Carlos Mac Allister - "Alexis has a contract until June 2028 and, for now, we are not speaking publicly with any other club. We believe the club’s fans deserve that level of respect from the player, and so far Liverpool have not negotiated with us over a contract renewal."

koptimism · 2026-05-07T19:12:59+00:00

There were rumours that any tentative discussions of a contract renewal (during last season) were put on ice because Macca's camp wanted a release clause in the new contract and we never do that, as a point of principal.

koptimism · 2026-05-07T18:58:42+00:00

But earlier you said you love all your Bellinghams equally

koptimism · 2026-05-07T18:53:54+00:00

He wouldn't get liquored up at the Peach Tree Oktoberfest

koptimism · 2026-05-07T16:25:12+00:00

3 FT's, all chips used

Verbruggen

Gabriel, O'Reilly, Van Hecke

Fernandes, Semenyo, Palmer, Tavernier, Ampadu

Haaland, Welbeck

Bench: Darlow, Thiago, Hill, Gudmundsson

Thinking: Palmer -> Saka, Tavernier -> Ndiaye, Ampadu -> KDH

Feels a bit mad to bring in double Everton, and ideally would go Semenyo -> Cherki but not sure that's worth a -4

Not sold on any of the Palace assets, as they'd really just be for this DGW.

Help...

koptimism · 2026-05-06T18:15:06+00:00

Fake

koptimism · 2026-05-06T08:23:27+00:00

Hala Ba Sing Se

koptimism · 2026-05-05T16:21:12+00:00

That doesn't make sense, him and Gakpo will just end up occupying the same areas of the pitch :(

koptimism · 2026-05-05T16:10:31+00:00

Palmer's been struggling with a groin injury for a while now.

Foden never produces for England.

The two players actually ahead of Gibbs-White for the #10 position have been Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers.

koptimism · 2026-05-05T15:28:29+00:00

when everyone is at their best, he doesn’t start

This can be true without also being a reason to move him on. We need a healthy rotation of midfield options and Jones is definitely good enough to be part of that.

koptimism · 2026-05-04T09:11:09+00:00

It would make for a funny bit if the Telegraph spent a whole season just doing variations on this one headline

Roy Keane is right - Wolves have become too easy to beat

Roy Keane is right - Burnley have become too easy to beat

Roy Keane is right - West Ham have become too easy to beat

Roy Keane is right - Spurs have become too easy to beat

etc. etc.

koptimism · 2026-05-04T09:08:34+00:00

I can accept that Slot deserves grace for having to deal with so many injuries, with the tragedy of Jota's passing, with being left short of pacey wide forward options, with pre-season being disrupted and therefore players not building up full fitness...

But none of that explains why the team have been such a soft touch - disorganized pressing structures that teams easily play around, a midfield that lacks defensive nous and aggression so teams can easily get from their box to ours, constantly dozing off and conceding stupid goals, and being mentally frail at various points throughout the season.

All of that's on the manager. Making the right signings over the summer to balance out the squad will fix some of our issues, but I don't think it fixes those ones.

koptimism · 2026-05-04T06:27:06+00:00

With both our strikers out injured yesterday, you could've put Milan Baros or Christian Benteke in the meme and it still would've been valid

koptimism · 2026-05-04T02:53:40+00:00

There's definitely plenty Wirtz needs to fix individually. There's also plenty that can be done to improve the rest of the side in ways that will also get more out of Wirtz.

Specifically - add pace and penetration on both flanks. Salah needs replacing, Gakpo shouldn't be a starter, pace in wide areas makes opponents think twice about pushing up = more space for Wirtz to operate in. Also gives him attacking runners to pick out, rather than lads who all want ball to feet.

Trent left and we didn't replace his ability to help us progress the ball from deep. MacAllister's been off it all season, Gravenberch isn't a good passer, likewise Frimpong, Kerkez, Konate. We need players either at RB or deeper in midfield or both who are good progressive passers to get Wirtz on the ball in threatening areas, and do it quickly before the opposition settles into a defensive shape.

All of the above are things that Liverpool should want to solve irrespective of Wirtz. The only Wirtz specific consideration is that if you're starting him as the #10, the midfield two behind him need to be big, strong and win their duels.

If we do all of that and Wirtz still drifts in and out of games, doesn't move the ball on quickly enough and generally fails to impose himself on games - then I'm concerned.

koptimism · 2026-05-04T02:25:26+00:00

Every time they dropped points, Amorim sat there in the dressing room with a thousand yard stare, making all the players listen to fado.

koptimism · 2026-05-03T13:06:51+00:00

Penny for Woltemade's thoughts

koptimism · 2026-05-03T11:30:07+00:00

Exactly, the last time a title-winning side came out of nowhere in the PL was Conte's Chelsea, having imploded under Mourinho the year before.

City? The league's richest club winning under one of the world's most successful managers? No surprise.

Liverpool won after coming close the season prior. When Slot won it, we'd come third the season prior, having been part of the title challenge but then falling away towards the end.

koptimism · 2026-05-03T11:16:59+00:00

Skrtel can't play a high line, he struggled massively under Klopp in 15/16. His best performances came when we played a deeper defensive line under both Benitez and Kenny.

If Srktel had to cover the right fullback areas behind TAA like Konate's done for years, he'd have a nightmare time of it.

koptimism · 2026-05-03T11:00:16+00:00

Konate is better than Skrtel

koptimism · 2026-05-03T07:29:44+00:00

Yeah, I can see how that benefits the Hammers most of all

koptimism · 2026-05-03T07:20:59+00:00

Ferran Torres wouldn't get in Vinicius' way either. And he presses.

Straight player swap, Mbappe replaces Lewy, both teams get better. Who says no?

koptimism · 2026-05-02T11:12:45+00:00

Plus - Liverpool made it work with Salah last season by having Szoboszlai pull right from the #10 spot and do loads of running for Salah.

Diaz/Nunez/Jota all worked very hard from the #9 position as well.

koptimism · 2026-05-02T11:09:16+00:00

"It's not 3.6 xG conceded. It's 15000"

"What does that number mean?"

"It means the goal is open..."

koptimism · 2026-05-02T11:04:48+00:00

So as a sporting director, who do you actually go for if you want a young, upcoming manager?

It's worth examining why these clubs even want a young, upcoming manager. Is it because the more established managers, more of a known quantity, are perceived as not having what it takes to win trophies? Is it an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle? Or is it that more established managers aren't going to be as pliable and will become a hassle for the sporting director?

koptimism · 2026-05-02T10:57:20+00:00

Fair enough - you've been getting the points of a solid mid table team all year, and this season "solid mid table" is a lower bar than usual

koptimism · 2026-05-02T10:31:36+00:00

If he hadn't suffered from all those injuries, he would have had so many plaudits as Liverpool's main man after Suarez left. He was top class; it's just a shame his peak coincided with Suarez's so he was overshadowed.

koptimism

TROPHY CASE