Liverpool banter 10

21 Feb 2026 17:39:00
Take a bow James Milner.

21 Feb 2026 18:37:24
100% EM. Such humble words from him too. I'm sure he'll enjoy his family meal washed down with a few Ribenas.

22 Feb 2026 08:50:38
Just seen that he's played with or against 50% of all the players that have ever played in the Premier League era. Not sure how true that is, but it's quite a stat.

22 Feb 2026 10:54:42
Indeed, EM. What a man. What a career. A true role model for all, regardless of what walk of life they are in, imo.

21 Feb 2026 17:06:22
Fair play to Farke and Leeds. Always liked his style of play.2 defeats vs Arsenal and Newcastle (in the 100th minute) in 16 games taking points off us (twice), Chelsea (twice), utd, Villa, Brentford and Sunderland.7 points clear of the relegation zone now. Great turnaround from a manager on the verge of the sack.

21 Feb 2026 18:38:58
Looking back, we played Leeds right when their form seemed to turn around. Happy for them and for Farke. Likable guy.

21 Feb 2026 19:35:19
Had a feeling Villa would drop points. Leeds are decent, but never thought Chelsea would stumble! Massive game for us tomorrow now!

22 Feb 2026 10:57:01
Bristol, I was surprised that Villa even got a point because they were dreadful all game long. Leeds are very hard to break down and give Farke credit for making them very tough to beat.

That said, we should have beaten them in both games as we bottled a two-goal and a one-goal lead in the final 25 mins. At Anfield, we were dreadful and didn't lay a glove on them all game long, imo.

22 Feb 2026 11:53:27
Oli, I can see Villa being in real danger of dropping down in the CL qualification. It's a bit of stick or twist for them, as I think they're desperate for a trophy, & they've a great chance in the Europa League, & as good a chance as any in the FA Cup, but their form is dipping at a crucial time.

22 Feb 2026 12:23:26
Agreed, FM. Good season so far for Leeds. It'll be good to see them staying in the PL.

22 Feb 2026 13:08:54
I have to say I'd like to see Leeds relegated. I really disliked Revie and his team, back in the day.

21 Feb 2026 15:13:33
So I see its not only us who have a need to have certain meetings.

Imagine drawing a game, with potentially still being 2 points ahead if the team in 2nd win their game in hand, and then decide that an urgent team meeting is crucial to get the season back on track.

21 Feb 2026 15:36:51
I certainly rather be having an "urgent meeting" while still in 4 competitions than our position when our season was going to s***.

21 Feb 2026 18:42:05
Well, hopefully they'll need another one on Monday morning.

22 Feb 2026 01:54:43
We're still in 3 competitions. Does that not warrant a meeting?

22 Feb 2026 10:58:52
Looks like a meeting is already in session right now among LFC fans right here on this thread, if you ask me.

22 Feb 2026 13:15:43
If the players can't take it, they should leave, said the man who won the FA Cup six years ago and who has bottled it every season since, even though hundreds of millions £ have been spent on the squad.

Add 'fantastic motivational speaker' to his list of things that rattle his squad's confidence. It's around about now in the season when he reverts to trying not to lose games, rather than win them.

21 Feb 2026 09:21:46
ED001, if you're about, heard the youngster Joshua Abe has been stalling signing a contract/ scholarship, and Trent's brother is his agent but my question is about agents. Can clubs stop their players having certain agents or ban certain agents from operating at the club.

I still remember the Sterling fiasco and how bad that agent spoke with no integrity about our club, looks like this trents brother is doing us no favours aswel.

{Ed001's Note - clubs cannot force them to change agent, they can ask but it is up to the player to choose their personal representative. You don't want to go down that route, that was what Fergie used to do at Man Utd - but he would force youth players to use his son or brother's agency (I forget which he was now) as he was a part-owner. Those that didn't, such as Pogba, would not get a game under any circumstances. Which led to the ludicrous situation where Fergie put 3 defenders in midfield during an injury crisis, rather than give Pogba even a sniff and saw Pogba quit the club as soon as he could.

I look at it that you are probably better off just being rid of young players with reps that are not looking after them, as they are likely to be mercenaries with short careers ahead.}

21 Feb 2026 13:43:59
Cheers, Ed001. Yeah, forgot about Fergie doing all that. I agree with just letting the youngsters go if they're thinking about money, rather than being in the best place for themselves footballing-wise.

21 Feb 2026 16:36:27
Anybody know why clubs pay agents instead of the players themselves?

21 Feb 2026 17:17:55
Well, first of all, they do pay the players. Second of all, the agents are intermediaries in any negotiation, and are paid for their services, just like mortgage brokers or recruitment consultants.

21 Feb 2026 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - PaghamWolf has posted a new article entitled, Wolves Player Ratings v Arsenal

21 Feb 2026 05:46:06
I believe if Mr. Alonso was to come in, then frimpongs injuries would improve. Our slow style doesn't work with frimpongs speeds. His quick bursts from nothing are obviously affecting him. If he was up and down the wing with warm muscles I think he'd be fine. He was fine at Leverkusen.

21 Feb 2026 08:15:51
I think that the cost of living will improve once Slot's gone as well.

21 Feb 2026 08:18:59
Not sure if it's as black and white as that, mate. Depending on the grade of tear, it's always going to leave a level of scar tissue, and, after one issue, the body starts to compensate in other secondary muscle groups, and players' movement patterns can change from subconsciously to consciously, thus creating a string of consecutive injuries (niggles).

Hopefully, the cardboard cutout will be gone before the start of next season or I might be forced to go off grid.

21 Feb 2026 08:42:43
Well, Rome, fitness levels will definitely improve because it took Slot 2/3 of the season to get the first team fit. I can't imagine the fringe players will be, though, so at least we might be able to rotate without a massive drop off.

21 Feb 2026 08:47:50
I think right back will be a problem area for us. We could do with either signing another in summer, getting a utility player in that can cover across the back 4, or, my personal preference, trust the youth. Can't keep putting midfielders at right back if we want to win major trophies.

21 Feb 2026 09:04:36
I honestly believe that, whether it is Slot or Alonso in charge next season, we will be playing with a back 3 and wingbacks.

21 Feb 2026 09:17:33
@Letstalkabout6baby, do you think the step up in intensity when going from the BLiga to the PL is playing a part in Frimpong's muscle injuries? Maybe if LFC agree to sack Slot, the 19 other PL clubs will agree to slow their players down.

21 Feb 2026 09:29:50
Watched an interview regarding the lactate test, which we abandoned, I believe, when Slot came in. You don't really notice much difference until the following season, this one.

21 Feb 2026 10:10:34
Frimpong's injuries will improve under Alonso. 😆 Ah, I've heard it all now. Poor lads out there catching their death on the wing under Arne.

21 Feb 2026 13:38:47
Rome1977, not going to lie, that was hilarious, and you have a point, because it is clearly not that cut and dry. Either way, I think @D-Day has it right. The intensity levels between the PL and the German League are very different. I remember Joel Matip saying after his first season with us about how he was shocked at the intensity levels and physical impact of the PL dwarfing the Bundesliga, and how he struggled with adjusting to it.

Like Frimpong, Matip wasn't known to be injury prone either in his time in Germany, and as soon as he came here, he struggled. You can apply that to Frimpong, imo.

21 Feb 2026 14:02:52
Frimpong's two hamstring injuries were caused by him attempting to sprint while the opposition player was applying downward force on him while in contact (vs Bournemouth and Eintracht Frankfurt). I am not sure they could have been avoided unless he's superhuman. Ordinarily, players would go down when this force is applied to get a foul, but Frimpong decided to sprint against it.

I wonder if he's learned his lesson there. The third injury is probably a result of the severity of the first two. Only superhuman Mo Salah's hamstrings can handle such resistance. Every other player goes down.

22 Feb 2026 10:42:46
LFC8, isn't that what Gomez is for, mate? I 100% agree about putting Szob or even Curtis there. Szobs's problem is that he actually shines there too. I think Bradley will have a very short career, unfortunately. Now, if Gomez isn't the guy for covering the back 4, we should have let him go when he wanted to.

Personally, either way, I'd let him go and get a younger and fitter player. Let's be honest. Can we seriously rely on him for, say, a 5/6 game run? We need the new Jimmy Milner. Who fits the bill?

{Ed001's Note - "when he wanted to." When was that? I thought he was the one rejecting offers to move?}

22 Feb 2026 10:59:48
I thought so as well, Ed.

20 Feb 2026 21:25:43
Allison, nicol, hansen, lawerson, beglin, Souness, Gerrard, molby, Barnes, Kenny, rush. Subs: grobelaar, virgil, beardsley, Aldridge, whelan, Gillespie, robbo, fowler and salah

Just reminiscing about teams and players past and present. My all time squad. Probably left out some world class players, but off the top of my head, this is it for me.

20 Feb 2026 22:10:21
Clemence, Neal, Hanson, VVD, Robbo Souness, Gerrard, R Kennedy Barnes, Kenny, Rush Reserves Alison, Nicol, Lawrenson, Hughes, Lyndsey Alonso, Molby, Heighway Salah, Fowler, Keegan.

20 Feb 2026 22:27:19
Phil Neal, 8 League titles, 4 European Cups. Never injured. 2 goals in European Finals from right back.

20 Feb 2026 23:26:01
Phil Neal gets into anybody's all-time LFC 11. If not, then you don't know what he was capable of or achieved. No one else comes near as a starter.

20 Feb 2026 22:58:40
One player that will never make an all time Liverpool team is Suarez due to him having the moral compass of an alley cat. The guy would unplug your life support machine to charge his phone.

But as far as quality and ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and win it on his own he for me was world class.

21 Feb 2026 04:58:10
I always get a bit confused about my favourite team and the best team. If I mean the best team, do I mean the best individuals for each position, or the best 'unit' - the best group of players who played together in midfield or up front? For example, I like the idea of the following best team. Defence - Clem, Phil Neal, Jocky, Lawro and Barney.

Mids - Masch, Xabi and Stevie G. Att - Sadio, Bobby and Mo. Like I say, my favourite team would be different, and my best team of the best player for each position would be different - Sir Roger, Digger, Kenny, God, and Rushie in attack alone all merit a place in the 'best team'.

21 Feb 2026 07:40:26
There is such a wealth of riches over the years, it is almost impossible to arrive at a definitive team. However, absolute shoe-ins for me would include Phil Neal, Alan Hansen, Stevie G and Kenny. The permutations around these are countless, and I could happily make up numerous teams that would fulfil the brief, but would always have these four as absolutes.

21 Feb 2026 07:51:02
For me, weirdly enough, Barnes walks into any all-time team. His peak years were unimpeachably brilliant.

21 Feb 2026 08:17:15
Suarez gets a bad rep. He hasn't done anything I wouldn't do in a football match. Trample the enemy, no matter what, always. But, as an all-round player, Gerrard is the best midfielder to have ever played football.

{Ed025's Note - so its ok to go around biting people on a football pitch?...idiot, and Gerrard was good but not in the top 50..

21 Feb 2026 09:04:20
Ed025, I was just about to reply to Lucas Redibe. You've beaten me to it. Add racially abusing another player as well. Suarez was a great footballer, but a vile human being.

{Ed025's Note - you are spot on Rome mate..

21 Feb 2026 09:32:24
As much as I love Robbo, Barney Rubble has to be lb for me.

21 Feb 2026 10:06:38
I have to disagree with you there, John. Picking an all-time left back has always been contentious. For me, it's between Robertson and Nicol. I always remember the story of when Alan Kennedy made his debut for us. He had a nightmare first half, and Paisley turned to Fagan and said, "I think they shot the wrong Kennedy!"

21 Feb 2026 10:16:09
Ian Rush does not get anywhere near the credit he deserves. He was the gold standard of forwards, a lethal finisher, and arguably the best mustache since Maverick. Our record goal scorer makes the best XI.

Barnes is 2-in-1, the best left winger in our history (as well as a forward), plus he played the second half of his career as a controlling midfielder. Salah is the best right forward.

21 Feb 2026 12:01:31
Barnes wasn't a particularly good midfielder, though, much as I love him, I have to admit that. Best winger Liverpool have ever had, though. Rush was incredible, but what really made him stand out was his insane work rate and pressing from the front.

21 Feb 2026 12:30:12
And a cracking porn star moustache.

21 Feb 2026 13:52:00
Have to agree with Scouse John, Barney Rubble, for me was a great defender, won titles galore and scored the winner in 2 European Cup finals. And, when Barnes played in midfield, he did a very good job there, but by far he was one of the best left wingers to ever grace a football pitch.

21 Feb 2026 14:24:05
@25

Not top 50???!!

Are ypu insane. let me guess Leon Osman makes it in your top 10 though.

{Ed025's Note - actually no MR, i tell the truth mate but sometimes i can get things wrong.....Gerrard is not in the top 100 now i think about it..

21 Feb 2026 14:49:07
Hi Ed025
I think this is the Lucas Redibe who a couple of days ago was defending Prestiani and his alleged taunting against Vinincios Junior. Seems to be a running theme here.

{Ed025's Note - you could be right Gaga, he will be getting deleted mate..

21 Feb 2026 22:30:52
76/77 team took some beating. One poor goal away from the first ever treble, they still went on to win the European Cup and the league. YNWA

22 Feb 2026 09:26:23
I cannot understand how Suarez is considered a legend, despite not winning anything (maybe a League Cup), biting players, racially abusing players, and trying to force a move out of the club. Yet Trent, a local lad, fulfils dreams many of us have had.

He was an ever-present in a successful period, winning every trophy with the club. Yet he is demonised for wanting to try something new. I will never understand this!

22 Feb 2026 12:21:48
Mot, who's that directed at? I brought up Suarez, but haven't mentioned the word legend or even Trent.

22 Feb 2026 20:38:02
Just the irony. Suarez left a hero and Trent a villain. I am not saying you think this, but it is the general consensus, I feel, which I find absurd.

20 Feb 2026 19:06:16
Ed001 did you see Slota press conference yesterday?
I see he said we will be better now than before as our fitness levels are better, I find that very strange thing to say because he is admitting the players have only just got up to speed.
I would think that his is job in preseason to get them there or at least 85/ 90 % there and the last bit in the first few games not half way through the season.


Hopefully we are now fully fit and as teams tire toward the end of the season maybe we can come on and push for champions league title.
I don't know if am just hoping things change for the last part of a very poor season that started full of hope with the players we signed.

{Ed001's Note - I don't watch pressers.}

20 Feb 2026 20:20:37
I saw it. That part absolutely infuriated me. This just confirms all of our suspicions regarding the blatant lack of fitness in the squad. We've all seen most of the players struggle beyond 70 minutes. Some of us have been baffled, some of us suspicious, and some of us have made nonsense excuses about "saving energy for the latter half of the season". 7 months in and we're finally fit? For a Premier League manager to even suggest such a thing is a sackable offence in itself. How is that acceptable by any means? I swear, every other presser he says something that reveals another reason he's completely incapable.

Why has it taken 7 months to get a group of professional athletes match fit? There's only 1 reason, a massive oversight in terms of conditioning. I don't care whether it was completely accidental or some whacky plan to "avoid burnout". It's unacceptable. It's 2025 not 1925, we know exactly how fit you need to be, the metrics are all there. We were the number 1 team in terms of fitness under Klopp, all the stats are in the system, and there's absolutely no excuse. I don't care if he wins the Champions League, the incompetence is unbearable. Send him on the first plane back come June.

20 Feb 2026 20:45:03
How can he think this is a good thing to say? We are at the end of February and we are just getting started. He's just given them another week off. It really beggars belief.

20 Feb 2026 21:31:34
I'm not making excuses. I don't know the ins and outs of our training (I know it's been mentioned that the intensity isn't the same as it was under Klopp), but Jota's tragic passing had a massive impact on our pre-season, so to me it's fully understandable that our fitness would be affected.

I think another major factor that does fall on Slott is the fact we celebrated the title win too early; the trip to Ibiza, whilst the season was still being played, was the wrong choice and has had a really negative knock-on effect on the squad.

20 Feb 2026 21:33:04
Pre-season was disrupted, though, and it wasn't Slot's fault.

20 Feb 2026 21:43:21
It's incredible how we won those first 7 games with mostly late winners or comebacks, and then the lack of fitness and grief kicked in during September, disappeared for Real, Villa etc, only to kick in again during November with us having a disrupted pre-season. Beggars belief.

20 Feb 2026 21:55:14
I don't understand why people find that so hard to grasp, Patrick and Ron. It's fairly obvious when a member of the squad tragically dies a few days before pre-season starts, you're not going to get people doing the bleep test on the first day back.

In fact, pre-season probably didn't start in earnest until a few weeks, or even a month, after they came back, if they even had a pre-season at all. How can Slot force grieving players into a full pre-season program? It's not excuses, it's just how it is.

20 Feb 2026 22:41:30
I predict we're going to be fully fit just before we play the Champions League final.

20 Feb 2026 23:26:28
I hope so, FM.

20 Feb 2026 23:38:05
Exactly, JK.

21 Feb 2026 06:00:13
Come on, even if preseason is compromised, it shouldn't take this long to get players fit.

21 Feb 2026 06:04:44
Pretty strange for me to comment about this specifically, but the user named PatricksBurger could very well be causing a lot of confusion in the days to come. Would it be too much to ask for users to choose names that aren't so close to existing users?

21 Feb 2026 07:22:20
It's one thing if you don't accept the grief piece on fitness issues, but to be so flippant about the effect Jota's death will have had on the squad is wild and in bad taste for me.

21 Feb 2026 07:55:10
Absolutely not, Changingofthegvardiol. For me, what's bad taste is criticising a player by saying he isn't professional for years, that the injuries are because he plays on a PlayStation all day and night (unfounded accusations), and then tarnishing him by using his sad passing as an excuse for why players can't defend set-pieces, run, press, or pass the ball except on certain days or certain months.

Of course the players will be grieving. Anyone who knew him will be grieving, including all his international teammates, but for me, it's not an excuse when things don't go well. I actually passed the rumour on here last year, through a close friend of mine, that Diego had a potential collapsed lung and was playing through the pain barrier. But that didn't stop him getting pelters.

21 Feb 2026 09:29:10
Sorry, Patrik, I can look to change the name. Mine wasn't based on yours, but I haven't posted in years, so I'm happy to look into changing it if you are more active on here, mate, to avoid confusion.

{Ed033's Note - Ideally, you log out of PatricksBurger and register a new username.

21 Feb 2026 09:56:18
Patrik, you can't create another account just to agree with yourself. 😜 It's another Salah / Aoe moment. 🤣

21 Feb 2026 12:03:19
Ah, sorry, PatricksBurger, I was assuming that you were a new user on here who was taking the p***. That was bad of me to assume. Looks like you had a moment of inspiration, making a play on Paddy's name before I did. JK, I wish I had the time to do that, mate. Never say never though; might do it in the future, haha.

21 Feb 2026 13:45:41
{Ed001's Note - I don't watch pressers.}.

The same, Ed. I'd be pulling my scalp out if I had to listen to this manager say he essentially forfieted 70% of the season just to get us fit.

@Fatwallet, don't worry. Hopefully, those accusing others of making stuff up or putting words in Slot's mouth just to bash him will see the light that he is the one bringing all this upon himself. But I know they won't.

21 Feb 2026 21:09:21
I'm PatrikBurgher!

22 Feb 2026 11:01:15
Je suis PatrikBurgher!

22 Feb 2026 12:35:11
I don't watch the dressers either, there is a poster on TikTok called Si LFC n he just shortens it to a minute or two.

20 Feb 2026 18:32:37
Looking ahead to Sunday and how you see it going?

I don't care about performance now tbh it's the time of season where we need to battle it out and fight for the points, we've been suspect which is an understatement in these sort of games this season which has cost us dearly but with Chelsea's game looking like 3 points for them we need to keep in touch!

I think Villa will drop more points tomorrow and I can see the boys in blue taking more points off UTd?
With that in mind I'll be more than happy with a repeat of the Sunderland performance and result.

20 Feb 2026 18:58:52
Br, I am the same to a certain point, but we have had wins without performances being great, and I think we need both now, as the performances will increase confidence.

20 Feb 2026 19:02:50
Be a tough game, mate. Hopefully we turn up.

20 Feb 2026 19:13:44
We've struggled against Forest in recent times. The last 4 fixtures have seen us win 1, draw 1, and lose 2. In the last 8 since their promotion back into the top flight, we have won 4, lost 3, and drawn 1. Definitely not a fixture we find easy.

20 Feb 2026 19:43:16
All about the points, performances are secondary at this stage.

20 Feb 2026 20:04:32
They just had an away European midweek fixture, so hopefully we will be fresher.

20 Feb 2026 20:05:12
I read somewhere recently that of the last 15 league games we have played at Forest we've only won 1!I'm not sure if that is accurate, but if it is, that is unbelievable. V difficult game, I feel. Looking at Forest's result Thurs, I think they're getting the new manager 'bounce' and they also have some excellent players, Anderson, Gibbs-White and the 2 cbs.

Hopefully the long trek to Turkey Thurs has taken a bit out of them. We need to win for the 3pts and, just as importantly, to keep the wee bit of momentum we have going.

20 Feb 2026 20:21:43
The past doesn't matter. Turn up, play the way we know we can, and we win.

20 Feb 2026 20:30:48
The past doesn't matter. Try telling that to Prince Andrew WDW. 🤣

20 Feb 2026 20:31:07
I think a lot will ride on the first goal, and, if we score it, how well we deal with the following 20 minutes. If we score first and immediately pile on the pressure and attempt to secure a quick second, I think we do the business. Anything outside of that will see us struggle.

Forest have our number, so Slot needs to employ some more direct football. If we go out there playing the ball sideways all day, and expecting it to magically find its way into the back of the net, we'll find ourselves in trouble.

20 Feb 2026 22:42:09
I'd love to have the opportunity to tell him @JK.

He's nowhere near the sharpest tool in the box - a staggeringly entitled creature whose lack of intelligence and pathetic lies are finally catching up with him.

Not a fan of royalty - a bunch of parasites who sponge a living from the 'royal purse' - but he really does take the biscuit.

21 Feb 2026 12:31:07
I think we continue to play and win comfortably.

21 Feb 2026 13:47:29
It will be a tough game at their ground, and that has been the case since they got promoted, so I expect the same. Hopefully, we get the win.

20 Feb 2026 14:34:24
Out of interest Ed01 do you rate Desiré Doué and do you think he would be a plausible Liverpool target?

{Ed001's Note - I haven't seen enough of him to judge him, so I couldn't say.}

20 Feb 2026 15:17:21
My favourite PSG winger.

20 Feb 2026 15:18:31
I think he is an outstanding player, and would love us to sign him, but I would imagine you're talking telephone numbers.

20 Feb 2026 19:02:51
Yep, he's one of the most talented players of his age range. He's got superstar potential.

20 Feb 2026 20:24:09
Really, @FM? Who's your favourite full back at Swansea. 😉

20 Feb 2026 22:40:21
Well, they do have a few good ones, WDW! Most would pick Kvaradonna, no?

20 Feb 2026 13:26:16
Thiago is part of the legends team in March

He really loves our club.

20 Feb 2026 13:55:32
One of the best players I've ever seen in a Liverpool shirt. Shame we didn't win more while he was around.

20 Feb 2026 14:23:22
Just imagine what we could have achieved if he could have kept fit. What a player.

20 Feb 2026 14:33:50
Assistant coach for Xabi Alonso next season?

20 Feb 2026 14:34:56
Fowler _9, yes. Thiago loved the club. He was getting paid a fortune and was always injured, but when fit, he was a class act. YNWA.

20 Feb 2026 16:06:07
One of the worst signings we ever made. He took us for a ride, on the sick for almost all of his contract, collecting £££££££££'s. He saw us coming.

20 Feb 2026 16:16:07
True story. Thiago played 98 more times for Liverpool than I did, despite being on the sick for almost his whole contract. Quality player to watch, sadly. I think we signed him too late in his career, when his body was failing him.

20 Feb 2026 16:40:48
A joy to watch, technically the best player seen in a Liverpool shirt. It was a shame his body kept failing.

20 Feb 2026 16:46:07
My mate does some charity work down by Chinatown (some sort of play area, I think). Thiago and his kid came across it. He ended up funding an overhaul of some sort out of the goodness of his heart. That's what footballers should be about, not big jeeps and getting told where to go by sponsors for publicity. Great footballer, even better human.

20 Feb 2026 16:54:03
Cracking story that John. 👏

20 Feb 2026 17:32:13
Magnificent footballer when fit and playing in the right position.

20 Feb 2026 17:50:15
Although I agree, in hindsight it was a terrible signing when you factor in his availability. I don't think we can really blame Thiago for having so many injuries. He clearly tried his best to be fit, and always gave it his all when he was. Incredible player to watch on his day; his days were few and far between, sadly.

20 Feb 2026 18:43:35
I don't think it's any coincidence that when we did get Thiago fit and available for 6 months r so, we went on that charge for the quad. Not sure how many games in a row we won in 4 competitions, but it was a serious run. I think a big part of that was Thiago was fit and flying at the time.

If memory serves me right, he got a late niggle of some sort just before the Champions League final, and I don't think he was right for the game, which was the 1st we had lost in ages.

20 Feb 2026 18:58:02
One day there will be a charity game and Mane, Firmino and Salah will be upfront. Hopefully all wearing number 20. It will be an emotional day.

20 Feb 2026 20:35:49
Absolutely phenomenal player. Made it look far too easy. Very unfortunate how injuries affected the latter stages of his career. What a signing he would have been had we brought him in during his prime.

21 Feb 2026 12:15:19
Class player no doubt, but I never thought he was that good for us beyond a handful of games where he looked the best player on the pitch. He had very limited mobility, and took a while to get going and acculturate himself to the rhythm of the game whenever he came back from injury. I always found it weird how Lallana got so much stick for taking too many touches, but Thiago was pretty much the definition of taking too many touches sometimes. He would do a feint or a stepover before doing a 6 yard sideways pass sometimes; I've seen him do it even without an opposition player around him.

He could routinely make the impossible look easy, but he would also give the ball away a lot in midfield doing simple things. One thing you can't fault him for is work rate, though. He did work very hard in midfield for us, and pressed decently well for a player with limited athleticism. That was a side of his game that he had to push to another level with us after starting to do so under Flick. Certainly at Bayern he was one of the best players in the world to watch for a number of years.

21 Feb 2026 13:49:28
Mks, I'm liking the sound of that, tbh.

19 Feb 2026 13:19:38
I've also watched a big match revisited recently. Kenny in midfield fairclough and Johnson up front. Vs crystal palace. Nil nil but highly entertaining. I'd forgotten how skilful super sub was but no stamina. Faded completely after about 70 minutes.

19 Feb 2026 15:38:22
To be fair, Super Sub probably wasn't used to playing 70 minutes. Quality player from the bench. 👌

19 Feb 2026 16:30:47
St Etienne, that's all! 👌

19 Feb 2026 17:22:38
One of the greatest nights in our history, Hero H.

19 Feb 2026 21:30:11
Great, great atmosphere that night.

20 Feb 2026 06:02:35
The atmosphere was better against Barnsley, Forest and PSV, as Rome1977! said.

20 Feb 2026 06:59:27
Absolutely, Barnsey! Those 3 games will live on in the memory!

20 Feb 2026 12:34:11
St Etienne. Brought a few memories back. I think I was in 2nd year juniors n my classmate got on the pitch n his face was all over the TV that night. The teacher, saying the next day, 'Shouldn't you have been in bed?' I'll have to have a word with your parents. Hahah.

20 Feb 2026 16:33:35
Allez les verts alkez les rouges.