Arne Slot

[labourRed]

Not sure about the new manager kitty tbh......any potential new manager would mainly be expected to play ball with the squad.

So if we signed a new player now, then Alonso (or whoever) will be expected to work with them. If they don't fancy that, then I think they'd go to a manager that would.

Also, consider the likes of Nallo and Lucky. They are prospects for the future but also their development path is based on being the 6th, 7th or 8th choice defender.... so unlikely that they will play but they train with the first team and are part of the squad. They are there if needed throughout the season. When we do need them, then its important that they get chances imo....because if they don't then we will not attract the next batch of young players. That is why I have a problem with everyone playing right back ahead of Ramsay.

I suspect the truth is that the level of player required just isn't available in January. Guehi wage at city was just crazy. Lfc will know what defenders they are targeting already this summer and if he was available now then they'd go for it imo.

Lucky is out for months and Nallo isn't anywhere the standard IMO.

January is a difficult market but I don't think there's no squad player out there that couldn't help our defensive crisis.

The wages for players on a free or nearing a free are always inflated as the club aren't paying the full value in transfer fee.

[memzey]

Yes, although I don't agree that a stop gap signing is the way forward, they very rarely work out. I think we need to do the best we can with what we've got until the summer, unless a long term target becomes available, in the next couple of days.

[Norbs]

That 120m on isak should have been spent on 4 squad players. Hindsight etc..

I think I said we didn't really need him before he signed. So much focus on the forward line amd very little about replacing the aging defence

[Doc_Piptorious]

List of current free agents

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stat...agslosespieler


And 20 players out of contract in the summer. Think one of two moved recently though. The list is a week or so old.


https://www.football365.com/news/bes...ct-summer-2026



Think the list that might interest us is the one of players with 12 months left come the summer. Some good defenders on that list like Schotterbeck and good squad options like Tomori.


https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tran..._id=0&yt0=Show

[Yozza]

Why the Liverpool hierarchy have no plans to sack manager Arne Slot

By James Pearce

This was a rare luxury for Arne Slot.

There was no sense of jeopardy, no anxiety, no drama as Liverpool ruthlessly swept Qarabag aside 6-0 at Anfield to secure their passage to the last 16 of the Champions League.

Having finished third in the league phase, Slot’s side will have home advantage for the second leg of the tie when they face either Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge or Galatasaray in March.

Bypassing February’s play-off round is a godsend given how stretched their resources are currently. When Jeremie Frimpong limped off with a groin injury early on, Slot found himself without seven senior members of his squad. Wataru Endo played most of the contest at right-back, with fellow midfielder Ryan Gravenberch pressed into action as a makeshift centre-back.

The hope is that Liverpool will be in considerably better shape when their European mission resumes in six weeks. Between now and then, it’s all about sorting out their domestic form after a miserable run of just five wins in their last 18 Premier League matches.

It would be wrong to dismiss the value of the club’s biggest home victory in Europe since Spartak Moscow were thrashed 7-0 in December 2017. After all, Azerbaijani champions Qarabag had beaten Benfica, Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt earlier in the competition, as well as holding Chelsea to a draw. Liverpool have frequently struggled against limited opposition this season, so the attacking fluency and tempo on display had to be admired.

However, Saturday’s visit of Newcastle United and the Anfield showdown with Manchester City eight days later will be much more significant in terms of trying to quieten the noise around Slot’s future.

The rumour mill went into overdrive once again after last Saturday’s painful defeat at Bournemouth was followed by wins for Manchester United and Chelsea, which saw Liverpool slip to sixth place in the Premier League.

Their participation in next season’s Champions League is far from certain, but despite all the speculation, the reality is that Slot retains the backing of the Anfield hierarchy. The pressure is real, but he’s not on the brink.

They currently have no intention of following the lead of United, who dispensed with Ruben Amorim, or Chelsea, who parted company with Enzo Maresca. Both teams have enjoyed an initial upturn in fortunes following the appointments of Michael Carrick and Liam Rosenior. However, in both cases, change was brought about by a breakdown in relations with club executives as well as results and performances.

At Liverpool, Slot’s bond with sporting director Richard Hughes remains strong. It was Hughes who led the search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor in 2024 and was convinced that Slot was the outstanding candidate to take over. That belief in his coaching acumen remains.

Unlike Amorim and Maresca, Slot is a Premier League title-winning boss. That buys you time and patience. There’s sympathy for everything that the Dutchman has had to contend with since the glory of last season sent expectation levels through the roof. From the tragic loss of Diogo Jota to the sweeping changes to the squad that led to talk internally that this was always likely to be a transitional campaign, and the succession of injury setbacks.

As head coach rather than manager, Slot doesn’t enjoy the same kind of influence on recruitment that Klopp had in the latter stages of his tenure. So complaints about the lack of centre-back cover or the failure to replace Luis Diaz can’t be left at his door. The strategy and how best to invest funds is the domain of Hughes and Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football, Michael Edwards.

The idea that Liverpool haven’t dipped into the transfer market so far this month because they are somehow reluctant to commit more funds while Slot remains in charge is nonsensical. The club’s data-led model is to buy for the long-term. The only outfield player they bought who was over 24 last summer was Isak.

Up until now, they have felt that there isn’t a deal to be done this month that makes sense financially and have opted to wait for the summer. It’s a risk given their current predicament and it remains to be seen if Frimpong’s injury alters that stance. Ibrahima Konate should be back from compassionate leave in time for Saturday, while Joe Gomez has an outside chance of being fit and Curtis Jones is likely to have recovered from illness.

Despite all the scrutiny on last summer’s spending spree, there’s no buyer’s remorse. The understanding between Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, who both scored against Qarabag, is showing real signs of blossoming. Frimpong and Milos Kerkez have also kicked on in recent months, while Alexander Isak and Giovanni Leoni can’t be judged due to their injury woes.

A bigger issue than the new additions needing time to adjust has been the downturn in the output of established stars such as Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister and Konate. Wednesday night should provide a much-needed injection of confidence on that front, with Salah celebrating his first Liverpool goal since November 1 after ending an eight-game drought in style, while Mac Allister scored twice in a game for the first time in his Liverpool career.

The Anfield hierarchy aren’t blind to the problems that have blighted performances and caused Slot’s side to be so inconsistent. Questions are frequently asked about what could have been done differently. Even taking into account the hurdles placed in Liverpool’s way, no one would argue that having just 36 points after 23 league games is anything other than unacceptable.

Slot has certainly made mistakes. He hasn’t been able to impact matches as he did so often last season. But he’s still the same coach who previously hit such heights, and there’s faith internally that he will turn things around.

Their form in the Champions League, taking 18 points out of a possible 24, including the scalps of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Inter, shows what this team is capable of.

Slot found himself ridiculed for suggesting in his pre-match press conference that going out of the competition to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 last March had “maybe” helped Liverpool win the Premier League title. They were 15 points clear at the time with nine games to go.

In his role as a pundit for TNT Sports, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard described that suggestion as “a body blow for the fans”. Clearly aware of the backlash in some quarters, Slot used his post-match press conference to try to clarify what he meant.

“Maybe I explained myself not in the right way. That’s possible,” he said.

“I wasn’t happy losing to PSG. I wanted to go all the way. What I meant was that we didn’t face injuries after we went out. It hits us harder if we have injuries than the clubs we’re in competition with (because Liverpool’s squad is smaller). People picked it up in the wrong way. Next time, maybe I should be more clear.”

When you give long answers like Slot does in his second language, you always run the risk of speaking out of turn at some point. And he’s in a situation currently where he’s feeling the heat and every word is scrutinised by a section of the fanbase who want change and are desperate to pick fault.

Some also pounced on what he had to say about Liverpool’s progression to the knockout stages. “We are happy that we are going straight away to the last 16, especially because it’s only two years ago that we were playing Europa League and we went out in the quarter-finals against Atalanta,” he said.

It wasn’t a dig at Klopp, who led Liverpool to three Champions League finals, more a blunt reminder of the club’s previous European campaign before Slot took over. The former Feyenoord boss clearly feels his achievements have been too quickly overlooked amid the maelstrom of this season.

His win percentage in the Champions League with Liverpool stands at a remarkable 77.8 per cent. His overall win percentage is still a healthy 61.5 per cent. Klopp (62.1 per cent) is the only other Liverpool manager since John McKenna in the 19th century to top 60 per cent. For context, Bill Shankly’s was 52 per cent, Bob Paisley’s 57.5 per cent, and Kenny Dalglish’s 58.5 per cent.

The Kop didn’t chant Slot’s name on Wednesday night, but when he went over to applaud them after the final whistle, it was returned with interest. Tougher tests than this need to be negotiated for that rapport to be reignited — starting with Newcastle on Saturday. However, Slot’s support base internally remains strong as he strives to guide Liverpool to calmer waters.

[rudedog]

Both things can be true.

Was Isak necessary, no, but a forward was.

Are we playing a Midfielder at the back because we signed Isak, no. We had Guehi in a MRI ready to sign for £35m. Signing Isak isn't why we're light in defensive numbers. We have money to spend, a lot more than £35m as well.

That’s not both things being true though

My point was that we didn’t need to spend £130m on an injury prone striker and the money could have been better spent on improving the squad, not sure how this is even a discussion tbh

[labourRed]

That’s not both things being true though

My point was that we didn’t need to spend £130m on an injury prone striker and the money could have been better spent on improving the squad, not sure how this is even a discussion tbh

You're trying to make the point that we shouldn't have signed Isak and improved the squad instead.

But there's no evidence that we would have. We signed Isak on the last day of the window. It wasn't an either or scenario.

We had money after Isak to sign players and still do. The issue is we're light in defence, Isak doesn't really come into this discussion.

[Angryred]

Why the Liverpool hierarchy have no plans to sack manager Arne Slot

By James Pearce

This was a rare luxury for Arne Slot.

There was no sense of jeopardy, no anxiety, no drama as Liverpool ruthlessly swept Qarabag aside 6-0 at Anfield to secure their passage to the last 16 of the Champions League.

Having finished third in the league phase, Slot’s side will have home advantage for the second leg of the tie when they face either Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge or Galatasaray in March.

Bypassing February’s play-off round is a godsend given how stretched their resources are currently. When Jeremie Frimpong limped off with a groin injury early on, Slot found himself without seven senior members of his squad. Wataru Endo played most of the contest at right-back, with fellow midfielder Ryan Gravenberch pressed into action as a makeshift centre-back.

The hope is that Liverpool will be in considerably better shape when their European mission resumes in six weeks. Between now and then, it’s all about sorting out their domestic form after a miserable run of just five wins in their last 18 Premier League matches.

It would be wrong to dismiss the value of the club’s biggest home victory in Europe since Spartak Moscow were thrashed 7-0 in December 2017. After all, Azerbaijani champions Qarabag had beaten Benfica, Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt earlier in the competition, as well as holding Chelsea to a draw. Liverpool have frequently struggled against limited opposition this season, so the attacking fluency and tempo on display had to be admired.

However, Saturday’s visit of Newcastle United and the Anfield showdown with Manchester City eight days later will be much more significant in terms of trying to quieten the noise around Slot’s future.

The rumour mill went into overdrive once again after last Saturday’s painful defeat at Bournemouth was followed by wins for Manchester United and Chelsea, which saw Liverpool slip to sixth place in the Premier League.

Their participation in next season’s Champions League is far from certain, but despite all the speculation, the reality is that Slot retains the backing of the Anfield hierarchy. The pressure is real, but he’s not on the brink.

They currently have no intention of following the lead of United, who dispensed with Ruben Amorim, or Chelsea, who parted company with Enzo Maresca. Both teams have enjoyed an initial upturn in fortunes following the appointments of Michael Carrick and Liam Rosenior. However, in both cases, change was brought about by a breakdown in relations with club executives as well as results and performances.

At Liverpool, Slot’s bond with sporting director Richard Hughes remains strong. It was Hughes who led the search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor in 2024 and was convinced that Slot was the outstanding candidate to take over. That belief in his coaching acumen remains.

Unlike Amorim and Maresca, Slot is a Premier League title-winning boss. That buys you time and patience. There’s sympathy for everything that the Dutchman has had to contend with since the glory of last season sent expectation levels through the roof. From the tragic loss of Diogo Jota to the sweeping changes to the squad that led to talk internally that this was always likely to be a transitional campaign, and the succession of injury setbacks.

As head coach rather than manager, Slot doesn’t enjoy the same kind of influence on recruitment that Klopp had in the latter stages of his tenure. So complaints about the lack of centre-back cover or the failure to replace Luis Diaz can’t be left at his door. The strategy and how best to invest funds is the domain of Hughes and Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football, Michael Edwards.

The idea that Liverpool haven’t dipped into the transfer market so far this month because they are somehow reluctant to commit more funds while Slot remains in charge is nonsensical. The club’s data-led model is to buy for the long-term. The only outfield player they bought who was over 24 last summer was Isak.

Up until now, they have felt that there isn’t a deal to be done this month that makes sense financially and have opted to wait for the summer. It’s a risk given their current predicament and it remains to be seen if Frimpong’s injury alters that stance. Ibrahima Konate should be back from compassionate leave in time for Saturday, while Joe Gomez has an outside chance of being fit and Curtis Jones is likely to have recovered from illness.

Despite all the scrutiny on last summer’s spending spree, there’s no buyer’s remorse. The understanding between Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, who both scored against Qarabag, is showing real signs of blossoming. Frimpong and Milos Kerkez have also kicked on in recent months, while Alexander Isak and Giovanni Leoni can’t be judged due to their injury woes.

A bigger issue than the new additions needing time to adjust has been the downturn in the output of established stars such as Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister and Konate. Wednesday night should provide a much-needed injection of confidence on that front, with Salah celebrating his first Liverpool goal since November 1 after ending an eight-game drought in style, while Mac Allister scored twice in a game for the first time in his Liverpool career.

The Anfield hierarchy aren’t blind to the problems that have blighted performances and caused Slot’s side to be so inconsistent. Questions are frequently asked about what could have been done differently. Even taking into account the hurdles placed in Liverpool’s way, no one would argue that having just 36 points after 23 league games is anything other than unacceptable.

Slot has certainly made mistakes. He hasn’t been able to impact matches as he did so often last season. But he’s still the same coach who previously hit such heights, and there’s faith internally that he will turn things around.

Their form in the Champions League, taking 18 points out of a possible 24, including the scalps of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Inter, shows what this team is capable of.

Slot found himself ridiculed for suggesting in his pre-match press conference that going out of the competition to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 last March had “maybe” helped Liverpool win the Premier League title. They were 15 points clear at the time with nine games to go.

In his role as a pundit for TNT Sports, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard described that suggestion as “a body blow for the fans”. Clearly aware of the backlash in some quarters, Slot used his post-match press conference to try to clarify what he meant.

“Maybe I explained myself not in the right way. That’s possible,” he said.

“I wasn’t happy losing to PSG. I wanted to go all the way. What I meant was that we didn’t face injuries after we went out. It hits us harder if we have injuries than the clubs we’re in competition with (because Liverpool’s squad is smaller). People picked it up in the wrong way. Next time, maybe I should be more clear.”

When you give long answers like Slot does in his second language, you always run the risk of speaking out of turn at some point. And he’s in a situation currently where he’s feeling the heat and every word is scrutinised by a section of the fanbase who want change and are desperate to pick fault.

Some also pounced on what he had to say about Liverpool’s progression to the knockout stages. “We are happy that we are going straight away to the last 16, especially because it’s only two years ago that we were playing Europa League and we went out in the quarter-finals against Atalanta,” he said.

It wasn’t a dig at Klopp, who led Liverpool to three Champions League finals, more a blunt reminder of the club’s previous European campaign before Slot took over. The former Feyenoord boss clearly feels his achievements have been too quickly overlooked amid the maelstrom of this season.

His win percentage in the Champions League with Liverpool stands at a remarkable 77.8 per cent. His overall win percentage is still a healthy 61.5 per cent. Klopp (62.1 per cent) is the only other Liverpool manager since John McKenna in the 19th century to top 60 per cent. For context, Bill Shankly’s was 52 per cent, Bob Paisley’s 57.5 per cent, and Kenny Dalglish’s 58.5 per cent.

The Kop didn’t chant Slot’s name on Wednesday night, but when he went over to applaud them after the final whistle, it was returned with interest. Tougher tests than this need to be negotiated for that rapport to be reignited — starting with Newcastle on Saturday. However, Slot’s support base internally remains strong as he strives to guide Liverpool to calmer waters.

A Summary of above by AI

Arne Slot experienced a rare luxury as Liverpool dominated Qarabag 6-0 at Anfield, securing their place in the Champions League last 16 without any drama. Slot will have the advantage of a home leg in March against either Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge, or Galatasaray, which is a significant benefit given the team's resource constraints. With key players like Jeremie Frimpong injured, Slot was forced to adapt his lineup with a makeshift defense. Liverpool aims to improve its dismal domestic form, having only five wins in their last 18 Premier League matches, and faces crucial fixtures against Newcastle and Manchester City.Despite the challenges, Slot retains the backing of the hierarchy, including sporting director Richard Hughes, who believes in his capabilities as a Premier League title-winning coach. The club’s decision-making regarding transfers is strategic, focusing on long-term investments rather than immediate changes based on performance. While injuries and form are pressing concerns, the Champions League success with 18 points from 24 shows potential.Slot’s previous season successes are often overshadowed by current struggles, but his impressive win percentages indicate his past effectiveness. The upcoming matches will be critical for Slot to regain fan support and stabilize the team’s performance as they navigate this transitional phase.

[memzey]

Why the Liverpool hierarchy have no plans to sack manager Arne Slot

By James Pearce

This was a rare luxury for Arne Slot.

There was no sense of jeopardy, no anxiety, no drama as Liverpool ruthlessly swept Qarabag aside 6-0 at Anfield to secure their passage to the last 16 of the Champions League.

Having finished third in the league phase, Slot’s side will have home advantage for the second leg of the tie when they face either Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge or Galatasaray in March.

Bypassing February’s play-off round is a godsend given how stretched their resources are currently. When Jeremie Frimpong limped off with a groin injury early on, Slot found himself without seven senior members of his squad. Wataru Endo played most of the contest at right-back, with fellow midfielder Ryan Gravenberch pressed into action as a makeshift centre-back.

The hope is that Liverpool will be in considerably better shape when their European mission resumes in six weeks. Between now and then, it’s all about sorting out their domestic form after a miserable run of just five wins in their last 18 Premier League matches.

It would be wrong to dismiss the value of the club’s biggest home victory in Europe since Spartak Moscow were thrashed 7-0 in December 2017. After all, Azerbaijani champions Qarabag had beaten Benfica, Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt earlier in the competition, as well as holding Chelsea to a draw. Liverpool have frequently struggled against limited opposition this season, so the attacking fluency and tempo on display had to be admired.

However, Saturday’s visit of Newcastle United and the Anfield showdown with Manchester City eight days later will be much more significant in terms of trying to quieten the noise around Slot’s future.

The rumour mill went into overdrive once again after last Saturday’s painful defeat at Bournemouth was followed by wins for Manchester United and Chelsea, which saw Liverpool slip to sixth place in the Premier League.

Their participation in next season’s Champions League is far from certain, but despite all the speculation, the reality is that Slot retains the backing of the Anfield hierarchy. The pressure is real, but he’s not on the brink.

They currently have no intention of following the lead of United, who dispensed with Ruben Amorim, or Chelsea, who parted company with Enzo Maresca. Both teams have enjoyed an initial upturn in fortunes following the appointments of Michael Carrick and Liam Rosenior. However, in both cases, change was brought about by a breakdown in relations with club executives as well as results and performances.

At Liverpool, Slot’s bond with sporting director Richard Hughes remains strong. It was Hughes who led the search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor in 2024 and was convinced that Slot was the outstanding candidate to take over. That belief in his coaching acumen remains.

Unlike Amorim and Maresca, Slot is a Premier League title-winning boss. That buys you time and patience. There’s sympathy for everything that the Dutchman has had to contend with since the glory of last season sent expectation levels through the roof. From the tragic loss of Diogo Jota to the sweeping changes to the squad that led to talk internally that this was always likely to be a transitional campaign, and the succession of injury setbacks.

As head coach rather than manager, Slot doesn’t enjoy the same kind of influence on recruitment that Klopp had in the latter stages of his tenure. So complaints about the lack of centre-back cover or the failure to replace Luis Diaz can’t be left at his door. The strategy and how best to invest funds is the domain of Hughes and Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football, Michael Edwards.

The idea that Liverpool haven’t dipped into the transfer market so far this month because they are somehow reluctant to commit more funds while Slot remains in charge is nonsensical. The club’s data-led model is to buy for the long-term. The only outfield player they bought who was over 24 last summer was Isak.

Up until now, they have felt that there isn’t a deal to be done this month that makes sense financially and have opted to wait for the summer. It’s a risk given their current predicament and it remains to be seen if Frimpong’s injury alters that stance. Ibrahima Konate should be back from compassionate leave in time for Saturday, while Joe Gomez has an outside chance of being fit and Curtis Jones is likely to have recovered from illness.

Despite all the scrutiny on last summer’s spending spree, there’s no buyer’s remorse. The understanding between Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, who both scored against Qarabag, is showing real signs of blossoming. Frimpong and Milos Kerkez have also kicked on in recent months, while Alexander Isak and Giovanni Leoni can’t be judged due to their injury woes.

A bigger issue than the new additions needing time to adjust has been the downturn in the output of established stars such as Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister and Konate. Wednesday night should provide a much-needed injection of confidence on that front, with Salah celebrating his first Liverpool goal since November 1 after ending an eight-game drought in style, while Mac Allister scored twice in a game for the first time in his Liverpool career.

The Anfield hierarchy aren’t blind to the problems that have blighted performances and caused Slot’s side to be so inconsistent. Questions are frequently asked about what could have been done differently. Even taking into account the hurdles placed in Liverpool’s way, no one would argue that having just 36 points after 23 league games is anything other than unacceptable.

Slot has certainly made mistakes. He hasn’t been able to impact matches as he did so often last season. But he’s still the same coach who previously hit such heights, and there’s faith internally that he will turn things around.

Their form in the Champions League, taking 18 points out of a possible 24, including the scalps of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Inter, shows what this team is capable of.

Slot found himself ridiculed for suggesting in his pre-match press conference that going out of the competition to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 last March had “maybe” helped Liverpool win the Premier League title. They were 15 points clear at the time with nine games to go.

In his role as a pundit for TNT Sports, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard described that suggestion as “a body blow for the fans”. Clearly aware of the backlash in some quarters, Slot used his post-match press conference to try to clarify what he meant.

“Maybe I explained myself not in the right way. That’s possible,” he said.

“I wasn’t happy losing to PSG. I wanted to go all the way. What I meant was that we didn’t face injuries after we went out. It hits us harder if we have injuries than the clubs we’re in competition with (because Liverpool’s squad is smaller). People picked it up in the wrong way. Next time, maybe I should be more clear.”

When you give long answers like Slot does in his second language, you always run the risk of speaking out of turn at some point. And he’s in a situation currently where he’s feeling the heat and every word is scrutinised by a section of the fanbase who want change and are desperate to pick fault.

Some also pounced on what he had to say about Liverpool’s progression to the knockout stages. “We are happy that we are going straight away to the last 16, especially because it’s only two years ago that we were playing Europa League and we went out in the quarter-finals against Atalanta,” he said.

It wasn’t a dig at Klopp, who led Liverpool to three Champions League finals, more a blunt reminder of the club’s previous European campaign before Slot took over. The former Feyenoord boss clearly feels his achievements have been too quickly overlooked amid the maelstrom of this season.

His win percentage in the Champions League with Liverpool stands at a remarkable 77.8 per cent. His overall win percentage is still a healthy 61.5 per cent. Klopp (62.1 per cent) is the only other Liverpool manager since John McKenna in the 19th century to top 60 per cent. For context, Bill Shankly’s was 52 per cent, Bob Paisley’s 57.5 per cent, and Kenny Dalglish’s 58.5 per cent.

The Kop didn’t chant Slot’s name on Wednesday night, but when he went over to applaud them after the final whistle, it was returned with interest. Tougher tests than this need to be negotiated for that rapport to be reignited — starting with Newcastle on Saturday. However, Slot’s support base internally remains strong as he strives to guide Liverpool to calmer waters.

James Pearce is a bit of a club mouthpiece but this is a good article. Key part on transfers and squad building responsibility in bold above.

[Buzzo]

Sensational!!!

[ame]https://twitter.com/iandoylesport/status/2016845459856179692[/ame]

[super_xabi]

I remember when we got him in someone said he looked like a Kwik Fit Tyre fitter. "he should be able to handle the pressure" someone on here quipped.

In that case we can't get better!

[kingfunk]

Only had one Goodyear in stock, balance has been off ever since.

[frank the tank]

That's that then!!! Until Saturday night at least!!!

We obviously need a few center backs. I also think a defensive midfielder would be brilliant to protect the back line and also allow both full backs get forward.

[Fierce]

That's that then!!! Until Saturday night at least!!!

We obviously need a few center backs. I also think a defensive midfielder would be brilliant to protect the back line and also allow both full backs get forward.

Both what now?

[rudedog]

You're trying to make the point that we shouldn't have signed Isak and improved the squad instead.

But there's no evidence that we would have. We signed Isak on the last day of the window. It wasn't an either or scenario.

We had money after Isak to sign players and still do. The issue is we're light in defence, Isak doesn't really come into this discussion.

Why does there need to be evidence on what the club ‘might’ have done? (That must be some form of logical fallacy, not sure which)

The point I’m making is that the club made mistakes so the lack of evidence for not doing what I’m suggesting only validates my points further. Just to reiterate/clarify what I’m saying:

• The club did not need to spend £130m on an injury prone striker (this does not mean we didn’t need to improve our attacking options)
  
• A better use of that spend would have been on improving the squad. (This is does not need to be dependent on total spend available)

The fact that Isak has hardly featured and the squad is completely threadbare midway through the season makes this pretty hard to dispute IMO