Nothing wrong with a bit of hindsight, is there? In the summer I was made up with the business and genuinely thought we’d be right in the mix for all four trophies. Halfway through the season, though, the mood shifts. We’re out of the Carabao Cup and sitting fourth in the league, and suddenly every decision from a few months back gets replayed in your head.
It doesn’t mean the window was a disaster. Far from it. But it does mean the bits that haven’t clicked yet start to feel louder than the parts that have.
The striker question that won’t go away
The big one, for me, is the Isak call. At the time, I wasn’t displeased we got him. You can see why Liverpool would go for that sort of profile: a forward who should be able to lead the line, run channels, and give you something when the game gets stretched. But so far it just hasn’t worked out for him, and when your headline signing isn’t firing it colours everything else.
That’s where the alternative comes in. I keep thinking about whether we’d have been better served signing someone like Cunha instead. I liked him when he was at Wolves and felt he’d fit us well. Not necessarily because he’s “better” in some absolute sense, but because sometimes it’s about the fit on day one: how quickly a player can handle the pace of the league, the physicality, and the demands of playing for a side that expects to dominate.
And to be fair, this isn’t about writing Isak off. It’s about admitting that not every move hits straight away, even when the logic is sound.
Plenty to like in the rest of the business
What stops it turning into a full-on moan is that the other signings have been good. Enough has been said about Wirtz and Ekitike already, and I don’t need to pretend I’ve got some brand new angle there. They’ve added something, and you can feel that in the squad.
Kerkez is a great example of why patience still matters. He had a rough start, looked a touch raw at times, but he’s slowly settled as he’s got more games. That’s usually how it goes for full-backs in this league: it’s one thing being talented, it’s another dealing with the week-to-week relentlessness and the way opponents target your side.
Frimpong feels similar. He’s gradually getting used to the league, and you can see the comfort growing even if it’s not perfect every week. That’s progress.
Unfortunate breaks still shape seasons
Then there’s Leoni. What happened was unfortunate, and it’s one of those moments that leaves you wondering what momentum might have looked like if he’d stayed available. The little we saw was encouraging too, because he looked good in the 70 minutes he played.
So yes, hindsight changes the feel of the window. But it also reminds you it’s rarely one decision on its own. It’s form, settling-in, and the odd bit of luck, all pulling at the same time.
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