Agree with the above. If we play like we did tonight, especially the second half, we will qualify for the CL even with some tougher fixtures coming up.
The flip side is if we play like we have done on far too many occasions this season, we will miss out. It feels touch and go, but hopefully with more rest built in, now that we are only going for one prize, we will do it.
And while we’ve been crap, I would love it if we somehow beat Man Utd to third spot. They are starting to puff out their chests again so it would be good if such a struggling and out of sorts Liverpool side is still able to put them in their box.
edit - Everton are likely the “strongest” team we have left to play. Escape that w/o any further damage to the roster (sorry for trolling) - we could be in a good way.
I didn’t see the result until yesterday morning… 0-2. I mean, I wasn’t really expecting a miracle, but a part of me still… hoped
It just felt like the last bit of air leaving an already flat tyre. Now what? Can’t see them rousing themselves enough in these last few games. The team’s fucked, and now Hugo’s out. Could be thoroughly depressing.. some draws… some defeats…
Maybe not even Europa league… but perhaps that’s what’s needed now? A season to reset, build strong, come back in 2027.
(Having fixtures against Chelsea and Brentford at home is better than playing a couple of random other teams that have no gain on us, and which would possibly result in games of their lives and beat us. The players know the consequence well in advance before walking out onto the Anfield pitch, likely the 2 biggest games left of the season, they have to raise their performance)
I expect Slot to start as coach at the beginning of next season.
(The thought that cemented that for me was that recent press conference where he stated that LFC will have to sell players before they buy this summer, there was no real reason for him to announce that, given we know the players definitely leaving anyway, so I don’t believe it was his announcement, it was pre-arranged instructions from the club for him to announce it publicly, get the message out there now, no mind blowing players incoming).
I don’t expect Alonso replacing Slot next.
(Unless he’s already spoken to the powers that be that he’s no longer in favour of this dynamic 3-5-2 / 5-3-2 systems he’s had success with and also recently experimented unsuccessfully with. Asking players to change the formation in game depending on scoreline or opposition tacticals is complete nonsense considering we don’t really have 3 CB’s certain to be playing/starting in the first match next season at this moment in time).
If we’re changing management then for me they need to go all out for another Basque fella and arrange a meeting with Andoni Iraola as he’s played mostly 4-2-3-1, which is our future setup with Wirtz behind Isak, plus he looks the next coach to take a massive step up!
( I don’t expect that to happen, rumoured to be going back to 12th place Bilbao due to homesickness and disappointment with Bournemouth selling their best talent. But how much does it cost to persuade a talented coach for a major pay rise to get over the homesick thing and consequently hit the peak of his career. He could bring that Senesi and Evanilson over with him, there’s definitely a space available for a Brazilian forward up top as we miss one badly )
Evanilson is an interesting shout. We already have Ekitike and Isak at CF - curious what the rationale would be behind signing another CF, especially one who has only scored 6 times this season?
We still have CP, manure and the chavs, aston villa and Brentford to go to…
Chavs is free falling but did us in at Stamford bridge. Crystal Palace has screwed us 3 times this season already. Manure and Brentford did us in at Anfield earlier.
The only match that looks promising for us is Aston Villa.
I don’t see the rationale at all to sign another striker who is purely a striker because of Ekitike’s injury or Ekitike’s apparent ability to play out wide (even if so far he showed very promising things centrally).
For me it would create even more of a mess than we have now with questions how it will all work together.
Fair enough, I’m following your logic. I’d rather a better player of we were to sign someone - I think he’s a striker that Bournemouth are probably looking to upgrade on if possible - but it’s not a ridiculous suggestion.
It won’t be a popular answer but for me Cody Gakpo should be our 2nd choice striker under Isak. I think he was doing a decent job there as a withdrawn 9 before Slot swapped him back to LW.
100%. We have far more room (and need) to improve the side with a new starting LW than striker, so bring in that player and let Cody compete for spot and buy us the fall back option of playing Cody alongside the new LW. He did fine there under Klopp in this first season and a half. Not well enough to lock it down, but its not like he’s satisfactorily locked down the LW role either.
For me this summer is about a plan to find a way to make the best use of the talent we already have and that aligns with this approach to Gakpo
Alonso used 433/4231 set ups at Sociedad, Bayer and Real Madrid didnt he, not just the 352/343 system, so I don’t see why he would have an issue with doing so here.
Iraola impressed at Bournemouth but I don’t know if that is enough to get him the job here - he hasnt won silverware there, and there have been periods in which he went on runs without winning a game that largely go unnoticed when at a club like Bournemouth but would be problematic if at a club like ours. That creates a lot of uncertainty which I think the board would avoid.
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