Agree so much on the PL vs the rest of Europe with the rugby style of play. Mark Goldbridge pointed out that there have been 17 scoreless ties (before last weeks games) so far and all of like 16 last year. Half the teams play the low block/park the bus/rugby style from the get go then hope for long throw ins/set pieces to score. It's boring, and nothing like the rest of Europe.

In regards to Liverpool specifically, think we all agree on what has been said on here. There are massive current and future problems this club is facing. I have said for a while that losing Diaz was huge (workrate, pace, defense, able to push the ball up the field by himself and cause opps and pressure on the defense). No replacement for that was/is killer. Only Gakpo on that side is a double killer. He is the anti Diaz. Love him, but he is too slow/plodding and honestly not good enough to start for Liverpool. Rio was pegged as that guy and supposedly they didn't want to stunt his upward movement ....but he plays 10 minutes every few games and now they don't want to injure him as he is so young. Salah being washed up on the other side has just killed any type of attacking threat. Throw in the injuries, the incredible fall off of other players that Tksmm7 mentioned above (Mac, Konate, Virg) and poor roster construction regardless of the $500M spent last summer and here we are currently. Spending on Isak after getting Ekitike made no sense when we didn't replace/upgrade any winger or address CB. Leoni was a tough loss and looked great in his one game, but he was more of a long term project) and then the Guehi miss (not really on Liverpool there). And we all know we have been missing that proper CM for years now.

As far as Slot goes, it's really inevitable at this point that he will be gone (you never know with FSG though). It's clearly not all on him (see above) as it's a whole organizational issue. But he is going to be the first to take the fall for the play, it's been trending down since really this time last year. Regardless of the roster structure/fit, injuries, player fall off, etc this team is too fragile and don't do anything well at all. How much the fall off is on him, who knows. But the players have regressed, look uncomfortable with no confidence, and keep being put in new places and formations as Slot keeps throwing things on the wall hoping something sticks. They are fighting to stay in the top 10 at the moment. It's now at the point they have to decide if they need to make a move now instead of waiting until the summer. Staying the course now means no chance at Champions League next year, which means no $$ for all the players we need nor will the top players want to come here like last year. Seeing what Chelsea and MU did and the bump they got is going to put pressure there too, not that FSG will or should act solely based on any of this ...but it is there. The questions are who would be the interim, who would be the long term play, etc. As far as Xabi goes, he is the right answer? He had one incredible year and one meh year at Leverkusen, and then fired halfway through the year at RM. I really don't know. Does he even want to come here? Will he accept being a coach only with less input and not a manager? Not sure what input he had at RM though either.

Besides all that, long term is really tough as well. We need so many players quickly, I just don't think it's feasible to fix anytime soon and compete for trophies. Konate, Virg, Salah, Alisson, Robbo all seem to be out the door by end of next year or earlier. And besides needing to be replaced due to age/dropoff/whatever, replacing what they once were as to be competing at the highest level is near impossible. Virg, Salah, and Alisson were elite, top of the line difference makers that don't get found easily or come along every day. I have been spoiled by the Klopp era and last year. But that magical era is over and this could be a tough and long transition and trying to get back to the top and have to accept that.

A CL spot is now the goal and an incredibly important one, because like you said we need that money in order to continue turning over this team/roster. We have holes as a roster, but I still think the foundation of this team is extremely good with Wirtz, Ekitike, Szbo, Gravenberch, Bradley, Frimpong, and Kerkez. They just need to make it a point to build around those players and their skills, and continue to bring in other pieces and find the right guy to lead the charge.

And Frimpong has already been subbed out

Idk what is going on with the injuries. We can complain that we don't have enough cover and what not, but also at the end of the day when you have this many injuries you just have to roll with punches and accept that you're probably going to suck. We came in with four senior CBs (I think they fully believed Leoni could play), two RBs and two LBs, and still are down to using emergency players everywhere. No one is carrying more than that going into a year. It just is what it is at this point.

But hey at least we beating the brakes off this team and maybe some guys can get a bit of confidence.

CL so much better and enjoyable than the PL right now. And I mean that in general/overall, not due to Liverpool having more success there. It's just so much more open with teams trying to score and how it's reffed. PL has gone way too far in rugby style physicality, set pieces, long ball and long throw in, low block, and analytical crap. It is so boring compared to this and the other European leagues.

I think we can all agree that our CLs performances are keeping Slot afloat at the moment, but my question to you is do you think FSG and the front office believe that because Slot and the fellas have the CL figured out, that it's only a matter of time and maybe a few more signings and they will have it figured out again in the EPL?

It's just SUCH a stark contrast in how the team looks and the results in the CLs v. EPL, that I have to believe there is some belief internally that they are not completely far off in the EPL and only need a few more tweaks. I mean Slot and the fellas are a top 5 team in Europe easily playing Endo at RB, Gravenberch at CB, and a whole host of other issues. Idk how you handle it anymore.

Just watch how the games are reffed. Players get away with so much in the PL vs how games are called in the CL. Anthony Taylor, Paul Tierney, Michael Oliver let rugby occur on the pitch at times, especially vs Liverpool. The fact that I know the names of PL refs but could not name a single CL ref should tell you all that you need to know on that subject. It's why the Tarkowki's of the word have a place in the PL but can't cut it anywhere else.

"But can he do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?" Like others have mentioned, the PL has turned into everyone playing a low block vs the perceived Big 6 (I would say 5, but that's a conversation for another time). Every game is put 6 on the back line, 3 in midfield, and 1 poor schmuck left to battle it out against the CBs. They concede 70% possession and hope to catch the opposing team on the break, or at least do enough to get a set piece or long throw. It's how we've dropped points to Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Leeds this season. We just don't have the players to break a team down like that. We've discussed this ad nauseum, but Gakpo is not the player to run at a team (we sold the wrong winger). Salah has lost a step but his best asset was in open transition and we just don't get to play that very often. Isak gift is making runs behind the defense. It's hard to do that when 6 players are lined up at the edge of the box. Ekitike and Wirtz (who I think might be the future partnership we rely on in the years to come) seem to be the only players who can pick put the space and the pass to get behind enemy lines. Firmino was a one-of-a-kind player for us but he was so gifted in the half spaces that no pass or run was outside his range. I think Wirtz has the potential to be like this although he will have to do it facing the goal whereas Firmino excelled with his back to goal. Szoboszlai can also run at teams but he rarely gets to do so bc he is being asked to play RB in half our games.

The CL is a welcome change bc players and teams are generally better and the league phase encourages you to attack. Teams can't afford to draw 6 games bc you'll be knocked out. You can hit teams on the counter. Wirtz, Ekitike, and Chiesa all scored more or less from a counter last night. (Side Note: We all know Nunez misses the goal that Ekitike scored. Loved the chaos he would bring but Ekitike is the finisher we wanted Nunez to be). The CL suits us. Now let's hope we avoid Atletico in the knockouts and get Juventus instead.

Does Slot get more time? I have no idea what FSG is thinking. On one hand, he brought a league title last season and apart from the PSV fiasco, he's done well in the CL. His team has been ravaged by injuries and we've been playing some players out of position. On the other hand, does Slot even know the best position for each player? Does he even know what formation to use? I think if FSG had lost confidence in him, then he would be gone already with Xabi Alonso (the rumoured No.1 choice from Summer 2024) being available.

Tksymm7 said:

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I think we can all agree that our CLs performances are keeping Slot afloat at the moment, but my question to you is do you think FSG and the front office believe that because Slot and the fellas have the CL figured out, that it's only a matter of time and maybe a few more signings and they will have it figured out again in the EPL?

It's just SUCH a stark contrast in how the team looks and the results in the CLs v. EPL, that I have to believe there is some belief internally that they are not completely far off in the EPL and only need a few more tweaks. I mean Slot and the fellas are a top 5 team in Europe easily playing Endo at RB, Gravenberch at CB, and a whole host of other issues. Idk how you handle it anymore.

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Interestingly, 5 PL teams were in the top 8 and are through to the round of 16. Newcastle finished 12th and will play in the first knockout stage. Will be fun to see if teams like Spurs and Liverpool can maintain the success they have found in CL.