Liverpool banter 4

07 Sep 2026 15:07:42
Ed's, would you consider putting a poll together to see what people think of our transfer window? - it can be simply Good - Average - Disastrous.
Phil

{Ed033's Note -


Transfer Window poll

07 Sep 2026 17:34:07
You can only judge a transfer window at the end of the season, not the start! Nobody on this earth knows how this season is going to end?

Likewise for players' performances/numbers over the season, they are all formed at the end of the season!

Spanish managers are all the news today, Luis de la Fuente, Spain's World Cup manager, Enrique contracted till 2030, Arteta, PL winner, Unai Emery, Europa League winner, Alonso, Arbeloa and the best of the lot? Makes up five Spanish managers in the PL now.

Emery has won the Europa League with five different clubs, bar Arsenal.

07 Sep 2026 17:49:24
For me it was good but could have been better.

07 Sep 2026 19:01:10
Ed666 I think the players coming in are fantastic but we needed probably 4 players more right attacker two cm and right back.
Should have probably moved Tsimikas on as well and got another left back too.

The moving of players on the likes of Tsimikas, Endo, Chiesa and Mac was very poor. Mac as much as the fans on here don't rate him he is still ok but the other 3 are way off.

{Ed666's Note - You sound like Sporting Director material Grino. Chiesa is injured mate and on obscene wages for his limited skill set so who’s gonna buy or loan him? Endo is on the last year of his contract was injured over the summer so understandable no one came in for him and I think he can still do a job for us if needed and Tsimi well let’s not go there. I was highly suprised we didn’t move Macca on but I’m sure he’ll go in the summer as he only has a year left also on his contract and I doubt we’ll let another first team player go on a free.

08 Sep 2026 13:40:08
Grino, I see your points. However, as much as we still need players to come in, you can't really do that in one window. And you cannot move out all the unwanted players in one window either.

Now, as much as I agree that we should have gotten a couple more signings in this window, the guys we did get are, as you say, fantastic and are exactly what we needed in terms of their skill set and ability individually.



So overall, we had a decent window which could have been better had we just signed/let go of a couple of guys.

07 Sep 2026 15:00:39
I really don't think Wirtz should play in the middle, he is too weak, not sure where he fits in TBH. Would happily sell him in Jan for less than we paid and get someone more dynamic in.

07 Sep 2026 15:20:08
And what is ‘dynamic’ meant to mean in this context, exactly? Or indeed any context that word has ever been used in.

I still think Wirtz will be fine in the end. I’ve seen enough from him to know the talent that is there.

07 Sep 2026 15:25:52
I don’t understand all this Wirtz bashing. Last season was a disaster. We are 3 games into a new season with a new manager and players. Give him some time.

07 Sep 2026 16:04:01
Wirtz is a class act. You can see he has it. Just a matter of time, finding his own rhythm and a way for him to get the best out of him and himself.

07 Sep 2026 16:06:54
Maybe it’s because people want someone to bash or a scapegoat, as some would say. Before, it was Salah and now it’s Wirtz.

It’s only three games into the new season, with a new manager and a completely different style of play from last season. If Iraola can turn Semenyo and Scott into good players, I firmly believe Wirtz will be fine.

07 Sep 2026 16:39:04
People have always needed someone to bash Todd.

We got rid of Jones so they need a new whipping boy.

Can't remember in our history when we didn't have one no matter how well we did.

07 Sep 2026 16:43:56
I think the answer is to play 4-4-2 with Wirtz in the 'Bobby' role as a false nine/second striker in front of a diamond midfield.
I like to see that...

07 Sep 2026 17:50:14
I wouldn’t. AI’s system thrives on pace out wide. How do you get the best out of our wingers with a diamond? We also don’t have the midfielders to play it. Wirtz is playing as a second striker and he is doing alright this season.
One assist, and involved in the goal v Forest.


Plus two close offsides have prevented him a goal and another assist. For someone who is “not involved”, he is clearly contributing to the attacks whilst he can and probably needs to do a bit better. He certainly is not a problem.

07 Sep 2026 18:54:34
Yes Red Rebellion, we’ve just spent 140mil on wingers to then use a formation that doesn’t require them. ?

07 Sep 2026 19:18:58
I think labelling it "Wirtz bashing" is a bit of an overstatement; the criticism is warranted for a player who cost £115m but I agree he needs more time. Personally I think it's way too early to even consider selling him and am willing to give him the season before developing a full opinion. You can see his ability is top class, but he just hasn't managed to assimilate yet.

Part of it is the demand of the league, part of it was Slot's tactics, part of it was being played in the wrong position. 2 of those factors are gone now, so no more excuses this season. Really hope he learns to adapt and develop his relationship with the front line, as you can see the natural ability he has, there's no doubt about it.

{Ed666's Note - Enzo cost Chelsea the same amount of money and I didn’t see much world class from him.

07 Sep 2026 22:37:03
Wirtz needs to bulk up physically and mentally.

I watch him and just wish he'd play with more bite ya know. If we could transfer a bite of Luis Suarez into him (ok, puns coming in, I know...), then he'd be amazing in the prem.

It may still come, but his personality doesn't seem to be that kind of dogged / determined attitude.

He's graceful and delicate, which has strengths so hopefully we can get the best out of those.

I do think in the way we set-up that Dom is the best suited to the 10 role that Wirtz is playing. If we did have a Camara in the team, then Camara + Macca/Grav behind Dom would give everything in midfield.

07 Sep 2026 23:43:54
Not sure David Silva was tearing up trees in his first season either...

It's mad how little time people give players to shine these days.

08 Sep 2026 03:33:22
D. Silva started slow, then his quality shone out through his debut season in England. 21 G/A in his debut season in England, playing 53 games, may not be what you'd consider pulling up trees, but I'd say it is closer to the kind of return you'd expect for a spend over 100 mill quid.

08 Sep 2026 06:20:25
I bet Chelsea wish they had given Salah and KDB more time.
They turned out ok!

07 Sep 2026 12:11:01
Highly unlikely to happen, but who'd swap Wirtz for Olise? I would.

07 Sep 2026 12:41:09
At this point, it would be yes. He’s so lightweight it’s unbelievable. I’d hope by the end of the season my decision would be different and that Iraola has transformed him into a much better player.

07 Sep 2026 12:45:06
Got a feeling these new owners will wanna make a massive statement signing.

Olise could be it.

07 Sep 2026 12:47:46
If his form stays at the level it is now, I wouldn’t hesitate end of season Rome!
I’ve still high hopes that Iraola will get him playing and get the best out of him, but I’m having doubts at present.

07 Sep 2026 12:49:28
@Longthing. A better player by how? His first touch is still unbelievable. But he is no Coutinho. You need a workhorse midfield behind him to function. We don't have one.

07 Sep 2026 13:43:45
I like Wirtz and find that he does better than people give him credit for. Nonetheless, I feel swapping him for Olise and playing a 4-3-3 would be better for the team balance, and would likely help our current midfield play better.



Now, since it seems Iraola is a 4-2-3-1 guy, the most likely scenario (which is highly unlikely) is: sell Gakpo, buy Olise, Wirtz stays and buy two new midfielders who cover the forwards better, but as you can see, the disruption is larger.

07 Sep 2026 13:44:20
Want the lad to do well but he’s a big let down, makes so many mistakes and just looks like he needs too much time on the ball.

Reckon Gakpo in the 10 would be twice the player.

07 Sep 2026 13:44:25
Olise did not do jack in the PL. Not even that much for Palace and is now agreed dominating in the eternal best team in Germany right now. Not sure that is the flex many think it is.

Whereas Wirtz dominated the Bundesliga for 2 years playing for the bang average Leverkusen to the point of becoming a double-winning Invincible plus two-time German Player Of The Year.



Wirtz is currently working hard to get better in a new team and a new system in the hardest league in the world.

Sorry, I don't fall for the shiny new object that easily. The comparison is severely flawed, imo.

07 Sep 2026 13:59:40
You seem to be in the minority, Oli. Up till now Wirtz has been a big let down. Hope he proves me wrong, but I think he could be gone by the end of the season.

P.S. Olise did enough for one of the greatest teams in the world to buy him. I respect their judgment over yours, Oli, with the utmost respect.

07 Sep 2026 14:04:51
Wirtz needs 3 things - 1) speed & running in behind, 2) early passes from defence/midfield and 3) to not have his space crowded by his midfield teammates.

We have hopefully sorted 1) with the signings of Barcola and Munoz.



2) & 3) need work and/or investment. The jury is out on whether our senior mids are up to that task. We shall see.

The upside of Wirtz working out is huge. I think it is worth persevering with.

{Ed025's Note - Wirtz needs one more thing FPF..Dropping, unless he can up his game significantly and contribute a hell of a lot more mate..

07 Sep 2026 14:20:43
I’m with Oli. Olise doesn’t work hard enough. He would not be an Iraola player.

Olise = Sancho.

07 Sep 2026 14:33:11
I'd swap Wirtz for Bellingham.

07 Sep 2026 14:34:34
I’m with Oli as well. I think Wirtz had a good game Friday. No assist or goal but he put a shift in and was on the front foot. Yes, could have played the ball a tiny bit quicker but I wouldn’t swap him for me.

People are on his back because
Of his price tag, which has nothing to do with him. I'll judge him end of the season but for now I think he’s doing well and can see him looking a bit sharper game by game.

07 Sep 2026 14:26:19
Ed025 - he's working his knackers off. Ran almost 12km on Friday. Don't think dropping him helps anyone apart from those who want the story. We need to persevere while the double-pivot settles into the way Iraola wants them to play and Barcola & Munoz get more games.

{Ed025's Note - he seems a bit lightweight for the prem to me FPF, yes there is a player in there but he has failed to show it in a Liverpool shirt for me mate..

07 Sep 2026 14:42:04
Defo a player there in Wirtz. Give it time, we had a useless manager last year and it's only been 3 games with Iraola. Positive signs are there for all players to improve.

Let's not forget Wirtz is only 23.

I remember fans getting on Szoboszlai back in a similar way in his first year.

07 Sep 2026 14:47:38
I have been saying all summer I really hope we don’t sign Olise. He is not an AI player, as he is only interested when he has the ball. I would actually rather Minteh, as at least he would work for the team.



I still have faith in Wirtz, he is very good I thought against Forest. He needs to stand up now though and some fight and guile.

07 Sep 2026 15:03:17
Hope he improves! He has lost possession most of all Premier League players after the first 3 games. If the stat was real.

07 Sep 2026 15:28:08
I was one of the few who was a bit nervous about us signing Wirtz. I’d not seen much of him apart from when we played Leverkusen and he was totally anonymous.

Added to that, we’ve been stung before buying ‘the best player in Germany’. It was a huge risk.

That being said, I think we need to give him time. The talent is there, we need to allow him to grow into the role and the team needs to help him.

It’s no coincidence that he played well in the first half an hour against Ipswich when we squeezed up the pitch, won the ball early and got it forward quickly.

Both Wirtz and Isak were receiving the ball where they can do some damage and both looked dangerous.

Then Virgil dropped deeper, and we went back to slow, sideways and backwards passing, allowed Ipswich to set and Wirtz and Isak got squeezed out of the game.

When the team is functioning properly for 90 minutes I think he’ll be a star and Isak will score for fun.

07 Sep 2026 16:45:53
Rome, have you forgotten Bayern wanted Wirtz? He will come good, he's too talented not to.

07 Sep 2026 16:47:13
If you have a player who has lots of talent, in terms of ball skills, and he works very hard for the team, he will definitely come good.

I bet Iraola loves Wirtz. I’m telling you. That first goal against Ipswich, Wirtz started the press exactly like Iraola wants him to. Press the ball and close down half the pitch, make him pass to the right (in this case) by shutting down his options on the left. Wirtz did that.


Mac Allister backed it up by attacking the man who received the pass, and Kerkez benefitted.

That’s exactly as per Iraola’s play book: shut down their options and make them pass to the side of the pitch where we outnumber them. Perfectly executed. As a manager, that’s the type of player you need.

Flicks, tricks, all that is great, but you need a player who works hard and does what the manager asks for.

07 Sep 2026 17:12:43
Wirtz ran 12km but that was only trying to win the ball back after he lost it.

07 Sep 2026 17:51:50
Can’t see Olise wanting to be backup for Munoz.

{Ed025's Note - to be honest John, Brennan Johnson wouldn,t be back up to Munoz Mate...and hes awful..

07 Sep 2026 18:21:04
Gonzo, I really hope you're right, mate. There are no more excuses for him this season. He really needs to step up and start bossing games. There have been loads of talented players, over the years, who just can't hack the English game.

07 Sep 2026 19:21:22
Ideally I wouldn't swap Wirtz but I'd move mountains to get Olise in as that would be a formidable front line. I think anybody talking about not wanting Olise bases their opinion on the handful of games they saw him play in the PL and should be completely ignored.

{Ed666's Note - I hope Wirtz comes good I really do because I like the kid and think he just needs some luck to kick start his Liverpool career. But if you offered me a Wirtz and Olise swap now I’d have to say it’s a hard YES

07 Sep 2026 20:33:05
Luck just isn't there for him Ed, his assist was class but ended up being offside so it's like it didn't happen.

{Ed666's Note - I hope it happens for him
Mate I really do..there’s a magician in there somewhere..mostly I want him to succeed so he can shut those cretin pundits up

07 Sep 2026 23:52:15
Likewise Ed, I think his footballing brain is next level, but the rest of the team aren't quite in tune with him. The amount of times last season he would make the slightest little off-the-ball movement, just a step thisway or that, completely loose his man and free up space only for nobody to find him, and I just thought that wouldn't happen at Leipzig where everyone was constantly looking to play through him, they were so aware of his creativity.

Hopefully it clicks soon, for everyone. Barcola, Isak and Olise in next summer with Wirtz behind them, that is a devastating prospect. A boy can dream.

{Ed666's Note - Olise is the one I’d want also because he can play as a 10 and on the right side equally well. Let’s manifest an a Olise transfer Chewy.

07 Sep 2026 12:08:33
Shout out to Ed001 who called it again wrt De Zerbi.

The fallout is starting already it seems.blaming the forward line and the medics.

Your knowledge is inspiring ✨️

{Ed001's Note - you have genuinely made me blush. This site never ceases to amaze me, we even have Riosstepover making jokes today! And concerns about a goalkeeper for being tall. Maybe the world really is about to end???}

07 Sep 2026 12:27:27
Ed - calm down mate, I'm still dealing with the prospect that AI is going to kill us all and we've just give him a contract ???

{Ed001's Note - that is crazier than any crazy horse!}

07 Sep 2026 13:45:50
JLC, DZ is so toxic, it's frightening. Check out his time at OM.

He will be blaming the groundsmen very soon. Give it time.

Well, if he isn't sacked before then.

07 Sep 2026 17:07:40
Wasn't it Arbeloa who's having a clash in Fulham?

07 Sep 2026 19:52:34
I'm in a good mood Ed1 we won at the weekend.

Don't get used to it though.

{Ed001's Note - I don't think I could get used to that!}

07 Sep 2026 22:59:55
I'm a nice guy really Ed I'm just fiercely loyal to Liverpool FC and it does my head in when all I hear is criticism. Like there's always someone to blame if we don't walk the league every season.

It's Edwards, it's Hughes, it's FSG, it's Slot, Gakpo, Nunez, Frimpong, Wirtz blah blah blah.

I despise this entitled, blame culture we live in today and sometimes I let my frustrations get the better of me. For that I apologise.

{Ed001's Note - we all have our triggers. I can understand that one though. The modern culture is that of everything now and I don't understand it. The feeling of winning that title under Klopp was so much more because of the wait. People seem to just want it handed to them, rather than earning it.}

07 Sep 2026 09:40:54
Is anyone else a little concerned that we have signed an 18-year-old goalkeeper who is already 6'7?

Ignoring the vast sum paid for him. He could easily continue growing until 21/22 and he is already on the tall side for a goalkeeper.

If he has a Bajetic/Gerrard-style growth spurt he will then be 7ft.

07 Sep 2026 09:50:02
Would you rather have Pickford with short arms and can’t save an easy shot?

07 Sep 2026 09:57:40
Why is it a concern that he is tall though? I always assumed that height would be an advantage for any keeper.

07 Sep 2026 10:03:24
The clouds might hinder his vision, leading to more goals conceded.

07 Sep 2026 10:09:09
Yeah, I am worried, I couldn't sleep at all last night.

07 Sep 2026 10:13:04
I tend not to worry about things that haven't happened and are well out of my control!

To answer your question seriously, no.

And to continue my sarcasm - I'd love to see a keeper taller than the crossbar.

07 Sep 2026 10:24:29
If he sticks 20 stone on, he can sit and just be a huge brick wall. We will win everything!

07 Sep 2026 10:42:11
Why would anyone be concerned ?

07 Sep 2026 10:19:27
I'd rather a 7ft goalkeeper than a short guy like Mat Ryan or short height and short arms like Pickford.

07 Sep 2026 11:05:22
So long as he’s got a great touch for a big man and can do a decent robot dance, I’m in.

07 Sep 2026 11:08:22
Can you bid too big for a keeper? Do you lose a bit of agility if you are too tall ?‍♂️

07 Sep 2026 11:08:35
He'll be able to just spread eagle and block the goal. Happy days. ?

07 Sep 2026 11:28:21
He'd be pretty good at tickling people, and the Anfield cat would do well to swerve him.

07 Sep 2026 11:34:16
We can always sell him to the NBA if it doesn't work out. ?

07 Sep 2026 11:43:10
Fair play to you St Etienne. Just when I thought people’s concerns couldn’t get any more unjustified, you have surprised me.

A goalkeeper that’s too tall. ?

I’m more worried about Barcola’s pace.

If he gets any quicker he won’t be able to stop and he’ll run straight through the Kop, leaving a Barcola shaped hole right through the stand. Now that’s something to be concerned about.

07 Sep 2026 12:00:46
They bought him because they believe he has a very high ceiling.

{Ed001's Note - he needs it or he would bang his head.}

07 Sep 2026 12:16:01
I'm concerned nobody is concerned enough about this. Also, Barcola rhymes with Iraola but no one else? Maybe they'll be out of tune soon? Oh man.

07 Sep 2026 12:47:14
It’s brilliant that there are good people out there who take on the burden of worrying about the strangest things so that the rest of us can enjoy life and get on with having fun.

To the worriers of the obscure - a heartfelt thank you.

07 Sep 2026 13:50:03
VV, you do know that if you are 6ft 7 inches as a GK, you're gonna have a right hard time getting down quick enuff to stop dem pile-drivers down low, right? Something Matt Ryan wouldn't have an issue with?

For me, none of that bothers me esp. if the geezer is just as athletic as Ali (6ft 5 inches tall, btw) in his pomp.

07 Sep 2026 17:40:08
Size doesn’t matter, at least that’s what I keep telling the wife!

07 Sep 2026 18:09:43
Most boys stop growing between 16 and 18 years, very little after that.

07 Sep 2026 02:47:39
Watched the Everton Man U game at a bar in Siem Reap last night.
Only 3 of us there. Everton fan on my left, Manc on my right. Was hilarious. I spent the whole time winding them up at each other. Manc lad was laughing in the lad's face with a minute to go. Ending was fabulous. Best laugh in a while.

{Ed666's Note - Hope you’re having a good time in Cambodia Burkett

07 Sep 2026 03:42:56
Always mate, my second home. 2 weeks diving off Indonesia starting this weekend. Wouldn't be dead for quids.

{Ed666's Note - no idea what that phrase means but hope you catch some epic waves in Indonesia mate.

07 Sep 2026 09:07:37
In a way it's similar to some postings on here, regarding not being happy with a 2-0 away win in the PL.

Send ye posts to Frank Lampard and tell him you're not happy with any PL away win. He wouldn't bite ye hand off; he'd bite ye head off for any win.

P.S. If you are not happy with a 2-0 away win, then you're also not happy with a 2-0 home win are you? Of course there will be days when we get beat, but it will not be for the want of trying! (Slot)

07 Sep 2026 08:44:34
Ed666 like you, I don't know what that last part means and I like squids.

Glad you had fun, @Burkey boy and for real, that late banger by Maintland-Niles and the Manc fans absolutely blow their s*** was so joyous.

07 Sep 2026 09:17:46
I don't rate Carrick as a manager but he may have some good people around him.

Ultimately it'll be a short term as manager there.

07 Sep 2026 01:57:03
Apparently Julian Ward is in line to take over as DOF following Hughes departure.

{Ed666's Note - We need to just rip it up and start again..I would get the two guys at Eintracht Frankfurt. Kaske & Hurding (apologies for the mis-spelling). It makes so much sense. They work in tandem brilliantly together and evidently achieve excellent results.

07 Sep 2026 03:02:52
part of me agrees with you Ed666 - but there is another part of me that thinks that an internal appointment will be the least disruptive and will give Iraola the most space to crack on with his job at hand.

My fear about bringing in some external, albeit best in class, hires is that they will want to start making some changes right away. I want to see what Iraola can do with the clearly talented squad first!

Red Sandman

{Ed666's Note - I hear ya sandman but we’re starting from scratch so to speak with an new manager and I think making sweeping changes now in the embryonic stages of IA’s tenure will be the least disruptive time to do it. I know it’s probably a long shot for obvious reasons but I rate the guy at Bournemouth also his name is escaping me now. He’s clearly very good at his job and If you desire a seamless appointment with minimal disruption then maybe he’s the man. I’m sure Bhattia has his wishlist also so interesting times ahead.

07 Sep 2026 05:41:23
@OP, where did you hear that about Ward?

07 Sep 2026 08:00:11
Ed666, the previous bloke at Bournemouth was doing a good job. Just saying.

{Ed666's Note - I knew that was coming Rome ?

07 Sep 2026 08:59:06
Julian Ward? Have we learned nothing from re-appointing Edwards? Ward is just another crony.

07 Sep 2026 08:47:58
Ed666, I agree with you with ripping it all up and starting from scratch esp. with a new manager who the new DOF can work with.

As for Ward, so these people are telling me that they are going to hire the same guy who had the job 3 years ago, jumped ship because he said the environment was not condusive to do his job (code for: "Klopp isn't buying my nonsense"), only to potentially hire him again?

Yeah, these guys never learn, should this appointment happen which I hope, doesn't.

{Ed666's Note - yep we need to tread a new path mate

07 Sep 2026 10:11:27
Wasn't Ward the one who didn't offer Trent, Virg or Salah a contract until they had less than one year left?

07 Sep 2026 11:18:30
Everything I hear about Julian Ward is positive and that FSG absolutely love him and Pedro Marques. However, FSG also loved Michael Edwards.

If it is to be Julian Ward, I won't be too disappointed, but wary about his closeness to Edwards and the fact that he left 12-15 months into the role before.

If FSG are as smart as they say, they will know the old recruitment model is no longer working very well.

Ward, Marques and even Woodfine will know this as I suspect they are smart people. The question is what does a new recruitment model look like and is that better left to a brand new outside person to come in and implement it or is it just a case of FSG greenlighting something internally?

I'd be wary of plucking SDs out of smaller clubs without answering the above first.

07 Sep 2026 13:51:35
"If it is to be Julian Ward, I won't be too disappointed, but wary about his closeness to Edwards and the fact that he left 12-15 months into the role before."

Pelican, this is my concern overall and I mentioned it in my post.

07 Sep 2026 10:00:05
Am with you ed666 it's time to start a fresh.
Ward got the job before and quit after a year so that's doing the same thing that did not work before and doing it again and expecting something different that's stupidity and the highest level.

We need to learn from our mistakes not keep repeating them Hughes should never have been brought back and then when we did we gave him more power than before and he brings all his mates with him.

{Ed666's Note - Yes mate I think you’re absolutely correct out with the old in with the new. We need some fresh eyes, ears and perspective. It’s a new dawn.

07 Sep 2026 01:56:07
On tonight's showing, it's sweet relief we didn't take Xabi Alonso on.

Playing Neto as a wing back? 3421?

Just seemed self-defeating to me. I'm no tactician by any stretch but that looked all kinds of wrong to me.

?‍♂️

07 Sep 2026 02:55:02
We kinda played Munoz as a wing back vs Ipswich.

07 Sep 2026 03:18:20
I feel like it's way too early to make any claims on any new manager right now. Give 'em all 10 games.

07 Sep 2026 07:51:40
Faith, I didn’t think Munoz played as a wing back, I thought he was just tucking in and getting back.

07 Sep 2026 07:57:44
I actually think he'd have done very well with us. Frimpong and Kerkez would suit the WB roles better than FB. We'd have had to bring extra defensive players in as we'd be even more short there by having to play 3 CBs.

07 Sep 2026 08:12:41
Agree with Kaizer, far too early.

07 Sep 2026 08:50:51
Spot on, Kaizer.

"Give it time before shooting your shot too early," comes to mind here, imo.

07 Sep 2026 10:02:59
Chelsea never had a CM in the team; that’s the problem: two right-backs and one of them is not good enough to play right back.
Chelsea won the league with Victor Moses playing right wing back, so that’s not really an argument, is it?

07 Sep 2026 10:14:44
Frode - definitely not a wingback in that traditional sense. But if you go back and watch how we set up off the ball, Araujo was more central and Munoz was at right back.

With the ball we played our usual variant of a 4-3-3.

07 Sep 2026 11:22:32
Chelsea looked like a team with one midfielder playing.

Gooners are ahead of everyone at the moment. While they are not elite, their physicality is and the rest of us have work to do to close the gap.

07 Sep 2026 12:51:25
@Grino, Latvia was in the starting 11. He was taken off after an hour when XA sent on another right back. Looks like h3 might be an acolyte of the talking waistcoat, Southgate.

07 Sep 2026 13:54:47
WDW, if you could read Lavia's lips and you speak French, Lavia was losing his mind and saying in French, "This is not possible."

In French, this phrase used in context is used when you are very frustrated meaning, "What the football is this crap?"

06 Sep 2026 21:34:52
With the signing of Djylian N’Guessan among other youth - seems like whilst we haven’t seemed to have gone down the multi club model we’re picking up youth driven from what I understand by the team led by Matt Newberry - what are your thoughts on their approach, signings and Matt?

06 Sep 2026 23:38:33
The keeper looks great.
I don’t know much about N’Guessan but the French have a good record with strikers.
Ndukwe looks good too.

The trick is getting these players some first team football so they can progress.

07 Sep 2026 00:34:09
Ndukwe has not played a minute for Levante yet. They're not in great form, but I wouldn't necessarily say they're having defensive issues. Both De La Fuente and Mandi are playing well, so it could be a little while before Ndukwe gets a shot, but if he maintains his pre-season level, then I don't doubt he'll get one.

07 Sep 2026 08:53:13
Also FORNAX, Mandi is a very experienced Algerian international CB with a very solid pro career in Spain over the last decade, with multiple WC appearances and an AFCON winner for his country.

Ndukwe will not be dislodging that guy anytime soon.

07 Sep 2026 10:07:00
I remember Aissa Mandi; we were linked with him a couple of years ago as cover for CB and RB. I guess not much has changed as we still need an RB.

07 Sep 2026 14:24:16
Just checked the GK’s height. Maybe I praised him too soon.