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

riddles · 04-03-2026 02:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284286#Comment_124284286

lack of consequences on performance and a thin squad and reluctance to rotate all sap energy.

jesuisjuste · 04-03-2026 03:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284297#Comment_124284297

Explains it but doesn't excuse it imo. If you're a professional footballer, and see a player running towards the box wide open, it means you close them down, it doesn't matter what tactics or messaging you've received, it's almost instinctive by the time you're in the premier league. To not do so on the regular is pretty unforgivable. These are the kind of mistakes that could kill a career in a more serious setting, World Cup, or CL final, and we are seeing them at an absurd rate.

The fact that our players don't close down the opposition in these situations is an indictment on them more so than the manager imo. Not to excuse the manager or training either, but it's schoolboy stuff, and when added to the mentality issues, and later goals conceded it is clear that some of the players are not at the races at all.

mosstin · 04-03-2026 04:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124283348#Comment_124283348

Not sure if you're serious? Teams struggling need support more than ever. I'm heading over to the Chelsea match towards the end of the season. Regardless of our league position, a trip to Anfield is always special.

Dublin_Anthony_2025 · 04-03-2026 04:07PM

Selling Diaz and Nunez was shocking , at least they gave 100 % all the time

Diaz could beat his man , Nunez would drag a defence apart and create havoc

Seling quansah also ffs

Gakpo can't take on a man , same predictable moves , Salah hasn't got the legs anymore

VVD giving as at the end as per usual but did feck all to drag us to a win

I'm not sure who i'd like in at this stage , Slot has to go , Alonso would be slow build up play but he knows liverpool like Carrick at utd

we were spoiled with Klopp

mosstin · 04-03-2026 04:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284635#Comment_124284635

But in previous seasons (maybe not last season) similar complaints people are now making about Gakpo/Salah/Virg were being voiced and aimed about/at the likes of Diaz/Nunez and Quansah. Seems to me that it's only when a player is sold/injured that they're missed disproportionately. I'd have kept Quansah, couldn't wait to get rid of Nunez and understood why we sold Diaz.

Bacchus · 04-03-2026 04:28PM

Yeah rose tinted glasses with Nunez there. An incredibly frustrating player to watch. Could produce brilliant moments but was a very inconsistent player. Great squad player, seemed well liked, but he was shifted on and we brought in Ekiteke and Isak.

Diaz and Quansah I wish we'd been able to hold on to. Two positions we lack depth in… even with Wirtz coming in who was seen as the Diaz replacement. We got a good fee for Diaz though which was probably needed to balance the books on the spending we did, but he'd have made a handy squad player to rotate in. Quansah though… I don't understand that transfer. It was decent money but not huge and now the rumour mill is we have a buy-back clause for £16m more than we sold him for.

noodler · 04-03-2026 04:33PM

Yeah, the problem is less Nunez gone and more the massive Salah drop off, Gakpo suddenly being a nailed on starter and Isak essential missing the entire season.

Even then we are at least one forward short.

Bacchus · 04-03-2026 04:52PM

I think with Isak and Ekiteke fit, we're pretty stacked and should be using youth players… Danns to act as backup and/or get experience in some of the easier fixtures. I mean wouldn't say no to another 1st team striker but we've other problems (including the two you mentioned).

Infoseeker1975 · 04-03-2026 04:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284718#Comment_124284718

We have no threat on the wings with Gapko who just cuts in and Salah has lost his pace.

Last night at 1-1 if Salah gets the pass to Szobo, we are probably all thinking 5th is done.

We have been poor all season. even in the first 5 games where we won all of them, there was no control.

Short term, we need 5th to get the budget to buy what is needed in the summer; 2 wingers and a DM, then a CB if Konate leaves.

A Villa win is a good result tonight as Chelsea are the likely threat for 5th, they have Newcastle, Everton, City & Utd in their next 4 PL games

Osmosis Jones · 04-03-2026 04:57PM

With 9 games remaining Gakpo has already played more PL minutes this season than in any previous one

awec · 04-03-2026 05:02PM

There is something about the way Salah runs with and controls the ball, I dunno how to explain it better, but he has always looked like he's not really sure what he's doing. It used to still work out more often than not even if a lot of the time it didn't look like a fluid motion.

Now though it's not coming off. That chance he had to pass it through to Szobo, you got the impression he wasn't really sure what to do and so waited too long before making a crap pass.

Similarly the long ball through to him in the first half when it was 0-0, a heavy touch and unsure what to do. It never looked like he really got it under control.

rob316 · 04-03-2026 05:11PM

Do posters still think Salah form is down to Slot and it will be improve under another manager?

Really?

He's done lads, legs are gone, Saudi awaits him in the summer.

Bacchus · 04-03-2026 05:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284826#Comment_124284826

That's my impression of things too. How Slot sets up the team can be used to partially excuse a players form… they're not getting the ball to their feet or to run on to in the way they want, or the other players aren't pulling defenders to give them space…. but last night was a good look at where Salah is. Wolves were well organised but Salah got into some good positions where last season he would have produced something. He did have a couple of moments… the goal, and a nice dangerous chip/lob in to the box at one point but that's about it. I don't think you can point to Slot and say he's the reason Salah isn't beating a player or getting shots off on target. He's not as sharp as he was last season and defenders are able to anticipate what he's doing. If he wants to continue playing at the top level, he needs to figure out how to adapt his game.

Damien360 · 04-03-2026 05:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284826#Comment_124284826

Of course Salah's form is not due to Slot. Nobody believes that. It's clear age has taken it's toll. But Slot has to take responsibility for continuing to use Salah for 90 mins when he is beyond poor all game.

The conspiracy theory in me would say that Salah is mandated to play x number of games by contract, especially in a world cup season and Slot's hands are tied. It makes no sense that he persists with him.

rob316 · 04-03-2026 05:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284878#Comment_124284878

Another poster does. I would hope the club didn't agree to something like that but it looks likely.

J Mysterio · 04-03-2026 05:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284878#Comment_124284878

I'm convinced Salah would be a different player under a better manager. Of course he has lost some pace, but you don't go from 29 goals and 18 assists in 38 games last season to whatever we have this season because you are just that little bit older. It is the whole team approach; tactics, style, ethos, man management, and that is dictated by Slot.

rob316 · 04-03-2026 05:48PM

Not to give the manager a pass but I do think there is a large player issue and recruitment last summer has left us weaker.

rob316 · 04-03-2026 05:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284926#Comment_124284926

That's exactly how it ends for a player of his age, the legs just go suddenly. Worth mentioning too he was playing out his skin last season for a new contract.

are you watching him with your eyes? everything is off, that isn't the fault of the manager.

jesuisjuste · 04-03-2026 06:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284926#Comment_124284926

Complete BS, no point in scapegoating every single issue we have to Slot. There are far more issues than just the manager, and Salah has definitely dropped off significantly, in part due to age, but in addition his head is gone to some extent imo.

Much like Rooney at united, the drop off can come quick when they have a world class ego, in a flailing body.

J Mysterio · 04-03-2026 06:24PM

A huge proportion of the Liverpool squad who were excellent (or very good) last season have been terrible this season. Confidence is shot.

CajunSurprise · 04-03-2026 07:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284826#Comment_124284826

If you really think anyone is going to go to Saudi as things stand in the world right now then you are living in fantasy land.

facehugger99 · 04-03-2026 08:29PM

I'd like to see Salah in the middle for a bit if he's always going to be played because as many have said, his legs are completely gone.

SlickRic · 04-03-2026 08:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284929#Comment_124284929

Slot isn’t unlike Brendan Rodgers.

Salah largely carried us to last season's title, much like Suarez nearly did for Rodgers. The points totals are pretty similar.

The lack of a star player this season is exposing the setup. Yes, recruitment has left us weaker but he's also been exposed.

The often strange press conferences don't help with the comparisons either.

riddles · 04-03-2026 08:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284964#Comment_124284964

Playing Salah in the same role he csn clearly no longer deliver in is down to the manager and just daft. When Rooney slowed down with United he was dropped into a deeper role where his eye for a pass was useful.

Girly Gal · 04-03-2026 08:57PM

Very hard to see how Slot is kept on for next season, unless there is a dramatic upturn in form, from now until the end of the season, he'll be gone in the summer. It could unravel very quickly if Wolves knock us out of the cup on Friday and Gala knock us out of CL, which on our current form wouldn't be that surprising. Slot has had more than enough time now to turn things around, but, doesn't look capable of doing it.

The worry I would have with keeping Slot on for next season, is that we would continue along similar lines as we are now and end up letting him go 3 or 4 months into the season, so we''d end up losing another season with no real progress made. Slot inherited a strong squad which made his transition easier, if we change in the summer, the new manager would be inheriting a weaker squad, devoid of confidence, so I wouldn't see any new manager winning the league like Slot did, but, that's mainly because they would be starting from a much lower base.

Ultimately, Slot's job is to get the best out of the players available to him, he did that last year, and deserves huge credit for that, which makes what's happening this season all the more puzzling and frustrating, he is failing miserably this season and I think it's unravelled too far for him to get things back under control again. I don't know who should get it, personally I'd go for Alonso, as he is available, has a strong connection to the club and has a good track record (even at Madrid). A new voice is needed, we have seen with other teams the different a new manager can make.

~Rebel~ · 04-03-2026 09:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124285329#Comment_124285329

Absolutely… and with only Ekitike our only option up there it's actually needed - Ekitike can't play every minute of every game. Mo should be given fairly significant time up there, either giving Ekitike a rest, or playing beside him with Wirtz in a free role when he's back (and Gakpo on the bench as a decent option to bring on).

jesuisjuste · 04-03-2026 09:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124285409#Comment_124285409

Salah didn't go from 47 goal contributions last year in what was up until 6 months ago his favoured position, to what looks like perhaps maybe the high teens this year due to his physical decline. He was motivated majorly last year to get his bag, and this season he is obviously phoning it in a lot. He has dropped off somewhat but the idea that just changing his position is the answer is ludicrous. He should be capable of hitting at least 30ish contributions this year, he's just not getting there. I put that down to the player himself. Does the manager have a part to play, sure, but not due to his position.

riddles · 04-03-2026 09:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124285569#Comment_124285569

Hes not getting quick balls that hes running onto, could be Trents departure but even in the back end of last season teams had started to shut that down. Trying something different is not ludicrous but whats going on now certainly is.

~Rebel~ · 04-03-2026 10:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124285569#Comment_124285569

Look at Mo's goals and assists last year - the vast majority came from picking the ball up in narrower channels, within a few yards of the width of the box. Look where he spends most of time this season - hiding out wide where he'll get the ball with more time, but where he has an absolute mountain too climb to do anything with it. If he was taking up the positions he was playing in last season he'd be alright, but he's far more wide. He did this under Klopp as well when he was playing rubbish, with Klopp being asked about it, and saying he wasn't being asked to play any wider (i.e that it was Mo doing it himself).

I think it's a confidence thing with Mo, the less confident he feels, the wider and deeper he pulls to be easily available, but entirely removing his threat in the process. He needs to be forced into the places where he might be less comfortable when not confident, but where he can actually help the team.

I will say to his/Slots credit, they did actually have him in those positions more often yesterday, but he just lost control of was pushed off the ball more often than not. So he either needs to play himself into form there in those narrower positions and find his edge and confidence again, or be dropped. The thing of staying out wide on the line is an utter dead end.

jesuisjuste · 04-03-2026 10:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124285612#Comment_124285612

Trent is also not the reason, and the midfield is mostly the same. Changing the team formation, and tactics, to try and suit a known diva who is phoning it in and was pulling stunts earlier in the year, is not the answer to our problems.

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

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