𝗔𝗡𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗟𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗘 ⚡︎

I’ve lived through some absolutely piss poor teams, endured some piss poor managers, and watched us throw money at genuinely piss poor players. And most of the time, I never expected much. Hope, yes. Miracles, no. But this season is different. This is easily the most disappointing I can remember. We are supposed to be Premier League champions. We have spent £400m. And for that, we are served up the most boring, lifeless brand of football I have ever had the misfortune of sitting through. No intensity. No swagger. No fear factor. Just sideways passing and players who look scared to take responsibility. To be 15 points off the top when we are only halfway through the season is not just poor, it is embarrassing. There are no excuses at this level. Not with that budget. Not with that squad. Not with those expectations. Slot has sucked the life out of this team. Whatever philosophy he is trying to implement has stripped away everything that made us dangerous. We look coached to death, cautious, predictable, and miles away from a side that once overwhelmed teams. If this is control, it is control without threat, and it is painful to watch. And Hughes deserves just as much scrutiny. Spending that amount of money and ending up with a squad that looks unbalanced, slow, and devoid of personality is unacceptable. Recruitment was meant to push us forward, not leave us standing still while everyone else flies past. What makes it worse is the complete lack of identity and accountability. You cannot tell what we are trying to be, and nobody seems to be held responsible when it goes wrong. That hurts more than any single defeat. This is not a rebuild. It is a regression. And watching it unfold week after week is honestly grim. Disgusting, even.

You have to respect Richard Hughes for taking the back end of June and all of July off before making his big move to Saudi.

@Maloops Hopefully

@anfieldforge I think the new boss will push for cb and rbm

I believe Jacquet, Muuoz and Barcola make up our entire transfer budget. That's why there aren't really any genuine links to other players at the moment. Any further signings will be based on who is sold and how much money those sales raise. Potential departures include Gakpo, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Elliott, Jones and Endo. Let's see who leaves over the rest of the window and who Liverpool bring in.

@Styletix If his Austrian club didnt deem him good enough for the Austrian league how does he start in Germany?

@anfieldforge Natural progression for a player his age is probably the reason. The strength of the Bundesliga is a level that would better prepare him for the Prem. If theres a club that would be willing to offer consistent game time, then its probably a preferred destination

Ifeanyi Ndukwe played just one minute of senior football for Austria Wien last season in the Austrian Bundesliga, so I'm struggling to understand why so many people think he'll end up on loan at a Bundesliga club this season. If he wasn't considered good enough to get meaningful minutes in the Austrian league, what makes people think he's suddenly good enough for the German Bundesliga, which is a far higher standard? He's clearly got talent but potential alone doesn't earn you a move at that level. The far more logical step would be a loan to Belgian Pro League, the Dutch Eredivisie or another league where he can actually play regular senior football

@FPLSteve_45 Your'e clearly thick.

@anfieldforge He didn’t get any mins because he was 17 and played for the youth team you absolute special 🤣

All of these players have just one year left on their contracts. - Van Dijk (35) - Endo (33) - Gomez (29) - Alisson (33) - Jones (25) - Tsimikas (30) - Elliott (23) Who are you selling, who are you releasing and who are you renewing? Personally, I'd sell Endo, Gomez, Tsimikas and Elliott. I'd renew Jones's contract and I'd let Alisson and Van Dijk see out the final year of their deals. What's everyone else doing?

When your car keeps breaking down, you fix it and sell it.

Andoni Iraola has made it clear he wants all of his wingers to be comfortable playing on both flanks because it makes the attack far more unpredictable. To me, that only points in one direction. Cody Gakpo is being sold. He's at his best from the left and isn't nearly as effective on the right, so he doesn't really fit what Iraola seems to want from his wide players. Gakpo is also one of the most predictable wingers I've seen. He hasn't got the pace to consistently beat his man on the outside, so almost every attack follows the same pattern, cut inside onto his right foot. Defenders know exactly what's coming, which is the complete opposite of the unpredictability Iraola demands from his wide players.

@Liverbird6times Relevance?

@anfieldforge He is 18 you dumb prick

@calum_ritchie He's training, but he's not with the pre-season squad. The pre-season squad are in America and have a game on Sunday. He's back at the AXA Training Centre with Gakpo.

@anfieldforge I agree a new defender is needed but why lie about Van Dijk? He’s literally back training

Giovani Leoni hasn't played a match since September. Jeremy Jacquet hasn't played a match since February. Joe Gomez lasted just seven minutes of pre-season before picking up yet another injury. Virgil van Dijk still isn't back for pre-season and Liverpool's first Premier League game is only four weeks away.

Endo (33), Gomez (29), Jones (25), Tsimikas (30) and Elliott (23) all have just one year left on their contracts. Jones is the only one I'd even consider offering a new deal to although I'm not convinced he'd sign it. The rest should be sold while they still have value rather than leaving for nothing next summer.

Newcastle are just fucked aren't they.

This cant be the pitch were playing on 😭😭😭

Liverpool should sell Tsimikas and Gomez. They're both in the final year of their contracts so this is the last chance to get a decent fee. Tsimikas simply isn't at the level required, while Gomez's constant injury problems mean he's become too unreliable to depend on. Bring in Andrea Cambiaso and Jules Kounde. Cambiaso can play both left back and right back, while Kounde is equally comfortable at centre back and right back. At 26 and 27, they're both in their prime, proven at the highest level and would immediately raise the quality of the defence. Two players out. Two players in. Three positions covered. Better quality, more versatility, greater availability, lower average age, wages freed up and no risk of losing Tsimikas and Gomez for nothing next summer. That's exactly the kind of smart squad building Liverpool should be aiming for.

@Melodicish Blokes always ill....

@anfieldforge He's ill

No Chiesa in the squad for tonight's game against Wrexham. Injured... or is a transfer on the cards? 🤔

Matias Fernandez-Pardo is exactly the sort of signing I'd be looking at. He started out as a left winger before being converted into a striker last season, so he'd give us quality cover right across the front line. He's lightning quick, direct, and loves running at defenders. With Ekitike injured his versatility would be a massive asset and he's still got huge room to develop. If bringing him in meant selling Gakpo to help fund the deal, I'd do it without hesitation. He's younger, offers more flexibility and fits the long term rebuild far better.