30 Mar 2026 07:40:02
Gordon on the left.
Diomande on the right.
Gertruida to cover RB and CB.
Sadiki in midfield to replace MacAllister.
Gravenberch to drop deeper as he did last season.
Isak to have an injury free season.
Ed001 is that a title challenging team in your opinion if added to the existing squad?
I know you won't be interested in the costs below but they are my take on what it would cost to attain those players?

Rough guide prices below:

Gordon £70m
Sadiki £60m
Diomande £70m
Gertruida £20m

Total £220m

Sell:

Gakpo £50m
MacAllister £75m
Jones £40m
Elliott £25m

Total £190m.

{Ed001's Note - I am not convinced Gordon is anywhere near the level of a title chasing team. I don't understand why everyone is so desperate to sell Gakpo either, he is a victim of the set up as much as anyone.}

1.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 09:27:06
Totally agree with Ed001. Slot can't get a performance out of most players and Gakpo is so badly affected by Slots poor decisions. Think new manager and let them have the input on who comes and goes so we get the players that are needed for whoever the next manager is

2.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 09:41:02
Gakpo, I find it too predictable. He isn't utilising overlaps made by Kerkez, but, tbf, Kerkez doesn't help himself with 90% of crosses hitting the first man.

Gakpo, like Jones, takes too many touches, especially since we all know he's cutting in.

Just give it back to Wirtz and let him do his magic instead of faking left, cutting in right after 2 touch and shooting against the cb's legs.

{Ed001's Note - I agree, he is not perfect, but a top coach should be able to fix his issues. He has regressed badly under Slot.}

3.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 09:59:54
I personally don't want Gordon in this team, nowhere near the level required if we want to class ourselves as one of the top teams in Europe. And he would cost us a lot of money trying to buy from Newcastle, really don't see him as a player who delivers consistently.

4.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 10:09:24
It's a great point by Ed001.

Apparently only Dom, Jones and Gakpo are responsible for their own performances, the rest of the team is hampered by Slot's tactics.

We need to be a bit more consistent than that.

{Ed001's Note - it does feel that way Ron.}

5.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 11:27:32
Just playing devil's advocate.

Wirtz gets a free pass on struggling this year because of tactics and the rest of the team underperforming. But, Gakpo, who had a quality year last year and has been generally good since joining, gets hung, drawn and quartered?

I'm not bashing Wirtz btw, I love him as a player.

There's just a double standard.

6.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 11:45:41
Gordon with Gakpo could be a top rotational partnership for a title chasing team, much like how Diaz and Gakpo were.

7.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 11:56:07
Those in their first season get a pass from me, especially new league, new country, new culture. So Wirtz gets a pass.
Isak - injured.
Kerkez - less of a pass.

Just goes to show how good Hugo has been even though he has had his dips in form.
He's been our best signing this season. Great potential for the future.

8.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 12:22:49
Indeed, Coulred. I mentioned it on here a while ago. Everyone gives Gakpo all types of stick and sometimes, it is warranted. However, no one can tell me he has become this terrible overnight.

In the last 2 years under Klopp, and you guessed it, Slot, Gakpo has performed very well. Diaz was his comp. last season and we all know how it brought the best out of both players. Gakpo is not as bad as he looks now cos we have seen him perform better in the past.

He may not be the most technically gifted dribbler. Even Salah isn't that, but the things he is good at are his technical ability on the move, a powerful, relentless runner, and is effective scoring and assisting, even tho he can always improve.

Those are his strengths. Diaz was his comp. and we all know how it brought the best out of both players.

On the contrary, this season, Slot told everyone Gakpo has no comp. at all. The manager did that, something which has caused him to play every game, and it's like he is running in quicksand and doesn't seem to know what to do, as you can see he is often caught in two minds, hence, decision-making is erratic. The guy has regressed under this manager this season and that much is clear, compared to the last couple of years, imo.

All the above (as well as everything else going on with the rest of the team collectively) is all on the manager, imo.

9.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 12:37:32
If you are in a maze, you don't keep walking into the same dead end. Gakpo does every game, you can read Gakpo like a book: cut in on his right, curl the ball towards the goal, and the same end product. One might go in now and again.

10.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 12:48:50
I am happy to give him 1 more season, but still feel if certain players become available, we use him as a way of financing. I agree, judging this year is harsh, but I think you can still take thing upon yourself to improve your own decision making.

11.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 13:52:38
Gakpo is a good player to finish a move. He is a bad player to be involved in the middle. His tendency is to slow play down and give the other team options.

He should basically be glued to the post on his side of the pitch.

It's where he is most effective. He's this era's Dirk Kuyt. Great work rate, good tracking back, but don't give him creative duties because that's not his forte.

12.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 14:39:57
No problem with rotating Gakpo with someone new. Problem with Gordon being that someone.

13.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 15:15:31
Agreed, I don't think Gordon is the answer, ArAy.

14.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 17:50:22
@albeydered, I get that, however, Gakpo knew what he was doing and didn't have these issues last season esp. since he knew Diaz was his comp. So he had to really raise his game, which he did. Also, Gakpo showed he could go inside, outside, bully fullback esp. in the air, and had a left foot that could actually cross the ball.



This season, he can't even do any of those things right cos the manager is always on the team's back to keep possession and is not allowing Gakpo to express himself like last season, something the whole team is suffering from btw. Again, all of that is on the manager.

15.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 17:58:38
Neither do I, ArAy.

16.) 30 Mar 2026
30 Mar 2026 18:40:45
If Anthony Gordon is the answer, what is the question!! Not even close to being good enough. Worse than Macca for diving, and surely much better options out there.