KBR

He'll see the season through, with top 4 being seen as an achievement. I'm starting to think they will see this as a "transition season". Expect the worst... brace yourselves for him to be here next season.

I was right... he hasn't been able to turn it around, and we've continued to be embarassed. I was wrong... it's past xmas and he's not been fired. At moments like this, its makes me wish our players are pricks like Madrid players, and get the manager fired. It would be best all round.

This for me is a MAJOR red flag. Shows he's a bit thin on ideas when he is up against it.

It works only because we have good players, and only really in circumstances where those good players are up against weaker players. Against like for like, or better.... its not working. So it's not a masterstroke by Slot... if anything it's almost Championship Manager-esq level of managing.

This for me is part of the problem. It's nothing tactical, elite, genius or cunning... if anything it unbalances the team, and we become shambolic. Gives off amateurish vibes. I'd never advocate us sacking a manager, and won't certainly demand his head. But I simply cannot see how he turns this around. He doesn't have it in him. I so desperately want to be wrong.

I've said this before... this is our Barca moment. They spunked the Neymar money on Dembele and Coutinho, the same way we have on Wirtz & Isak. We'll never recoup the outlay, and neither player will justify the price tag. The rest of the signings haven't been great either bar Hugo. Question I wanna know is, how much of a say did Slot have on these signings. Are they the players he wanted? If so, he deffo has to go. But more pressingly, Slot has shown himself to be not up to the standard. Dutch managers for their part, have always come up short in the premier league. They simply don't have what it takes. De Boer, Mulensteen, Advocat, Gullit, Koeman, Jol, Ten Haag, Hiddink, Van Gaal... 3 FA Cups and a League cup between them. Last season he did the smart thing.... played virtually the same system as Klopp, and just made minor tweaks. He walked the title. F***kin walked it. Bar a spectacular PSG, he should've won the CL too. So why the f**k has he decided to reinvent the wheel this season, when again, a few tweaks would've done. Why decide on a playmaker like Wirtz, and a striker like Isak, and side-line your most influential player for years, in Salah, who also had his best season ever. He also was happy to let Diaz leave, sell Nunez too. Both massively contributed, and were capable of winning games. I know people wanted Nunez gone - I didn't... yes he was erratic, but he was a great option off the bench. It is a team sport after all. What the f**k is he trying to prove? It all seems a little David Brent to me. If he doesn't revert back to playing the same system as last season, with Hugo starting up front with Gakpo & Salah... I'm absolutely certain he won't be able to turn this around, and we'll continue to get embarrassed. I think his ego will make him dig his heels in. I'm convinced he'll be fired by Christmas.

I've said it before... this is our Barca moment. They squandered the Neymar money on Dembele & Coutinho, and we've just done the same, with money we saved up over recent windows, and through player sales. We didn't need to buy Wirtz and Isak. And dare I say it.... they are no where near worth the money we paid. We needed to keep the same team together - Diaz should've been given a new contract, and dare I say it, even Nunez should've been kept... why? Because they were part of the title winning team, and they contributed. Even when Nunez came on... you know he was capable of something to change the game, even with his "choas". Wirtz doesn't give me that vibe whatsoever. So I lay the blame squarely at Slot for what is happening - for tinkering with a title winning team and changing the style of play, when it wasn't necessary... and by doing so making our most important and effective player for the past 8 years, ineffective. Salah didn't become rubbish overnight. Sometimes... the best thing to do is nothing, or very little. It's what he did last season. It worked. F**kin stick to it, and stop trying to reinvent the wheel. It wasn't needed. And also big big question marks over whoever makes the decisions on the signings... Kerkez, Frimpong, Wirtz, Isak have not even come close to delivering. Hugo is the only signing that has worked.

I think the problem this time round is self inflicted. Slot has massively tinkered with a title winning team, when it wasn't necessary. Granted we lost Trent & Diaz who were starters and a major reason why we dominated... but he should've kept the style of play the same, and just added players to play that same system. Who told him to make such massive changes?? The system worked, everyone knew it down to a tee - we played virtually the same system under Klopp... we even dominated in the CL - bar coming up against an exceptional PSG who only beat us on pens. And it is because of this change in the style of play.... Salah has been crap - our most influential player for years, and the new boys who have signed just haven't delivered, bar Ekitike. Big question marks around the signings of Isak & Wirtz. I personally feel its money that was not necessary to be spent, and will come back to haunt us like Dembele & Coutinho for Barca.

It's just one game... but I'm thinking the key men this season will be wirtz & ekitike / isak - if we get him. Our style of play will be different, and i'm thinking Salah won't be as influential.

I find it mad that we sold Torres for £50 mill, then bought Suarez & Carroll all in the same January window. But what pi$$es me off is Aguero went to City just 6 months later for the same fee as Carroll. Imagine a front line of Aguero & Suarez? It would've been epic... but for Damian Comoli's short sightedness. I never understood why Comoli was lauded as some kind of genius... his Spurs track record was awful. Just threw enough crap at the wall, hoping something sticks.

I agree. Along with Salah, he is a starter for me in the front 3. I just hope we don't regret selling him.

If the style of play changes, then I can understand signing Isak. But is that certain to happen? If Diaz and Nunez leave... I guess that would also cover the majority of the outlay.

True. But £150mill & £300k in wages is a s*** ton of money... and i'm thinking do we really need to spend that? I'd hate for us to do a Barca / Coutinho move. We have Salah, Gakpo, Diaz, Nunez, Chiesa & Ekitike. If we kept that lot, I'd still be happy, and fancy us to make a strong challenge to retain the league. Despite all the crap Nunez gets, he still contributed massively to our league win. Granted he isn't prolific... but we don't need everyone to be. It's a team sport. Even Chiesa... I'd keep him for one more season, as we all know - there is still a quality player in there. He's not going to be expecting to start every game, so it works for both parties. If both these players come off the bench... we still maintain a massive threat, which others teams can't say they have. Our squad quality is excellent, and I have total faith in the collective squad So for me... Isak is a no, unless we have departures.

No on both counts. i'd rather pay Diaz a little more, and keep him one more season, because we know he can play our system, and is a major contributor going forward. You get assists and goals from him, and he is a real threat and a ball carrier. A proven player in our team. My issue with Isak is he's "just a striker", and doesn't really offer much else. Coupled with the style we play, I don't see him elevating us to another level - i think Salah will still outscore him. Plus there is his injury record... I'd rather we just held onto the money, and go big again in Jan if adjustments are needed... or splash out again next summer. We've strengthened so so well... Kerkez, Frimpong, and Wirtz will transform us, and make us even stronger - even if we don't move anyone on. £150 mill & £300k wages on Isak is just unnecessary. I'd only think otherwise if all of Diaz, Nunez and Chiesa left.

Klarna.

I'd go further and say he is world class. I doubt we'll play as well as we have, as consistently as we have... without Trent. Bradley has proven to be solid backup, and with such little gametime. Question remains, can he reach Trent's level?

Agreed. He didn't seem as happy as the other players, but understandable in that he must be wondering what his future holds. Hard to be happy over something which you know, you contributed very little towards. Personally, I'd keep him. He was a world class player just a few seasons ago, and you can see he still has it in him. But he will need game time.

I think the big difference is the fact we are at home. They won't be able to play to the high standards they did in Paris, and we won't be defending all night. No doubt, they will have their moments, but playing at Anfield will overwhelm them. Who scores first will be key.

This content is not viewable to guests.

We topped the league, rested most of the first 11, no injuries, minutes for the rest of the group I'd say it was a good night, despite the loss.

This content is not viewable to guests.

Juve - Fred Church to score a hatrick Feyenoord - Slot to have a punch up against their entire coaching staff Girona - Just to give the newcomers a glory tie.

This content is not viewable to guests.

He was amazing during Euro 2020... I think if he has recovered from the knee injury, and stays fit, we have snapped ourselves a bargain.

I feel like De Zerbi has shades of Rodgers about him... good at attacking and awful at defending. We'd definitely keep scoring for fun under him... but I wouldn't expect to be in title races.