Post Match v Newcastle (A) - 25/08/25

I did say when we signed Wirtz that it will take time. I have no doubt that he will succeed. But your post is correct!!

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This is about realism and balance.

I don’t think you will find a better fifth choice midfielder in any team than Curtis Jones.

If you bought a better one, what happens to Gravenberch, Mac Allister or Szoboslai. One of those is now down a rung on the pecking order. Are they happy with that?

This got me thinking, we need a thread purely and specifically for hall of fame moments, videos, clips etc such at this.

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I totally get your point Livvy, but was anyone criticising Wirtz on here? I mean among the serious posters? I know there are some who spout nonsense and it’s best to just scroll past them.
Surely we all know that Wirtz is a very classy player and he will be great for us, but last night wasn’t the kind of game for him. It was frantic and physical with no time or space for a technical player like him.
No serious Liverpool fan would criticise him based on that match.

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HaHaHa
 Best picture of the day IMO :0)

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Also we have a depleted midfield atm. Wirtz played well against Palace and Bournemouth (very poor yesterday though), but we’ve yet to see the best of him as he keeps having to come deep to get the ball. I think when Macca and Grav are settled again in the centre of the park Wirtz won’t have to drop as deep and will start to enjoy a lot more success in his attacking play. It’ll all come together and be beautiful to watch when it does.

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This video shows a really nice attack that Curtis unfortunately ends very poorly because he doesn’t pay enough attention to what’s going on around him. Presumably, the coordination isn’t right yet, they’re not aware of the new players running paths, etc. But that can certainly be improved in training, and Slot can use that to show them what can be improved.

https://x.com/CF_Compss/status/1960102618006450636

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Jones is our 4th choice midfielder (3rd choice #10), Wirtz isn’t going to find himself playing in the double pivot anytime soon and besides, he’s more of a forward player than he is a midfielder.

& yes Jones was average at best last night, despite what the stats may tell you.

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I always think you have to warm up into a season. It’s gotten into my head how bill Belichick’s Patriots would always look a total mess for the first 6 weeks of the season and yet come crunch time there they were hammering everyone in the playioffs. If you come out the gates playing amazing then you don’t really have anywhere to go but down.

To play like absolute tripe, as we have done for the first two games, and win both games against teams that will be in the top 8 or so finishers this year is a good sign in my eyes. Our performances will improve.

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Exactly. Imagine thinking you played really well just to lose all points to some 16 yr old. That would suck.

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I don’t think we’ve actually played well since the Spurs 5-1 game.

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It’s really not. It’s about being good enough and he really isn’t. He’s been in the first team for six years and hasn’t kicked to the extent expected. Not getting anyone better to improve the team because of risking upsetting a player is probably the worst reason not to get anyone. It’s perfectly realistic and balance can be worked out. I mean, what?! Isn’t that what the transfer market is for?

Again, at a Club like where we are now there is no way a midfield with 5 or 6 in squad ends up with players short of game time. We’ll see how Curtis gets on this season but he really needs to step up. It’s pointless upping performances like yesterday.

Love it.

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remember all the debates about Wijnaldum?

So glad we get to have the exact same ones about Jones. He has a role, he does it well. He’s tidy and press resistant. He ain’t there to be putting in the 10/10 performances and wow us all. He’s there to do a job; one he does well enough as a rotational choice. Klopp kept him, Arne’s keeping him (but not Elliott by the looks of it - Klopp also played Jones 132 times to 117 for Elliott). Sometimes I think people need to take a step back and accept they don’t always know as much as others - in this case the two managers who have won us a league title since Nirvana release Nevermind. Not every player in a squad can be world class. Some are there to do a job that helps others to shine. The stats show that Jones did his job yesterday - the players we expect to be flashier and provide that missing spark didn’t. If you really want to question our performance yesterday then the focus surely goes elsewhere?

A Ronseal midfielder. Nothing wrong with that at all. All teams need them. Personally quite like ours. Better than he gets given credit for and willing to fight for the club (see him scrapping the bitters after their jaw dropping 2-2 win at the shithole they tore down last season).

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Rios voice btw :joy:

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Are you serious about scrolling? I thought the last one in the match thread was terrible. I don’t really want to start filling up my ingno list again. I usually delete it at the beginning of the season.

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Thats disrespectful to Sir Bobby you can never mention him and Howe in the same sentence.

Howe is a small team mentality manager.

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I know there are posts in regards to Rio and Cody, what I particularly like about Rio is you don’t know which way he is going to go, he happily drives both inside and on the outside and is therefore very hard to defend.

If we are struggling against teams, I would love to see him get more opportunities.

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The Advertising Hoardings - ‘Howay The Arabs’ :0)

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