24 Aug 2026 17:06:21
Someone finally with brains at LFC management has figured out that instead of Barcola they could sign Manu Kone, Guela Doue and Yakub Minteh at a combined same net outlay and the team would look much better.
Thank God.
24 Aug 2026 17:49:01
Barcola
Was always an Edwards signing, but Andoni is calling the shots now.
24 Aug 2026 17:55:05
Hopefully said person realises that selling Gakpo would be a disaster.
24 Aug 2026 17:59:23
Who?
imo Kone isn't good enough.
24 Aug 2026 18:11:24
According to? I would be happy with all of them but still think we need another winger. We have no pace.
24 Aug 2026 18:17:30
Are you saying the manager didn't/doesn't want Barcola? I find that strange.
24 Aug 2026 18:24:12
Zara, what makes you say that?
24 Aug 2026 18:26:55
Let Arsenal.
Spend 300m on Barcola and Alvarez.
Minteh is the preferred choice for an Iraola set up imo.
24 Aug 2026 18:41:28
Edwards left in July, we been trying to sign Barcola since early August. Embarrassing.
24 Aug 2026 18:42:34
Day 18 of Barcola done deal.
24 Aug 2026 18:49:22
If the manager didn't want Barcola, why have we still been negotiating with PSG?
24 Aug 2026 18:59:51
Kone or Pape Matar Sarr (available for EUR25m).
Both good ball winners and defensively disciplined.
24 Aug 2026 19:03:52
Maybe it wasn't for Barcola after all....
It probably was, tbf, but what if it wasn't.
*Mind blown*.
24 Aug 2026 19:05:45
We have one non-HG place left. So this new DoF mastermind of yours probably needs to give this some thought.
24 Aug 2026 19:06:07
Unless Gakpo cuts his salary demands by 20% Spurs can't afford Gakpo. Tonali at 200k is their highest paid player and Gakpo is 250k with nice incentives (winning and goals).
If we sell him to City we will be a laughing stock globally cuz I think he absolutely strengthens them.
24 Aug 2026 19:06:13
Hi @Origi83,
Honestly, it's a bit of stats and a bit of personal preference.
Considering our last DM was Fabinho, I'd prefer a player like Khephren Thuram. He's taller and stronger, I see him more as a destroyer and grate in aerial duels. That said, I also think he's not so good in passing as Kone. Again, just my opinion.
24 Aug 2026 19:20:23
I usually love the transfer windows and get excited about new players joining.
But this season I'm so bored with it. I just want to watch good football and I don't really care how much players cost or what their name is. I am also fed up with this crazy imbalance of the squad, and am frustrated that we seem to be looking at plugging the wrong holes.
Roll on the window slamming shut and we can focus on supporting our team, playing some great football, and enjoy watching it for a change.
24 Aug 2026 19:27:32
We are only signing a winger who we can't use until about December, and RB we have no interest in. Also, I think you need to take maths lessons. Those 3 will cost north of £150m. We ain't paying that for Barcola. Stop playing FIFA or FM and applying it to real life, it's not compatible.
What a load of crap to put it mildly. ?
Barcola is happening, so get used to it. We will also sign another winger, hopefully not Minteh tho, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a midfielder coming in even tho it's being reported we are not looking.
24 Aug 2026 19:33:37
People calling for a DM do not understand the modern game.
Listen to the experts.
That we have a vanilla group
of players is the real
issue.
24 Aug 2026 19:54:37
Is that your cunning plan, Baldrick, play without a defensive midfielder? We tried that yesterday, methinks.
24 Aug 2026 19:55:35
We need a dm because Grav keeps leaving us wide open when he runs forward.
24 Aug 2026 19:59:21
We require 5 top level players for the first team squad.
24 Aug 2026 20:00:49
Keep saying it on every post, but I think we are looking to spend in the wrong places.
To me, our biggest issues are the two full back spots. I think most are in agreement, Frimpong is not good enough, but for me Kerkez is no better. Offers close to nothing going forward, and made 2 very average wingers in Elanga and Murphy look like world beaters.
Also, having 2 full backs who couldn't beat my mother in the air is a problem on its own.
I really hope Bradley can come back strong and stay fit, but I think we need to hope for the best, but plan for the worst on that one.
24 Aug 2026 20:04:23
Can't just blame Grav either. It's the system they play, and lack of discipline in all of midfield. It is about communication. Both Grav and Dom do not seem to want to be tackled or track back. VVD is too old to be left this exposed, and unfortunately our fullbacks aren't anywhere near smart enough or good enough at this level.
Under Klopp, Allison used to play sweeper much more frequently when there was a turnover, and we were left outnumbered. He doesn't seem to do that anymore. Not sure if this is because of tactics, or is it just his age and injuries? It's a team game. A DM will not sort out these problems if the DM is in that system.
24 Aug 2026 20:10:28
People need to understand the basics of Iraola's tactics. Playing with 2 central midfielders, both box to box, if you like, will take time for them to understand there's a time for them both to go forward, and a time for just 1 to, whilst the other covers. Both goals yesterday came from poor decision making by Grav, which, when the ball was lost, they exploited to space.
Better decision making in those moments completely eradicates the counter.
I do believe Trey will be used more, and he is more than capable, but I would definitely go get Camara too.
The players are getting used to the tactics, but once we understand what Iraola wants, and we get in a few speed demons, we will be frightening.
24 Aug 2026 20:18:44
I like Kone, but please not Sarr. There is a reason Spurs are happy to sell. He's like a spider on roller blades and a total headless chicken.
Kone would be a great signing though. I'd prefer him to the rumours of Gavi.
24 Aug 2026 19:34:02
Still haven't heard who this person is.
24 Aug 2026 20:00:16
I genuinely think Sky Sports has ruined the game by making the off season all about transfers and marketing it so well. Half the kids on here aren't even interested in footballs just interested in signings. I don't care who we sign
24 Aug 2026 20:26:08
Whole window is just a mess..
Hughes would just do well to ask AI what he wants and p@@s off.
24 Aug 2026 20:32:27
We need a team of Robots. Problem solved.
24 Aug 2026 20:33:57
The sooner Hughes is gone and Jeff is signing cheques, the better... or worse.
I'm not quite sure yet.
24 Aug 2026 20:40:40
Overkill - Blackadder seems to agree. No DM on the horizon.
24 Aug 2026 20:45:20
Grav and Szob should know by now that the other team might get the ball and to be prepared for it happening. Especially the way that they pass the ball.
24 Aug 2026 20:51:24
Inbeta, it's a transfer rumours website, so stop whining. Liverpool also need a handful of players, that's just a fact, and fans are rightly annoyed that we have inept figures in senior positions doing zilch about it.
24 Aug 2026 21:43:28
Grav is getting a lot of blame for the goals. But, in my opinion, it's a team problem, and it's also up to the management to coach a system that allows whoever they want to attack to be covered when they do. It doesn't even have to be the other cm. On both occasions we actually had enough players back. Elanga is rapid and destroyed Kerkez for pace from a good through ball. Grav could have been in that dm space, and it might not have changed a thing.
The 2nd goal was more frustrating. Wirtz was easily beaten and left behind at halfway, and then we had 4 or 5 players who could have engaged a tackle. Was it Grav and Szobo who ran beside, and out cb afraid to step out, even though Newcastle didn't have big numbers in attack? They all seemed to leave, taking command to each other.
24 Aug 2026 22:37:17
Don't understand modern football? Because I think we need a player in midfield who can stop teams running through us. Getting their heads up and playing passers in behind our full backs?
What's your solution? Ask them not to exploit the space left for them to simply drive a bus through!! Behave, lad. Football is a simple game modern or old.
Pass the ball to a fella in the same colours as you. Don't embarrass teammates by giving them a pass they have to fight for without support (Bill Shankly). Don't get caught out of position (Bob Paiesley). The modern game means sweet Fanny Adams.
The only difference is the speed the game is played at. And the rule changes. The principles haven't changed.
24 Aug 2026 23:26:57
Love it, Chrisy.
24 Aug 2026 23:59:42
People are letting Gakpo off too easy for that first goal. He stood three feet away from the start of the break, at the top of their box, and could have put a foot in, but didn't. That would have broken it up right there, or, at the very least, slowed it down enough for someone to track back.
25 Aug 2026 01:19:21
Thank you, @TheFields. A bit of sense in a truly strange thread. The amount of assumptions based on 'information' that just isn't true is staggering.
It wouldn't surprise me to see us sign Barcola, Minteh (although I'd plump for Rayan personally) and, given AI's MO, a box-to-box midfielder to add to Gravenberch and Szoboszlai as the ones who take it in turns (so to speak) to bring the ball forward.
Not sure about the rest of this thread - the beginning came out of left field and has meandered around all over the place.
25 Aug 2026 06:39:06
Though I want a DM if Iraola wants 2 box to box, then it's about them having an understanding of when one goes and when one sits, and that will only come with training.
Also MacCallister seems to do a sitting job for Argentina in the World Cup.
25 Aug 2026 08:44:22
Chrisy is absolutely right. Everything is over complicated.
I listened to Iraola after the game, much of what he said was probably lost in translation and didn't make great sense, but he did say we could have made a tactical foul.
Yes, that's true, but the fundamental question remains why we had no players in between defence and the edge of their box, that's kamikaze stuff and could easily be addressed.
I understand why he wouldn't want to hang Grav or others out to dry, but it's much more simple than it's made out to be.