Sam McGuire

It got swept under the rug a bit because of the situation (league was basically won) but we struggled to get Salah involved when Trent had that injury. He had just three shots across four matches with an xG total of 0.6 against Newcastle, Everton, Fulham and West Ham.

Even last season when he'd phoned it in, he still topped the charts for Expected Assists per 90, he was second for Big Chances Created and third for Chances Created. Only Salah managed more assists in the league for us.

Seen a few on here try to downplay how much we're missing Trent. We've gone from having a cheat code at right-back to not knowing who is going to start there. Even when he was 'awful', he was the best in the world at what he did.

I'm more angry at you suggesting a cup of tea rather than a coffee

A humble suggestion. Pick an approach & stick with it. Don't tweak the system game to game. Be more consistent with selection. Wirtz has to play (you know my biases). Kerkez has to play. We've made a mess with the 9s, but it's going to be Isak so let it be Isak. Make a decision at RB. 4231. Forward!

Cowards. Let the fume dominate.

No

We'd changed three of the back four and two of the midfield three by 56 minutes today. So haphazard with squad management right now.

Said it the other day but we lost ~500 progressive passing yards from our back four and failed to add a line breaker in midfield. We're not letting the full-backs carry the ball so what exactly is the plan?

If this is by design, I have no idea what the plan is because we've lost ball progression on the right and now we've voluntarily stopped passing forward from our left 🥲

No passes down the line against Galatasaray.

He's always looking to pass to Gravenberch and now we're asking him to cover a lot more ground in the build up phase, one rogue touch exposes us. Happened in the second example there.

The drop off between Kerkez and Robertson right now is massive. Have to assume Kerkez is just following instruction but his closed body in possession gives away exactly what he's going to do, time and time again.

Liverpool's build-up and progressive passes | Sam McGuire Get more from Sam McGuire on Patreon

Full piece here www.patreon.com/posts/140294...

Across the right-back, left-back and Konate, we're about ~500 progressive passing yards down per game this season.

Been looking at Liverpool's issues when trying to build out from the back. Obviously, Trent is a huge loss. But the drop off from Robertson to Kerkez in possession is massive. The new shape has also limited Konate with fewer passing options available to him.

😂

Pain.

Wrong people taking the shots

Liverpool, plans and clicking | Sam McGuire Get more from Sam McGuire on Patreon

Big look at Kerkez, Wirtz, the balance of the team and having more questions than answers right now www.patreon.com/posts/140170...

Why is Florian Wirtz struggling at Liverpool? There's a few reasons... Liverpool are in limbo right now.

Liverpool are in limbo right now trying to bed in a lot of new players while simultaneously adopting a new system. Florian Wirtz is not the cause of it, he's a victim of it. The headline stats don't tell the whole story. www.sportinglife.com/football/new...

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Yeah, it's like we're opting for more fluidity in the double pivot which means we need added security elsewhere (Kerkez sitting deeper). But it just doesn't seem to fit well.

No.

Kerkez ranked second in the Premier League for crosses into the box last season and now we have him passing back to Van Dijk constantly.

We even signed two carriers in Kerkez and Frimpong 🥲 I'm hoping we're seeing a more reserved Kerkez while we improve his passing and then he'll be unshackled from this current role.

Honestly thought the system we used against Arsenal at Anfield last season would be the blueprint for this campaign. Created space for the full-backs to carry the ball in the build up and removed the need for a pure passer.

Preview: Liverpool visit unbeaten Turkish league leaders Galatasaray Just days after suffering their first defeat of the season, Liverpool travel to Istanbul to take on Turkish champions Galatasaray in what is expected to be a hostile environment.

Previewed the game tonight for @fotmob.com. Results don't tell the whole story for Galatasaray this season. www.fotmob.com/topnews/2314...

Mo Salah analysis: How Liverpool are wasting their club legend this season Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah has endured an underwhelming start to the 2025-26 Premier League season. But is it his fault?

Mohamed Salah is not 'washed'. He's being wasted by Liverpool so far this season. Big look at his numbers, for @squawka.bsky.social. www.squawka.com/en/features/...

a man in a dark room with the words he can 't keep getting away with this ALT: a man in a dark room with the words he can 't keep getting away with this

Open-Play xG of 0.94 against Newcastle