For me, it’s Wirtz over Semenyo all day. That’s not a knock on Semenyo either. I like him, and I can see why people want that sort of wide forward who can carry it, hurt full-backs and make life easier for the lads arriving in the box. But Wirtz feels like one of those rare ones. A proper unicorn. The type you build an attack around rather than just add to it.
Unicorn talent versus useful attributes
Semenyo’s appeal is pretty straightforward: power, running, and the ability to beat a man. That profile can paper over cracks when your structure isn’t perfect, because it creates moments. Liverpool have missed that at times, especially when games get sticky and you need somebody to force the issue with a dribble and a cutback.
But Wirtz is a different conversation. It’s not just “nice footballer” stuff. It’s the sense he changes the temperature of the match, sees angles early, and gives you solutions in crowded areas. If you’re talking about replacing elite creativity, that’s the lane.
Why Isak makes sense as the nine
I’m the same on Isak over Pedro, putting the fee to one side. Isak, at his best, is an all-round belter of a number 9. He can run channels, pin centre-halves, and he’s not afraid of the big names. You watch certain strikers and they just don’t trouble top defenders. Isak can.
The big caveat is fitness, and I do think tactics matter too. If you don’t play him in quickly, if you don’t get runners close to him, he can look on an island. Give him chances early and he scores. And there’s more to him than finishing: his link play is there, even if we don’t always ask him to use it.
The bigger worry: what are we trying to be?
The truth is, continuity only works if the style is still the style. If we were still trying to recreate the Mané and Firmino era, you might lean more towards the “Semenyo and Pedro” type of thinking. But we’ve drifted from that for a while now, even before Arne Slot came in.
That’s why my bigger concern isn’t just names. It’s the build-up from the back, the squad feeling a bit imbalanced and lightweight, and the lack of a proper wide threat who beats his man and pulls it back for a striker. Most of all, it’s identity. Too often I’m watching and thinking: what’s the plan here?
If you ever did land a Wirtz and an Isak in the same attack, you’ve got the headline pieces. The rest of the side still has to make sense around them.
Related Articles
About Liverpool News Views
Liverpool News Views offers daily Liverpool coverage including match reaction, transfer analysis, EFL context, tactical breakdowns and opinion-led articles written by supporters for supporters.
