Liverpool banter 10

04 Jul 2026 19:45:49
Is that Bono in goal for Morocco...? He's even better than the real thing.

04 Jul 2026 21:25:00
He was born on a street with no name.

04 Jul 2026 21:28:24
Is his shirt number 'One'?

04 Jul 2026 21:39:47
It's not Bono, it's that fella out of I'm Alan Partridge.

04 Jul 2026 21:43:28
I thought I was alone in this but I guess U2.

04 Jul 2026 22:56:11
He will play, 'With or Without You'.

05 Jul 2026 00:25:12
He still can't find what he's looking for.

05 Jul 2026 05:55:44
He's really got a style all of his own, he seems to move in mysterious ways.

04 Jul 2026 17:08:27
I would personally be happy with the following four players to improve the team/squad.

RW- Rayan (test Bournemouth with a £75m offer) as I don't want Diamonde anymore after the rubbish show last week.

AM- Sadiki an ideal type for Iraola and our team, really hope we go for him

RB- Would have liked Kayode but that's now dead in the water so I have gone for Gertruida, who is versatile and can play both RB and CB roles

CM- Ayoub Bouaddi, who had looked great through the WC off the back of an excellent season in France.

Jones, Frimpong, MacAllister sell, sell, sell

Gakpo and Munoz to fight it out on the LW, Gakpo should improve under Iraola and Munoz looks like a talent s as no brilliant squad addition.

Ed001 what's your thoughts on the above mate?

{Ed001's Note - apart from selling Jones, I would pretty much agree with that.}

04 Jul 2026 21:24:20
I'm surprised that no one is talking about a CF. I don't think we can cope with Isak (injury prone) and Gakpo (not his best position) for the first half of next season.
Ekitike isn't back until 2027 and will take a fair amount of time to get up to speed.
Along with a RB, a CF is my top priority in this window.

04 Jul 2026 22:06:13
Brommers, I think the idea is that Munoz can also cover cf. We have young Jayden Danns, so, whilst not ideal including Gakpo, there is our cover.

04 Jul 2026 22:27:01
Danns has played good football in a year. I can see the El Mala or Pardo links due to them playing lw and CF.

04 Jul 2026 21:49:03
U would keep jones ed1? I would've been a fan of his but he hasn't really kicked on for me and I think we desperately need more aggression in middle of the park

{Ed001's Note - low wages, good squad filler, and would cost a lot more to replace, makes no sense to let him go. You don't get perfect players to fill gaps in the squad, so you have to accept they are not ideal.}

05 Jul 2026 10:48:48
If you're doing Geertrudia in/Frimpong out, who's the cover for Geertrudia?

We can't afford to go 1 in/1 out this summer, we need depth, unless the academy is going to do some heavy lifting.

05 Jul 2026 10:42:23
ed1 - totally agree on Jones. I feel like guys him like get a bit of unfair judgement. It's like he has needed to be the peak version of himself since he broke into the team in order to prove that he has the potential.

I'd rather keep him than sell him for beer money then we go and spare champagne money on another squad player

04 Jul 2026 20:08:24
Just for fun - who would you like us to sign this window? Must be valued under £50m. 3 players, any position. Mine are Ardon Jahari DM Club Brugge, Georges Mikuatadez Striker Villarreal and Michael Keyode RB Brentford. Any thoughts Ed's and Reds?

04 Jul 2026 20:53:17
Keyode
Sadiki
Mikel Oyarzabal.

04 Jul 2026 22:27:33
Kayodes just signed a new deal until 2032, no chance he's under 50m.

04 Jul 2026 18:55:51
Does anyone know anything about Matias Soulé? I haven't heard anything but he looks achievable and decent!

04 Jul 2026 20:02:58
One paced is generous.

04 Jul 2026 18:49:22
Question for all I’ve been thinking about myself.

Have both Pep and Klopp enhanced the reputations of their fellow manager compatriots?

Any Spanish manager who plays good football is “another Pep”.

Any German who play high press is another “Klopp”.

But in reality are most of these managers just cheap copies of the 2 mentioned or am I completely off with these thoughts.

Cheers all.

04 Jul 2026 19:53:23
Same as with players, "Polish Messi", "next Salah" etc.

It's not that these people are cheap copies.

It's just that they are a different person to the names other people compare them to.

04 Jul 2026 21:09:45
Labelling somebody 'the next whoever' has always been a thing. It's just a way of likening a style or grabbing attention. It's pretty irrelevant and generally has no bearing.

04 Jul 2026 21:27:37
Who could forget the Latvian Michael Owen.

04 Jul 2026 21:46:46
Or the Ostravan Maradona?

04 Jul 2026 22:25:13
Or the new Marcel Desailly (Djimi Traore). ?

05 Jul 2026 08:46:32
Gerardo Alfredo Bruna Blanco, "the Messi of Madrid", who came to our academy. Think he played a few for Blackpool on the end.

05 Jul 2026 08:52:07
When we signed Le Tallec, he was described as the next Zidane... one of the worst comparisons I've seen.

05 Jul 2026 10:52:04
I don't think anyone has been making a claim that Tuchel or Nagelsmann are the next Klopp.

Where people make comparisons is where there are similarities in playing style.

Just like how not every Argentina prodigy is labelled the next Messi.

{Ed001's Note - they did make those claims in the past regarding Tuchel and Nagelsmann. It was very common to refer to them as such when they were first starting out. It has only stopped because it was become so apparent that those two are not even close to the great man's level. Klopp is light years ahead of the two of them put together.}

05 Jul 2026 12:55:16
It was Cheyrou that was labelled the next Zidane, not Le Tallec.

04 Jul 2026 16:14:14
Interesting news that Summervilles buyout has this week reduced to £40m. Has to be paid at once or can be more done on installments?

04 Jul 2026 20:05:07
Considering some of the names being bandied about like Neto & Trashford, I'd probably settle for Summerville & Minteh, and be done with it.

05 Jul 2026 09:16:43
Summerville would be a good signing at that price if Gakpo wants to leave.

04 Jul 2026 13:06:40
Hi all.

This might have been asked before, if so then I apologise.

If you could pick any retired Liverpool player from any era (at their peak) and put them into the current squad to make the biggest impact, who would you pick and why?

Can only be one player but any position which you think would instantly improve us.

I'd start off with Alan Hansen simply because I think he was the best defender we've had (close call with him and VVD).

04 Jul 2026 13:31:36
Graeme Souness. Proper hard as nails midfielder and could do everything. Probably the greatest all round midfielder ever. Would show our bunch of soft lads up.

04 Jul 2026 13:35:02
Has to be Steven Gerrard for me. I think he would transform our midfield and add some very much needed leadership.

04 Jul 2026 14:08:06
Souness, he was everything we miss in midfield.

04 Jul 2026 14:08:06
Steven Gerrard or Graeme Souness makes the most sense right now.

With Mo and Sadio still playing, John Barnes would be the next shout.

04 Jul 2026 14:21:43
There is only the one player from the past to call on for the future and that's the king himself KD.

04 Jul 2026 14:44:46
Prime Gerrard, he would sort our midfield out and give this team heart and fight.

Or one of (prime of course) Barnes or Mane.

04 Jul 2026 14:52:12
Crazy Horse.

04 Jul 2026 15:16:48
Ian Rush - someone to finish the chances we create and hassle other teams' defenders.

04 Jul 2026 15:40:16
So many of the top players from the 70s & 80s would walk into our current side, but I'll go Souness, very closely followed by Kenny & Hansen!
Liver_La mentioned Emlyn - he'd be close.

04 Jul 2026 15:57:33
Agree with Hunter64.

04 Jul 2026 16:32:26
Gotta be the King. Dalglish.

04 Jul 2026 16:51:03
Gotta be Gerrard, he is exactly what our team is crying out for, then Fowler or Rush.

04 Jul 2026 16:56:16
Slightly controversial, but I think Suarez - strictly speaking in terms of the modern game here and because I've little faith in our frontline at the moment. I think everyone else would be inspired to step things up a gear with somebody as relentless as Suarez banging goals in every week.

I also think Wirtz would shine along with him. I would love nothing more than to see Souness out there breaking players up, but let's be honest, in the modern game he'd probably get banned for life within a month. ?

04 Jul 2026 16:56:24
Some excellent suggestions and can't argue with any of them, to be honest, as too many to choose from.

Thanks for the responses. I enjoy reading them.

04 Jul 2026 17:00:46
Could Souness cut it in the modern namby-pamby era of Premier League football?
If you remove the biting tackle, the down-right nastiness, what's left?
Probably still more than your average PL footballer, but he'd still have to play 'shackled!'

04 Jul 2026 17:09:11
Chewy, you would say that given your moniker.

04 Jul 2026 17:34:59
Even given the nature of football today, I'd go Souness.

No-one is giving half-arsed performances in a side he's in.

04 Jul 2026 17:39:50
Personally I think Souness would cut it. He was exceptionally intelligent on the pitch and his was controlled aggression within the rules. He'd still dish it out but within the rules and you know that opponents would be absolutely terrified of him, that's the kind of presence we lack, a midfielder who can actually defend and who opponents are absolutely petrified of.

04 Jul 2026 17:42:06
Great question. I would go for John Barnes as he could be the rw to fill Mo's boots. He played lw for us, but in those days left footed wingers played on the left wing.

Curious: when did coaches start playing left footed wingers at rw? Was Mo the first?

Souness a close second, obviously. Though some fans might think him too small.

04 Jul 2026 17:42:42
Henderson, tbh. He was a brilliant captain and leader, and would be a massive upgrade on Mac Alligator.

04 Jul 2026 17:42:56
Got to be Souness. He would have adapted his game enough for the namby pamby current game. Imagine his reaction to McAllister's antics!

04 Jul 2026 17:55:32
The thing with Souness is that he often described himself as a glorified sweeper / third cb. He is, I think, incredibly generous in saying Stevie G was a better midfielder.

I would say that Stevie was our greatest creative midfielder, but Souness was the best deep-lying and all-round midfielder.



Jordan is third best for me. Will always be underrated, but he never knew when he was beaten, and was capable of a fine through ball.

04 Jul 2026 18:09:07
Great players from years back will still be great players in this modern day - they’re great as they adapt to what’s needed.
Souness was one of the all time great midfielders and he had far more to his game than just being a nasty piece of work and in the era he played you had to have that in your game.


All the suggestions are justified, but Souness is the stand out one for me.

04 Jul 2026 18:09:54
Not so much retired.

But an ex Liverpool player, 100% Luis Suarez for me.

Him in this current Liverpool side.

We'd win everything.

Cheers.

04 Jul 2026 18:39:10
I don't think Dalglish would change the current team as much as Souness would. The bite in midfield is something we need more than anything, however, he would get sent off every game, without fail.

So, for that reason, I would have to go for Hansen or Rush. Last season we needed Hansen more, so I am going for him.

04 Jul 2026 18:54:14
Robbo, I hear you when it comes to Suarez: closest I have seen at Anfield to Maradona at Napoli.

He was a genius, but he did some beyond appalling things on the pitch. For that reason, his time at the club is tarnished, and I doubt anyone would have him back.



What makes me furious with him, is that Kenny was moved to put on that ridiculous t-shirt in his defence.

He was, by all accounts, a nice chap off the pitch - but Kenny would have had another season if he had not backed someone accused of racism.

04 Jul 2026 18:54:42
This question gets asked a lot and there is only one answer, and it's King Kenny, the greatest player the club has ever had.
Then after him there is a queue of players: Souness, Hansen, Keegan, Rush, Barnes, Gerrard and so on.

04 Jul 2026 18:59:14
At the moment it would be Barnes to fill the Mo void. He was as good as Mo, if not better. Whether he could play right side as well as he did as an out and out left winger, I don't know, but these days he would play there.

Souness predates me in terms of watching live, so for centre mid it would be Gerrard.

04 Jul 2026 19:24:47
Dalglish improves any team.

04 Jul 2026 19:27:53
Gerrard all day and every day with Souness second.

04 Jul 2026 21:50:03
The question wasn't who improves the team.

The question was which player would make the greatest impact, was it not?

04 Jul 2026 22:16:04
It was the question Sea, however, love the comments and would agree with Suarez based on talent alone.

Could take it a step further and go for one single player from any generation and nationality who would improve the current squad.

I'd go Zidane.

Also, I'm full of beer and steak, so may change my mind in the morning after reading your comments.

04 Jul 2026 22:27:19
Maradona - the greatest ever.

05 Jul 2026 07:08:25
R9 out of everyone. He's a one-man low-block wrecker.

But Souness or Barnesy from ex LFC.

05 Jul 2026 15:59:11
I'm with Ron - Maradona all day long, the goat.

04 Jul 2026 13:10:02
Not Liverpool related but a question for ed001. If i remember correctly when we was linked with Olise when he was at Palace you said you wasn't that convinced yet. Do you still hold that view as he has gone up another level at Bayern with Kompany.

Who has got him pressing and improved his end product ten folds. Seems like we missed a trick in not getting him in. Always thought he was twice the player at Palace compared to Eze who is the very definition of a fair weather player.

{Ed001's Note - he is not pressing at Bayern, though I agree he has gone up a level or two, he is still lazy. Ultimately, having him and Kane being carried off the ball cost Bayern against PSG. They are fine in a dominant team, but when the team needs help against a similar level or better team, players like him become a luxury you can't afford. We are not a dominant team a level above the rest of the league, so I don't see him as a good fit, even with the massive improvements he has made on the ball.}

04 Jul 2026 14:43:36
Good take Ed, I wouldn't want Olise at the club. I have said before he is a very good player excelling in a system, rather than an outstanding player

05 Jul 2026 13:17:50
He is an outstanding player. Would take him in a heartbeat.

04 Jul 2026 11:09:44
Good to see photos of Ekiteke rehabing in LA, seems he may be slightly ahead of schedule, aiming to return during the Christmas fixtures.
Also, Mac getting less then stellar reviews for his WC performances, he was again a passenger against the mighty Cape Verde. All offers should be considered.

04 Jul 2026 11:48:14
Anybody who wants Macca to stay are living off memories of Brighton's Macca.

The thing can't run, can't tackle, and when he does tackle, it's reckless.

Can't track back, does little to contribute to press, or aids in overturns. Rather bring back Phil Thompson and reintroduce Spearing.

Macca needs to be sold.

04 Jul 2026 11:48:42
I didn't watch the Cape Verde game, but I think Macca has been playing pretty well in all the games before that.

04 Jul 2026 11:58:14
He will still be far off. I will count him out for next season.

04 Jul 2026 12:05:53
Yeah, seen the Ekiteke videos. He's working hard to get back asap.

04 Jul 2026 12:44:30
Not a fan then, @Rob? ?

04 Jul 2026 13:16:41
Ed, just curious if a player that get out injured for a long time like Ekitike, do they hire their own personal fitness team to get them back to full fitness? Especially during the summer break when all players will most probably on holiday.

{Ed001's Note - he will still be doing rehab work with the club overseeing and his doctors that did the op.}

04 Jul 2026 13:24:05
Macca is still good. He just struggled against a far more physical and speedy midfield.
LFC won't deal with that, so it's best to keep him.
Cos looking at Wharton tells me they don't get it.

04 Jul 2026 14:12:10
If Real are backing off Enzo and would be willing to switch sights to Macca, perhaps we can ask about Aurelian Tchouameni (ugh, PTSD) or Dean Huijsen.

Otherwise, I can only see it being Atletico as Macca's next destination. I understand they are expecting to sign two midfielders this summer.

04 Jul 2026 15:35:29
Hope Macca has a stellar WC. He can put himself in the shop window. It will be good for him and the club.

04 Jul 2026 16:26:53
He was terrible last night, didn't realise he was playing until I saw him come out of the tunnel at half time.

04 Jul 2026 16:58:43
Macca was one of the worst players last season. I know the bar wasn't set too high, but he looked washed out.