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World Cup Qualifiers - Highlights (Europe) 10 Matches played overnight

World Cup Standings (Europe)

So Scotland are through to the WC after an absence of 28 years!

Wales & Ireland through to playoffs

Socceroos WC Group not too difficult but not easy either (no powerhouse to contend with)

So it's the USA, Paraguay and one of Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo

For our Scottish friends here on this thread, they've drawn Brazil, Haiti & Morocco

welcome to mediocrity @layzie

19 hours ago, roy11 said:

welcome to mediocrity @layzie

If we were trying to use United as a benchmark we haven't just levelled things up, we've obliterated the target. We deserve all the stick we're getting.

And now with Salah coming out and saying what he said it's just a very sad time. I never thought he'd be here forever but I really don't want him leaving in a bad way after all he's done for us.

29 minutes ago, layzie said:

If we were trying to use United as a benchmark we haven't just levelled things up, we've obliterated the target. We deserve all the stick we're getting.

And now with Salah coming out and saying what he said it's just a very sad time. I never thought he'd be here forever but I really don't want him leaving in a bad way after all he's done for us.

you're only 3 points off 4th, the wheels aren't completely off and i'm sure you'll play European football next year but seemingly in some shambles.

A squad rebuild on the run and spending a lot of money, two of your better players regressing after signing contracts - is this Liverpool or the Dees

21 minutes ago, roy11 said:

you're only 3 points off 4th, the wheels aren't completely off and i'm sure you'll play European football next year but seemingly in some shambles.

A squad rebuild on the run and spending a lot of money, two of your better players regressing after signing contracts - is this Liverpool or the Dees

Yeah it's such a funny season Roy. We've literally had 8 points in the last 27 or whatever it is yet we could still climb back into top 4 if we get our act together.

However something is seriously broken at this club and since the mess started it has been so difficult to watch this team play. I really have no idea what identity we're trying to create or what the philosophy is. At least with United, Amorim brought a philosophy and vision that he is trying to build towards. It can look messy and rough around the edges but when I watch them, I get what he's trying to form.

With Slot this season I honestly can't tell you what our style of play is meant to be. It's all slow build up, pass 10 times around the box and then Dom or Gravenberch launch into a long shot that gets blocked. VVD and Konate spend most of the time passing to each other etc. I haven't seen our wingers beat or even try to beat a man lately, we are very easy to play against. Then you have the selections. Leaving Chiesa and Gomez out all the time but continuing to play Trent 2.0 Konate just can't be good for morale. Then you have the Mo situation, most Liverpool fans have been screaming out for Mo to be dropped, he hasn't been at it at all this season. It should have happened after we lost to you to be honest but he kept playing him for 90 mins over and over. He finally did the right thing and dropped him and now Salah has come out with what he said and while I don't dismiss his comments as he's obviously hurt about something, he did come off as someone whining that he was dropped and shouldn't have to fight for his place. The very fact that this happened suggests to me that Slot doesn't have the respect in the squad and you can't have player power taking over at a club.

It's so unprecedented. It can be said that the title win was unprecedented as well but this is much more. I think Slot is out of his depth personally, I desperately want him to turn it around and succeed but I'm really starting to think it's too far gone.

1 minute ago, layzie said:

Yeah it's such a funny season Roy. We've literally had 8 points in the last 27 or whatever it is yet we could still climb back into top 4 if we get our act together.

However something is seriously broken at this club and since the mess started it has been so difficult to watch this team play. I really have no idea what identity we're trying to create or what the philosophy is. At least with United, Amorim brought a philosophy and vision that he is trying to build towards. It can look messy and rough around the edges but when I watch them, I get what he's trying to form.

With Slot this season I honestly can't tell you what our style of play is meant to be. It's all slow build up, pass 10 times around the box and then Dom or Gravenberch launch into a long shot that gets blocked. VVD and Konate spend most of the time passing to each other etc. I haven't seen our wingers beat or even try to beat a man lately, we are very easy to play against. Then you have the selections. Leaving Chiesa and Gomez out all the time but continuing to play Trent 2.0 Konate just can't be good for morale. Then you have the Mo situation, most Liverpool fans have been screaming out for Mo to be dropped, he hasn't been at it at all this season. It should have happened after we lost to you to be honest but he kept playing him for 90 mins over and over. He finally did the right thing and dropped him and now Salah has come out with what he said and while I don't dismiss his comments as he's obviously hurt about something, he did come off as someone whining that he was dropped and shouldn't have to fight for his place. The very fact that this happened suggests to me that Slot doesn't have the respect in the squad and you can't have player power taking over at a club.

It's so unprecedented. It can be said that the title win was unprecedented as well but this is much more. I think Slot is out of his depth personally, I desperately want him to turn it around and succeed but I'm really starting to think it's too far gone.

Definitely think the Salah reaction was a little over the top given its the first blip for him/the club in a decent stretch. He's definitely struggling without TAA or even Frimpong there.

The confusing thing for me was after the tragic loss of Jota, followed by the sale of Darwin and Diaz that the club spent so much on 2 x 9s, surely one striker and a wide player would have been a better option. Add to that the huge outlay on Wirtz, especially when you already had a strong core of Dom/Mac Allister/Grave.

You've been unlucky as well, Konate surely would have been dropped but the young Italian CB you brought in did his ACL.

5 hours ago, roy11 said:

Definitely think the Salah reaction was a little over the top given its the first blip for him/the club in a decent stretch. He's definitely struggling without TAA or even Frimpong there.

The confusing thing for me was after the tragic loss of Jota, followed by the sale of Darwin and Diaz that the club spent so much on 2 x 9s, surely one striker and a wide player would have been a better option. Add to that the huge outlay on Wirtz, especially when you already had a strong core of Dom/Mac Allister/Grave.

You've been unlucky as well, Konate surely would have been dropped but the young Italian CB you brought in did his ACL.

Yes, Trent not being there has had a massive impact on Mo no doubt. You could always recognise a Liverpool goal in the past because it would usually start with the fullbacks. It's so hard to tell now.

And with Mo and selection it's just the timing that irritated me. Had we dropped him a couple of months back he'd have worked his way back in no time and it would be a nothing event. Waiting till now when it's panic stations does kind of make it look a bit like he's being scapegoated. Well more than before anyway.

Couldn't agree more. I really felt the Diaz was the loss that would hurt the most. It was great to see us spending big but going after Isak just seemed to have this drunken sailor spending feel about it especially when a CB like Guehi was what we desperately needed at that point. Seemed more like a show off move and not something that successful clubs would do in my opinion.

We really should be building this team around Wirtz. He's not the wide guy we need, he's a true no.10. I know he hasn't hit the ground running and he is finding the physicality of the league hard to adjust to but I'm convinced he will make it in the EPL. He's one of those real incisive players who plays the pass at the perfect time. Like a guitarist who holds the note that perfect length. When Salah goes we, I reckon we'll see the real Wirtz show.

Yep Konate would have been dropped a few times by now. OI got big hopes for Leoni, I hope his recovery goes well but we have been saying that about Bajcetic for a few years now as well..

Good win for the Mancs this morning. When they score, they score.

27 minutes ago, layzie said:

Yes, Trent not being there has had a massive impact on Mo no doubt. You could always recognise a Liverpool goal in the past because it would usually start with the fullbacks. It's so hard to tell now.

And with Mo and selection it's just the timing that irritated me. Had we dropped him a couple of months back he'd have worked his way back in no time and it would be a nothing event. Waiting till now when it's panic stations does kind of make it look a bit like he's being scapegoated. Well more than before anyway.

Couldn't agree more. I really felt the Diaz was the loss that would hurt the most. It was great to see us spending big but going after Isak just seemed to have this drunken sailor spending feel about it especially when a CB like Guehi was what we desperately needed at that point. Seemed more like a show off move and not something that successful clubs would do in my opinion.

We really should be building this team around Wirtz. He's not the wide guy we need, he's a true no.10. I know he hasn't hit the ground running and he is finding the physicality of the league hard to adjust to but I'm convinced he will make it in the EPL. He's one of those real incisive players who plays the pass at the perfect time. Like a guitarist who holds the note that perfect length. When Salah goes we, I reckon we'll see the real Wirtz show.

Yep Konate would have been dropped a few times by now. OI got big hopes for Leoni, I hope his recovery goes well but we have been saying that about Bajcetic for a few years now as well..

Good win for the Mancs this morning. When they score, they score.

Curious if Salah ever plays for you lads again but If I was slot i'd just try to get all the width from the new fullbacks (Granted Frimpong injured and Kerkez hasnt kicked on) and have floating 10s

Isak (or Hugo)
Dom Wirtz
Kerkez Mac Grav Frimpong
CB CB CB
Allison

I'm not sure if you can play with both Isak and Hugo in a 3-5-2.

United are still a mess. Going to be a rough time during AFCON, for example this morning we'd be without the entire right hand side Mbeumo (Right 10), Amad (Right Wing back), Mazraoui (Right CB)