Football 2025-26

[Ben7amin_]

Salah up against players like Dragusin. (who is no where near premier league standard).  fills me with fear - His record against Spurs is Phenomenal -   I though he looked like a shadow of his former self

 

Spurs had this with Son last season -  its tough - but sometimes you have to let go- 

 

 

[Ben7amin_]

Dominik Szoboszlai is probably Liverpools best player IMO -   Playing him at RB is nuts -  man should be controlling the game from the center of the pitch -    

[charlierc]

30 minutes ago, Ben7amin_ said:

Dominik Szoboszlai is probably Liverpools best player IMO -   Playing him at RB is nuts -  man should be controlling the game from the center of the pitch -    

Frimpong was signed for big money to replace Alexander-Arnold at right-back yet here is at right wing with Szobo at RB. It's a choice, put it that way. 

 

I admit I support a club playing Woltemade CM and Gordon as the striker, but you know... there's a fair amount of these kind of square pegs in round holes popping up at present.

 

Seemed to me as though Liverpool thought yesterday a rotated team could do the job and rest some key men for the Galatasaray second leg. Obviously not.

[Skip997]

54 minutes ago, Ben7amin_ said:

Dominik Szoboszlai is probably Liverpools best player IMO -   Playing him at RB is nuts -  man should be controlling the game from the center of the pitch -    

Completely shite and inexplicable coaching and tactics. Slot really hasn’t got a clue. It’s becoming clearer by the day that last season’s PL win was down to the players still having the Klopp factor. 

[kaosmark2]

8 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Completely shite and inexplicable coaching and tactics. Slot really hasn’t got a clue. It’s becoming clearer by the day that last season’s PL win was down to the players still having the Klopp factor. 

I watched a lot more of your lot last season and it felt like the handbrake had been put on Klopp's team. Get a lead with it still working like Klopp, then pass sideways instead of push for a 2nd/3rd. Very Mourinho-esque (including the complimentary side of how that early Duff/Robben/Drogba/Lampard attack would be for the 1st half of games). 

 

But, the workload that midfield three had to put in every game was unsustainable twice a week and there was little rotation. By late February they looked knackered. Szoboslai seems to have recovered but honestly MacAllister to me looks like he's still recovering from last season's games let alone this year's. 

 

Add in Salah declining (and I think the signs have been there since a few months before Klopp left), and the failure to sign a CB or DM, and it makes a lot of sense. But that's before you factor a huge summer spend for only 2 success stories (Ekitike from the start, Wirtz from 2m ago).

 

Edit as I'd accidentally clicked a "post" shortcut, but while I don't think Slot is quite as awful as you say, he's got terrible instincts around how/when to rotate players, and the man-management doesn't seem to be there. The fall-out with Salah I blame both parties (Klopp also had one), but I think another big part around winning the league last season was the only 2 other potential contenders being shite.

Edited March 16 by kaosmark2

[Skip997]

Seems Slot has no man management skills or the ability to motivate.

 

Hearing lots recently about the large number of days off he gives both the players and himself.

[thetime]

25 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Seems Slot has no man management skills or the ability to motivate.

 

Hearing lots recently about the large number of days off he gives both the players and himself.

 

Boss gives his staff extra days off. If my boss did that, I would say thats amazing man management skills. 😀

[balti-pie]

4 hours ago, Skip997 said:

 

 

Increasingly empty seats and ticket returns, this doesn’t happen at Anfield

Its happening at loads of grounds - the arse is falling out of premier league football cos of cost and just general apathy and the over-availability of football on tv. Its been coming for the last half decade to be fair. 

Everyone's off to non league, i welcome it! more interesting grounds and a far more fun and local experience. Ive got three grounds fairly near to me, all of which i can walk home from, and two of them are a tenner - thats so much easier and more fun than £60 on basically every premier league ground 

[Skip997]

Just now, balti-pie said:

Its happening at loads of grounds - the arse is falling out of premier league football cos of cost and just general apathy and the over-availability of football on tv. Its been coming for the last half decade to be fair. 

Everyone's off to non league, i welcome it! more interesting grounds and a far more fun and local experience. Ive got three grounds fairly near to me, all of which i can walk home from, and two of them are a tenner - thats so much easier and more fun than £60 on basically every premier league ground 

Nearest lower tier football near me is Forest Green Rovers. I like their sustainability ethos and it would be a laugh seeing Savage on the touch line 

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, Skip997 said:

Seems Slot has no man management skills or the ability to motivate.

 

Hearing lots recently about the large number of days off he gives both the players and himself.

That takes me back. That was a massive complaint about Steve Bruce at Newcastle taking any opportunity he could to go away to his villa in Portugal.

[balti-pie]

1 hour ago, Skip997 said:

Nearest lower tier football near me is Forest Green Rovers. I like their sustainability ethos and it would be a laugh seeing Savage on the touch line 

Lovely ground too, ive wandered about on the pitch there! I have a habit of seeking out football grounds when i'm somewhere new, and probably 90% of them have an open gate somewhere - its a very recommended pastime (apart from the arsehole at Tynecastle who got proper shirty and wanted to get me arrested, i've hated Hearts ever since - the fella at Hibs was lovely and showed me around by contrast) 

[lost]

2 hours ago, balti-pie said:

Its happening at loads of grounds - the arse is falling out of premier league football cos of cost and just general apathy and the over-availability of football on tv. Its been coming for the last half decade to be fair. 

 

 

It seems bizarre to me that we have the top league and the powers that be seem determined to drive fans away, not only the cost, you look at how inadequate our VAR officals have been, the rules on crowding goal keepers that appear to be completely different when watching european football, some of the financial rulings such as Chelsea today vs Forest, Everton, Leicester. Feels incompetent to the point you'd claim a conspiracy or scripted reality like WWE.

[kaosmark2]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ckg2m450zgzo

 

Dock them 50 points IMO.

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, lost said:

It seems bizarre to me that we have the top league and the powers that be seem determined to drive fans away, not only the cost, you look at how inadequate our VAR officals have been, the rules on crowding goal keepers that appear to be completely different when watching european football, some of the financial rulings such as Chelsea today vs Forest, Everton, Leicester. Feels incompetent to the point you'd claim a conspiracy or scripted reality like WWE.

They actually do want to drive fans away though! They've made the judgment that season-ticket holders are barely profitable and you just have to tolerate them. What they want is just enough regulars to know the songs so they can sell tickets to Americans for "the experience" who'll then spend £400 in the club shop as part of their "once in a lifetime" visit. 

 

The entire structure of the PL is about selling it to Americans. Selling the TV rights, the tickets, the merch. It's not about the local family who's had 4-6 season tickets across 3 generations, it's about cramming enough tourist fans in.

[pink_triangle]

10 hours ago, Skip997 said:

They’ve been “trained” to be poor with negative and cowardly tactics. Stopping and passing back when there’s clear chances to attack. It’s down to Slot.

 

The players get multiple breaks of days at a time during the season. Slot takes holidays during the season.

 

For him it’s just another job. This doesn’t work at Liverpool, you need to properly connect with the club, the players and the fans.

 

Increasingly empty seats and ticket returns, this doesn’t happen at Anfield

What I saw looked like players who were not doing the basics right, I just don’t believe elite level players get that coached out of them. To me the likes of Allison, VVD and Salah used to be among the best in the world, unfortunately age catches up with everyone and no amount of coaching will stop the aging process.

[pink_triangle]

6 hours ago, Skip997 said:

Nearest lower tier football near me is Forest Green Rovers. I like their sustainability ethos and it would be a laugh seeing Savage on the touch line 

When I go to away games I like to visit and the town and look around. I remember going to Forest Green and it was no bigger than the village I live!

[pink_triangle]

6 hours ago, balti-pie said:

 

Everyone's off to non league, i welcome it! more interesting grounds and a far more fun and local experience. Ive got three grounds fairly near to me, all of which i can walk home from, and two of them are a tenner - thats so much easier and more fun than £60 on basically every premier league ground 

I remember when Wrexham were in the national league (for far too long) I did Alfreton, Tamworth, Nuneaton, Stamford and probably a few more I have forgotten. I was glad when those years ended, but loved going to these places you would never normally visit.

[charlierc]

Going from 2-2 in first half stoppage time to this. Oh dear God

[kaosmark2]

Honestly less bothered by our result that I might have been. A couple of stupid moments in the first half, but honestly, being competitive against Barca for 135/180 minutes was good to see. They were just so good that first 15 minutes of today's 2nd half and credit to them for that.

 

Also thought Galatasaray would be better than that. Switched to the Spurs game just after half time and they still have some quality players, but I dunno if this is just the CL shop window to find moves thing.

[pink_triangle]

Good for the tournament to cull so many of the English teams, probably one too many Spanish though

[charlierc]

56 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

Good for the tournament to cull so many of the English teams, probably one too many Spanish though

Tbf I did think this was going to be the end result. Admittedly Spurs being the only one of those who suffered 3 goal defeats last week being the only one to win wasn't expected but I thought it would be Arsenal and Liverpool going through to the next stage with the rest going out. 

 

If nothing else Barcelona v Atletico Madrid in the next round guarantees one Spanish side is going out. Plus I would have Bayern Munich as potentially favourites against Real Madrid. 

 

Maybe. 

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, kaosmark2 said:

Honestly less bothered by our result that I might have been. A couple of stupid moments in the first half, but honestly, being competitive against Barca for 135/180 minutes was good to see. They were just so good that first 15 minutes of today's 2nd half and credit to them for that.

 

Also thought Galatasaray would be better than that. Switched to the Spurs game just after half time and they still have some quality players, but I dunno if this is just the CL shop window to find moves thing.

I had commitments so was driving as the second half was going on but it felt relentless with one goal after another. Tonali limping off and being doubtful for Sunday isn't helpful either. 

 

I agree there's a strange paradox about it being a point of pride that until the penalty that made it 3-2, we really were giving them a good game and then it spectacularly went wrong. 

 

Hints as well that defence is going to need an extra body next season. To go seemingly with every other thing on the damn list. 

[Gnomicide]

After last night's display, it'll be interesting to see what Slot does against Brighton on Saturday. Probably stick Szoboszlai at right back, drop Ekitike and stick Gakpo up front. Hopefully this time lessons have been learned.

 

Some mad scores in the Champions League this week, always good to see the other English teams get battered, but that will no doubt come and bite me on my arse when PSG rock up in a few weeks.

[charlierc]

3 hours ago, Gnomicide said:

Some mad scores in the Champions League this week, always good to see the other English teams get battered, but that will no doubt come and bite me on my arse when PSG rock up in a few weeks.

Forgive me for not enjoying being on the end of one of those batterings.

 

Although it is what it is. Our defence just collapsed in the opening 15 minutes or so of the second half having been competitive for the 3 halves before that. It is what it is. Plus I suspect it means we're going to need to redevelop the area as Trippier and Burn are getting on while Thiaw looks like a player we've made play a stupid amount of football since joining us.

 

Losing Tonali could be really unhelpful, mind. Painful that Bruno's already on the sidelines. And allegedly of interest to Man United, with all the rumours of exits meaning this could be a headache of a summer. Again.

[kaosmark2]

1 hour ago, charlierc said:

Forgive me for not enjoying being on the end of one of those batterings.

 

Although it is what it is. Our defence just collapsed in the opening 15 minutes or so of the second half having been competitive for the 3 halves before that. It is what it is. Plus I suspect it means we're going to need to redevelop the area as Trippier and Burn are getting on while Thiaw looks like a player we've made play a stupid amount of football since joining us.

 

Losing Tonali could be really unhelpful, mind. Painful that Bruno's already on the sidelines. And allegedly of interest to Man United, with all the rumours of exits meaning this could be a headache of a summer. Again.

I'm paying 0 attention to the Bruno to Man U rumours. I just don't believe it. Real/Barca/Bayern sure, but he is the one star player I think will stay unless it's silly money to one of the European giants.

 

Thiaw has had to play stupid amounts because Burn spent 7 weeks out with broken ribs and Schar has been out for basically the whole season after a potential career-ending challenge from DCL. I suspect in January they couldn't find someone they viewed as a long term replacement for one of Burn/Schar, so held off. I don't actually think the club's recruitment team are stupid about the gaps, it's just wanting to see where the club finishes, what European prize money there is (both this season and next), and budget/plan around that.

 

Home derby match at the weekend, and last game for 3 weeks due to internationals into FA Cup. I'm worried about Sunday but still have to be excited for it, and then hopefully the international break gives us a chance to get at least 2 of Bruno/Miley/Tonali back along with Livramento ready to start matches. I think there's reasons to hope we can look up the table not down and think about having a deep Europa run next season.