There’s a certain type of frustration that only hits when you can see the shape of a good Liverpool squad, but the edges still feel thin. You can live with missing one target up front. What’s harder to swallow is leaving a glaring hole untouched and then acting surprised when the season turns into a weekly patch-up job.
On the winger-front, I get the appeal of someone like Semenyo. The profile makes sense in the simplest, most Liverpool way: athletic, direct, can carry the ball, can do honest work off it. The sort of signing you can imagine doing a bit of everything without needing the team built around him. And that’s the sting, isn’t it? Players like that don’t just disappear if you hesitate. They end up at a rival where they become a very good “option”, not a headline name, but exactly the type who wins you awkward away days in February.
When you miss out, you still have to fill the minutes
If that forward doesn’t arrive, then the next best thing is being sensible about bodies. Bringing back someone like Elliott for more regular use, and leaning on the likes of McConnell as a proper squad piece, is at least a coherent plan. Not glamorous. Not the stuff of end-of-window compilations. But coherent.
Because the truth is, a season isn’t won with your best eleven on a poster. It’s won with the ninth, fourteenth and eighteenth lads actually being usable when the calendar turns ugly. You can’t talk about competing on multiple fronts and then act like rotation is a luxury. It’s not. It’s survival.
The centre-back issue isn’t drama, it’s basic squad building
Where the anxiety really bites is centre-back. If Konate is viewed as a key piece, then you plan for the weeks he isn’t there. That’s not having a go at him, it’s just reality in modern football. And if Gomez isn’t being trusted or used, then you’re effectively down a man before a ball is kicked.
That’s why people get so heated about it. A centre-half signing isn’t “nice to have”. It’s insurance for the entire structure: your press, your line, your ability to squeeze teams and keep the game in the right half. Without that, everything becomes cautious. Midfield drops five yards. Full-backs hesitate. The whole thing loses bite.
Slot needs backing, not a summer of questions
And then you get to the uncomfortable bit: if the squad isn’t properly reinforced, it doesn’t just damage results, it chips away at the manager’s authority. Arne Slot can’t build standards if the message is “make do”. Not for long. Supporters might argue about individuals, but most of us recognise when a problem is structural.
So yeah, maybe it feels like a season to endure rather than enjoy. Or maybe it’s just New Year’s Eve nerves talking. Either way, the remedy is simple: don’t leave the obvious areas exposed and hope vibes carry you through.
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