Liverpool Banter

19 Dec 2025 19:55:45
Honestly all for signing Antoine Semenyo, as, for me, he is the closest approximation to Sadio Mane in world football. However, my only concern is that this will likely signal the end of the diamond formation we have been using recently. You don't buy a winger without the intention to utilize wingers in your system moving forward.

However, what I am excited about is how the possible signing of Semenyo might help to unlock Wirtz. Wirtz is a player who thrives on movement ahead, looking to play in behind the defence for a sprinting offensive player. However, both Gakpo and Salah have always wanted the ball to feet, and that has impacted Wirtz's creative ability. With Semenyo's pace, and inclination to sprint in behind, I think this could be an excellent weapon for us.

Then again, the Semenyo signing is not a done deal, and, in my opinion, far from our current priority. The centre back position should be the primary focus. However, if we have enough for both (Even after spending so much already) then why not. Fingers crossed this signing does not come at the expense of Salah, as, while his behaviour has frustrated, I do not want this to be the way a legend leaves the club.

19 Dec 2025 13:18:13
Just picking people's brains on Semenyo and whether we think he would be the right choice for Liverpool.

After looking at the player over the course of the season I'm really not fully convinced. Just to get this straight, he is undoubtedly a good player, with a great shot and fantastic pace and power. Two footed also which is a huge bonus.

I just doubt he is the type of player suited to breaking down a low block, he seems to thrive in transition. Adding to this he is not the best 1on1 dribbler (although absolutely no slouch) .

I just don't see a player that would set the world alight. What makes me back him is how much of a grafter/ hard worker he is. We badly lack that in the team and, for that reason, I think he could be a good pickup as a squad/ rotation forward. He absolutely shouldn't be a replacement for Salah, he would be a huge downgrade.

Someone like Yan Diomade would be a better option imo (especially to come in as a squad player/ rotation) . Fast, explosive, two footed and excellent on the dribble, albeit in a much weaker league.

What does everyone think, including Ed001?

Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - we have brought in Isak and Ekitike, who are taking more of the Salah role, just from the centre, so we are not really talking about replacing Salah.}

19 Dec 2025 16:28:53
Yan Diomande is hugely overpriced considering his age and the fact that he is just starting to produce in the bundesliga, Leipzig would be ecstatic if anybody actually came in with the price they're asking. He could turn out to be another Timo Werner for all we know, or worse, at least Timo Werner was doing what he was doing for a few seasons before moving.

19 Dec 2025 16:49:01
I think Semenyo is exactly what we lack. He is direct and commits players, which carves open teams in a more unorthodox way because people have to step out to meet him. He's also the best wide forward/ winger in the league at winning a flick on or knock down which is something we lack out wide since losing Mane, Diaz and Jota. Gakpo, Rio, Frimpong, Chiesa and Salah rarely ever win the long ball forward so we pretty much lose possession every week straight from kick off (as we always roll it back to Virgil and go long into the channel) or every time we hit a contested diagonal. On top of that, Semenyo also works as hard as Mane and Diaz did, which is something we miss. Gakpo is lazy, Salah bottles out of tackles, Chiesa never gets any minutes etc.

I think he's exactly what we need and if we miss out on him, we'll come to regret it. I just hope Slot actually plays him, because stylistically, he's very similar to Chiesa, just much better in the air.

19 Dec 2025 17:03:01
The (he's better in transition ) comment can be applied to all our attacking players accept Isak who should only play in the width of the penalty area until he settles in properly. I don't think Semenyo is a direct Salah replacement. We do mis Diaz enormously IMO even when teams sat deep he caused havac! Semenyo can run powerfully with the ball.

Which makes him dangerous. We only end up playing against low blocks so often due to the slow way we play. Having a direct player who can run and work hard has to be a good thing. Surly.

19 Dec 2025 17:12:04
Semenyo'll be more likely a Gakpo replacement anyhow.

19 Dec 2025 17:17:10
semenyo will create space for Wirtz and crosses for Isak and Eki. Another small piece of the jigsaw.

19 Dec 2025 17:50:24
I think we need a high energy player up top, ideally someone like Mane in particular or Diaz.

Semenyo doesn't seem to be that player off the ball. Closer on it. But I think we need the off the ball stuff a lot right now so I'm not fully convinced either but will back him if he comes for sure. He is very talented and mentally strong.

19 Dec 2025 18:14:45
Semenyo should work well with Kerkez. Fun.

19 Dec 2025 18:33:32
Actually Davey, he’s very much like Mane off the ball. You’d struggle to find a winger who presses and puts as many tackles in as Semenyo. He even puts our midfield to shame the amount of defensive work he puts in. Proper grafter him.

19 Dec 2025 19:12:15
I’ve watched a lot of Semenyo and he is a great talent, two footed, pacey and powerful. His workrate off the ball is very similar to Diaz but he reminds me more of mane the more I watch him.

Personally I don’t see him as a Mo replacement but more of an upgrade on Gakpo and someone who can rotate on the right too with Mo giving us lots of options in attack.

19 Dec 2025 07:27:57
Looking into Jaquet and funnily enough he plays CB with another of our targets Ait Boudal. Rennes have been playing a 352 system and he's played across the back line. 1.90cm tall and fast. France under 21s player. Not sure on price but seen figures of £30m. Can't really judge by YouTube videos but similar profile to Ordonoz. Some fantastic young talent out there.

19 Dec 2025 08:25:51
For me Guehi and Bastoni should be our target. Leoni will return much later. We need to let Konate go and take whatever we can get for Gomez (love him but like Thiago, he's unreliable) and move on.

19 Dec 2025 09:19:40
Guehi and Bastoni both played lcb don't they? Schlotterbeck not signed a new deal so could get cheaper next summer.

19 Dec 2025 11:08:39
We have a young but with potential player already in Leoni, we need someone who can walk in straight away.

I think Guehi is versatile enough to play either side in a 2 man defence. Bastoni or Schlotterbeck would be great additions but as VvD replacements ( both left footed) and likely in the summer. Next season VvD winds down his playing time.

19 Dec 2025 11:19:26
Don't see a world where we go for Bastoni, even if we admire him. Unless we are moving Virgil on mid-contract. Personally, I don't see Virgil's drop off coming any time soon - unless he gets an unfortunate injury. For me, Leoni should be the one that is groomed to be the eventual Virgil successor.

Schlotterbeck is a clearly a "market opportunity" given his contract situation. Probably the best passing range of any CB in the world at the moment. Can play LCB or LB. I can see why they might be sniffing around that.

Guehi, another market opportunity rather than a long term strategic target. Home grown. Can play across the back four. Would be a good replacement for Gomez.

Jacquet - a logical replacement for Ibou's profile. Very similar attributes.

Ordonez - a slightly different profile. More like Gomez than Ibou or Virgil. More similar to Guehi than Jacquet.

Ait Boudlal - much more like Matip in style. Tall, rangey and likes to carry the ball. Can play RB as well.

Lots of good options. We need at least two!

19 Dec 2025 12:38:42
No Jacquet required. We need a CB who’s more established, like Guehi or Schlotterbeck.

19 Dec 2025 13:47:52
Bastini's a Barella, never leaving Inter. His agents probably happy to link him to the English sides now and then to get his client better deals. Schlotterbeck with 18 months left on his contract is someone i could see us going for. Him in in January and Guehi on a free in the summer would be good business.

18 Dec 2025 19:49:23
C U Next Time - Seamus Has His First Ever Idea. Ed1, Ed25, Ed77

19 Dec 2025 14:27:00
Jumping in, again.

18 Dec 2025 17:37:00
What a shame we didn't get cherki instead of wirtz . I was excited when there was rumours we were in talks with cherki, even slot had met him apparently. Brilliant player for just 30 million. I prey wirtz can find some steady form we could really do with it.

18 Dec 2025 18:10:44
Not bothered In the slightest. I still wouldn’t swap them.

18 Dec 2025 18:11:13
Wirtz has only been with us a few months. Am ok with having Wirtz instead of cherki.

18 Dec 2025 18:18:15
As if Cherki wouldn’t have struggled more than anyone with the form Liverpool has been in. And you can stop praying, because Wirtz is in great form right now.

18 Dec 2025 18:31:24
We looked at both, chose wirtz! City also chose wirtz in fainess. Wirtz will be a top player for us.

18 Dec 2025 18:42:27
Well. these pages had been filled with arguments about how Liverpool can't afford passengers in regards to Salahs defensive contributions this season. Compared to Cherki, Salah looks like Dirk Kuyt.

Lovely technician and offensive player but my take is that only a few teams in the world can afford to field such luxury players. we are not one. Id take Wirtz any Day of the week. regardless of price.

But Cherki is a fun player to watch, definetly.

18 Dec 2025 19:42:48
I would love to defend Wirtz in this case. However, he still hasn't got a goal or assist in the Prem yet, having been involved in 15 games, and we are in late December. At this point, Wirtz has managed 0 goals and 4 assists in all competitions, and that is in 20 matches. For a player that cost us £116 million, that does not make for great reading.

We brought in Wirtz to replace Szobo, specifically because Szobo did not score or assist enough for Slot's liking. Slot mentioned this once in a press conference and it really stuck out as it was the only time I ever heard him criticize Szobo so openly.

Both Cherki and Wirtz came to the Prem at the same time, and playing largely in similar positions, so the comparisons are valid. In the short term, Cherki has had far the better impact. However, I still believe, in the long term, Wirtz will establish himself as the special talent many earmarked him for. Or, at least, I hope so for our sake.

18 Dec 2025 20:03:27
Exactly mango he has had straight forward chances to score missed them all admittedly he has been unlucky with no assists as players didn't finish there dinner. When I have watched wwirtz he is lightweight and adjusting to the league but players like cherki and others who have came from abroad have adjusted wirtz hasn't.

I want him to prove me wrong and start producing goals assists and performances.

18 Dec 2025 20:41:52
To paraphrase Sir Alex Ferguson, Wirtz is a f@#$ing great player, and you're all f@#$ing idiots.

18 Dec 2025 20:49:26
Dont need to defend Wirtz. He's top.

18 Dec 2025 21:05:29
@Op, I thought Slot met with him out of courtesy to tell him why we were signing Wirtz. At the end of their respective careers I’m willing to bet Wirtz will be remembered for a lot longer than Cheriki.

18 Dec 2025 23:00:30
What a shame for our own fans to write off our own players after only 20 games.

18 Dec 2025 23:13:14
An attacking player being hampered by tepid tactics who’d of thought it.

18 Dec 2025 23:27:05
It’s too early to call Wirtz, but it’s not comparing like for like positionally anyway with Cherki and some others. Kai Havertz may be more comparable.

Question on Wirtz is how he fits our system now and in the future, and in trying to accommodate him in a team that doesn’t play to his strengths have we limited both his impact and compromised others.

If he’s producing anyway that’s fine, it’s all part of the evolution of the team, but if not it compounds. He’s showing signs of improvement, there’s a real top player there, just hope he kicks on in the new year.

{Ed078's Note - he's also looking a bit stronger. I saw a compilation of chances he's created that should have been put away, and times when he wasn't played in when in a great position. I'm not worried about him at all.

19 Dec 2025 05:35:22
Imagine wanting cherki over wirtz lol, even city didn't have them in that order of preference.

19 Dec 2025 06:24:09
Hailstones give your head a wobble mate, Wirtz is getting better and better. Is talent is clear to see and I think he will end the season strongly.

19 Dec 2025 06:40:11
I don't understand the the whole Wirtz witch-hunt.

There are other players who have performed worse than Wirtz, yet he just seems to be the go-to guy to slap off.

He's what, 21 / 22 years old, give the lad a chance .

Of everything that is wrong currently, Wirts is the least of our problems.

19 Dec 2025 07:53:12
I think Wirtz is to far ahead in speed of thought by what's around him. He could do with being a little more selfish at times

Sir Bob Paisley once said the strangest substitution he ever made was Craige Johnson! He took him off in a game because his fitness and speed of thought was too fast for the players around him. They couldn't react quick enough to where he needed the next pass. I guess in those days it was an easy fix as not as many subs? With the amount of in game changes, time to click is is very limited.
I love him I think he will come good.

YNWA.

19 Dec 2025 11:25:09
Its either 26 or 27 goal scoring chances Wirtz has created this season in the league, it ain't his fault he doesn't have nore assists.

19 Dec 2025 14:05:12
If that's true Fields he's hardly being hampered by tepid tactics like some suggest. Just an inability to finish chances and lack of vision by his teammates.

19 Dec 2025 15:15:04
Wirtz is who both City and LFC wanted and Cerki was second choice, also for both teams. IMO, Wirtz was the better player by far and he picked us over him.

In terms of play? I wouldn't swap Wirtz for anything esp. after watching him at Bayer in their incincible season. No feaking way. Cherki is doing his thing and hats off to him BUT we aren't set up the way City is nor is City trying to replace 4/ 5 new starters either with the growing pains that come with that. Wirtz ain't the problem cos he is improvving his game and just needs those goals and assist to hit. Our issues lie elsewhere.

19 Dec 2025 16:49:30
FM I heard it on either the Anfield Index or Wrap, can't remember which. For me, I've not understood why people think he has been poor. he's got a way to go before he is smashing it but his link up play, movement on and off the ball have all been decent. He rarely misplaces a pass as well.

Which ain't bad for a new signing. Once he is up to speed and others around him get on his wavelength, he will be unbelievable. It can only be the price tag and the expectation it brings, coupled with the need for instant gratification that has people saying he's been poor.

18 Dec 2025 09:08:13
I still think Salah will leave in January. I know the ITK's disagree, but my gut says he will go and we'll sign Semenyo to replace him. Al Qadsiyah, Galatasaray, San Diego etc all sound like they could be viable options for him. The information the club leaks to people has to be that Salah will stay, as that protects his value. If it were to leak that we wanted him gone, his price tag would plummet.

I just cannot see Salah accepting a role on the bench for the rest of the season, and I cannot see Slot putting him back into the team after our results have started to improve and Ekitike is flourishing as the main man. In my head at least, our best team is now Wirtz, Ekitike and Dom across the front line with Jones, Macca and Grav in midfield. If any forward is to break into that best XI, I'd imagine it will be Isak or a new player (such as Semenyo), with Dom and/ or Wirtz dropping back into midfield.

Gakpo and Salah do not seem to fit playing with a natural striker and with both being so poor defensively I think we'll look to a right winger like Semenyo who will work his socks off defensively and get the ball forward with a more direct running style, so that our strikers aren't easily crowded out. Salah and Gakpo dither on the ball too much (looking to cut inside and shoot from the edge of the box) and that means Isak and/ or Ekitike end up surrounded by players.

Time may be on Gakpo's side given he's only 26, so he has time to adapt and learn to play with a centre forward. However, for Salah I just cannot see a way back into the team for him short term or long term. Why prolong the inevitable? I think we'll let him go out on a high after breaking Rooney's record.

18 Dec 2025 10:46:03
Semenyo if he comes will not be a replacement for Salah that role is for olise (fingers crossed) Semenyo will play down the left along with Kerkez as they did with Bournemouth.

18 Dec 2025 10:46:33
If we are playing 2 up top I'd go Ekitike and Salah.

Gakpo and Salah have been poor this season but Isak has been taking the biscuit completely. He has been so god awful. We all know he can do it and will do it but he needs to be on the bench for now. Work up his fitness and work to get in the team. If he was only slightly off it, I would play him to get there but he is miles off it.

The two who cannot be benched are Ekitike and Wirtz. They must play.

The third one is the only debate and if I had to play one, it would be Salah. Without signing Gakpo until Salah is back from Africa Nations.

Isak would not even be in my thoughts right now.

I still fully back him to come good for us but right now terrible is an understatementfor how he is playing right now.

You could of course bench all of them and just play Wirtz and Ekitike up top with a four man midfield. Dom going right back made room for Salah last game so maybe it's just a RB come in.

18 Dec 2025 10:58:45
Super interesting whatever happens anyways aye?

My read on it is that the noise from the club - that we want Mo to see out his contract - is to maintain any leverage we think we have in making a sale.

I'm with you MKS, in that it just seems really unlikely that Mo will take the humble road and become the player we need him to be at this stage of his career. He really needs to be helping pass the torch, not trying to keep his alight at any cost.

Anyways, I've always maintained that it really depends on Mo and his attitude to all of this.

18 Dec 2025 11:17:44
I think it makes more sense that he goes in the summer, which to be honest I half expected before the season. Will be sad to see him go though, end of an era but probably right time.

18 Dec 2025 11:19:39
Let's be honest, if Salah leaves in January, it won't be because he is unwilling to sit on the bench. It is because Hughes and Edwards want that Saudi bag. Mo Salah is classy and respects the club too much to go out as a petulant or entitled player. The outburst in the mix zone is clearly in response to the club engineering him out and it being perceived as broken promises.

Salah has adapted his game over the last few years. He relies less on his speed and more on his tight control and body strength. I wouldn't say he dithers on the ball, but is able to isolate a defender and sometimes two, draw them in to open up space for the no9, no8s and no10. That's what he did last season and it is what he is capable of this season if he was given the ball more often - which has been the bigger issue for all of our forwards as we spend the whole game passing it between centre backs.

I do agree we need a direct speedster as neither Salah or Gakpo are that. Semenyo fits the bill there. I would argue if Salah were to leave, we would need two. Perhaps that is why we are keeping tabs on Fofana and Diomande - who can also play either side like Semenyo.

As for the current formation and tactics being the way forward - I won't hold my breath. The coaches in the PL are smart enough to find its flaws. I think the issue with the coaching is much deeper than formation.

I hope Mo says until the summer. I don't believe he will be a troublemaker. He is very aware of his relationship and image with the fans, unlike others we do not speak of.

18 Dec 2025 11:30:11
I think it is harsh to criticize Gakpo for his defensive work - I very much think that he puts in a shift.
Salah is not defensively minded, he wasn´t last year or the year before. I still think he has plenty to give, and the numbers from this season is not representable, due to, the entire team not performing. last year he had a goal involvement above 1/ 90 min, and I think this season the tactics has been lobsided favoring Gakpo, meanwhile Salah has been left isolated to the right.

Revise Salah´s role Positionally/ technically and add Semenyo instead of Gakpo.

18 Dec 2025 11:32:20
I really doubt that!

18 Dec 2025 12:11:27
We don’t put crosses into the box. I’ve watched dom grav and think it was Bradley or Gomez playing around on the edge of the box when Ekitike was stood there waiting for a cross. The ball was passed around about 8 times before it went backwards.

Mo wasn’t even playing. Don’t know what the tactics was that day but it was definitely not crossing the ball in. It’s like it was when pep came back ( I think it was) and we are trying to walk the ball into the goal.

18 Dec 2025 12:13:50
@Raceylfc, are you sure about that re: Olise? Cos Im not. I think Semenyo is going to be that guy to replace him when Salah leaves.


@MKS, I agree with @Pelican. If Salah goes, is cos the club want him gone to raise funds. Why? If Salah wanted to go to Saudi, he could have left 2 years ago or even last summer where he could literally name his price for the sign on fee and his wages (Ed01's exact words) and still told them to do one.

Salah loves LFC and really wants to do his part in getting us out of the sticky patch BUT if the club want him gone then, what can he do? Just the way I see it.

18 Dec 2025 12:49:25
Salah's post afcon form is usually so bad, that it makes sense for someone else to pay his wages whilst he has a woeful 6 months.

18 Dec 2025 12:53:39
In my mind the only players that should be 100% starting right now are Ali, Grab, Szob and Ekitike. All other starting positions are up for grabs based on effort and being able to play the system Slot wants to play whilst he remains the boss, and it's up to the players to prove they deserve it.

18 Dec 2025 13:02:45
In an ideal world would be great to see Salah get a big send off at Anfield after a game where we win the league, similar to some of the players at the end of last season.

Hopefully Brighton isn't the last we see of Salah but in this day and age sentiments isn't at the top of Pro Football clubs agendas.

18 Dec 2025 13:26:44
I think he'll stay but I'd be very surprised if he's here next season.

18 Dec 2025 14:06:11
Semenyo would be coming in for the LW, his favoured position wudnt he? if so then were going to see a fair bit of cutting in (ala Gakpo) from him aswell.

18 Dec 2025 14:52:43
Gakpo isn’t great at tracking back but does make his presence felt when he’s defending corners.

18 Dec 2025 15:12:27
I think that if Semenyo came in Jan it might be cover for Salah in the short-term with a view to ultimately moving him over to the left. The fact he can play right across the front line is a big plus.

18 Dec 2025 15:58:16
If he wants to go in January, the club won't stand in his way but they are not actively trying to sell him in January. The hawking around that caused an issue between him and club was for a transfer in the summer.

Olise as far as I'm aware is not a target and he shouldn't be either.

18 Dec 2025 16:13:55
To be fair Olise looks different class this year, he isn't primarily a goalscorer even though he can certainly score goals himself, I think that's probably the biggest draw when it comes to him, because he can stay out wide and create or come inside and cause havoc too.

Defensively and work rate wise he still lacks a bit but every other aspect of his game has gone up a few notches.

18 Dec 2025 16:37:15
Well if he lacks defensively and workrate wise playing for Bayern in the Bundesliga he' ll struggle for us. Would prefer going forward to just get the best from the Premier League. I know you can find gems like Ekitike abroad but on the whole think your safer shopping at home.

18 Dec 2025 18:29:26
I hope Salah stays as long as he wants. I don't get this talk about him not fitting the team - the whole point of buying strikers and a 10 was so that we would have more options and Salah still seems important to that for me.

I agree with a lot of people that playing Salah in a 2 next to Ekitike would be a good roll for him until we get a more established setup with a 433.

Mostly, I just think writing Salah off because of this year and last when we've been playing really poor attacking football because slot is trying to change to a slow possession style that doesn't suit Salah (or any Liverpool team) is short sighted. I hope Salah stays at least until a new manager who has ideas to play fast attacking football comes in and can reassess how best to use him.

18 Dec 2025 18:54:49
Weird take. Especially after the way everything happened. If Salah wanted to go in literally a couple of weeks why would he bother making amends?

That makes about as much sense as wiping your arse with your elbow.

{Ed025's Note - but has he made amends Chewy?, its a halt to hostilities but i have not heard any apologies mate, maybe hes taking time out to weigh op his options?..

19 Dec 2025 00:54:04
If salah stays . he won't be on the bench much, he is still vital to us, he showed in the hour when he was back that a fit hungry Salah is a brilliant player.

19 Dec 2025 11:25:33
Thefields, that's not true. The hawking Salah around was for this Jan, if possible cos they themselves said it was to raise funds. For Semenyo, perhaps? I have no idea.

As for Olise, I agree. That guy ain't right for us.