Liverpool banter 3

08 Nov 2026 17:21:05
Afternoon Ed001
And fellow reds.

What do you think the issue is with Sobz at the moment? Last season he stood out in a poor team. He looked like he wanted to be on the ball and the driving force. This year he's not imposing himself on games. I'm wondering if he's carrying an injury? It makes no sense to let him play if he is carrying somthing. It's a long season.
Is he a sulking? Has his role changed that much? Surly a player with his quality can adapt and impose from any position?

Interested as to your thoughts.

{Ed001's Note - I don't think he enjoys having to be'positionally disciplined. I am sure he will get it if he wants it enough, it might just take time to click for him.

08 Nov 2026 19:10:50
I thought szobo done quite well today. His delivery from dead balls and open play excellent.

08 Nov 2026 19:22:52
Szoboszlai I'd sell because for my he doesn't suit the system. Macca and Gravenberch I'd also sell because we can definitely upgrade on them.

08 Nov 2026 19:27:01
Digger, I thought he was decent on the ball but struggled on the defensive side. In the first half in particular, we were just so open down the right. Gakpo was equally liable for that but expected dom to provide a bit more protection.

Hopefully he'll improve but right now we do feel more solid with Nyoni in ahead of him.

08 Nov 2026 19:28:24
There's a great player in Dom But the lad must seriously humble himself and start being disciplined on the pitch. If he doesn't, the club will move him on eventually.
That midfield as I said 100 million times is up for grabs. Tyoni certainly can grab a place but we need reinforcements.

08 Nov 2026 19:35:59
Trey looked slick today. Hasn't looked his best for a few games in my opinion, so it was epic seeing him back balling in that midfield when he came on.

{Ed666's Note - Super little cameo.

08 Nov 2026 19:50:37
Nyoni has a great future at the club.

08 Nov 2026 19:57:53
I'd be playing Dom in the AM position. He can start the press from that position and have pops at goal. Wirtz still needs some work to be up to the PL imo.

08 Nov 2026 20:15:10
In my opinion Macca has been our best player this season. Can't see why anyone would think of selling him.

{Ed666's Note - because he will regress into mediocrity when he gets his contract and will naturally decline because of age.

08 Nov 2026 20:30:45
Perhaps Ai has improved Macca.

08 Nov 2026 21:17:07
he balance in midfield isn't quite right for how Iraola deploys the two CMs.

I think Dom would play better next to Trey as he will drop deeper and connect the play, allowing Dom to drive. But when they play as CM pair the synergy isn't quite right.

It will take time and game learning to get it looking better as a pair and individuals.

08 Nov 2026 22:10:50
The Szobo/Macca combo in the pivot did not work at all. I mean, the amount of gaps in the CM position where Place were playing thru us for fun, was incredible.

As soon as Trey came on, it was a bit more stabilized because the kid simply knows his job, can read the game and simply has the ability at a basic level, to anticipate danger and snuff it out.

And in the press, were would press with the forwards, and the midfiledd and defence wouldn't follow which left us open for Palace to exploit. That is not a press. That is a fake press just to make it look like we are pressing whereas, we simply weren't. So much work to be done in this team, imo.

We won and I'll take the goals and points but seriously with the amoubt of issues this team possesses and with the way Iraola is trying to compensate because these are the players we have, any type of title charge or whatever, are wide off the mark.

{Ed666's Note - Exactly mate. Also when you watch Trey he holds his positions and instructs others to get into theirs if they leave a gap. With more experience, muscle and games this kid is going to be a mainstay in the first 11 for years to come. He has football IQ in abundance

08 Nov 2026 21:12:12
What Ed0666 said.

08 Nov 2026 23:09:26
I agree a lot of work to do, but from the glass half-full perspective there have been a lot of improvements already too.

Totally agree the press isn't organized yet. Isak is a huge liability and leaves a massive gap that the opposition can play through. Equally, Szobo is so wasteful in possession and slow to make a pass so if the press works and we receive the ball, nothing comes of it if Szobo gets involved which is why I just don't see where he fits right now. I also agree that he runs a lot but don't see that he contributes to the press because he rarely wins possession back.

09 Nov 2026 10:16:31
I agree with you overall, @Snugglepool and as a glass half-full guy myself, I love Iraola and I think if we get the players we need, he will excel. I am positive of that.

Cos if he can get the best out of a squad he inherited (with all the flaws it has) and is doing this well overall then, I am positive he will continue to do great work when we actually get the players his system needs.

Ed0666 re: Nyoni, this ain't rocket science if you watch games with your eyes open. We both see the same things Nyoni does and can do. They are that blatant. You bring in a Camara for ex. into that base with Nyoni and Macca in rotation, we can do bits because that will bring balance to the whole team and free up Flo to do his thing and combine with the forwards.

It's that simple, mate.

{Ed666's Note - Nyoni is the future now mate. He’s raw, liable to mistakes and won’t be consistent but he enhances a dysfunctional midfield so why not play him warts and all?

08 Nov 2026 17:47:59
Lol MU

What a weekend!

Chelsea lost
MU was given hope and now it's being crushed
LIV won away to Palace


What a weekend indeed???.

08 Nov 2026 17:59:48
Seeing United in the relegation zone is very enjoyable.

Apologies as I know some posters don't like anyone mentioning United despite there apparently being United fans on here.

08 Nov 2026 18:09:23
Big win today. Thought first half we was quite poor, but Andoni got them in at half time and the second half got a lot better ?? up the reds.

08 Nov 2026 18:14:01
The downside is Carrick will be sacked.

08 Nov 2026 18:24:23
JK23 I read the post you're refering to as some posters expecting to win every game, perform at the highest level, etc every game, like Man United supporters do! Basically being arrogant, entitlled muppets!

08 Nov 2026 18:29:13
You had to go and put the mockers on it.

08 Nov 2026 18:32:14
They just drew so hopefully Carrick won't be sacked! It would be better for us.

08 Nov 2026 18:44:43
So if a stranger on the internet who posters will never likely meet has a different opinion albeit a slightly more negative one it automatically makes them an arrogant entitled muppet?

08 Nov 2026 18:54:09
Let's not kid ourselves, our fan base is no better than Utd's or any other set of fans.

08 Nov 2026 18:59:44
I actually don't mind Carrick at all, seems a thoroughly decent fella and if he was at any other club I'd want him to do well. He's at United tho, so I'm glad he got a win and a draw this season, it gives him a bit of breathing space, their fans a bit of hope but let's be honest, at United it's just an utter shambles from top to bottom.

08 Nov 2026 19:04:05
Oh JK23, you are a sensitive soul ? He was saying that expecting perfection every game is something he expects from Man United supporters & I put the arrogant muppet part in!

Just because we have different opinions on his post, we will never meet (your words) so why are you so triggered? Relax mate, you are reading to much into the post & now my post!

08 Nov 2026 19:06:17
Rome, I don't know many clubs fans who would be so negative about being 4th in the EPL & right up there in the CL!

08 Nov 2026 19:11:05
He always has to have a dig at someone doesn't he.

08 Nov 2026 20:27:10
Yeah massively triggered mate.

08 Nov 2026 20:54:41
Apologies Thunderbird I shouldn't have called people arrogant entitled muppets or Man United fans.

08 Nov 2026 21:50:12
You are right in what you say, SzSz. You could also apply that rationale to last season as well, and this time last year this site was going into meltdown.

09 Nov 2026 10:09:13
It would still be in meltdown this year Rome. it just seems a lot of the guys that contributed to the meltdown last season seems to have gone off on holiday together and have no internet connection or mobile data.

08 Nov 2026 17:11:52
Long time reader.
One thing that is very apparent on this site is the amount of Man United fans.
When did we fall so low?
We have an amazing club, fans (majority), stadium, training ground and youth teams(pathway to first team), yet most on here moan about beating teams with supposedly poor players.


I get that some are sub par some games and some look like world beaters some games and vice versa but at the end of the day if Liverpool win consistently and with some level of improvement why are we moaning.
I can get as disillusioned as the next fan but every team wins or loses as a team.

08 Nov 2026 17:34:09
All Liverpool fans are the greatest fans in the world regardless of how they support the club.

08 Nov 2026 18:03:08
I just love to moan, Dan, and over the years I've become pretty good at it. At least I think so anyway.

{Ed001's Note - expert level Rome.

08 Nov 2026 18:24:48
What Rome said!?.

08 Nov 2026 18:56:25
Thanks, Ed. I've got a smug grin on my face! Hope you're well, mate.

{Ed001's Note - all good mate apart from the sunburn. How are things with you?

08 Nov 2026 19:44:22
All good, thanks, mate. It will be a while before I get chance to get sunburn!

Keep up the good work.

08 Nov 2026 16:12:12
I'd like to see Manu Kone has played with Jaquet Hugo Barcola would give us more bite than Gravenberch plus during these poxy internationals at least half the team would still play together. Yes I know he's currently injured muscle tear but still rate him as a good replacement for Jones / Gravenberch.

08 Nov 2026 21:18:10
Isn't he injury prone? I would prefer Camara.

{Ed666's Note - I would prefer Camara but Kone is very good also

08 Nov 2026 15:52:38
This team is littered with moments players. Outstanding players can put in a performance for 90 minutes. Some of these players are being shown for what they are. The tempo and pace in the game, I assumed andoni would transform us from this. Cracks are being papered over here. a lot of players do not suit what we thought we were getting under this manager.


But then, should the manager be getting more?
It's a result at least. Barcola looks the exact player I kept wishing we never pursued. I said he wasn't worth 40 million and got berated. We got robbed and whoever scouted him should not be in the same role.

08 Nov 2026 16:00:49
Ron, do you ever have anything positive to say about this team? I get that it wasn't a performance that we would all have wanted, but the team stuck in there and won the game. Do we need to win by a huge margin and limit the other team to no chances? Barcola didn't play well today but his one 'moment' as you say was excellently executed, that pace and that composure in crucial moments was actually what we bought him for.

08 Nov 2026 16:06:29
Our South Americans got us through that game today. Could do with more like them.

Trey Nyoni is a wonderful player and quickly making a case to be the first midfield pick.

Now, it would be nice if we pulled a few out of these pointless internationals.

08 Nov 2026 16:07:32
Was thinking the same thing PB, one of the main reasons I'm not on here as much anymore. It's like everyone expects perfection week in week out.

3pts is 3pts. The performances will come and I fully trust Iraola to get us where we need to be and get rid of players that either don't fit the system, don't work hard enough or are simply not good enough.

We go again.

08 Nov 2026 16:10:58
Outstanding result today.
So pleased for Wirtz, he needed a goal and will kick on now.

Isak scores again - the lazy beggar.

08 Nov 2026 16:11:35
Average performance but it gets the ball back rolling. Hopefully the start of a momentum run now.

08 Nov 2026 16:18:53
Give it a rest, pathetic to moan after a comfortable away win. Barcola needs time. May not be a £100m player but he's clearly a good player. He works hard, tracks back and is still adjusting to the league. The second goal was down to him, but let's disregard that eh?

08 Nov 2026 16:23:33
Good to get the 3 points but comfortable?

{Ed666's Note - it wasn’t comfortable by any means. They should have been at least a goal or two up before we scored and created after us scoring.

08 Nov 2026 16:24:26
2shoes, when we think about it we could call Salah, unquestionably one of the 3 or 4 best Premier League players ever, a 'moments player' too, how many games did he have where he did nothing and had a rubbish touch that bounced off him for 99% of the game and then scored a worldie or had the vision to pick a magnificent pass out of nowhere? Salah was world class because he had the ability to turn the tide of a game even when we were playing badly, and even when he was playing badly.

I too want more overall consistency from our attacking players but let's be fair, the difference in these games when we aren't playing well or having a hard time is the class and quality of the players we have on the pitch, and Wirtz, Isak, Barcola all showed their quality when it mattered to get us a result. Does that excuse their overall game? Possibly not, and it's fair to expect more, but you also have to commend them for showing their class when it counts.

{Ed666's Note - Salah would still be the best player in this current team had he stayed. I’ll die on that hill

08 Nov 2026 16:30:23
Be more creative with vocabulary than "moaning". I almost kept the usual hanger ons included in the post as I knew some of you would come out of hiding.
We're not winning the big prizes with what was on display today.

That's not "moaning". That's realism. Join the united page where you're winning the league every year then a realtiy check hits like a train.
We're into mid November now. It should a lot better as a whole than this.

08 Nov 2026 16:33:33
This is very much a team in transition and it's very clear to see when you watch performances like today, we have some great players within the squad but they are not putting in the performances that they are capable of, that's down to both players and coaching staff.

Hard fought 3 pts today but time and again I see the same concerns;

1 - not taking care of the ball, no look passes and flicks giving up easy possession leaving us out of shape, I understand these are high risk/high reward passes but sometimes they are being done in crazy areas of the pitch and just not clever at all.

2- press, players pressing in isolation and vacating space in the midfield trying to regain possession that just isint on. Szob and Wirtz are massively guilty of this. Our press isint helped by our defence dropping off and creating way to much space between the back line and forward line. Leaves our midfield isolated and in no man's land in the centre of the park.

3- Attack holding the ball up, we lack physicality up top, time after time the ball bounces off our attackers and causes a turn over in possession. All of our attack much prefer to play facing the attack and nobody wants to play with there back to goal.

4- individual battles, we are now favouring a man to man system and this relies on the fundamentals of winning your individual battles, this isint a strong point for many of our players such as Wirtz, Gakpo, Kerkez, Barcola and Szob. This has includes defending- far to often we see attackers run off the back of our players and they don't track there man, Kerkez is a glaringly obvious example but Szob is right up there. To a lesser extend I would say Rio is guilty of this also.

Again we are a work in progress and the positive is we are picking up points and remaining competitive while we adjust to AI and his style of play but defenitely some work to be done.

{Ed666's Note - I’m not sure why we aren’t pressing in packs out of possession? Has AI deserted that tactic or does he not feel he has the players to do this? It’s very confusing..

08 Nov 2026 16:35:33
Anyone know how much distance Isak covered?

And was he running, jogging, walking or dawdling or leisurely strolling?

{Ed666's Note - Somebody needs to give him an adderall pre game

08 Nov 2026 16:35:51
So glad we didn't just win 2-0 the entitled moaning would have been off the charts.

08 Nov 2026 16:53:26
Have Kit-Kat will you Ron.
Or a Snickers maybe.
Those Yorkies don't suit you.

08 Nov 2026 17:25:41
Had a boost bar mind you chewy ☕.

08 Nov 2026 17:29:22
Well said, Ron Keague.
Isak is a bit of an enigma.
Doesn't do much but still gets a goal.
Imagine what he could be if he moved around a bit?
Loved Nyoni's little cameo again.
Getting excited by this lads potential and I hope Iraola will improve him even more.

08 Nov 2026 17:30:58
LFC have now conceded the second most penalties in the PL so far at two, Brighton has conceded three penalties.
Referee Kavanagh who was born in manchester who sent Gravenberch off recently, has this afternoon just given man United their usual old trafford penalty, yet LFC or EFC can't have a PL referee who lives on the Wirral Rob Jones.

Cunha has dived again for the penalty- per mark goldbridge words.

08 Nov 2026 17:45:36
JK23 it's funny but Isak actually covered more distance than Barcola

Isak - 9.6km
Barcola - 7.5km.

08 Nov 2026 18:25:39
Cheers Ugbes.

Must be online propaganda to appease the posters that chipped in to buy him and don't feel they are getting their value for money.

08 Nov 2026 18:45:15
Fun fact - lazy Isak covers 9.8km/game and the Balon d'Or winner covers 10.2 km/game.

Not a lot in it 5% ish.

08 Nov 2026 19:31:39
Excellent thread, got it all this one - almost all the usual weekly gripes in one post match thread. Forget the fact we won, forget the fact that we moved into the top 4, let's all just regurgitate the usual complaints about not playing well, the midfield being poor, Isak being a lazy enigma, the need to sign replacements for most of 5he squad, etc, etc etc. in the spirit of being a whining, whinging blame seeker I'm disappointed that nobody has mentioned Kerkez gave away the penalty, surely that requires an outburst of faux rage and the need to buy a replacement as soon as soon can possibly be.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Monday morning and we can get back into our normal cycle of criticism, starting with the ardent hope that we are seriously looking at midfielders to come in and replace the shower who have somehow managed to get us into a CL qualification spot, even though none of them are fit for purpose as we are told every day.

08 Nov 2026 19:24:56
Ed666 what do you make of where we are as a team and performances?

{Ed666's Note - As a team we’re transitioning clearly. I’d get rid of Gakpo, Ping Pong, Grav, Macca, Slob, Gomez, Mama, Kerkez, Chiesa, Endo and start again. We’re at least five players from being a force. Right back, right winger, left back and three midfielders. Performance wise raggedy to ok and with the odd good performance. Irola has inherited dysfunction and players that can’t do elementary football things and hopefully he’ll be given the tools in January and the summer.

08 Nov 2026 21:04:34
Social Media and a generation fuelled by a, usually unacknowledged, sense of pentitlement and the expectation of instant gratification have a fair bit to answer for.

The arrival of football manager games is just the icing on the cake, I guess.

08 Nov 2026 21:54:16
What's that quote? If you don't moan when we're winning, don't complain when we lose. Or something like that.

{Ed666's Note - Doesn’t apply to me I moan in both instances

08 Nov 2026 21:27:25
Ed666 I'd like us to bite the nail and sell the likes of both macca and grav. I truly hope we're getting two top midfielders in as I think Carra eluded to. Dom has a lot to do this season to prove he's a Liverpool player. He's simply not good enough as a central midfielder. I think it's all went to his head and he thinks he's guaranteed a Starting place.


We'll see how well we're run if macca gets another contract doubling what he's on. Lads 28 next month. The club need to stop handing out massive contracts to fake superstars. There's not one superstar in the entire squad.

{Ed666's Note - just sell the entire midfield all 3 of them and start again. It can only improve us? Macca is only playing ok now because he wants a contract what happened to the last two years? This team needs remodeling up and I really hope Ai gets to start doing it in January.

09 Nov 2026 10:23:48
Fair play to them guys that can't do elementary football things getting to LFC in the first place.

08 Nov 2026 15:11:13
Ed033 a poll please.

Does Sozobozlai fit into a Iraola system?

Yes

No

Not sure

Thanks Ed ?.

{Ed033's Note -


Sozobozlai poll

08 Nov 2026 15:38:16
He's absolutely awful atm, I don't think it's AI system he's just playing crap.

08 Nov 2026 16:08:08
He's not alone there.

08 Nov 2026 16:12:30
I think he is just not in form right now. Needs more time.

08 Nov 2026 16:37:27
He really wasn't good today, great delivery on the free kick, though Macca also did very well to get free, how he is such a threat in the box when it comes to headers is a marvel to me, he's always the one who gets on the end of crosses into the area. The most frustrating thing with Szoboszlai is how many touches he needs to get the ball moving, several times today somebody would make a run down the flanks or into the channels and Dom just wouldn't see them, he needs to take a few touches to get the ball out his feet and then the opening disappears, then he just passes the ball back.

Like Gravenberch his first instinct is always to carry, he's not a scanning midfielder who assesses what would be the quickest route forward like Nyoni or Wirtz. He either runs with the ball or gets on the end of chances in and around the box, he can't really do much else when we have possession. It's frustrating because he does actually have the passing range, he just doesn't have the vision, intelligence or foresight of a passer in midfield, despite having technique and passing range on paper his versatility seems very limited in an Iraola system, he's an all action 8 who's not particularly outstanding out of possession and needs to have the ball at his feet to run with to be effective.

Macca on the other hand is having a superb season because he has an excellent footballing brain and can adapt. He always knows where he needs to be off the ball, he is extremely combative, and because he isn't a player who relies on his athletic gifts he makes the ball do the work.

{Ed666's Note - Controversial thing to say but I would Sell Macca, Slob and Gravy in the summer and start that midfield from
Scratch.

08 Nov 2026 17:28:07
Patrick. Macca still shouldn't be getting his wages doubled. He's 28 in December. He can still be good for us but we shouldn't be putting a huge contract on the table. He reminds me of dom and Ryan when they're seeking new contracts, suddenly the performances improve.
I'd let macca and grav go. There's better out there.

08 Nov 2026 17:50:22
As stated before he's sh*te. He looked good in slots team because we played at a snails pace. But in a team that wants to move the ball quicker doms not your man. Just hope andoni grows a pair of balls and plays his form players that includes playing gakpo on LW instead of moving him right to give Barcola a game.

08 Nov 2026 18:04:06
Not controversial at all E0666 I was just saying the exact same thing this week mate.

{Ed666's Note - such shortsightedness from us mate. Our right side is paralyzed.

08 Nov 2026 18:41:53
Shrugoszlai been average for a while.

08 Nov 2026 19:33:37
@666, not quite scratch - we'd still have Nyoni and Wirtz.

I assume you'd get rid of Endo too?

{Ed666's Note - yes I’d get rid of Endo and Chiesa mate

08 Nov 2026 14:36:11
Some of these players are very average, and some of those average players cost over 100 million.

08 Nov 2026 15:11:43
Hard watch that's for sure.

08 Nov 2026 15:18:59
Just lazy some of em!!

08 Nov 2026 15:38:57
Even Jacket seams to be losing focus though he's been iffy today.

08 Nov 2026 15:51:54
Well all three of our 100m players had a goal involvement today.

08 Nov 2026 16:05:06
Yeah seams strange to moan but be honest that was rubbish, most of them struggle to compete 2 passes in a row.

08 Nov 2026 16:13:44
It wasn't a good performance but let's be fair, each of the three came up with the goods when it mattered, and their involvements in each of the goals was quality. Quality is what makes the difference and what we paid for. Great cameo from Munoz too, he has fire in his belly and fire in his boots.

08 Nov 2026 19:35:46
Really easy solution if you don't like it, you turn the telly over in the pub and watch something else.

{Ed666's Note - that would annoy a lot of people in the pub no?

08 Nov 2026 13:58:30
I don't think this game is going to be as easy as many believe. palace are our bogey team and again Mac and szobo as the pivot isn't ideal. I hope I am wrong though!

08 Nov 2026 14:44:19
Mac goal with a sobbo assist ;)

08 Nov 2026 15:19:21
Now wirtz. I bet carragher loved that one.

08 Nov 2026 10:17:59
Eds can we have a vote please on who the fans would like to see join the club in January.
It's a crap window generally for top class signings so I'm working on the basis we will add one player only.
Names linked off the top of my head are:

Seys
Banjaqui
Camara
Sadiki
Scott
Minteh

Please add any others I might have missed?

{Ed033's Note -


Top signings poll

08 Nov 2026 10:45:06
I voted Titi Camara.

08 Nov 2026 11:01:43
Me too, LFC8

Ti, Ti, Ti, Ti, Ti, Ti, Ti Camara.

Not one of our most original songs.

08 Nov 2026 12:20:47
Outside chance but i would like us to look at andre from wolves and rovella from lazio.