Liverpool Banter Mobile

14 Apr 2026 22:22:54
Tim Sherwood slysports :- Slot would be encouraged by that display tonight, should keep his job cause he has enough credit in the bank. Holy f*** batman, how do these gimps get a job as analysts.

14 Apr 2026 22:05:35
Apart from a new manager in the mould of either Alonso or Enrique (preferably Enrique), can we please buy Karashavellia, and Anderson, plus a new RB & CB please? I think these additions will turn us into contenders again. Fully expected to lose tonight. From what we've seen all season, could we really expect anything else? Only top five to achieve now people.

14 Apr 2026 18:02:41
Ed's .not knowing much about Alonso style of play in his management roles apart from the odd game against us who in your opinions would he be likely to chase for replacement of mo salah.

Would you think he'd favour the 2 lads from bundesliga olise and diomande? With olise probably out of reach for us also, or would you see a front 2 of Isak and ekitike would see us go more a traditional winger maybe?
Cheers

{Ed001's Note - I have no idea, Xabi doesn't have a set style or formation.}

14 Apr 2026 19:27:47
He did seem to favour two 10's behind a 9 during their unbeaten season. I wouldn't be surprised to see something similar in an attempt to get the most out of Wirtz.

14 Apr 2026 21:53:16
Slot out now. I turned it off as PSG too good, and we are shocking. Sack him now, FSG.

14 Apr 2026 21:55:25
You don't have any type of decent team without a midfield. Forget any formation or tactics. The next manager will need a different midfield to what's currently available at the club.

14 Apr 2026 22:02:34
We still have the same midfield that won the league. I hope it will be strengthened but it is nowhere near as bad as Slot's tactics make it look.

14 Apr 2026 22:13:08
Mr. R. Funk, it's the same midfield that won the EPL + Wirtz 11 months ago. Therein is not the problem.

14 Apr 2026 22:21:03
I think midfield is definitely a weak area. We need a passer in midfield. Simple as that. Grav is elite at ball carrying, but he doesn't know what to do at the end of his runs. His passing is woeful, and shooting not much better, mostly. Szob has the quality, but he just doesn't do enough on the ball. The less said about Macca, the better. Our best passer is Wirtz, but he is more of a clever passer in and around the box, rather than someone who progresses the ball from deep.

People moan about Diaz, but Trent is by far the biggest miss. And it is understandable, because for 10 years he was our main progressor. I don't know if Nyoni is ready for first team football, but we should give him a run. In the limited time I have seen of him, he is very good at line breaking passes like Thiago. We definitely need to move on Macca and replace him with someone who can pass the ball.

{Ed025's Note - Wirtz was not your best passer tonight TKA, he was bloody awful mate..

14 Apr 2026 22:21:37
Does Slot tell them not to tackle, not to win headers, not to win second balls, and to turn your back on every opposition shot?

14 Apr 2026 22:26:10
We were far from shocking. We did lack a bit of quality up front.

14 Apr 2026 22:26:51
What I would give for prime Mascherano or Fabinho back. We need that steel and protection through the middle. I also hate watching us chase a game where Slot just throws on all the attacks and we lose all our shape, has that worked once this year?

14 Apr 2026 16:38:19
Isak starting through the middle is going around.

14 Apr 2026 17:43:31
Mam
Frimpong VVD Konate Kerkez
Mac Grav
Salah Sbozo Wirtz
Isak.

14 Apr 2026 18:03:21
Ekitike on left then? Or Wirtz?

14 Apr 2026 18:07:59
Wtf, where's Ekitike? Isak's just back from injury, if he wanted to play Isak so soon... play them both.

14 Apr 2026 18:09:55
Seeing that line up, I'll say 4-1 to them.

14 Apr 2026 18:18:14
Macallister shouldn't be anywhere near the starting line up, he's awful. Zob alongside Grav, 2-goal Ekitike in with Salah, Wirtz and Isak.

14 Apr 2026 18:22:07
Hearing this, lads.

Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Isak, Ekitike.

14 Apr 2026 18:22:39
4-1 to us (Mo x 2, Isak x 2).

14 Apr 2026 18:28:17
Mo on bench supposedly.

14 Apr 2026 18:46:35
Hmm. Not sure of the running power of that group up top.

We will need to get the ball back as Slot mentioned. I was actually hoping for Gakpo in the game and a fresh Ekitike with some fire in him too.

I would have put Szobo in a disciplined role instead of Macca.

And played Gakpo to absolutely swarm them. Would have started Rio too in place of Wirtz. I love Wirtz, but think we need to go 100 miles an hour in this game on and off the ball and think Rio's confidence would have been sky high.

I would have gone

Mama
Frimpong. Konate. Van Dijk.

Robertson
Grav. Szobo
Salah. Gakpo. Rio
Ekitike

Mixing pace with experienced heads.

I think we need Robbo out there for this one. It's going to be a tough ask and we need his leadership.

I think Gakpo could work in number 10. Need him to use his power to get ball back and start feeding the wings.

Ekitike better presser than Isak.

I don't love leaving Wirtz out but he can be fresh legs and mind off the bench. He is also superb every time he has come from the bench.

That's what I'd go with anyway. It's not flashy but we must swarm them.

{Ed025's Note - the thing with swarms Davey...is that someone usually gets stung mate.. :)

14 Apr 2026 18:47:10
Not overly happy with that lineup, but hopefully it works out.

14 Apr 2026 18:55:10
I mean the actual lineup, of course. Think it will feed into PSG's strengths. Not happy with it.

With one post going after the other, looks like I complained about my own lineup. 😅

14 Apr 2026 19:03:34
Salah's not starting, Ekitike is, looks like 4-2-2-2 maybe.

14 Apr 2026 19:09:52
I like the line up, we are going for it. When Isak tires, Salah or Ngouma come on, or both.

14 Apr 2026 19:13:10
When Slot spoke about getting the ball back this week, I thought great. He has figured out exactly what this game is all about tonight. Getting the ball back. Then he picks this team which looks great from a names perspective, but I can't see getting the ball back.

We need Szobo deeper for the scrambling defence we will certainly need today.



It's a horrendous lineup for this game. We will need to be amazing on the ball today. There'll be little press with this lineup. That's for sure. Need excellent defence tonight. Slot has not helped the situation tonight, in my opinion.

14 Apr 2026 22:45:37
The line up was as horrendous as Ron's predictions this week.

14 Apr 2026 22:47:22
Why is Isak, who is clearly unfit, starting exactly?

14 Apr 2026 14:33:08
There's several positions that need addressed this summer within the first team.
I would personally prioritize midfield. Dom has shown consistently he has the quality and needed attributes needed for the Premier League.
Macca and Grav are not the right gravy for me. Ryan tracked back for more effectively last season and won many more duels. I can't believe the money the lads now on. Ryan's overall game is average. He's not a great passer. He's not great physically and he doesn't have real pace. I'd hope he's reverted back to his positional obligations next season that made him look like a good player. If not, the likes of Alonso or Enrique would not have him in the team because if he's not a hard working 6 and doing his job, he offers little else in another midfield position.


Macca, little needs said. He's more suited to La Liga or the Italian league. The Premier League is leaving behind players like Macca. Falling over all the time to get a foul because you're getting overrun continuously.
I think our midfield is dreadful. Regardless of slots "tactics" Macca and Gravenberch have done very little this season. I would also mention Jones. There's moments in matches he couldn't be bothered to track back and he's not for me. Another one waiting for a crazy increase.
The squad needs a real cleanse and refresh.

14 Apr 2026 15:21:23
I think you are a wee bit harsh on Grav. While he hasn't shown similar form to last year, imo he's being asked to do a different role.
The fact that he had Trent at right back, who played that full back inverted role when he often stepped into midfield helping the midfield out, passing forward and covering between the lines.


This season he doesn't know who's playing full back, anyone of five and none of them has Trent's range of passing. He also has an under performing Macca next to him, or Mr pass 5 yard, I am not tracking back or making a tackle, Jones.

{Ed025's Note - sometimes you just have to be honest CG...he has been a total waste of space this season mate..

14 Apr 2026 15:27:22
We need a starting RW, RB and CDM. Then we need to add to the squad depth.

14 Apr 2026 15:47:11
Macca and Grav each have specific things that they are good at and things that they are bad at. The problem this year is they have been playing in a structure that doesn't necessarily maximise what they are good at and mask what they are bad at. Macca gets exposed because he's being asked to cover lots of space; he's just not that kind of player, even though he tries to put himself about and cover ground. Grav is not the kind of player to play a delicious through ball or hit a 40 yard switch pass or really do anything too creative passing through the lines because that's not his game.

When defenders get tight to him and press, though, he's probably the best midfielder in the Premier League at leaving them for dead and carrying the ball. Why he's the one given license to go forward and Macca is the one marooned on an island is anyone's guess, though.

In the right structure, both are top players. In Europe, when the spacing has been better and Macca isn't stranded having to chase the game in transition, Macca has looked like the player of the last two seasons.

{Ed025's Note - i must be watching different games to you PB..

14 Apr 2026 16:25:00
Ed025, taking your waste of space comment (I don't agree, but it's all about opinions), I don't think you'd say he was a waste of space last season, in fact I think you'd concede he was one of the reasons we won the league?

So many of our players are looking a lot poorer than last season. Some of them are due to aging (Salah, VVD and Robbo perhaps? ) but others are due to how/where they are being played.

I believe that Grav is one of them. So I certainly wouldn't exit him, but wait to see how he is played under the new manager.

This season, Grav is looking more like the player in his first season when Klopp was playing him more advanced. I don't know why Slot changed his position from last year.

{Ed025's Note - he has been awful for me Zed, offered very little and im not talking about him being out of position..im talking about basic things like stray passes, missed tackles, poor heading and lack of pace, i think he may be suffering from..cant be arsed syndrome mate..

14 Apr 2026 16:40:05
Ed25, you cannot be that dismissive of actual, real circumstances and context. Grave has been poor, I get it but the same goes for "Insert player here" this seasons as well. Therefore

If Grav is being played in a position diff. from the one he thrived in last season then, you can't just ignore/dismiss that more than pertinent factor (mongst others, btw) just and say (with no context), "Let's just call a spade a spade" spiel. That's just being dismissive for no reason.

Grav is playing further forward this season in a position that he struggled in mightily under Klopp the first season he arrived here already. It was Slot himself who turned him into a DM where he excelled and won Young Player Of the Year award, helping us to a title while outplaying actual DM's in Caicedo, for ex.

Wait, Slot saw all that and then said, "You know what? i'm going to play this kid in the same position he struggled in the season before last and he will defo. shine". Yeah, that happened.

Man literally "fixed" what was never broken to begin with and then, leaves us wide open at the back in defensive transition. And you wonder why people want this guy gone.

{Ed025's Note - look i get you want to make excuses for him mate, but not being able to make a five yard pass or tackle an opponent or win a header has nothing at all to do with what position he is playing..

14 Apr 2026 17:16:47
Mac Allister and Gravenberch have both been terrible. The crazy thing about both of them, Szobozlai and Jones, is that what qualities they do have would all be strengthened and enhanced playing in a double pivot with a proper number 6. We are and have been absolutely crying out for one for 3 years now.

14 Apr 2026 17:02:59
Your watching through blue tinted glasses Ed.
Grav will be fie with a settled right back and soebody who can defend next to him.

{Ed025's Note - thats your opinion CG, i only deal in facts mate..

14 Apr 2026 17:46:34
Completely agree with Ron funk and Ed's on this szob is the only midfielder worth his wages, The midfield is a mess. Grav either stays back or upgrade on him. Macca can go, when we are going through a tough run of games we need character and fight he seems to have neither, worse player this season along with konate, but that midfield offers zero help the back 4. Macca? he's too busy diving and I also agree he's more suited to Spanish or Italian football.

Jones is just jones, never going to be anything special, lucky to still be here after the years he suffered from injuries here and there .people say he's a good squad player, but seriously WHAT does he bring to the team? Should have been sold by now.
All that said the managers tactics have been seriously dreadful this season, the forward line have all struggles really through that midfield, has as the defence

14 Apr 2026 17:55:07
He's been rubbish this season. That's being generous.

14 Apr 2026 18:55:29
Grav has been less effective than last season. There is no doubt about that. He's clearly been asked to do a different job in a different formation. Last year, when he was glued to the centre and got quick ball, freed himself and moved on, a lot of our attacks started with him, but last year we had Diaz and a Mo who wanted to play forward.

Grav has sadly been reduced to playing tictac football with the FB's to try and free them forward, but the new lads aren't good enough for that, maybe next season.

There was one game this season, where it looked like Macca got pissed at the tactics and spent 90 mins scowling at Grav to stay central. Think it was the Athleti game.

14 Apr 2026 18:32:58
Calling him a waste of space seems a bit harsh, Ed25. Other than that, I agree with everything you said. Personally, for me, Gravenberch has been really disappointing this season. It makes me worry that we just gave him a new high-wage contract and he's started to play badly.

{Ed025's Note - compared to last season i think i am right Mfahmee, he has fell of a cliff mate..

14 Apr 2026 22:55:27
What excuses? You seem to think that anyone that adds facts with actual/some type of context to their view points is suddenly making excuses just cos they used actual evidence to argue your points? Oh, and which player hasn't fallen off a cliff this season? I'll wait.