He’s going after this season.
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I have no expectations this season other than being screwed by poor VAR and refereeing decisions.
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My expectations are that I’m going to enjoy watching the games again, that we’ll have some inevitable ups and downs, and that we finish in a CL qualifying position for 27-28.
Chelsea and Spurs should be MUCH better than last season, especially without the burden of European footy, Man U still seem a little stagnant, and City seem due for a drop off but as long as Haaland stays healthy and they service him, can’t seen them dropping too much. Plus, they’ll almost certainly still be adding more players by the end of the window.
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I expect we will play 38 games in the league, where we will collect 3 points for every game we win, 1 point for any game we draw, and then the total number of points we collect over those 38 games will decide where in the table we finish
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When has that ever helped? Certainly not us. It’s teams that are fully engaged in all competitions that do best…
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I thought he had gone.
I don’t think we’ve ever gone into a season with so many +/- that will shape how we do.
On the negative side we have lost 4 players who were vital to our success over the past 10 years. Salah and Robbo for the majority, Konate and Jones more recently. Our recruitment strategy to replace those players has been nothing short of fucking disgraceful whether by design or financially.
A number of players contributed nothing of note last season yet are still here. MacAllister, Endo, Chiesa, Gomez, Bradley, Gakpo, Isak, Wirtz, Frimpong.
VVD is surely entering his last season here as a regular starter.
Munoz, Aurujo, Leoni, Jacquet are unknown quantities.
Positives? I’m finding it hard to see any, but if the cards fall in our favour for a change that could change dramatically.
We have brought back Tsimikas and Elliott but much as I like them both I don’t see Tsimi as more than a squad player and don’t see where Harvey fits.
It’s impossible to imagine those players who under-performed last season being as bad again this time round. I think Chiesa and Gomez are done but if even 5 of the remaining 7 can give us a decent season then that will be a massive improvement.
Same with the new lads, hit the ground running and we’re laughing. It’ll take some weight of VVD for a start.
Ekiteke is another one. I really hope we see him back before Christmas, out of the signings we made last summer he’s the one who stood out. His injury was fucking gutting.
So many variables involved. We’ve been cursed as a club for years, if something can fuck us over it will. A change of fortune is well overdue.
If things go our way it’s more out of luck than design. Maybe our failure to spend is indication FSG are about to bail.
I wish Iraola all the luck in the world, he’s the man I wanted but the suits have set him up to fail imo. I’m not sure the neccessary shift in fortune is possible.
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The one positive is we have a better manager.
Could also clutch at straws a bit and say that Wirtz should be accustomed the league now and Isak is back.
You know what I want to see from this season? Some joy on the pitch.
Was watching some Firmino highlights videos and realised just how much joy there was amongst the players. Fun, enjoyment, pleasure, unbridled fucking joy playing together.
It wasn’t always about winning stuff. It was the fun celebrations, playing with confidence, appreciating a teammates contribution, the interactions with the fans, the manager and each other. Even the strop Sadio chucked at Burnley was turned into something fun.
They played to the crowd with passion and joy. So much of that now seems to have gone. It’s all functional, stale, boring and a bit hollow feeling. This team needs a moment. A big night under the Anfield lights where it clicks and the new heroes are born. It needs a raucous atmosphere that shows our appreciation and is a catalyst for their inspiration. It needs the players to connect with the club and each other.
I doubt it comes with a 12:30 kick off against Forest but something needs to kickstart this next incarnation of the team. I just want to see them enjoy playing for us and not like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Hopefully Iraola can ignite some passion in everyone, players and fans. And soon.
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Didn’t know where to post this…
That’s Slot’s work entirely, well done to him.
Iraola’s goal is to restore this bond between the players and the supporters, he has said it many times already. I obviously wish him to succeed in that task. If this bond gets restored, everything will be easier again, and the joy will return.
But the players need to play their heart out on that pitch, that’s the absolute prerequisite.
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My assessment of the squad at the end of the window.
1st eleven
2nd eleven
Overall for me the window scrapes a passing grade by the skin of its teeth, 40% and Douglas, but far more negatives than positives .
Positives
- We got the best winger available on the market (yes, I know we were in for Diomande, but nobody is telling me that an 18 year old kid with half a season football is better than Barcola)
- We got the wingers that Iraola was going need
- We got the fifth centre back that Gomez’ availability demanded
Negatives
- We are lopsided in attack with no natural right sided player
- No great solution to Ekitike’s absence
- We are arguably weaker in midfield (although that might be a temporary thing as Nyoni grows)
- We are still reliant on Bradley’s fitness at Right back, with Frimpong an awkward fit in the position
- The back up keeper is not that reliable
- Still have unfancied players in Chiesa and Endo taking up space in the squad.
It’s hard to believe that a squad that has had so much money spent on it still feels like it has work to do, but there you go. At least the next phase of work seems very clear and obvious, but Liverpool have made a recent habit of making things very difficult for themselves.
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Sort out the goalkeeper situation. We seem to have bought the lad we see as the long term, but I don’t think we can ask an 18 year old to replace Ali, so unless we can the big feller to extend, we’ll need to sign an experienced keeper to cover us for a couple years
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Replacement Left Back to cover Kerkez (there might be a young player to bring through) with Tsimikas departing.
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I think expecting Bradley to be our first choice right back and play 40 games is going to end in tears, so we need a good Right Back to share the minutes with Conor, for his protection as well as the teams.
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We should be looking to get a strong, mobile midfielder, and move on Mac Allister.
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Sell Gakpo, and get a proper right wing option like Rayan or Minteh.
So my expectations for the season are a top four finish, which should be well within reach for this squad, a decent run in the CL. But a bigger expectation from me is that the club are proactive in making sure that we are not pissing around trying to fill gaps this time next year. With the majority of the work above, the spade work can be done through the year. Liverpool do not need to make this over complicated by getting themselves embroiled in sagas trying to sign unique market opportunities. The brief is simple. Resolve the keeper situation, make a decision about Left Back, buy a right back, buy a DM, buy a right winger. If we get to June 1st 2027 and it looks like it did this year - the recruitment team are waking up, stretching, yawning, scratching their arses and sitting down for a think about what to do next - I’ll be really disappointed.
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Interestingly, regarding no right wingers, but 3 of our goals have come from players playing there.
Munez’s penalty and his goal a d Gakpo’s assist.
Not too shabby.
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Where is Gomez?
Expectations for the season:
- Giving it all every single minute of everygame both LFC players, staff as well as fans
- Enjoying having a gaffer who’s got an idea of what he wants to see on and off the football pitch
- Enjoying and seing players playing to their potentials
and thats about it, whatever position it may be at the end of the season,
make us fans proud and be proud to wear the liverbird on your chest.
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Good post @Mascot
I think i´d still start Gakpo over Muñoz. I think he can do the job for now from the right but Muñoz could make it his own. Agree with getting a very good RW in January or when they become available.
On the midfield, I´d sign a holding player and a ball player in theory but for now a holding player would be fine. On Nyoni, I´ve seen you mention he should start a few times and I agree. I´d be tempted to bump him up to first XI or at least play him in the next few games and see if he can give us that sitting protection and better passing. If he is as good as we think, he could see us even better off in midfield than last year.
Have to say, we have much better wing options now. Other than Rio, 3 of the 4 have shown they can at least be reasonable on the right. If Salah was at the Afcon or injured last season, we had to rely on Frimpong there out of position. I feel more comfortable about that.
Great post my thoughts entirely, just give your all and make us proud and run through that brick wall for the team and we’ll be alongside you cheering.
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