fan you are it's objectively bad that Liverpool have bought zero senior players with 5 days to go to the start of the season with van Dijk, Trent and Salah still with 1 year left on their contracts. Klopp worked miracles before, Slot will need to too.
13 Aug 2024 12:21:59
Gravenberch and jones can play that role . I've read it all now .
13 Aug 2024 13:19:49
Vik - I simply prefer to believe that players, you know, adaptable and ever changing human beings, can be coached to improve, rather than need replacing every year like a worn out asset. Outside top 6? On what evidence do you base that? Because we haven't signed someone? Because other clubs have? Slot of good that did Chelsea last year. There are other ways to improve other than just buying new players. So the club are looking so there's obviously a problem? So the club know best? Ok I agree. So by that logic if we sign no-one the club must think our squad is good enough and you'd be fine with that right, because that's what the club wants to do?
Mark-My list of names are championship players? Well sorry but that's just categorically wrong. Most of those I listed were part of the team that finished third in the toughest league in the world last season. Talk about exaggeration. The only one of those that I would accept is championship level is Morton because that's all I have ever seen him play. Other than that you are objectively incorrect.
Sorry for being positive and supporting the players of my team. I should have known better.
Some of you need to give your heads a wobble, acting like LFC are entitled to win everything every season. The hangover from Klopp's time will come at some point I am sure and I wonder if you'll all still be supporters then.