re: Liverpool FC 2026/2027 Season Thread: AI is taking over!

Chelsea at Anfield next round of league cup

Hopefully we have better luck with draws in champions league/FA Cup

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I think Liverpool will still have a say in the title race.

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maybe as a spoiler, but it's pretty clear we are a step behind both Arsenal and City

Lots of room for improvement defense looks good, another clean sheet plus three points going into this ridiculously long International break

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ridiculously long International break

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Dang! We dont play again for three weeks?!? Is this a new thing? I always remember the early break right after the season starts, bit not this long..

3 clean sheets in a row in PL. A win in the UCL and Carabao Cup. Not a bad month.

Wirtz had a rough game. Needs to be a bit more clinical on his passes. Gakpo helped rescue the points with his aggressive run. If the offense can improve, this team will be fine.

Big test after the break.

I'm telling myself he wasn't ready for the role back then and now he is

Well whatever the reason, I hope he wants/is prepared for the role. Hopefully it’ll be a seamless transition

I think we have a Szobo/Wirtz problem... in that both of them are probably best used in Iraola's system as a #10. I originally thought Wirtz was brought in to play on the left (his role at Bayer, albeit in a different system) since we have Szobo...

But clearly he is thought of as a 10, especially given the outlay and number of LWs we now have...

Szobo is not a MF capable of playing in a double pivot... and a waste as a RB... It doesnt look like Iraola views him as an option as a RAM either..

Not sure the solution given our big spend on Wirtz and the new contract ($) for Szobo... I really like both players and I am one that thinks Wirtz will come good... If a very good offer comes in for one.. I'd prob do it.. to strengthen another position..

Dream scenario: Somehow sending Wirtz to Bayern in some sort of player + cash swap for Olise.. Szobo #10, MO on the RW and Barcola on the LW behind Isak/Ekitike... I can dream!

Anyway, just thinking about this team as we have this long break...

Wirtz is having a hard time finding the net, and maybe finding good quality touches in the box, but that guy is a workhorse. He's at 12km/90, which is tops on the team. He reminds me of my 13 yr old in that they seem to be all over the field all the time, but that isn't necessarily always a good thing. Obviously playing CM you're going to cover a ton of ground, but it's important that you recognize where the open spaces are that need to be occupied and trust your teammates to do their job. Offensively, If you're always within 5 yds of a teammate, then you need to slow down and let the game come to you more instead of always trying to be directly part of the game trying to always be on or around the ball. Defensively, if you're the one always pressing up high and the other 5 or so guys behind you aren't pressing with you, then you are basically taking yourself out of the game and leaving your team down a man.

Simply said, I think he's trying to do too much.