Liverpool banter 8

23 Feb 2026 17:18:46
What's everyone's team for West Ham? Surely Gakpo will be dropped this weekend. Good time to give Ngomha a start as we are at home too. He can't do any worse than Gakpo this season. If needed bring Gakpo on in the second half but at least give the kid a chance.

Alison
Kerkez
Van Dijk.
Konate
Gomez

Szoboszlai
Gravenberch
Wirtz (if fit)


Nghouma
Ekitike
Salah.

23 Feb 2026 18:13:55
Gakpo won't be dropped.

23 Feb 2026 18:18:41
Rio is not ready to start in my eyes.

23 Feb 2026 18:24:15
If Gakpo is dropped, I would hazard Wirtz on the left, and MacAllister keeps his spot. But I don't think Gakpo will be dropped. I'd give Rio more mins, but not a starter. Might see some earlier subs with Wolves away midweek.

23 Feb 2026 18:27:12
I haven't met anyone today who would pick Salah for our next fixture. It's getting embarrassing for the guy now. You can't afford to carry passengers in the Premier League.

23 Feb 2026 18:32:49
Care to elaborate, Man of Todd, given Gakpo drops 3/10's week in week out. Rio can't be any worse.

23 Feb 2026 18:38:45
Mytton, Frimpong should be back this week, no doubt, on the bench. Who do we play instead of Salah? Chiesa? He was poor Saturday too, and has not done much in his recent cameos. Salah is still our best option if we utilize him away from the wing.

23 Feb 2026 19:05:08
Gomez and Wirtz in, if they are fit. Gravy and Szob in the middle. I'd genuinely drop Salah, play Gakpo on the right, and start Rio on the left.

23 Feb 2026 19:18:53
Didn't Rio go past the full back and create a chance for Mac's disallowed goal while playing in Mo's position?

23 Feb 2026 20:15:20
I'd drop both Salah and Gakpo personally, but I doubt he would drop both, so I went with Gakpo.

23 Feb 2026 20:43:19
Rio is just a kid and seems so raw. I don't think it is fair to start him in a struggling team. Personally, I would start Chiesa over Mo or Gakpo. I would move Szob into the centre with Grav., assigning Grav to dm duties only, keeping Wirtz in the middle. I would then ease Rio in through sub appearances.

23 Feb 2026 20:49:45
I'd go with Red Jones' team. Give Rio a start and see how he fares out. His confidence should be sky high after the weekend, and neither Gakpo r Salah playing well at min.

23 Feb 2026 21:19:16
Salah upfront with Ekitike, Wirtz behind. Rio left and Chiesa right. Stop mucking around and take it to teams.

23 Feb 2026 21:58:49
Bit harsh to criticise Chiesa's involvement purely because he hardly gets any.

23 Feb 2026 22:17:44
I agree Rio needs more opportunities. Whether that's starting or just being trusted earlier off the bench, tho? I think it's important to not get too carried away at a cameo appearance against tiring fullbacks. It is a great way to get him integrated into the team, but does that mean he is ready to start and do all the rest of the work?

24 Feb 2026 02:46:45
60 min on as a sub is good for Rio. He is a great prospect. Gakpo will start 100%, but I would like to see Salah dropped again. His form is dire. Won't happen, I suspect, but I guarantee he gets dragged off again around the 65-70 min mark (fasting for Ramadan).

24 Feb 2026 05:26:40
I read that Rio has had more minutes than any other 17 yr old (pretty sure they meant this season, not ever). He is getting enough action while bulking up and learning his trade. I'd like to see him get 20-30 mins rather than the end-of-match cameos, though. Salah needs to play.

He must be desperate to get a few goals now, and Chiesa hasn't looked like much of a replacement, and it is unlikely Frimpong does 90 min on the right wing. Everyone was singing Mo's praises after the Brighton game last week, and, although he was muck against Forest, so was most of the team.

24 Feb 2026 12:27:35
Endo3, there is nothing wrong with starting Rio for 60 mins, imo, ahead of either Gakpo or Salah.

24 Feb 2026 13:05:30
Chiesa looked as bad as Salah and Gakpo when he came on, though. So, if his general play is going to be as bad as Mo's, I think I'd rather go with the guy who has the track record of 30 goals a season from the wing.

23 Feb 2026 16:05:50
Fans Poll

I don't see many people still supportive of Slot on the stands but intrigued by the wider audiences view.

Stay or go?

If go then who would you have in place, does everyone lean to XA?

{Ed033's Note -


Slot Stay Or Go poll

23 Feb 2026 17:45:11
Slot to go. Best for both him and LFC Xabi, Enriquez, Iraola. Xabi first choice. Would take Pep if he feels up to it for 3 seasons, but he might want to retire or go to international management instead.

23 Feb 2026 17:57:20
Pep Ljinders lol. I know what you mean. Just messing. I also wouldn't mind Pep Guardiola, but doubt he would disrespect City by coming to join one of their main PL rivals.

23 Feb 2026 18:06:09
This is going to be a close one.

23 Feb 2026 18:34:10
Surely, the people who said stay clicked it by mistake or an admin error?

23 Feb 2026 19:16:58
Only opposition fans would want Slot to stay now, Frode. Xabi would have to be the obvious first choice. He seems the most likely in any case. I'm not sold on Enrique or Iraola, to be honest. The lad at Stuttgart seems to be doing well, and despite his critics I still think Naglesmann could bring a lot to the table.

Basically, though, I'd have anyone that gets this team fit, working and pressing hard, and being brave enough to make earlier subs to influence a game.

23 Feb 2026 19:21:02
Frode, they probably read it as stay for the week and prepare for the next game, or go to Holland and visit the family whilst the lads have a few days off.

23 Feb 2026 20:06:40
For me, it depends on the replacement.

23 Feb 2026 21:22:24
Adios. Either Alonso, Fabregas a wildcard, or Iriola.

24 Feb 2026 12:29:39
Not Iraola, I'm sorry. He ain't good enuff. Can't speak about Hoeness. For me, till someone else pops up, it's Alonso.

23 Feb 2026 10:41:28
I have been a long time reader from days before Macca's posts. However, I really never post, but no disrespect, it's a rumour page. So, with regards to Sami's posts all he has done is post a bit of information, if that's garbage? So be it. However, let's just see how it develops.
I understand it can be frustrating when people post and they're plainly trying to gain notoriety🤣 on this occasion let's just see how Sami post pans out.

If people trying to give valid info legit or crap, it wouldn't enable interaction between everyone. We all have the choice to believe info or not.
Cheers,

23 Feb 2026 16:59:44
Completely agree, mate. Problem is, nowadays we don't have Ed2 to call out the gobsh*tes like he used to. Since his passing, loads of people have tried to claim they're "in the know" or replicate what he did - it's impossible, but they still try. Most of the rumours I read on here, I treat like a newspaper - 99% nonsense, but somehow it's still entertaining.

Carra and Robbo, and possibly Thfields, are the only ones I really trust. Though, I suspect Thefields might just be feeding off other info. Could be wrong, but his input is still appreciated. Anyone else posting rumours? Good for them, but they should spice it up a little and make it more old school.

23 Feb 2026 17:41:19
There are, amongst others, a 'Liverpool Rumours' and a 'Liverpool Banter' page which are usually fun and entertaining. The pages may contain accurate information on the state of the club and the clubs transfer targets but there are no guarantees and it's a pity that some people set their expectations based on opinions that they read here, which they assume is some sort of source of truth.

I've said loads of times that each post should start with three words - 'In my opinion'.

Personally I disagree with a lot of the opinions that get posted these days but that's just my view and doesn't stop me from enjoying the forum or contributing my own opinions - at least it's rarely dull 👍

23 Feb 2026 22:21:06
eds - should we start a rumours page where we can share rumours about the rumours shared by the ITK
#facepalm

23 Feb 2026 09:36:38
If I was manager of that lot there'd have been a few choice words flying around that dressing room, and I'd be looking to dock pay for a few.

You want to play a man's game in the most competitive league in the world, you should be able to take the verbals. If not, find another club.

As for smiling after getting subbed - belittling the manager like laughing at him behind his back - utterly unacceptable and toxic behaviour. This from a man who plays like it's beneath him to get stuck in

Yeah, I'm done with Salah. But people say he gives us shape and width - NOT ENOUGH. And with that attitude I wouldn't want him anywhere near me.

He should have been sprinting off and giving encouragement to the 17yr old coming on to try and rescue our season, but no - it's all about him. Poor Mo.

23 Feb 2026 10:42:19
I have to agree on Salah. The guy is a legend of the club, and I had hoped that he would realise his powers are waning and would be a role model for the next generation, helping the transition from Klopp's great team to the next chapter. I'm sure that's what the club hoped for also, after giving him his 2-year bumper contract. Who better than Mo Salah for the likes of Rio, Ekitike, Wirtz to learn from? But instead of being a mentor, he's acting like a petulant child and actually causing issues because it has to be all about him.

It was once Mo, but Father Time waits for no man. You could still have an important role to play for the club moving forward, but you have to get your head out of your backside first.

23 Feb 2026 10:56:18
I didn't see Salah belittling Slot, I must have missed that, but yes, him smiling like he did wound me up as well. It was a very strange game all round for me, because we know they are going to push us hard, but they played on Thursday night, and to then batter us like they did just shows how poorly Slot had set us up.

And yes, I know losing Wirtz was last min, but we should have still had more fight in us.

23 Feb 2026 11:59:04
People still can't seem to read Mo Salah after all this time playing for us. For those that need reminding, Mo Salah smiles when he's frustrated at himself. Mostly notably, over the years, it was always when he missed a chance or got a pass wrong. He left the pitch frustrated with himself.

Btw, another thing we seem to forget every year. His levels always drop through the month of Ramadan. Him coming off at 60/70 mins makes a lot of sense. Mo was poor yesterday, as were at least 9 other teammates. Only Ibou and then Rio come out with any credit from that performance.

23 Feb 2026 12:05:43
Mad how Salah is getting stick from that game. Anyone could n should have been dragged off apart from the CBs n goalie. It was a terrible performance all round, but how can we pick one player when you've got a choice of 8 or 9 other players to moan at.

23 Feb 2026 12:34:40
I agree with what you say, Strom, pretty much everyone was lousy, and I include VVD in that. Regarding Salah and Ramadan, Ramadan started last Tuesday, not the 15th August. He's pretty much been lousy all season, as have Gakpo, Mac Allister and Konate until recently. Let's not start using Ramadan as an excuse for Salah's drop in form.

23 Feb 2026 12:41:24
I missed the first half entirely, so can't comment on his performance then. But I did notice that Salah was constantly double-tamed at the right flank when he had the ball. Neco would be there, but another CB or CM would rush over to close him down too. Salah has never liked the ball to be played at his feet, but, given his decreased acceleration over the past few years, it is no wonder he can't wriggle his way out of that situation any longer and constantly loses the ball when it gets to him.

Salah needs balls that he can run onto, but the slow passing game we have been playing doesn't allow for that.

{Ed025's Note -the only thing Salah needs Drac... is dropping mate..

23 Feb 2026 12:46:31
I'm not particularly having a go at Mo for that game; I'm referring to his general attitude all season. That being said, he is a senior player, and when the team is having a stinker, you need the senior players to pull you through. We can rely on Virgil, Ali and even Szob, but Salah has proven this season that he can't be relied upon when the going gets tough.

Instead of cajoling and encouraging his fellow teammates and supporting the manager in a tough season, he throws his toys out of the pram and causes a rift with the manager when things don't go his way. I would expect that from a young player who doesn't know any better, but Salah should be leading by example, and what kind of example is that setting?

23 Feb 2026 13:04:08
FlyPelicanFly, there was a time when Salah was being accused of not smiling enough. Oh, how times have changed.

{Ed025's Note - now hes laughing Oli...all the way to the bank.. :)

23 Feb 2026 13:44:51
Knew you'd chime in with something like that, Ed :) In all honesty, I think the whole team would benefit if we just move the ball quicker, Salah included. Anyway, hope Everton play well later today. We could all do with a United loss, but I think Everton can make the European places this year if they win.

{Ed025's Note - i think we need to learn to walk before we can run Drac, top 10 was always the aim for this season mate and we have a good chance of achieving that i feel, i fancy a draw tonight but you never know with us..

23 Feb 2026 15:37:47
Rome, I agree Salah has been half the player this season. But I still think the reason is the way Slot sets us up. This slow football doesn't suit him or us. He was unstoppable last year n for many years prior. If Klopp had us playing this way, Salah would have been sold years ago because it doesn't suit him.

If I was a manager n had a player who consistently got 25+ goals every single season, I'd make sure I played to his strengths. Now his confidence is shot n I don't think he will get it back, but some posters continually just pick Salah out. I can name at least 6 or 7 who are worse. Just my opinion.

23 Feb 2026 16:54:23
We will have to agree to disagree on Salah, Strom. I've argued this point with Ed01 as well. Slot is to blame for many things, but not the form of Salah. I've been saying for ages that Salah has gone, but I'm hoping that he proves me wrong.

That's my opinion, and I'm standing by it. Personally, I don't think Salah is the sort to be affected by confidence. I bracket him with Ronaldo and Messi in that regard. Like I say, I personally think Father Time has caught up with him.

23 Feb 2026 17:35:07
Rome, to a degree Father Time has caught up with him, but it was only 7 months ago he was on fire, playing in a system that has suited him for years, n Slot has changed it to this style which everyone is complaining about.

I do think he is thick skinned, but his confidence has gone. Plenty of times this season he could have shot, but he is holding back. Anyway, think we all agree this is his last season.

23 Feb 2026 17:45:18
The Salah Sideliners are out in force, you people are unreal. The chap smiled, he disagreed with the substitution, but he smiled about it; he didn't kick up a fuss. No matter what he does, you lot whinge about him. If he got pissed off and threw his hands in the air, you'd be whinging about him. If he showed no emotion whatsoever, you'd still be whinging about him. The chap is allowed to have an opinion. Also, when he's seen smiling on the bench, he's clearly reacting to something somebody said to him, he's looking directly to his left, and as whoever's talking off screen speaks, you can also see Gakpo turn to look at him too.

Not to mention, Mo literally always smiles and laughs when things aren't going his way, no matter the scenario. So clearly this isn't some new out-of-character behaviour directed at the manager, it's just how Mo reacts to negative situations. He's always done it. In all fairness to him, even if Salah only had one leg, he'd still be more dangerous than Chiesa, and don't bother telling me "He was subbed off for Rio" because Rio came on and played on the left, Chiesa came on and played on the right, I couldn't care less what numbers went up on the board.

23 Feb 2026 14:21:57
I disagree Ed. I think since the opportunity is there you should try and grab it. The league is extremely weak this season and I don't think there is a better time to get into Europe than now. Even getting into the Conference League would be a huge step forward imo, especially considering that you were battling against relegation not too long ago

{Ed025's Note - we have done ok Drac and it would be good to get in any European competition mate, im just unsure that we have the size and quality of squad to do do ourselves justice at the moment..

23 Feb 2026 15:44:21
Varry let's face it you've called Salah out all season yet he is still 3rd in the scoring n assists chart, he also missed 6 games fr the Afcon, so even when he way off his best he still gets decent numbers.

Not sure what you want Salah to be doing to show leadership when there is not much in the team or management, he's a model professional, as for Ed025 saying he is rubbish.he could only dream of anyone from Everton getting anywhere near Salah's output.they've got 2 donkeys up front n he got a cheek to call Salah

{Ed025's Note - the thing is Strom is that we admit when our forwards are crap mate, Mo has been a great player and you can look through those rose tinted glasses as much as you want but he has gone my friend, i say take the £6m or so from the Saudi,s and move on.. :)

23 Feb 2026 19:14:53
Three points on Salah: 1. On Sunday, hand on heart, did anyone think Mo would beat Nico? 2. Did anyone think Mo would score on Sunday? 3. Does anyone think Mo should have been taken off on Sunday?

{Ed025's Note - no...no... and yes but a lot earlier Albey..

23 Feb 2026 19:40:00
Albey, you could ask the same questions for Gakpo n Ekitike for Sunday's game. My point is Salah is being blamed for all our woes, when nearly three quarters of the team are worse, then we have the management. I've never been so bored watching Liverpool as I was on Sunday.

23 Feb 2026 22:23:05
Slow, fast, medium, rare, whatever. That isn't an excuse for passing, crossing and dribbling the ball straight into a defender.

23 Feb 2026 08:15:33
"I thought he did well, I'd still like to see more. When you have players like Cody (Gakpo) producing what he is every week, it's hard to replace him"

Slot on Rio

I had to Google to double check but is a real quote!

Lord give me strength 🤦‍♂️😅.

23 Feb 2026 08:25:36
Just about sums Slot up. Clueless.

23 Feb 2026 08:26:23
Rio produced more end product in 15 minutes than Gakpo did in 75 minutes. Chiesa was pretty shocking when he came on, but I bet he made a similar number of high intensity sprints in his 15 minutes to what Gakpo did in his 75, so at least he tried.

Gakpo was an absolute pony. Slot's got a blind spot to his performances and it is truly baffling. The only thing I can come up with to explain it is that they're really good friends outside of work.

23 Feb 2026 08:32:47
That isn't a real quote, thankfully. It's from a satire account on Instagram. Doesn't change the fact that it might as well be real, though, as Slot quite clearly believes it.

23 Feb 2026 08:40:05
Oh, it's even real? Apologies, everyone. I thought I did due diligence, but clearly not enough. Hard to know what is real these days. Again - my bad. 😊

23 Feb 2026 08:55:24
Ah, thanks, @DK. I could not believe the quote came out that way after the shambles we just watched from Gakpo and the whole team yesterday. Thankfully, you're here to clarify.

23 Feb 2026 09:02:53
Oli, even if the quote is fake, it doesn't change the fact that Slot left Gakpo on that pitch for 77 minutes. He should've been hooked at HT, or at the very least, 60 minutes.

We were sleepwalking into a draw or defeat before Rio and Chiesa came on and actually put in some effort. Rio was the one who suddenly had them panicking and dropping off, though.

23 Feb 2026 09:13:29
Agreed, MK. I like Slot as a bloke and I still do not fully want him out, but some of his selection decisions are completely baffling, especially the wing situation. Gakpo is repeatedly stinking the joint out, Chiesa is only ever given a chance at RW when he is much better on the left, Rio looks more threatening than everyone and gets the least minutes.

Strange, to say the least.

23 Feb 2026 09:16:51
I found it interesting that Rio was playing a lot on the right. I don't know if it was just where he found himself following set pieces, etc, or whether it was deliberate. Even though the quote is fake, it's clear that Slot thinks extremely highly of Gakpo, but it did make me wonder whether Slot would consider trying Rio on the right instead of Salah.

23 Feb 2026 09:21:31
Does Slot just see what he wants to see? Has Gakpo got dirt on him? It's beyond a joke now.

23 Feb 2026 09:52:50
Glad Slot did not mention how good Gravenberch was, along with Gakpo. Both were very poor. Slot must be seeing a different game than us fans. YNWA.

23 Feb 2026 09:54:35
I appreciate that every team has a whipping boy, but for a team that won the PL less than a year ago we seem to have elevated the whipping boy to an art form - Konate, Jones, Mac Allister, Gakpo, Isak, and, of course, the coach. The list seems to be growing by the day, and I'm struggling to differentiate between the People's Front of Liverpool (Slot out) and the Liverpool People's Front (Bin the players).

To place our current situation into context, we have just gone level with the fourth and fifth placed teams (CL qualification). We are in the last 16 of this year's CL, and we are progressing in the FA Cup. There's no disputing that we are not playing well, not least when measured against the massive expectation of the fans (on this forum at least), but we are, comparatively speaking, a lot better off than the overwhelming number of clubs in our league and the other major European leagues.

The journey's bumpy at the moment, but I think that the criticism is overstated and not all warranted. I've said a number of times that Slot should have gone, and I still hope he does, although it's not going to happen until the summer at the earliest, so I'm happy to hold onto the handlebars and see how the journey turns out. I have to say that I think we will win some silverware, although my optimism has no basis in logic. I suppose that's what fans do. 😉

23 Feb 2026 10:12:08
We need a proper DM, as they bullied us in the midfield.

23 Feb 2026 10:28:41
It does worry me how many of you get caught out with fake posts and false information.

23 Feb 2026 10:42:08
Oh MKS, don't get it twisted. I'm not disagreeing with you at all on Slot and his decisions yesterday, not in the slightest. That was an absolute ship show of a perf. from darn near the whole team. One of the worst displays I have seen in the last 4 years, and trust me, we have had some disgraceful stinkers even under Klopp, and this ranks near the top. The manager? Mate, if anyone thinks for a nano second that he deserves to keep his job, CL spot or not, they need to seek help, ASAP. Also, there is no point talking about Gakpo, as I think he is a victim of what the manager is asking from him, because he has NOT been this bad in the past 2 years, IMO.

Look, Slot has told us that Gakpo will play when fit, come hell, high water, a tsunami, earthquake, a heat wave and a snow storm, so again, what's the point slamming him? If he had not come on and taken the fight to them, we would have snoozed our way to a draw, or an off chance, or a loss. Get this guy out as soon as the season ends, period.

23 Feb 2026 10:52:22
For me, Dhfc, a 'proper DM' wouldn't make us any better. He'd just be running around, getting bypassed, and would be of little use to us, no matter how good he is. Out of possession, we are far too stretched; the gap from front to back is way too big for one person to patrol. Until we get a better team structure, we are actually better having press resistant, ball playing midfield players. The only way to defend the cavernous gaps we leave is to not give the ball away.

You saw yesterday how easy it is to get at us when Curtis kept giving the ball away. The gaps are so big that we lose the ball, and one pass puts them straight at our back 4 in tons of space. It's why other teams find it much easier than we do to keep the ball, and they always have an option. We are just so stretched we can't get pressure on the ball.

23 Feb 2026 11:51:10
Only just read it was fake news, but it's something you expect Slot to say about his golden child.

23 Feb 2026 13:05:22
Fatwallet, that's how people believed it. Can you blame them?

23 Feb 2026 15:23:58
Even if it isn't true, I still believe it lol.

23 Feb 2026 16:31:36
If Slot thinks Gakpo is playing well, it must mean he is playing the way he wants him to. He is slow and lethargic, with little to no attacking threat.

23 Feb 2026 17:57:28
Get him out. I've never in all my life heard so much nonsense from one manager. He makes Arteta look completely normal.

23 Feb 2026 22:26:55
Slot made the change and got the result. He included adjusting the set-up part way through the first half. So we got the desired outcome. I think it's really unfair to then say that he should have done that earlier, and use that as criticism.

23 Feb 2026 08:01:20
Fuming with Mo and Gapco yesterday. After they came off the pitch in the Slots attempt to make something happen. ( who the flip does that) they were openly taking the pee out off slot Imo behind his back like school boys. Mo should be forced to watch his clips over. Then justify his childish behaviour he's a disgrace.

We were absolutely dog poo yesterday, without Wirtz. I watched a kids game yesterday which was awful, then sat thru that rubbish.

Shout out for Konate our best player, and Rio when he finally got on.

To be 100% clear, this was the players fault! Not the Coach. Can't wait for this season to end.

YNWA.

23 Feb 2026 08:22:40
Whoa, slow down. We're on an unbeaten run again. I doubt Slot cares what the boys were up to behind him (no matter how silly and childish). The manager clearly checked out of this season a while ago, so try not to let it get to you. Just endure and blow off steam when needed.

23 Feb 2026 08:22:45
Salah, Gakpo, Jones and Gravenberch all completely bottled the battle. That was embarrassing from them, to be honest. It was like playing with 7 men when Forest had the ball. Mac Allister, Ekitike and Van Dijk were just terrible, even though they were standing up to the fight and trying. They did well off the ball, but every time we had it, they seemed to be giving it away or playing people into trouble. Konate, Kerkez and Szoboszlai are the only 3 starting outfield players who can walk away and say they all tried hard without the ball and played well with it.

A pretty damning assessment. I don't think Slot's tactics are conducive to good performances in general, but I must say that whatever tactics you deploy will look bad if 4 of your starting 11 don't even bother to try. Never mind if 3 of the others then drop howlers with the ball. I hope I never have to watch us play like that ever again.

23 Feb 2026 08:36:44
Ekitike infuriates me sometimes. We all know what he can do with the ball on occasion, as he did against Newcastle, but off the ball he is absolutely useless. He does like a semi-press. He'll meander over to the opposition player to press him, but when he gets 5 yards away he stops and allows him to make whatever pass he wants, or he'll just allow him to bring the ball out under no challenge.

The kid needs to understand it's not just about scoring goals, and actually put in a shift for the team.

23 Feb 2026 08:47:24
Varry, I think he's just bad at pressing. I don't think it's a lack of effort. We were just spoiled for years with Firmino/Mane and then Nunez/Diaz who were all exceptional at pressing the opposition. What you get from Ekitike in terms of pressing is actually what you get from most top forwards. Salah, Haaland, Torres, Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy, Kane, Hazard, Isak, Henry, Aguero etc. Defending from the front is an underappreciated art form, and when you find a forward who will press and score loads of goals too (Wayne Rooney or Luis Suarez, for example), you have to rub your eyes to check you're not going mad.

My Dad often tells me that Ian Rush was the greatest forward he's ever seen because he not only scored goals in spades, but also defended like it was his primary role in the team.

23 Feb 2026 08:56:33
MKS, so essentially, everyone was terrible, including the manager, correct? Sound. I agree.

23 Feb 2026 09:13:41
Pretty much, Oli haha! Kerkez, Dom and Ibou played well. Rio, when he came on, was good too. Everyone else? Pretty bloody poor.

23 Feb 2026 09:21:04
The big concern is that when you have players playing so badly and clearly having a negative impact on the team, Slot still waits until 75 minutes to make a substitution.

23 Feb 2026 09:34:45
Agree with how bad certain players were, and we just didn't want to battle for it. Thought Mac Allister was awful; he got caught numerous times, was too far forward in the first half, and Aina went past him like he wasn't there. I will say it's not his position; he looked so much better when pushed forward and didn't have to do the chasing back.

And, for me, that is on Slot, the same with Dom at right back. Both are stupid decisions, and clear to many that it's not working. And if Slot didn't send the players out to play how they did in the first half, then he should have been shouting at them, as that first half was terrible.

23 Feb 2026 09:58:02
The big shout out should be for Ali; that save in the first half kept us in the game. If they had scored, then they may have gone on to score more. YNWA.

23 Feb 2026 10:44:51
Mks, I'm only saying what you're saying, lol. I agree, Ibou and Dom and esp. Rio were good but you can't rely on that few decent to good perfs, when you have that many stinkers on the back end. As for the manager, I'm just counting the days till he is gone.

23 Feb 2026 12:02:01
If 9 players are playing badly, it is the coach's fault.

23 Feb 2026 13:06:27
Can't say that here, Pelican. The "It's the players fault" brigade will come for you.

23 Feb 2026 13:33:17
All eleven players who took to the field were superb yesterday. They were totally let down by their hopeless fraud of a coach. That better, lads? Get a grip. Your hate for Slot blinds yis to give a half a team of blaggers yesterday a free pass. Just try to have some balance to your arguments instead of acting like children.

23 Feb 2026 17:19:25
I think it's balanced to say they were all terrible, including Slot. That is a valid shout, but I think Slot consistently plays ineffective football; this does not bode well for the future. If you do, you're an eternal optimist, and I salute you, sir. Do you honestly think it's going to get better soon, and we are going to make a push for the title? For me, that should be the standard we should be setting as reigning champions, and absolutely everybody, at this moment in time, is failing at that, top down.

It's not the lack of being on top; it's the lack of effort to try to be on top. Making an excuse for Slot is ridiculous. Making an excuse for the players at this point is equally silly. All I can hope at this point is that this is being addressed, and I think people are starting to get frustrated at the seeming lack of urgency from anyone to turn this around.

23 Feb 2026 17:56:12
Anyone tell me what the score was at the end of the match? How many points did we get and how many points did Forest get? The over 'thinking', for want of a better word, and the competition to be the 'most angered' by the performance are, in my opinion, bordering on the pathetic.

23 Feb 2026 20:20:57
Slot doesn't need excuses made for him at the moment. The time for that was during the 9 losses in 12 run when I've said many times on here he could have lost his job. Since then it's two defeats in 20. One of those was against the probable eventual champions.

There is nothing at all wrong with that form. The problem is, on here, that the minds are already made up to the point you can just tell it's half killing some of yis when we win a game. 😁

24 Feb 2026 07:28:04
And your love for Slot blinds you, Florian. Take your own advice and add some balance to your arguments.

24 Feb 2026 08:14:21
Everything I stated is factual, DirtyMic. If you think 2 losses in 20 is sackable form, that's your prerogative. High standards you're setting there, though.

23 Feb 2026 07:26:02
That midfield! No scrappers - it's got to the point you more or less accept we won't win any 50/ 50s - it's actually a shock when we do .

23 Feb 2026 08:13:20
Macca is definitely a scrapper. The problem is he's just too slow. We massively missed Dom and Wirtz in there at times, though. Although they're not defensively minded, they don't half work hard to win the ball back. What we really need is a proper DM to sit behind them. Gravenberch has fallen off a cliff this season, but that may be primarily tactical, as I think he's being told to get forward more.

Sangare is a bang average player, and yet yesterday he was allowed to dominate the midfield battle because Macca was too slow to consistently get near him, and Gravenberch/Jones didn't have the stomach for a scrap. Very disappointing midfield performance.

23 Feb 2026 08:26:47
I watched about 15 mins of the game yesterday with my brother, who is not really into football. His observation in that time was, "Why don't they get stuck in and tackle?"

23 Feb 2026 08:42:23
I think we all know Grav is best coming from deeper, receiving the ball with his back to play, turning into space and driving through the midfield. He can't do any of that when his starting position is as high as it has been this season.

I think the tactic is for the midfield 3 to be fluid, but Grav wants to score more goals, as he said at the start of the season, so is spending too much time higher up the pitch, leaving Macca in the 6, which leaves us vulnerable.

23 Feb 2026 09:09:47
Pompey Rouge, that jumped out within the first 15 mins, like @Scouse. Imagine going against a robust, athletic midfield, with Andersson and a physical DM in Sangare, with Grav, Jones and Macca? You're literally asking to get your head kicked in going with such a physically deficient midfield like we did. Worse, we weren't getting stuck in nor competing at all. That is unforgivable. Now, Slot did change it, with Jones at rb and Szobo in midfield, but golly g, it was frightening the way we were getting bum-rushed from pillar to post for most of the game.

I agree with MKS and others who have been saying it. We need a physical DM and an athletic no. 8 to come in and give our midfield some bite. The PL has changed to a more physical league esp. in midfield, and some teams are no longer interested in playing football. They are interested in dominating physically and athletically, esp. in midfield. The times have changed and we have to change with it or get left behind.

23 Feb 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - SystonVilla has posted a new article entitled, Villa Fans Need Perspective and Positivity

22 Feb 2026 22:28:00
Lad's let's spear a thought for Ed001 who actually has to watch this muck again for his match review.

23 Feb 2026 00:37:26
Now, unfortunately, it's not hard to remember.

23 Feb 2026 04:35:06
I'll save Ed001 the time, Barry. LiVARpool won 1 nil. LiVARpool were crap. Worst performance of the season. Forest didn't deserve to lose. Move on to the next 1.

23 Feb 2026 05:41:10
We have been "spearing" his thoughts a lot.

23 Feb 2026 05:55:52
Spare even. 😁

23 Feb 2026 04:19:38
I seriously pray that Ed01 doesn't take the pain to watch that again. Please write whatever that comes from memory.

23 Feb 2026 07:06:57
No one will begrudge him a week off this time round, I don't think.

23 Feb 2026 07:23:42
The game doesn't merit a review.

23 Feb 2026 08:09:05
Okay, I'll bite, JLC. Which VAR decision do you think they skewed in our favour yesterday? There were two subjective calls (the red card for the studs-up rake down the full length of Mac Allister's shin, and the goal which ricocheted in off Macca's elbow/back), and both of them went against us. I think the elbow goal was the correct call, btw, but the decision not to at least send the ref to the monitor for that red card decision was incredulous.

Awful tackle, weak officiating. The only other call was a black-and-white automated offside decision, which showed Van Dijk was clearly onside in the build up to the winning goal.

23 Feb 2026 08:24:36
I was livid when the handball goal was not given, but after calming down and reading the rules again, I have to admit that it was the right call. I didn't realise that the arm being in a natural position wouldn't be taken into account for handballs that happen during attacking plays.

23 Feb 2026 08:49:33
Dr Pedant here, I'd argue the play in question was a defensive play, not an attacking one, as it was the defender attempting to clear his lines, which inadvertently ricocheted off Macca and into the net. Surely it can't be an attacking play when the player has his back turned to the ball and it hits him?

23 Feb 2026 09:12:51
Drac, I get the rule. However, I think the rule is poorly applied here. Macca's arm was tight to his body, so for me, that is not handball, and the goal should stand. Cos, if the roles were reversed and Macca blocked a goal bound shot the exact same way in our box, a pen would never be given for that.

So, if it is not a pen (hence, no handball), then the goal should stand as no handball. That's my logic.

23 Feb 2026 09:14:25
Oh, and Mks, that tackle was terrible and the Forrest player should have gone, ASAP. I fully agree on that. As for the whole Liverpool stuff, not worth discussing.

23 Feb 2026 09:48:40
The rule is, if it goes in off of the arm, it doesn't count. No ifs, ands, buts or maybes. I dunno how you can say that hasn't been applied properly when that's one of the only cut and dry rules we have left in this sport.

23 Feb 2026 09:59:01
If Macalister had been a Forest defender, would an own goal have been awarded, or would it have been ruled out according to the rule that a goal can not be scored via an accidental handball?

23 Feb 2026 10:48:09
Makes me happy I went and played golf in the sunshine rather than stay in and watch that.

23 Feb 2026 11:04:48
@Alvy, I disagree. The handball interpretation is my issue here. So, if you believe that the handball in the scenario I mentioned (Macca blocking a shot in the exact same way in his own box with his back turned and arm well against his body) is not handball at all (cos no pen would be given for that) then you simply cannot say it should be deemed a handball in the Macca scenario when the goal goes in. Keep in mind that if your arm is against your body and the ball hits it, it is not handball, as the arm is part of your body in that instance.

That is part of the handball rule. Hence, the rule is picking and choosing when it is handball and when it is not, esp. if the ball lands in the same area in both scenarios. As a result, the rule is wrongly created, hence wrongly applied in comparison, because if it is not handball in my scenario, it should not be handball in the scenario when the goal is scored. I hope this helps.

22 Feb 2026 23:09:17
Can you tell me how on earth some posters in here have a better idea of what should be done with this team than our actual coach who earns £120k+ a week?

Like, I'd honestly trust some of the posters in here to put out a better starting 11 or make better substitutions than Slot right now.

It's not rocket science.

1. Start Gomez at RB or even Robbo on his non-preferred side who'd dona better job because.

2. Szobo MUST start in midfield if we don't have Wirtz energy. We CANNOT start the game with Grav, Jones and Macca as the midfield 3 against a 4321 formation that has the energy of Anderson and Gibbs-White!

3. Swap Gakpo for Rio at half time (I'd go Rio from the start but we know that's not happening with Slot there).

4. Swap Salah for Chiesa around min 60 since there's little to no improvement from Mo.

I know we don't have many senior players on the bench so Slot may not want to make early subs but he hasn't made early subs at all even before all these injuries.

Like how stubborn can this guy be?

It's a massive problem when Slot will play the same players over and over again despite the terrible form many of them are in. these players know (whether consciously or subconsciously) that they have no competition because Slot will simply keep picking them.

I cannot wait to see the back of Slot, Hughes and Edwards.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, because I've never been a big fan, but Konate is one of our best players right now. another good performance from him.

23 Feb 2026 00:25:24
In fairness, he did swap Dom and Curtis. The last minute change with Flo didn't help. Rio may start getting some more minutes, and he's exactly the profile we need, but he is a child. Say what you want about Slot, but Hughes left us short on the wings. I don't see how people can keep winging about Gakpo playing when we clearly have almost no alternatives. It's a window fix. Slot has taken off Gakpo plenty of times, and called him out against Sunderland for not being able to beat his man.

People talk on here as if we have Kvaradona and Vini on the bench. Gomez can't start many games. He's coming back from yet another injury, and he is cover for 3 positions, so we need to mind him. At least until Frimpong returns. Slot is not stubborn imo. I just don't see it. I think he's tried to mix and match as much as possible this season. This is a window fix.

23 Feb 2026 01:23:12
The problem, as I see it, Gregarious, is that every single poster or Ed who wants to give opinions about team selection, team shape, substitutions is doing so from a position of ignorance. That's not a criticism, opinions are like bums, we all have one. Not one poster or Ed on this site has a fraction of the experience that Arne Slot has. They don't have any of the information from the medical team, analysis team, coaching staff, psychology staff that Arne Slot has. They don't get to speak directly to, or have team meetings with, the players on a regular basis. They don't know the players personally, their triggers, their families, their goals, their preferences, their problems. So you see, the thing is, we can all sit here saying what Slot is doing wrong.

We can all say what we would do better, and it makes sense to us and to others when we say it, but we don't have the first clue. We don't know why Slot is making the decisions he's making, so anything we say, any opinions we have are irrelevant and certainly would not be guaranteed to make things better. In fact, it's much more likely they would make things worse. If it was that easy we'd all be doing it, wouldn't we? But that's football, we love the game and we love our club, so we will all keep forming opinions and we will all keep saying what Slot should do instead of what he's actually doing, but we should never forget that he is much better at this than we will ever be.

{Ed025's Note - so you are saying people should not have opinions BP?, this is what the site is all about mate, or do you only want to hear people praising the manager and saying what a great job he is doing?..

23 Feb 2026 06:46:10
What we do know is how bad the team has been playing, even in our "revival." The constant, slow, laborious style of play and how badly the majority of players have performed, literally dropping off a cliff. This much we can see with our own eyes, and I would love to hear from any poster who can say they have enjoyed what they've watched, excluding the odd game.

So Beckers Pecker is correct that we don't have a clue about what goes on in the background, but we might have a clue about what we actually see, and that lies at Slot's feet. He is the coach after all, and the buck will always stop with the coach.

{Ed025's Note - absolutely Irish..

23 Feb 2026 06:56:34
I always have it at the back of my mind that we don't actually know the players on a day to day basis. I think back to when we, me included, were clamouring for Gomez at RB. He came in as a sub, I think, and played well. He then stayed a couple games, promptly picked up an injury, and missed a few weeks.

So, really, we are just playing with names on paper. Slot and the others see the people, and are the ones managing all the different dynamics. If it was all a video game then I'm sure we'd all be managers too.

23 Feb 2026 07:47:40
Gomez, I think, has been playing with a chronic knee condition where he has had injections to help him manage. I think Slot said as much not so long ago, so it is what it is with Gomez. I guess his game time will have to be managed in that respect.

23 Feb 2026 08:29:23
What a load of nonsense. Slot sets the team up; he had a full week to work on stuff last week, and he gives the players two days off and pisses off back to Holland. Look at the difference between United now and before the manager change, light and day. Our players are off it, fitness-wise. The only reason we won yesterday is because they played Thursday night away in Turkey. They looked a different side in the second half, tired and a few yards slower.

We did not play much better; they just made it easier. Slot should have gone after the PSV game, but Hughes and Edwards bottled making a decision, and we have just limped in from there. If a decision had been made, then there is a good chance we would be in the title race now, because the league is so bad we would not have to be very good.

23 Feb 2026 08:34:21
VB - Slot may have more experience than us all but come on, even Stevie Wonder can see Salah and Gakpo offer nothing. I ask you, if Salah wasn't such a club legend would he be an automatic starter? He's nowhere near the player he once was. Gakpo is a one trick pony and that trick was found out months ago

23 Feb 2026 08:52:10
Did you read my post Ed25? My point was that everyone will and should have an opinion but that's all it is, an opinion.

And in everyone's opinion (mine included), their opinion is the right opinion but let's be real here we only know a tiny fraction of what we would need to know to actually make those decisions. Who knows, if we knew what Slot knows we might make the same decisions as him.

Of course we should all have opinions it's part of the game but that doesn't mean they're relevant.

{Ed025's Note - i would suggest that all opinions are relevant BP, now you may not agree with them but that does not make them right or wrong mate just how people see things..

23 Feb 2026 09:17:28
Varry if that is your stance then, Ed25 is correct. He and his other mates/Ed's might as well shut down this forum and we should all move on to other things. Your comment made no sense at all.

25 Feb 2026 14:36:11
Sure, we don't have all the info about what's going on in the background and what not, but you can't tell me the man is not stubborn, c'mon, the guy's as stubborn as a mule! He does the same thing week in and week out. I understand we don't have much depth on the bench and we lost Wirtz just before the game started, but tweaks can be made. - Put Robbo on the right or play Ramsey and Gomez for 45 mins each to allow Szobo to play in the middle. - Jones and Macca can rotate with each other, since they're both terrible at the moment and we don't have more options. - Grav needs to bloody sit deep. Put a leash on him! - Give Rio a run. Maybe not start, but give him more minutes.

He's got a bit of an X factor, which we need right now. - Sub off Gakpo and Salah sooner when they're being clueless and giving Ekitike absolutely zero service. Throw Chiesa on, or if you think he's just as bad, throw Morrison or some other youngster on for 20 mins who is more hungry than the senior players currently. Hell, you can put Szobo on the right for the last 20 and bring a midfielder on. As you see, there are options and things you can do. Keep doing the same over and over again and you'll keep getting the same results. Isn't that the definition of insanity, someone said? Please don't tell me the man is not stubborn. He's as hard as they come.

22 Feb 2026 21:46:46
Just been searching Netflix and Amazon looking for a good heist movie. nothing going, then I thought- I'll watch match of the day/ the forest game. 👍.

22 Feb 2026 19:38:30
the quality of refereeing in this league is abysmal. Referees need to be held accountable. Our game and the spurs game. Spurs were robbed of an equaliser which went on to change the game. Referees need to be held accountable, they're well paid and still performing at an awful level.

22 Feb 2026 20:05:52
I certainly think it has to do with the money they are paid.

22 Feb 2026 20:36:06
The ref bottled it by blowing for the FK. If he left it a few seconds, he could have had another look. In my opinion, Gabriel has sold it well, and the ref lapped it up. I don't want to see any Arsenal fan complain about them favouring City, as that would have changed the game. They've massively got away with one!

22 Feb 2026 20:23:49
Doesn't help when you that rat face rodent sayin no penalty no penalty then soon as it's given not given he laughs saying Gabriel has went down easy she's thrown himself down there! It's a fkn disgrace he's allowed commentate on these games! And yes I do think they can hear him in Stockley park!
He does it at Liverpool games all the ooooohhh he could be in trouble here! Card is given then he says I actually don't think it was that bad the fella is a prk!!

22 Feb 2026 21:08:15
Match fixing and bias cheating for financial gain. Sport is rife with it.

22 Feb 2026 22:53:17
Gabriel did the same thing and flopped to the ground at Newcastle as Woltemade scored, and the ref did not buy his theatre correctly. Neither did the VAR. He has done it here, and the ref got conned, imo. I already knew the VAR would not intervene, and in a way, I agree. The ref has to have latitude to judge such incidents on their own.

As for our game, it is very simple. Had Macca blocked a goal-bound shot in our box in the very same way, would a pen have been given? If the answer is no, which it is, imo, then the goal should stand, as he had his back turned with his arm clearly against his body. Again, imo, it is that simple.

22 Feb 2026 23:20:03
The standard of refereeing has dropped dramatically now that they have the perceived safety net of VAR. Basically, match-day officials are covered (allegedly) by the great god technology. Plus, as has been said, 'you pay peanuts.

You get monkeys'. There's chat about a 15-year-old being offered 36k a week - which would, I'm guessing, be a fair bit more than PL match-day officials earn over the course of a season.

23 Feb 2026 01:34:37
The ref in the NLD today was pathetic. Pretty much every time Arsenal fell over in a position of consequence, he gave them a free kick. He then balanced it out by not giving them free kicks when the free kick would be inconsequential. At one point, Trossard actually jumped backwards into the Spurs player, then threw himself forwards and got a free kick.

Saka spent the entire game on the floor, getting free kick after free kick under minimal contact. It just ruins the game as a spectacle, and is infuriating to watch.

23 Feb 2026 11:07:18
@Varry, and yet this same Arsenal were the ones whining to the PL last season about Saka being over-fouled and how the refs have been screwing them with red cards. Notice they are not complaining this season. I wonder what changed.

23 Feb 2026 14:02:04
Oil, the difference with Maccas is that if a goal is directly scored from a hand it will automatically be ruled out. It's a stupid rule, as the same doesn't apply for a defender, but unfortunately it exists.