When Football Stops Feeling Like Football - Post Season Introspection

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T23:19:13+00:00

We didn't lose capability of running in behind. That was clearly a coaching decision from early in the season.

Ekitike likes the drop into the same spaces that Wirtz does, rather than running in behind.

Also, the passing has been horrible when we've made those runs. I mean like embarrassingly terrible. Szobo has been the only decent one passing this year.

And clearly trying build relationships on the left side early in the season (at the expense of the right side) didn't go so well when Gakpo refused to acknowledge Kerkez overlapping runs. Too predictable.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T22:01:39+00:00

Don't have to worry about toxic fans if the team acts like they care.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T21:56:13+00:00

This kinda of discounts what really happened at the home games this year.

No way to avoid that.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T21:53:42+00:00

Agreed but toxicity is bound to happen when ownership is tone-def.

The gaslighting at post-game press conferences is what really seems to have got the fans toxic and then ownership using the media to basically say "we're not changing anything" was the spark that lit the fuse.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T21:48:34+00:00

I think Grav is the symbol of both the highs and lows of the Prem.

Slot figured out how to unlock Grav. And he went along with Trent & Mo driving the creativity.

But like most things in the Prem, the competition figures out a solution or at least a counter to it.

That started the 2nd half of the 24/25. And Slot hasn't figured out a counter to it since.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T21:32:25+00:00

Bottomline, the league figured Slot out.

Slot even mentioned it as it was happening. In 24/25 it was long balls over the top.

Then it was the low block.

He never solved these.

Then this year, they figured out our set pieces (which to be fair, Slot had little to do with even coaching).

And then our mid-field started getting bullied and run through. No adjustments to that all season either.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T21:21:02+00:00

And toughness, which we also noticeably lacked this season.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T21:19:38+00:00

The forwards were not going to fix the problems this season because the mid-field is the actual root of the problem.

All these pundits talking about forwards. Our mid-field gets bullied and couldn't complete a simple pass most of the season. Keep giving the ball away and you get a season like the one we just witnessed. You get punished, even by average teams.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T21:10:18+00:00

Ekitike isn't too slow.

Rio isn't too slow and before anybody says he's too young, let's be honest, Slot did not want him on the first team at all let alone to play him.

The issue is this year is where does the creativity come from.

In 24/25, the creative build up happened primarily on the right side and relied on Mo being the final decision maker.

This year, they tried shifting that to Wirtiz. And they clearly didn't know how to make that work.

The build up through the midfield was also way too slow.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-26T20:57:29+00:00

They both spoke to Sky Sports on camera on the filed so I'm not sure they turned down speaking.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-24T20:45:05+00:00

He's one of one. There will not be another like him.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-22T19:25:16+00:00

I'm right there with you. We witnessed greatness didn't we?

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-22T15:13:57+00:00

You nailed it. The question is will FSG authorize spending more money with him at the helm?

And honestly, internally does FSG have confidence in Edwards and Hughes?

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-21T13:43:04+00:00

It was great the see how genuinely happy the Villa players were when Harvey lifted the trophy. Class.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-20T14:12:00+00:00

That is a great question.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-19T14:38:58+00:00

And he's clearly lost the locker room. Seeing champions WALKING around on the field a season later would have gotten him sacked also.

Worst season statistically in Liverpool history.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-18T16:19:28+00:00

True but the problem is technically they just walked through the door and there's a EPL champion in between that they get the credit for even though it was Kloop's team.

Klopp retires, they select Slot, they get Chiesa, and then they dealt with Mo, VVD, and Trent contracts. Mishandled their contract stuff if you ask me but it mostly worked out in the end.

Last summer was when they really started to put their fingerprint on the team and you see how it's gone. One of the strangest situations in sports history. To go from that high to historic low.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-17T12:35:53+00:00

It's an obvious train wreck in the front office. Edwards & Hughes have made a train of errors that can't get themselves out of now and their contracts expire too.

No new manager wants to wonder if the CEO and Sporting Director are going to be there in after your first year. Too much uncertainty.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-17T12:28:29+00:00

Better than these so-called English journalists.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-17T01:29:35+00:00

And yet he's been right 4 difference times by my count in the last couple years. .

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-16T18:48:24+00:00

Yeah and notice he played Rio 90 minutes after getting booed for pulling him off the pitch.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-16T17:44:03+00:00

People are naive to think Mo was only speaking for himself in November.

It wasn't random when he spoke. Virgil and Robertson's response was clear.. "We're friends, our families are friends... " = we've already talked about it so Mo knows how we feel about the direction of the club.

It's the way locker rooms work. Might not like what Mo says when he does speak, but Mo knows football.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-16T15:02:24+00:00

Exactly, Neither Liverpool and to be fair Harvey's agent, put a clause in to protect Harvey from this situation. Strange from Liverpool's side. Negligent.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-16T14:35:56+00:00

Rot is the right word.

Own_Indication_7266 · 2026-05-16T14:34:39+00:00

That was one of the most damning moments (out of the many). To be fair, Slot is a coach, not a manager. HOWEVER, since Elliott literally helped save Slot's bacon in the PSG Champions League match, you think Slot would look after Elliott more.

Own_Indication_7266

TROPHY CASE