We’ve seen a 4-4-2 this season already. The shape may have been a bit different than I described, but we’ve seen it. I think we’re kind of stuck between old and new. Had all the new signings hit the ground running I think our formation would look much different and more consistent than we’ve seen so far.
Well our main shape isn’t too far from a 4-4-2 (and we did start one game with both Ekitike and Isak, though without Salah), so yeah. But it wasn’t a diamond.
I guess we will see how it all shakes down as the players get fit and integrate better. To my mind a midfield diamond with two up top fits the personnel we have best. It gives solidity and also deploys Wirtz behind Isak and Ekitike, which I think is the way to go when they are fit and firing. If that clicks I think it will help us step into the future. Right now we seem caught between two stools, past and future, and we seem to be struggling.
We are linked to another winger in Semenyo, so maybe we will continue with wingers post Salah? It’s tough to know what to make of it.
Regardless of the system we end up with, thus far it has been less than the sum of its parts and we need to improve.
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What I can say with confidence is we did not buy Hugo and Isak with a view to playing them together in a front 2. We would have a lot more in back up than a Mo who has never played there, a Chiesa who has his own battle with Slot, and some untested physically struggling kids if we had a vision to do that. A one off option, sure. Playing them together in another shape, for sure. Done with a view to going 4-4-2…not a chance and it doesnt matter what shape of midfield youre talking about either
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Salah has played up top in a front two, though he doesn’t like playing as a striker. Chiesa also in a front two at Juve and a bit as a single striker for us. Gakpo’s played in a front two at WC22 and Klopp had an idea of coverting him to a false #9.
But yeah, I don’t think the diamond shape is our plan. We would’ve seen it by now. What happens in the future? Who knows, but I don’t think that’s what we’ll do.
Is there a possibility to see Ekitike as a second striker alongside Isak? We’ve seen it already in one game (which didn’t include Salah from the start), of course. Not including situations when we’re losing or have to chase it, that goes without saying. Ekitike could get some games on the left (I don’t like the idea of Salah and Ekitike on the sides though), we’ll see how that looks.
But I don’t see a way of fitting Isak, Ekitike, Salah, Wirtz and Szoboszlai in a highly functioning team. And I will be surprised if that changes going forward.
Someone has to drop out. So far we didn’t even have the “sweet” problem of having all of them available and fully fit. And we still had issues with balance.
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Romano also confirmed that we are considering a move for Semenyo in January. Could be other clubs interested, as both United and Spurs showed interest in the summer. Also says Bournemouth would want a quick resolution in order to move on. It’s £60m + £5m in bonuses.
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Maybe the future is a 4231 with Isak up top, Ekitike left, Wirtz middle and Semenyo on the right? It could unleash an attacking fury and variety that will take us to new heights, but it might also raise question marks as to how solid it would be with only two midfielders behind it.
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How’s Indy claiming we only knew about the release clause because of his online post. Yeah, had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Richard Hughes himself signed the bloke for Bournemouth and most likely is the one who inserted that clause 
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Maybe it is somehow connected with the contract extension Semenyo signed in 2025 and Hughes already was a SD at Liverpool? 
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That’d make sense wasn’t aware he’d already signed an extension he’s only been there 2 years.
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He signed his new deal on July 1st. I think there was a clause in his first contract, but they negotiated for it to be lowered in the new deal, as it can often be the case.
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I read it as Bournemouth being upset the information was now “public” knowledge because it had been reported. If Liverpool are getting their information from IndyKaila then we are in more trouble that I thought. Presumably they would have been aware via other means.
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Liverpool don’t need such sources to get that kind of informations.
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He worked and played there for over a decade. I don’t think he needs Indykalia to find out information, a pleasant phone call would do.
Guy talks utter horseshit
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Now we’re after Elliot Anderson as well. Looks like we have found the money tree.
Also some other interesting tidbits. Maybe Harvey will make that move to Germany that he should have made in the summer.
Manchester United are eyeing Elliot Anderson, 23, as a possible replacement for Brazil international Casemiro, 33, but face competition from Liverpool and Newcastle for the £100m-rated England and Nottingham Forest midfielder. ( Times - subscription required, external)
Crystal Palace are set to reignite their interest in Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande in January, having shortlisted the Ivory Coast international last summer as a replacement for Marc Guehi, when the England defender, 25, was expected to join Liverpool. ( A Bola - in Portuguese, external)
Aside from Liverpool, Tottenham , Manchester United , Manchester City and Arsenal all retain an interest in Bournemouth and Ghana winger Antoine Semenyo, 25. (Talksport)
English attacking midfielder Harvey Elliott, who is currently on loan at Aston Villa , is the subject of interest from Bundesliga and Serie A clubs, with parent club Liverpool willing to sell the 22-year-old at a reduced price. ( [Football Insider, external]
(Sources: Harvey Elliott in line for new destination, Liverpool termination edges closer))
Liverpool are fighting to keep England youth winger Joshua Abe, with Arsenal and Chelsea both pursuing the 15-year-old. [(Mail - subscription required)]
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There’s also the factor of us being a hot topic at the moment due to our struggles, so it’s also easier to link us with more transfers that would “magically” turn things around.
The general interest in Anderson is not surprising. Newcastle had to sacrifice him at the time (that summer when we almost bought Gordon and Gomez went the other way) and realistically he’s meriting a more competitive team than Forest (last season was an anomaly).
I don’t think we’ll go for him though, not at that price. We’ll probably look to replace and improve on Endo next summer, but with another option. Though Szobo’s potential evolution in deeper areas might influence that, so we’ll see.
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‘Reduced price’
FFS!
Have we been consulting with ewar woowoo?
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