Liverpool FC Premier League Champions 25/26 - Talk /Gossip/Rumours

Last year the vibe was Salah was going to be like Ronaldo, go on and play well into his 30's, and there was no fear in giving him a new contract. So it's hard to explain Salah's lack of goals, Ronaldo, and Mane are still tearing it up. Ronaldo could actual win his first league title in Saudi this season, would catch up to Roy Keane in titles, Roy 8, Ronaldo 7. We shouldn't have seen such a drop off in Salah, it can only be tactical, physically he's the same, that was a great goal tonight.

Yeah, i wasn't digging out Szobo. He's absolutely being asked to do it, is likely the best at it, and so has become the fulcrum of the team while doing that job.

He was a cog in a machine under Klopp, though not our 'best player' who dictates our play.

But it's further evidence of Slot being a Pep disciple. Szobo is his KDB. Whereas I'd prefer him to be in a team structure where he's our Wijnaldum.

In a refresh/transitioning season one needs to see progression. Alas this team appears stagnant. Some impetus is needed, and I'm not sure that's coming from Slot. He's not solely at fault, but he's the on in the firing line.

Edwards and Hughes had a long time to put their transfer list together. No one i know would have said Isak was a Liverpool signing at that price. Wirtz was over priced but he is at least great to watch and growing in influence.

They get paid the big money to know more than we do. However, they have assembled a team that can't achieve what is being asked of by the manager. They have blown the wage expectations in the group and seem to have no knowledge of morale and engagement as important factors in the work place. They are slow in getting contract renewals done most likely because of wage expectations.

Any group of four or five fans using football manager data could ID better signings than these have been able to do. They didnt help Slot by not adding soemthing fresh in January. They also gave him no support in socialising the distinction between head coach and manager in the vains fans are used to leaving Slot to deal with lots of stuff they are paid to do.

Slot got his grace period from winning the league but he has truly burned through that with the exposure of all that he doesnt know - like utilising a squad and a lack of pragmatism. Everyone knows Salah cant beat player out wide - try something different.

Anyway lets look at the positives Slot delivered a title with zero spend in his first season. We could be like Arsenal fans almost a billion spent and embracing the fact they are a loathed side exposing the rules of the game faking head injuries, time wasting and the Conor thing etc.

We are not that and for that Slot deserves immense respect and credit compared to the knob head Arsenal fans and manager.

Alonso's history and his potential as a manager makes it great a risk not to get him.

Not happy with this quote from Slot describing the Wolves winner as "not even a chance."

Poor pass from Jones, poor clearance from Ali.

After that the ball is still here 40+ yards out and they freely carry it to the edge of our box for a shot.

I don't understand how a strike from a great angle only 20 yards out can be seen as "not even a chance"

It feels like no responsibility is being taken.

Never mind the fact that even if we didn't concede in the last minute it still would've been a shocking 1-1 draw against the worst team in the league.

Looking at the replay of the wolves winner I think Rio needs to do a bit better closing down Andre. He's looks close enough to him and just sort of gives up.

A good performance from him overall though and he seems to be coming on a little earlier now.

Rio still does a number of basic things wrong, dead ends, holding on when a clear and obvious pass is on, once late on he even tried to dribble out from the edge of our (crowded box).

I think the attacking talent is there for all to see (i.e. hit the post) but the above is probably why I still back him as a sub off the bench rather than starter right now.

Ah I think it's more of a reason to protect him at this stage tbh.

We're at a stage now where I do think Slot sees out the season pretty much no matter what (maybe he gets sacked if we're mathematically eliminated from Top 5).

The change should've been made sooner. United have gained 6 points on us since sacking their manager (with 1 fewer game played too) and they've only managed to appoint an interim!

Yeah I said it a few months back that there's a big difference between finishing Top 5 because we've shown great improvements….and finishing Top 5 just because other teams around us are stumbling too. Right now I can only see the latter happening.

Nothing I've seen this season would give me any encouragement that next season will be better.

I've a lot of mixed emotions about where the club is right now. We should have won that game last night. We dominated but they set their stall to defend and took the two chances they had.

Is it Slot? Is it the players? There's individual moments like Gakpo clearing it away from Jones chest denying us the opener. There's Salah blasting the ball into row Z during an otherwise well worked corner. There's Jones braindead moment to pass back to Ali under pressure. There's Szosbo going (and staying) down, ultimately leading to their winner. So many individual moments that must leave Slot pulling his hair out (figuratively). But then, it's the pattern all season. At what point does the culmination of individual errors and bad performances point back at Slot. For instance… why is Salah taking all our corners from the right side. Not one decent corner all match from him. Why is Salah playing at all? Sure he got a goal, but it was a gift out of nothing that he should be putting away. It was also quickly followed up by that terrible attempt at a pass on the break that would likely have been a second goal for us. I'll give Slot some credit for some of the subs… Jones improved things (dispite 2 f*ck ups), Rio injected some life into our attack, Gomez for Frimpong was probably to protect him so fair enough. Not sure why Kerkez was pulled though. And taking Konate off for Chiesa was kneejerk stuff. We're frail enough at the back without reducing it to Gomez, VVD, and Robertson. I'm a bit over the love-in with Chiesa too. Not that it's entirely his fault, he's been badly managed, but he offers little in his cameos. If anything he should have been on for Salah, not Konate.

So what is it, the players letting the manager down or the manager implementing a style of play that isn't getting the best out of the players and giving them the platform to excel. Both I think, but Slot needs to lead. He's needed to lead all season and he's just not… or at least the players aren't responding to it.

And if Slot is the one to face the chop over this, where do we go. Alonso might be cut from a similar cloth but I think it's the mentallity in the squad and the man management that is contributing the most to this miserable season. Would Alonso be sticking with Salah out the right where he's been ineffective most the season? Would Alonso give Chiesa, Rio, Jones more chances and starts in order to strengthen our bench? Every week I fall more into the group of fans that would like to take the chance on Alonso… a club legend with title winning pedigree as a manager.

I think the demise of Salah is as much to do with Slot , his team set up and the obvious mood in the squad under his leadership ,as it is that he has simply aged out

I suspect if we keep him he will return to form under a new manager

His drop seems bigger because he was so red hot last year but we are seeing this across the squad , Gakpo is contributing nowhere near what he gave us last year

Mcallister looks a liability ,Jones has lost all confidence , Konate and even Virgil look devoid of confidence.

Gravenberch has returned to 2023-24 form. Kirkez and Isak were in the team of the season last year , they look like they would not get into another top half team at this point.

Nobody in the team looks like they trust each other , nobody looks willing to take a risk or play progressive until we go behind and then its chaotic unfocused energy , not a ramping up the pace we would have seen under Klopp.

The team looks dysfunctional ,the players look like they are not enjoying football and are playing scared , and that's all on the man at the top .

Fix that problem and we have one of the three best teams in the league and a couple of tweaks in adding depth will have us challenging again next season. Leave it to fester another season and we could be 4-5 years away from rebuilding a team capable of challenging.

I think we will still get CL , but the decision to stick or twist needs to be on how the team is playing and the squad are feeling rather than a position we finish out this season in or if we sneak a cup.

Delighted that Galatasaray fans are banned from the Anfield game