Liverpool Match Posts 2

23 Aug 2026 21:09:38
What about our fullbacks, lads.
Kerkez got away with a full poor season last year which fell under the excuse of slot. The lads' end product and delivery is soo poor, then you're reminded his competition is timikas. Kerkez is extremely lucky of his spot.


I'm not too bothered on Frimpong. He's not a proper fullback and he was never a signing I thought we should have sought. Bradleys hopefully back by October.
Right fullback is actually decent atm for cover. It's the lb position. We've two extremely average players.

24 Aug 2026 21:36:28
Right back is a huge hole. Frimpong can't play there. Bradley isn't really that good either, he's never really kicked on after breaking into the team under Klopp. I think he's a good cover option, but we need a starting right back badly. Sell Frimpong/Tsimikas, buy two full backs and have Bradley/Kerkez as cover.

23 Aug 2026 20:47:35
How about 3 at the back?

I think both Araujo and Jacket are strong - and then we don't need Kerkez. ?

It is impossible for (only) 2 centrebacks to cover for Kerkez and Frimpong. ??‍♂️

23 Aug 2026 20:46:43
Summary of the game:

Fullbacks - trash, worse with the ball than without it.

VVD - poor, positionally and decision making.

Jacquet/Araujo - did ok.

Grav, looked tidy on the half turn but his decision making and discipline was poor.

Szobo - worst game I've seen for a while, like Grav, caught out of position a lot and ineffective with the ball.

Wirtz - a real concern, as a player he had obvious qualities but Iraola will need to find a way to get
the best out of him.

Rio - wasted on the right, looked unfit especially when going back towards goal - Munoz did a lot more when he came on.

Gakpo - took his goal well but went back to last season's Gakpo and looked way too one dimensional.



Isak, one nice turn in the whole game, still doesn't look fully fit and think the situation may have got to him.

If we are to play Szob and Grav as a 2, then one of the cb's has to step into the midfield to win/challenge the ball on the break. Their first goal was a prime example of us not doing this.

The space between our mf and our defence is so vast, we have to be making tactical fouls on the edge of their box or else we will be done on the counter all season.

It's only 1 game in so no reason to panic but there are some concerns that most of us had prior to the game, which were glaringly obvious today.

Rant over.

23 Aug 2026 21:28:45
Go back to bed mate.

23 Aug 2026 22:00:36
I nearly fell asleep typing that out to be fair.

23 Aug 2026 19:59:35
It's never a good idea to post straight after a game when the emotions are still high but here we are.

As it's the first game of the season, I think there needs to be some allowance given for the shambolic defending at times as the young lad Jacquet gets up to speed. However, I think it's clear we should really have invested in a new right back this summer.

It's also clear that the young lad Ngumoha is not ready to be the starting RW as he didn't offer enough today.



But I think the most obvious thing is that we still seem to have no bite across the entire team when a strong DM or at least someone getting stuck in would have made such a difference today.

We made Newcastle look good at times today but with a few new signings through the door, I think we can look forward to at least playing some entertaining football this year.

23 Aug 2026 20:15:18
Let me ask the fans sth: why did Liverpool's midfield look so open?

When Newcastle pretty much played Steur and Miley as a double pivot with Wissa ahead in the number 10.

Yet we had a similar formation but Wirtz was not effective at all.

23 Aug 2026 21:02:04
Was Slot's fault.

23 Aug 2026 21:09:31
Dom had a shocker, he is a liability when played in a double pivot. Dom and Kerkez had a summer's rest to cough up that garbage.

23 Aug 2026 21:23:13
In fairness post Klopp, most of game Newcastle sat deep so much easier to be compact. A lot harder for Wirtz to get space compared to Wissa. Particularly when they scored so early it suited them nicely, sit tight and hit us on break.


Don't get me wrong, I do think make up of our midfielders is wrong. None of them think defence 1st and just not aggressive enough.

23 Aug 2026 20:14:55
Hmm, horrible showing from our record signings and Wirtz still looks lightweight. Getting bullied all the time. Until he gets his game up he looks the most likely to go out of the starting eleven.

23 Aug 2026 19:47:49
Don't think I am mentally ready for the Liverpool that will turn up this season, both positively and negatively. In the short term, there will be a number of teething problems, ill suited players (Both standard and player role) will have to be utilised in positions where they can really cost us. But, I do believe, with the right recruitment, we can knit it altogether and be the better for it. But, my word, with the issues Newcastle have had, I expected so much more.

Outside of Munoz, I was disappointed with the performances. The midfield was run through, again and again, and they did not adapt to the situation. They simply persisted. At this level that is a real concern. Wirtz, Grav and Szobo can not be our midfield 3. One has to be dropped and a more stable, defensive minded player brought in.

At right wing, Rio is not an option. He just isn't ready yet and needs a loan.

However, with our lack of options in wide areas, we are forced to utilise him. If the idea is to persist with Rio, bring in Minteh and wait until December for his recovery, then this is going to be a rough few months.

Isak, a coward. He offered absolutely nothing. Wirtz the same. One of the first substituted and I honestly could not blame Iraola. Both luxuries who requires a specific function to operate at optimum levels. Without that they offer so little.

Things will improve, I am putting an awful lot of faith in Iraola, but we have seen what he managed with average players at Bournemouth. How he improved and adapted when those players left again and again. He started slow last season, too. I only hope he can work his magic and get us back to what we once were because, at times, I was honestly dreading watching more.

23 Aug 2026 19:24:36
So what's the views, people. Wirtz looks lost, Isaak no service, desperately need some width, young Rio shouldn't have huge pressure put on him or slated, DM is really needed? And it seems business as usual.



A rescued point seems extremely good value after that performance and I genuinely worry why we haven't got players in place that the manager needs before the season starts.

YNWA. ?

23 Aug 2026 19:22:05
Our midfield is not right. Gravenberch is not a number 6 and Szoboszlai is not a number 8. Szoboszlai is a number 10 who up there gives you a fantastic press. But for us in the 8 he just leaves us open.
Our midfield is great on the ball but defensively awful.