Save Our Season

[MomoWASright]

Things do seem to be fucked. The system is not working, and hasn’t done for most of 2025. The players bought don’t suit “The System”. Either our signings were complete and utter fuck ups, or they were bought with a mind for a future change in approach. I really hope it is the latter. If that is the case, it will be the post-Mo era of the club.

Unless we do change things to whatever the future plan is, then we risk it all. If we are to be a half way house this season it will have detrimental impacts on everyone we bought over the summer. A season being overly scrutinised, the additional pressure and also the atmosphere around the place.

The world and their dog can see we have no patterns of play, no discernible style and no structure. A chunk of that is because we have two forwards who do the same thing from opposite flanks, one of which has lost the battle to Father Time. Both like to get the ball, ignore the central focus and shoot.

I think we need to look at what is next season’s plan and start to embed it now. Whether that is a 4-4-2, fluid 4-4-1-1 or even a diamond then give it a go.

I would be tempted to go for the 4-4-1-1 option. We seem to have Kerkez underlapping, which Bradley does too. To me that means we could try Frimpong RW and be the chalk on his boots kind of player. Not sure on the left right now, but that’s how I’d use Ngumoha when he’s ready. Centrally have Szoboszlai and Gravenberch with Wirtz as the 10. Isak and Ekitike for the 9. Bradley and Frimpong could interchange, same for LW and CF and CMs brining Wirtz back with Szoboszlai going beyond him.

If we need to mix it up and change, we’d have options on the bench with Gakpo, Mac, Jones, Salah, etc.

Something needs to change and soon.

 

[Brizzle]

Something needs to change and soon.

One thing that won't, and may never change is that we tried to buy the league and look on track for the Europa next season.

 

[JohnnyRocket]

1. The link between our defence and attack is non-existent - which is why I'd bring Wirtz back deeper and play him in a 4-3-3. He's positive and progressive with the ball, which he showed when he came on yesterday.

2. Also, Gravenberch needs to play 5/10 yards deeper and own that space in front of the CB's. The switch from a 2-1 midfield to a 1-2 midfield should hopefully make us less easy to walk through. At the moment in our 4-2-3-1 we have 2 players trying to cover enormous amounts of space. A 4-3-3 at least eases this burden.

3. Cut out the sentiment. Drop Salah and make him earn the right to get in the team. Chiesa is looking like he'll run an fight all day for the shirt - so play him. Start rewarding the players who look like they want it. Same goes for Macca. If he's not performing dont play him

4. Playing 3 across the middle should allow our full backs more freedom to bomb down the flanks and be the threat that we know they can be.

5. Make the front 3 Ekiteke Isak and Chiesa for the forseeable future, but ingrain in them the importance of fluidity and movement. If they click with Wirtz behind them we'll be unstoppable.


So something like this for a while - and persist with it until it clicks:

--------------------Ali (if fit)
Bradley - - - - Konate - - - - V Dijk - - - - Kerkez

- - - - Szobo - - - Gravenberch - - - Wirtz

Chiesa - - - - - - - - Isak - - - - - - - - - Ekitike

 

[Woland]

The problem is we've got a coach who gives off vibes that if something is pointed out to him as being obviously wrong he'd rather wait to be proved right than take the hint. I think being presented with analysis that shows him how to improve things would only work if you could brainwash him that he'd thought of it first.

 

[JohnnyRocket]

The problem is we've got a coach who gives off vibes that if something is pointed out to him as being obviously wrong he'd rather wait to be proved right than take the hint. I think being presented with analysis that shows him how to improve things would only work if you could brainwash him that he'd thought of it first.

Worryingly this does seem like the case, doesnt it.

 

[Holle]

The problem is we've got a coach who gives off vibes that if something is pointed out to him as being obviously wrong he'd rather wait to be proved right than take the hint. I think being presented with analysis that shows him how to improve things would only work if you could brainwash him that he'd thought of it first.

He's the Trent of managers then.

I'm eagerly anticipating his Bellingham celebration when Salah manages to score from a penalty.

 

[MomoWASright]

The problem is we've got a coach who gives off vibes that if something is pointed out to him as being obviously wrong he'd rather wait to be proved right than take the hint. I think being presented with analysis that shows him how to improve things would only work if you could brainwash him that he'd thought of it first.

Steven Ballbag on his podcast asked Klopp could he manage Liverpool again. The response “I said I’d never manage another team in England. But it’s Liverpool? It’s theoretically possible”.

 

[Number21]

Our season is done. We are not winning the league & will get our arses handed to us in the CL knockouts.

The best we can hope for is to win one of the domestic cups and that isn't good enough.

I'm even wondering about CL qualification for next season, is that nailed on? We're that bad.

 

[JohnnyRocket]

Steven Ballbag on his podcast asked Klopp could he manage Liverpool again. The response “I said I’d never manage another team in England. But it’s Liverpool? It’s theoretically possible”.

Klopp was very vocal about tiredness and wanting to get away from the thick of it. But we all know him, dont we, sooner or later he's going to miss the intensity and rush of being on the front lines and in the thick of it.

This is such wishful thinking isnt it.

 

[JohnnyRocket]

Slot's use of Wirtz has reminded me of Rodgers use of Firmino before he got sacked. He didnt really have a clue how to use Firmino.

Klopp would know exactly how to get Wirtz working in the system.

 

[MomoWASright]

Klopp was very vocal about tiredness and wanting to get away from the thick of it. But we all know him, dont we, sooner or later he's going to miss the intensity and rush of being on the front lines and in the thick of it.

This is such wishful thinking isnt it.

Maybe he will trust others to pick up some of the roles he did. That’s how whiskey nose lasted so long. He even joked how dog shagger was good at golf and he didn’t have the time to play.

 

[Farkmaster]

Slot's use of Wirtz has reminded me of Rodgers use of Firmino before he got sacked. He didnt really have a clue how to use Firmino.

Klopp would know exactly how to get Wirtz working in the system.

I don't think so He played wirtz in his favoured position despite his not playing that well. The problem is playing him and Salah, which you could excuse him for, because Salah was really quite good at one point. Rodgers played firmino entirely out of position.

 

[Red Mullet]

Our season is done. We are not winning the league & will get our arses handed to us in the CL knockouts.

The best we can hope for is to win one of the domestic cups and that isn't good enough.

I'm even wondering about CL qualification for next season, is that nailed on? We're that bad.

F*ck off, our season is not done

Hyperbolic BS

 

[Squiggles]

Things aren’t going great at the moment. I don’t know enough about Slot to be fully convinced yet that he’ll refuse to change or innovate. There are signs of stubbornness in his team selections, but I’d balance that against the fact that he successfully rebuilt Feyenoord. He also has that matter-of-fact personality where, once he’s lost faith in a player, he’s not afraid to drop them without hesitation. We’ve seen that with Quansah and with Chiesa. He clearly has the capacity to be ruthless, but we just need to see that ruthlessness far earlier with key players.

I've said previously I'd be far more satisfied with seeing some clean sheet 0-0's with promissing signs, more than 4-3 thriller where we win in the last minute. Plan A is so far away from working that nobody really knows that the fuck it is. And throwing 5 forwards on to win a game is the sort of yolo-basic ass level shit I do in Football Manager.

Slot needs to concede that this isn't teething problems. It's systemic and its up to him address it yesterday.

 

[MomoWASright]

I think the league could be done unless we somehow pull 8 consecutive wins. 3 defeats already. We lost 4 all of last season.

 

[Fabio]

The league is pretty much done. We absolutely need to go on a mad run, but does a single person on here believe that'll happen?

 

[MomoWASright]

Things aren’t going great at the moment. I don’t know enough about Slot to be fully convinced yet that he’ll refuse to change or innovate. There are signs of stubbornness in his team selections, but I’d balance that against the fact that he successfully rebuilt Feyenoord. He also has that matter-of-fact personality where, once he’s lost faith in a player, he’s not afraid to drop them without hesitation. We’ve seen that with Quansah and with Chiesa. He clearly has the capacity to be ruthless, but we just need to see that ruthlessness far earlier with key players.

I've said previously I'd be far more satisfied with seeing some clean sheet 0-0's with primissing signs, more than 4-3 thriller where we win in the last minute. Plan A is so far away from working that nobody really knows that the fuck it is. And throwing 5 forwards onto win a game is the sort of yolo-basic ass level shit I do in Football Manager.

Yes, but they are hardly the biggest of names/characters to do it to. He needs to be doing this to Salah, Mac and Gakpo. Even Virgil if he turns up again like yesterday.

 

[localny]

Seriously lads. The league is gone? Are you mad?

Show a bit of grit. Nothing ever is as bad as it seems in Football. We've just hit some manageable headwinds.

1. A lot of new players
1a. Lost our 2 full backs and Diaz which were a big part of our play. We have to relearn
2. High expectations
3. The manager will get it. He wants to win too.
3a. New coaching staff.
4. His awareness of our defensive frailties.
5. We hit the woodwork four times yesterday, AND had gilt edge chances. Lady luck has deserted us.
6. Players are out of form.

Keep the head.

 

[Fabio]

If we were playing well, or coming through some kind of injury crisis, then maybe I'd believe.

But we look shite.

We're playing with no recognised style or patterns. The midfield may as well not be there as they can't get a foot on the ball.

The defence looks confused

 

[Brizzle]

I think Klopp would remember that he couldn't make someone like Lallana work in his system, and would sell Wirtz to the modern version of Gini into the team - Anderson, Wharton etc.

 

[Brizzle]

Seriously lads. The league is gone? Are you mad?

Show a bit of grit. Nothing ever is as bad as it seems in Football. We've just hit some manageable headwinds.

1. A lot of new players
1a. Lost our 2 full backs and Diaz which were a big part of our play. We have to relearn
2. High expectations
3. The manager will get it. He wants to win too.
3a. New coaching staff.
4. His awareness of our defensive frailties.
5. We hit the woodwork four times yesterday, AND had gilt edge chances. Lady luck has deserted us.
6. Players are out of form.

Keep the head.

Head is fine. You don't need to believe the team is great to be a good fan. It isn't. It is playing like shit with zero signs that things are going to get better.

 

[Modo]

I know that Klopp is a tough act to follow, but does anyone even like Slot?
I never thought I'd actually dislike a manager that just won us the league.

 

[Brizzle]

I know that Klopp is a tough act to follow, but does anyone even like Slot?
I never thought I'd actually dislike a manager that just won us the league.

I didn't like or dislike him last season, he was generally forgettable in the press and for me that was fine. He had a style of play and the players seemed to know what was expected of them. He set a good tone with the Quansah sub - that he would play on merit and isn't afraid to make changes. That has all but disappeared now.

We may never know - but i'd be interested to find out whether Slot was involved in these signings.

 

[Modo]

I didn't like or dislike him last season, he was generally forgettable in the press and for me that was fine. He had a style of play and the players seemed to know what was expected of them. He set a good tone with the Quansah sub - that he would play on merit and isn't afraid to make changes. That has all but disappeared now.

We may never know - but i'd be interested to find out whether Slot was involved in these signings.

Next to no rotation.
Punishing players outside of his group of favourites for one bad performance.
Leaving Chiesa out for no reason.
Not taking any responsibility and instead blaming individuals.

 

[Modo]

The problem is we've got a coach who gives off vibes that if something is pointed out to him as being obviously wrong he'd rather wait to be proved right than take the hint. I think being presented with analysis that shows him how to improve things would only work if you could brainwash him that he'd thought of it first.

I love how he celebrated Chiesa's goal against Bournemouth as if he just pulled the tactical move of the century. All me, me me...
The player he probably wouldn't even have brought on if he wasn't desperate.

 

[Farkmaster]

I love how he celebrated Chiesa's goal against Bournemouth as if he just pulled the tactical move of the century. All me, me me...
The player he probably wouldn't even have brought on if he wasn't desperate.

He celebrated a late goal and it annoyed you because we aren't playing well or winning. If we were, it wouldn't annoy you. It's trivia. People start to hate random things about managers when they lose.

 

[JohnnyRocket]

I don't dislike Slot, but he hasn't entirely given much to like, has he. He's incredibly bland. He says all the right things to the press. He's almost robotic in a way. Sometimes I just think . . . show up some personality, say something outrageous, do something funny/memorable etc. Just be a bit more unique.

I'm currently watching Jurgen on Bartlett, and I'm literally smiling most of the way through it. I guess there's no way to replicate or replace that kind of massive personality.

 

[Modo]

He celebrated a late goal and it annoyed you because we aren't playing well or winning. If we were, it wouldn't annoy you. It's trivia. People start to hate random things about managers when they lose.

He started annoying me last season, it has just carried on from there. So nothing new, except my annoyance turning into dislike.

 

[Number21]

F*ck off, our season is not done

Hyperbolic BS

Just wait then, the reality will hit you at some point.

The objective for the club this season is to win the league &/or the CL. We won't even challenge for them let alone win one of them.

 

[Brizzle]

It's also easy to be liked when you're winning. We are seeing some of his accountability (or lack thereof) at present. Teams line up differently against us - YES, tactics mate. And it works, so no wonder they are all doing it - because they are all seeing success with it.