Liverpool Discussion posts 4

25 Aug 2026 11:51:06
Is there some unprofessionalism or bordering sabotage happening behind the scenes? Edwards was shown the door essentially and Hughes has either been shown to be completely incompetent or is half arsed about fulfilling his role at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
The club needs a midfielder. The world sees that. They've allowed Jones to go, so where's the replacement?
Is Andoni too soft, hence the appointment over Alonso? Let's be real, he's a very good coach but he doesn't have the aura or charisma of Alonso.

It's giving me Ten Hag.
You can't allow sporting directors and Co this much authority and power if this is what they serve and dictate. Whoever the next sporting director is, there has to be a far better connection between the "coach" and what the team needs.

25 Aug 2026 13:30:57
Don't know myself, Ron. I guess it will play out, then we can make our judgements

One thing is for certain - the only thing guaranteed from a change in coach was that we'd be feeling better.

25 Aug 2026 14:25:04
The feel good factor isn't quite there yet, Faith, this window has deflated much of it, unfortunately.

I think we'll finish with a bit of a flourish, bring in Barcola and probably Trent as well, reading between the lines, which will perk up a lot of fans. Minteh will get done as well.

I don't think it's sabotage, but time after time, our judgement and decision making on transfers has been poor, but also very slow.



I don't think the transfer team are top notch, but they're playing with top money, so the stakes are huge. This is where sports franchising falls down. The lack of local and sport specific knowledge costs FSG, and their sporting appointments, Jurgen aside, have been disappointing. Hopefully Iraola bucks the trend.

25 Aug 2026 14:36:13
Calling the manager soft because we aren't signing the sort of player you want us to sign. Pathetic.

25 Aug 2026 16:27:12
AI is the coach, not the manager, and from what I'm seeing he is having an impact on our playing style and on recruitment. The two new signings look good to me. He can't be expected to turn Slot's picks into a team overnight. AI has never played with a 6 because he expects his midfield to cover all positions collectively.

My guess is we aren't even looking for a 6 and we have sufficient cover with the priority being wingers. We have recruited one and we need another one. Wingers who can play both sides within neither Gakpo or Rio can do.

25 Aug 2026 17:35:52
Trent?? No chance! Wouldn't want him back either. He s*** his pants, now he's gotta sit in them.

25 Aug 2026 09:31:35
Again, people need to be reminded on here that the guys that volunteer information don't do so to be liked, they do it because they know we like it and want it. Opinions differ, stories differ, sources differ. No one knows what’s happening 100% unless you are conducting the deals which no one on here is.

I think. So just take the information for what it is. Opinion.
Don't bet your house on it is all I’d say.
Enjoy the site. And remember, opinions are not facts. Thanks all the lads providing info it just makes this transfer lark much more fun.

25 Aug 2026 13:32:04
I think they like to be liked a little lol.
Well, appreciated anyways.
And that can look like just not being a d*ck when ITK info doesn't pan out exactly as it was shared.

25 Aug 2026 10:27:20
I don't understand how we haven't signed Adam Wharton. We've sold Jones and Wharton is another Homegrown excellent young player who would immediately improve us.

25 Aug 2026 10:35:56
Maybe he isn't for sale (at least at a price that is deemed acceptable).

25 Aug 2026 13:32:55
Where does he play?
He ain’t playing ahead of Dom or Wirtz. It’d be a very expensive third or fourth choice CM.

25 Aug 2026 18:29:10
I don't think Palace will sell him now at any price. Maybe in Jan or next summer. He would play as a double pivot with Grav, Szobo at 10, Wirtz at LW or false 9. That would be much more balanced.

25 Aug 2026 08:00:11
Reminder the window shuts Tuesday 2nd at 23:00 hours. Fingers crossed we have 2-3 signings in place.

25 Aug 2026 07:51:19
As the debate about whether we need a 'proper DM' rages on, Josh Williams and Jon McKenzie have done an excellent (and not too long) discussion on the positioning of our midfielders off the ball and what their assigned tasks are in Iraola's system.

The most interesting part of the video revolves around how the responsibilities of our midfielders shift in dramatic ways once we abandon a zonal/space-oriented tactical perspective (which would require a DM to command a certain part of the pitch) and move towards a proximity-oriented understanding where players are positioned to swarm around and disrupt players in possession. Well worth a watch.

{Ed025's Note - and next...Quantum Physics.. :)

25 Aug 2026 08:22:25
Not worth a watch for me !!
Just about sums up everything that's wrong with modern football !!
Load of old pony, if you ask me !
Imagine having to tell Souness all that tripe!

25 Aug 2026 11:19:00
Ahhhhhh.Ed025!
Another welcome excuse for me to mention Schrodinger's (alive & dead) cat!
Happy days!

25 Aug 2026 06:48:47
I know this is going to annoy some, but I am reliably informed that Barcola is pushing PSG to agree a deal with Liverpool, so much so, that PSG contacted Liverpool last night and there were extremely positive talks and the structure of the deal is now probably more advanced than it ever has been.



In transfer business, sometimes it's all about the tactics.

Have a good day.

Cheers.

DjimiT

25 Aug 2026 08:37:36
Thanks, DjimiT.

25 Aug 2026 11:20:25
Do I detect a bit of bet hedging, Djimi?
:-)

25 Aug 2026 06:37:42
So our midfield is in troubled waters. - Dom is 10 or a right wing type of player. He can play 8 if he has the freedom. That right back season probably emptied his tank for defensive duties.
- Grav is 8 that doesn't like to deffend, he did it for one season, got all the praise and then moaned that he likes to go forward. He simply can't be bothered to defend, too much running for him.... And he also likes to play around that 10 position.


- Maca was 10, moulded by Klop to play 6 or 8, now his legs and grit is gone, he became useless on the field.
- Wirz is 10 and nothing more like someone said, Coutino type player.

Only Nyoni has some brain in him that midfielder also needs to play defence, connect play, they don't just run forward.

So yes AI needs to sort them out or to sell them since they are incompetent of playin modern day midfield position (except Dom and Nyoni).

25 Aug 2026 09:46:09
I'll say it again, but I don't think Grav is going anywhere. Just signed a long term high wage contract with the club and will be seen as the DM at least for this season and next.

You don't get 250,000 a week to sit on the bench. Same with Wirtz.

25 Aug 2026 06:15:34
Villa and spurs just added some signings


Wondering what on earth is going on at lfc hq

The Ed's were right when Edwards grabbed hughes they said he would be awful

Got to hand it them they knew

23 Aug 2026 23:39:03
Just opinions.
Its the 1st game of the season and most of the players have had very little game time, so obviously a lot can change over the season but by god does it need to.

Defensively I actually thought Frimpong did alright. His crossing
Is terrible though.
Kerkez was caught out early on and did have struggles.
The same with our cbs.

I wouldn't panic yet in defence though, Virg needs to up his game again, take command of situations. As captain I mean, Look at their 2nd goal especially, the number of players we had around the player/ball and everyone left the closing down to each other.

Midfield was missing at times. obviously we could buy yet, but I also think Macca could be massive again this year if he's up to playing for us that is. He is that one player who can be wound up and aggressive when he wants to be. A moan, but does have some fight. With Macca in cm comes what I think is an issue. I know people have different opinions, but its Wirtz. He just has too many games where he is ineffective and offers very little in attack, gets plenty of ball but poor passing and im never on the edge of my seat when he's in front of goal. Got excited last season when he had a month or so of form, seen the potential. don't think he can not play in a 3 with Szobo and Grav. Szobo had a poor game, and I also think he's wasted not playing att mid. His press, drive with the ball, shooting. The team needs to be set up to get him in positions to shoot, not just for the long range goals but it woukd create panic and then space for our attackers.

And in my opinion its actually in attack we are the weakest. Even though our midfield and defence were poor for the 2 goals, we are too easy to defend against, so teams are comfortable and then can spring counters when we have to push everyone up to tey create a half chance even. Gakpo is a solid player, we know this, not exciting but he gets goals and works hard defensively too.
I never really understood why we wanted Isak.

Top striker but never a fit for our recent teams. The team will need to change to suit him i think, hopefully it will, as he is a top goalscorer. And Rio, he's not ready, on the left he's an exciting prospect, but not 1st team. On the right we see why, playing on the right will help him improve so much for sure but we are not good enough to have him learn on the job every week in the prem.
Barcola needs to get do to bring some excitement and pace back into our forward line.

Mention for the subs that came on though. Arujo comfortable, Munoz looks a menace, direct but with control. And Koumas, I thought he was brilliant also.

25 Aug 2026 06:27:47
Personally I don't think Kerkez got caught out at all for the first goal. He was aware of the danger and ran as fast as he could back to deal with it. Elanga is simply much quicker than him though, as he is most.

Not sure there's anything different he could have done there. The issue was far more with the midfield and CBs not working together than.

25 Aug 2026 06:31:47
Wrt 1st goal... Ali's positioning is questionable.
Good finish by Elanga, but Ali gave him nearly half the goal to aim at.