2025/26 Season

[Angryred]

I'm not one for writing off season, but if we were comfortably in a CL qualification spot by not in a title race maybe you could say 'leave it and we'll be alright for a few games' just let the season peter out, but we aren't in that situation, as things stand we are in a battle for CL qualification and failing to act could have a massive effect on players we can bring in in the summer and the next season and beyond.

I'm sure the players will have to motivate themselves if they don't fancy Thursday/Sunday matches next year regardless of who the manager is next year!

[Exiled_red]

With perhaps the exception of Jeremy frimpong, all the signings made by Richard hughes have shown great promise and I cant really fault them. I can fault, quibbling over 5M for Marc Guehi, but he has signed good players.

Clearly the inability of the coaches to integrate the players and to create a clear system of play has been the critical factor.

the problem is now that its nigh on impossible to make a change this late on in a season. I think contracts have been signed already and Arne knows he is off to Ajax, and the Liverpool management dont want to taint him before he leaves by firing him out of respect.

We are stuck in limbo until the end of the season

I'm not one for writing off season, but if we were comfortably in a CL qualification spot by not in a title race maybe you could say 'leave it and we'll be alright for a few games' just let the season peter out, but we aren't in that situation, as things stand we are in a battle for CL qualification and failing to act could have a massive effect on players we can bring in in the summer and the next season and beyond.

[Doc_Piptorious]

With perhaps the exception of Jeremy frimpong, all the signings made by Richard hughes have shown great promise and I cant really fault them. I can fault, quibbling over 5M for Marc Guehi, but he has signed good players.

Clearly the inability of the coaches to integrate the players and to create a clear system of play has been the critical factor.

the problem is now that its nigh on impossible to make a change this late on in a season. I think contracts have been signed already and Arne knows he is off to Ajax, and the Liverpool management dont want to taint him before he leaves by firing him out of respect.

We are stuck in limbo until the end of the season

Fair post, think there is a caveat for Jota and the injuries too, though do think not making a change earlier may be just as much down to the availability of the intended new coach as well. Be it someone that wants to see out the season at his current club or someone who is managing at the world cup this summer. Hopefully not the latter.

[5europeancups]

With perhaps the exception of Jeremy frimpong, all the signings made by Richard hughes have shown great promise and I cant really fault them. I can fault, quibbling over 5M for Marc Guehi, but he has signed good players.

Clearly the inability of the coaches to integrate the players and to create a clear system of play has been the critical factor.

the problem is now that its nigh on impossible to make a change this late on in a season. I think contracts have been signed already and Arne knows he is off to Ajax, and the Liverpool management dont want to taint him before he leaves by firing him out of respect.

We are stuck in limbo until the end of the season

[Charly]

Did he say "I gave up"?

Or did he say "we"?

I think he was taking collectively responsibility. I cant imagine him actually giving up during a game

[Doc_Piptorious]

VVD being captain, has to talk publicly more than all the other players and the more you talk, the more your words are analysed. In saying that, it was a terrible thing to say, unforgivable really and he has been part of the problem with a lazy, half approach so it goes down like a bag of ****. I've said it multiple times this season, Virgil has made more **** ups this season than all his previous seasons with us combined.

Heat of the moment I get it from Szob, he wasn't playing well and neither was anyone else so it was clearly emotional but he should be able to reflect after the game and know why the fans left, it's pretty obvious and understandable to me. He seemed to take it personally, maybe because he has been the only one to bust a gut but the fans left because the team that represents them gave up, it's a general frustration and disappointment. No doubts every LFC supporter will tell you Szob has been the only player this season that really played for the shirt. Again, he seemed to take it personally when the reality is more like he is frustrated with his own team mates.

I look forward to the next iteration of us, Mo, VVD and Robbo have been incredible for us but their time is almost up and we need leaders in and we need legs. The summer will be fun.

VVD could have acknowledged it was a poor performance without saying he and others just gave up. It just came across as not giving a **** and a shrug of the shoulders moment.

Totally agree he has made lots of mistakes this year. Past reputation and Konate being even worse than him is what is causing less of a spotlight on him imo.

[danperkins]

And maybe he did in the dressing room and was just pissed off with them at the end of the game which then spilled into what happened between him and the support.


Is a tiny thing in the grand scheme of things for me and not a stick to beat him with no more than the supporters venting their displeasure is a stick to beat them with.


Don't think it was tone deaf at all. It was a heat of the moment reaction. Be different if he came out later on and criticised the fans in an interview or said something in a calmer enviroment.


For me what VVD said was far worse. Coming out and just saying he and others simply gave up. He should be embarrassed to admit that and is far more worthy of the ire of supporters for those words.

Can take a guy with fight in him reacting in the heat of the moment, especially is that guy then goes on to work hard in the games that follow it, but guys coming out and calmly stating that they just quit???...nah have no time for that sort of spineless shyte.

You mentioned how much they earn and what not...well for me the high earner coming out and saying he just gave up is a far more tone deaf statement to offer the supporters, and from the comfort of an interview area too, than what came from the guy fronting up to them.

Even more insulting is the fact it is not the first time VVD has come out this season with a "we let people down by giving up" trype statement after a game. Well Virgil you are the capatin, you and the other senior guys need to be having a word with yourselves and then working out how to at the very least leave it all out on the pitch during games. I don't give a toss if the do not like the coach or his tactics, if VVD is so worried about the supporters that will be there long after the coach is gone, then the least he and his teammates can do is put a shift in and especially when there is some adversity. Slot does not force them to pull out of 50/50s, to take two or three touches before playing a pass and to not work hard.

Repeating myself here but when Slot goes, I hope some of the quitters get moved on with him. Prefer to have a bunch of slightly less talented players that will fight for each other and for results rather than guys living off of reputations that now just give up when it gets tough.

VVD being captain, has to talk publicly more than all the other players and the more you talk, the more your words are analysed. In saying that, it was a terrible thing to say, unforgivable really and he has been part of the problem with a lazy, half approach so it goes down like a bag of ****. I've said it multiple times this season, Virgil has made more **** ups this season than all his previous seasons with us combined.

Heat of the moment I get it from Szob, he wasn't playing well and neither was anyone else so it was clearly emotional but he should be able to reflect after the game and know why the fans left, it's pretty obvious and understandable to me. He seemed to take it personally, maybe because he has been the only one to bust a gut but the fans left because the team that represents them gave up, it's a general frustration and disappointment. No doubts every LFC supporter will tell you Szob has been the only player this season that really played for the shirt. Again, he seemed to take it personally when the reality is more like he is frustrated with his own team mates.

I look forward to the next iteration of us, Mo, VVD and Robbo have been incredible for us but their time is almost up and we need leaders in and we need legs. The summer will be fun.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I don't think it's anything personal against him, as you say he has been one of the better players this season and has been showing a bit more fight than some of the other, so it is unfortunate that he is the one who has got the stick for this.

Things clearly aren't right in the squad at the moment. The minimum you should give as a player is 100% effort, we've had some **** teams who haven't had the ability of these guys, so watching a team which is full of very talented players not giving their all is a source of frustration for the fans. Yes you can go to City, give your all and still get beaten because they are a good side, but that isn't what happened here.

There is talk of Szoboszlai as a potential future captain, if that is the case he needs to be making sure the team are giving their all. Slot has moved away from the leadership group model that we had previously but looking at things like this it makes you think that was a bad move, we need players and senior players at that to be responsible for setting and maintaining standards, it seems at the moment there is a lack of leadership in the side.

The issue for me is not that Szobo needs to show he is worthy to be part of the leadership group, it is that the current so called squad leaders seem to be doing the square root of eff all and we have the club captain happy to give an interview saying he and others gave up.

Must be difficult for players that want to stand and fight to then be in a squad where the "leaders" are so passive and talking about quitting.

We have maybe four (fit) outfield starters at present with a bit of fight or that show a willingness to force things.

For me they are Kerkez, Szobo, Wirtz and Ekitike. The latter two tend to get isolated when the play behind them is in quit mode but they still will work hard and try to make things work.

Maybe Jones could be added to that list but he has been a bit hit and miss at times of late.

Pretty much every other starter (again only talking about who is fit at present) is pretty passive and the ones that are not new at the club are probably the biggest culprits.

Even a usually nailed on firebrand like Robertson is much more passive this season. Now I think for some, Robertson being the one really coming to mind for this, the loss of Jota is making being at the club difficult, but if being at the club is emotionally toxic to you then look to remove yourself from it for your own well being.

Really do think that a new manager has a hell of a job on his hands and that a lot of it is mental and will require the addition of three to four players with strong mentalities (be it in a will to win kind of way or a motivating those around them way) to drag up some of the other players and to fiurther enhance the ones we currently have that are making the effort.

As much of a killer it has been to have no direct threat and pace on the flanks, I think the fact that we tend to have two passive CMs each game and two passive CBs is removing all urgency of play. Then throw in that one of those CBs and one of those CMs are having career worst seasons in terms of form and it just adds to it.

The one positive I can take from the CB side of things is looking at how passive we have become, along with Konate's massive dip in form and VVD's own dip, is that not getting Guehi might be a blessing as he is very passive at times in his own play and that is when things are going well. It has really highlighted how much we need some pro active and physical CBs (who of course can play too).

Same in CM. MacAllister ****ting the bed for the entire season has highlighted that we need to either go with a quality DM (not easy to find at the highest level) or an athletic quality player that can play as part of a double pivot with Gravenberch.

[Exiled_red]

Two sides to that though.

If supporters can see the players as fair game to vent against, then the same must apply the other way. Depending on what is said and so on.

Szobo has shown plenty of battle and effort this season and for me he is one of few that has earned to right to fight his corner. Does not mean the supporters cannot boo a performance and so on, but Szobo has worked his arse off to earn the right to reply/react/respond and for the exchange just to be a robust exchange of differing views rather that one that creates a genuine divide.

Is not like Szobo is the first Liverpool player to have a pop from the pitch at the Liverpool support

I don't think it's anything personal against him, as you say he has been one of the better players this season and has been showing a bit more fight than some of the other, so it is unfortunate that he is the one who has got the stick for this.

Things clearly aren't right in the squad at the moment. The minimum you should give as a player is 100% effort, we've had some **** teams who haven't had the ability of these guys, so watching a team which is full of very talented players not giving their all is a source of frustration for the fans. Yes you can go to City, give your all and still get beaten because they are a good side, but that isn't what happened here.

There is talk of Szoboszlai as a potential future captain, if that is the case he needs to be making sure the team are giving their all. Slot has moved away from the leadership group model that we had previously but looking at things like this it makes you think that was a bad move, we need players and senior players at that to be responsible for setting and maintaining standards, it seems at the moment there is a lack of leadership in the side.

[Doc_Piptorious]

The fans left, you want the fans to stay.. show some fight, passion and desire. Maybe Szob should be directing that frustration at his own team mates who are being paid hundreds of thousands pw to represent the club and the city, instead of gesturing to the fans who are paying a porportion of their weekly wages to do a return trip to go to see a football match in which their team gave up. Tone deaf for me and I'd hope that it was just in the moment and that he can reflect after the fact.

And maybe he did in the dressing room and was just pissed off with them at the end of the game which then spilled into what happened between him and the support.


Is a tiny thing in the grand scheme of things for me and not a stick to beat him with no more than the supporters venting their displeasure is a stick to beat them with.


Don't think it was tone deaf at all. It was a heat of the moment reaction. Be different if he came out later on and criticised the fans in an interview or said something in a calmer enviroment.


For me what VVD said was far worse. Coming out and just saying he and others simply gave up. He should be embarrassed to admit that and is far more worthy of the ire of supporters for those words.

Can take a guy with fight in him reacting in the heat of the moment, especially is that guy then goes on to work hard in the games that follow it, but guys coming out and calmly stating that they just quit???...nah have no time for that sort of spineless shyte.

You mentioned how much they earn and what not...well for me the high earner coming out and saying he just gave up is a far more tone deaf statement to offer the supporters, and from the comfort of an interview area too, than what came from the guy fronting up to them.

Even more insulting is the fact it is not the first time VVD has come out this season with a "we let people down by giving up" trype statement after a game. Well Virgil you are the capatin, you and the other senior guys need to be having a word with yourselves and then working out how to at the very least leave it all out on the pitch during games. I don't give a toss if the do not like the coach or his tactics, if VVD is so worried about the supporters that will be there long after the coach is gone, then the least he and his teammates can do is put a shift in and especially when there is some adversity. Slot does not force them to pull out of 50/50s, to take two or three touches before playing a pass and to not work hard.

Repeating myself here but when Slot goes, I hope some of the quitters get moved on with him. Prefer to have a bunch of slightly less talented players that will fight for each other and for results rather than guys living off of reputations that now just give up when it gets tough.

[Slinky Skills]

Szob has been great this season but when fans have travelled hours, paid big money and decide to leave early because we are getting smashed 3 or 4 nil and have clearly given up as a team... he probably needs to shut the **** up and concentrate on the game (In which he played awful). Comes across as bit tone deaf imo.

[danperkins]

The fans left, you want the fans to stay.. show some fight, passion and desire. Maybe Szob should be directing that frustration at his own team mates who are being paid hundreds of thousands pw to represent the club and the city, instead of gesturing to the fans who are paying a porportion of their weekly wages to do a return trip to go to see a football match in which their team gave up. Tone deaf for me and I'd hope that it was just in the moment and that he can reflect after the fact.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Szob has been great this season but when fans have travelled hours, paid big money and decide to leave early because we are getting smashed 3 or 4 nil and have clearly given up as a team... he probably needs to shut the **** up and concentrate on the game (In which he played awful). Comes across as bit tone deaf imo.

Two sides to that though.

If supporters can see the players as fair game to vent against, then the same must apply the other way. Depending on what is said and so on.

Szobo has shown plenty of battle and effort this season and for me he is one of few that has earned to right to fight his corner. Does not mean the supporters cannot boo a performance and so on, but Szobo has worked his arse off to earn the right to reply/react/respond and for the exchange just to be a robust exchange of differing views rather that one that creates a genuine divide.

Is not like Szobo is the first Liverpool player to have a pop from the pitch at the Liverpool support

[danperkins]

Szob has been great this season but when fans have travelled hours, paid big money and decide to leave early because we are getting smashed 3 or 4 nil and have clearly given up as a team... he probably needs to shut the **** up and concentrate on the game (In which he played awful). Comes across as bit tone deaf imo.

[Doc_Piptorious]

this is the way of it today , young kids getting paid millions, its impossible not to become a bit of a flash git when you get so much. Not keen on him bashing Dom though, one of the more genuine fighters in the team who has consistently given so much.

These guys have to say something controversial to get likes and views, its easy to have a dig especially when something is going south. Would he have made the comment if Liverpool where six points clear at the top? I doubt it..