Stop Rewriting That Summer Window

There’s a difference between judging a transfer window and judging what happened afterwards. If you felt in the summer that Liverpool got it wrong, then sound, at least it’s consistent. But if you were fine with it at the time, it’s a bit much to suddenly start rewriting history because the season didn’t fall your way.

The basic logic of the business made sense. Players left, and the club went and signed players to replace them, with an obvious aim of adding a bit more craft and creativity in midfield. That’s not a wild idea, that’s squad building. You can disagree with individual picks, but the plan itself wasn’t some mad gamble.

The centre-back point matters, too

We all knew a centre-back was needed. One came in. And there was another who, as the story goes, was basically at AXA for a medical until his manager kicked off and pulled the plug. If that’s how it unfolded, what are you meant to do with that as a club? You can’t physically force a deal through if the other side changes the rules halfway into it.

People love a neat narrative where “the club didn’t back the manager” explains everything. But football isn’t neat. Negotiations collapse. Clubs dig their heels in. Sometimes you’re left with an imperfect fix and you move on. That’s not the same as negligence.

This looks like a system and selection issue

The more frustrating bit is we’ve already seen this group play much better in a different set-up that suits them. You don’t need to be a tactical obsessive to notice when the shape helps, when the press has a bit of bite, when players look like they know where the next pass is meant to be.

That’s why I struggle with the idea that the signings are the problem. The players aren’t suddenly terrible footballers. We’ve watched them be effective when the approach fits: better spacing, clearer roles, and less asking lads to do two jobs at once.

Where the blame actually sits

Truth is, this feels like management more than recruitment. Poor decisions, stubbornness, and doubling down when it’s clearly not working will sink any side, even a good one. That’s not “anti-player” either. It’s just acknowledging that footballers need a plan they can execute, especially at Premier League intensity.

And on the signings themselves: if you genuinely think no other club in the league would have wanted them, I’m not having it. Plenty of sides would take quality midfielders and a centre-back, and yes, that includes the very best teams. The frustration is real. But let’s at least point it in the right direction.

Written by OliRed: 30 December 2025