31 Dec 2025 11:28:49
Hi diddly Ho,
Appears Semenyo won’t be happening unless a drastic last minute turnaround.
Couple of factors as to why we probably won’t get it done;
- significantly higher base salary offered
- concerns about project direction
- concerns about coaching
I’ve been told that Semenyo really wanted to come to us, but our side have had difficulty aligning on all levels thus giving off a sense of hesitation.
The feeling seems that the changes behind the scenes and within the coaching setup (upcoming) will mean extra diligence will be placed on the January window.
Expect Elliott to return and become an option as well as continuing to push for Guehi.
Carra made a great point that we can expect the unexpected, just may be a bit quieter/ steady than first anticipated.
Diddly out.
31 Dec 2025 12:07:21
Great update. Thanks Ned. While Semenyo would have been great to have, I can understand his concerns. I would be happy to see Elliott back and actually given a chance. In my opinion, we really only necessarily need a CB. All the other signings can wait, depending on how the situation evolves with Slot.
31 Dec 2025 12:16:28
This would be a great shame. IMHO Semenyo tailor made for LFC, and will be another (very good) squad player at MCFC.
If he doesn’t come in, it would make sense to bulk out the squad with returns for Elliot and McConnell.
BUT if they don’t bring in a centre back, with Konate as our most obvious Achilles heel (and Gomez not being used, Leoni not able to be used), then the previously lauded Ward and Hughes will confirm that they are incompetent, negligent and should be booted. And I can’t see how Slot survives the summer, clearly a dead man walking, and that further castrates any remaining authority.
What should’ve been a season to enjoy, is one to endure. Or am I just a miserable old git? Either way it’s after mid-day on NYE, so time for a beer.
31 Dec 2025 12:31:02
Cheers Ned.
We need some defenders us.
31 Dec 2025 12:36:09
Thanks for the update Ned, I feel we have dropped the ball with Semenyo, he would have been a fantastic signing for us. I agree though that the priority should be in the CB position so we really can't afford not to act on that in January.
31 Dec 2025 12:53:09
Elliott wasn’t good enough to break into the first team last year, wasn’t good enough to get into the Villa starting 11 this first half of the season and wherever anyone wants to admit this or not, won’t make any impact if/ when he returns, unfortunately he lacks the pace and physicality. The Villa loan was a poor move and shouldn’t have been sanctioned. We should have taken a lower fee and sold him to a club on the continent like Red Bull Liepzig, Leverkusen or Dortmund where he could have actually got game time and would have shone in a less physical slower pace.
As for missing out on Semenyo, think he’d have added pace, physicality and end product in which we are desperately short of our wide, as well as being an option to give Ekitike a rest, as none of our wingers are what you’d call electric in terms of pace. I’d expect that will be the spark that adds another title for City while we limp home in 3rd or 4th. As for a centre back, if we don’t bring one in it’s going to be a huge risk if one of Konate or Van Dijk get injured or aren’t available for any period of time as the cupboard is completely bare in terms of back up as there.
31 Dec 2025 13:12:20
Amazing how bad we've become on and off the pitch. It feels like the Rogers era is creeping back in.
31 Dec 2025 13:12:56
Strange how Semenyo would have concerns about the set up at LFC, and not at MC. Surely MC are looking at an extensive overhaul of players/ management in the not too distant future.
31 Dec 2025 13:24:34
Great update as always
Just seems the club is in disarray at the moment and nothing whether it’s at board level, management level, coaching level and out on the pitch is aligned?
From being well deserved prem champions and seemingly on the cusp of domestic domination for a period with a bloody good chance of another champions league in the not too distant future we’ve gone to a club with not a lot of direction and all round uncertainty sweeping through us!
Everyone’s opinions differ which is fine and it creates great debate but the one thing we all want is to look at the club and see or feel a sense of togetherness?
I’m not seeing much of that atm.
31 Dec 2025 13:28:15
Translates to Slot doesn't want the player and Hughes does? Therefore, may as well go and play for a coach that wants me.
I sense a growing tension between Slot and Hughes.
I hope they would both see sense in adding to the CB numbers, regardless at what is at play behind the scenes.
31 Dec 2025 13:45:38
We all knew it wouldn't be happening a week ago when Ornstein broke the news.
31 Dec 2025 13:45:54
FlyPelican, I don’t think that’s the translation. My reading is that Slot may be keen, but he isn’t going be the long term project leader, and so clarity about Semenyo’s place in a long term vision cannot be guaranteed when so much is likely to change within the next 6 months (ie Slot is likely to leave), and a new manager may come in, and be given freedom to sign a couple of their own preferred targets.
How that’s much different to his situation at City I’m not sure, but he’s likely being offered more money either way.
31 Dec 2025 13:50:33
Can’t blame the lad! I’d not be going near LFC with slot in charge the place looks like a circus at present with dire football!
Thanks for the update Ned lad.
31 Dec 2025 14:02:49
Spot on Jay The Red.
31 Dec 2025 14:31:06
Proven prem quality, want’s to sign, relatively low buy out clause. Huge opportunity missed if you ask me considering we need to replace salah and arguably gakpo.
31 Dec 2025 14:35:38
Hope he enjoys his few months under Pep. but hey, were the ones in disarray.
31 Dec 2025 14:41:06
Significantly bigger basic wages - there’s your answer…the rest is an excuse.
31 Dec 2025 15:23:14
I think if we’re being honest, CB, the midfield and a wide forward need to be addressed, it’s minimum 3 players but I don’t see that happening, I can see 1 at most and I would be surprised if anymore came through.
Historically the Jan window has been pretty good for us, so it would be great to do as much business as possible in those three areas but I just don’t see it. I see a lot of it being pushed to the summer and I don’t expect anything like what we did this past summer. It all seems a bit wild considering the business we just did but that’s where we are. The two areas I’m most concerned about is CB and midfield personally.
31 Dec 2025 16:01:15
You don't need to be "ITK" to know that Semenyo was going to City. I have no connections what so ever in football and predicted it 4 weeks ago. He was ALWAYS going to City it was so obvious . Can we stop pretending half these posters that claim to know anything actually do. Its pure guess work.
The "project" at Liverpool seems to be currently trying to destroy all that has been built in the last 10 years. Slot needs sacking now. Not in the summer . This " turn around in form" is a phalacy. This unbeaten run includes wins against a terrible West Ham team who will be relegated, a terrible Spurs team who nearly got a point with 9 men, a terrible Wolves team that will go down as the worst team in EPL history and nearly got a point the other day, a Brighton team who are bang average and then there's draws against a terrible Leeds team that will be relegated, after being 2 goals up and and Sunderland team who haven't been in the EPL for a decade and who are the best team in that run. Scrapping wins and getting draws against teams who on their best day are bang average and on their worst would struggle in league 1 is not progress . Slot is, in the words of CM Punk, a bald fraud . He needs to go now. The reason our project isn't attractive to Semenyo and the like is due to him and those that refuse to sack him. Forget signing anyone of any note including Guehi either in January or the summer. We will hear in a few days Guehi has singed a pre contract with a European giant . Im not ITK but that is what will happen. Yet there will be those on here claiming they know this and that and he will definitely be coming. he's not, nor is anyone else that will improve the absolute shambles of a team we currently have . Nothing changes till the bald fraud goes.
31 Dec 2025 14:45:34
I always acknowledged ED01s opinions of Edwards and Hughes and I didn't know enough about them to comment either way, but I now see the light. I can see that his reservations and critique are indeed appropriate, going by everything from June 25 onwards. A reset is needed beyond Slot which must now include those other 2 protagonists.
31 Dec 2025 16:34:59
I read as why would he want to come here and be hampered by bad tactics. I love this club but if I was a neutral I wouldn’t sign right now. We had our chance last summer if we would have kicked on maybe.
Not now tho by the time we attack it’s extra time why would an attacking player want to join when we don’t play the ball forward?
31 Dec 2025 16:42:43
Klopps last season we finished 3rd, we'll finish 3rd this season. In between we won a title, how have we become so bad on and off the pitch, in disarray and nothing is alligned, have tensions between Slot and Hughes, and look like a circus? Grow up we won't win the league this year, looks like a very good Arsenal who have spent even MORE than us to build there squad will.
Hopefully we get some of what we need in in January, we won't get it all no matter how many people on here think were playing FIFA and then we go and see what we can still achieve this year.
31 Dec 2025 16:42:56
Is it really a fallacy? So you're saying that we're 4th in the league but we actually should be much lower in the table?
31 Dec 2025 16:45:28
Are you an Arne Bot K. T? You do realise that Arne is Liverpool’s most successful Manager over his first 55 league games and since he came, we have accumulated the most league points. Plus winning and not conceding against Arsenal, Real and Inter. Let’s judge him over the whole 18 months and not a 2 month bad patch.
So it’s a nonsense not to give him a chance to turn it around, especially as he hasn’t played his favoured 4-2-3-1 yet with Wirtz in the number 10 role. Frimpong on the right, Cody on the left and Dom and Grav as our double pivot. That could work, although we probably need the insurance of an extra midfielder ( Jones ) for now.
Anyway, whatever your opinion, Happy New Year to everyone.
31 Dec 2025 16:52:39
Well said kimuraking.
31 Dec 2025 16:56:36
And who would you replace him with? Someone who isn’t bald?
31 Dec 2025 17:31:04
@monstersouness: someone who isn’t Dutch.
31 Dec 2025 17:55:57
Maybe someone who doest believe their own hype like rodgers did. He's rodgers mk 2.
31 Dec 2025 18:04:29
Scouse, what’s wrong with the Dutch? One bad Man U manager surely doesn’t mean that every Dutch coach is hopeless? Seems harsh, given how Dutch coaches have continually revolutionised the game since Total Football.
31 Dec 2025 18:08:18
Rodgers never won leagues in 2 countries spending less than his competitors.
31 Dec 2025 18:12:04
Whatsap, that seems a bit harsh.
Brendan was a total David Brent in that doc during his first season. Had a huge portrait of himself in his house, and seemed to have a full-on cliched male mid-life crisis (ditching his wife for a younger version etc) .
I don’t think Slot has ever done anything like that? Speaks openly and honestly to the press, and handled the Salah minefield with dignity.
If he does a Rafa and suddenly appears with a creepy magician’s style goatee then I will be with you, but until then I think he’s done nothing wrong on the public front.
31 Dec 2025 18:18:37
I've said this before but sod it, I'll say it again as it's New Year's Eve. What makes anyone think the cautious way the team has been playing this season is Slot's endgame? Have they seen his Feyenoord team?
31 Dec 2025 18:45:52
Well said, JLDA. First half v Wolves is the aim, I reckon. Injury to Frimpong really messed up the plans, plus the inability to defend set pieces - there is a good article by Paul Joyce in The Times about it.
31 Dec 2025 18:47:30
That. is a very good point JLDA one I hadn't considered TBH.
31 Dec 2025 19:09:07
Monster, cruyff was total football manager I think at Barca, don’t know who taught him but who else has there been? LVG, hiddink, rijkard crap all had big clubs with money. Even Ed 25s favourite koeman had money ruined the rebirth of the blues. Nah no Dutch .
31 Dec 2025 19:10:05
1jj has it spot on.
Players are motivated to move by 3 things :
1) MONEY (this trumps everything else) .
2) Silverware
3) Higher profile.
Tactics and project direction are just pure fallacy.
Sorry.
31 Dec 2025 19:23:11
Does anyone, ITK or IKFA, know that Semenyo wants to join us?
Kimura, the turnaround in form is not fallacy. I watched us win and draw them games and the results are easy to check. I know beating and drawing with PL teams in the PL is a stretch but we also beat Inter.
Unless you did actually mean 'phallic' which is more accurate because we have been going higher and higher up the League table.
scousejohn probably wants one of his own to manage the team. Joey Barton, perhaps?
31 Dec 2025 19:28:15
It’s not really that relevant how much Arsenal spent in previous seasons. We won the League last season and spent £450 million in the Summer. Arsenal didn’t win the League and didn’t spend as much as Liverpool in the Summer. That’s relevant.
31 Dec 2025 20:41:04
Scouse, I think you are taking the mick? Total Football happened in the 70s, VG blew the game asunder with Ajax in the early 90s after, let’s not forget, the Dutch dominated AC Milan team of van Basten, Gullit, and Rijkaard.
Cruyff then turned Barcelona from a basket case into the club you see now. Pep is still a pupil to Cruyff.
Big Guus was also a damn great manager.
Basically, Dutch coaching has defined the game for almost 50 years.
From other countries, there have been few big thinkers: Arrigo Saachi and Lippi in Italy changed tactics a bit, but it always seems to be the Dutch who move the game on.
31 Dec 2025 20:44:35
Clearly doesn't want salah involved, however a perfect younger replacement in semenyo is available and wants to come, and we don't push for him. Madness. He will smash it at city. Would of been perfect for us.
31 Dec 2025 21:12:40
Mr Rover, what is the cut off point for you when it comes to spend? It strikes me as a bit weird that Arsenal, with the cost of their stadium still in play, can continue to spend so much money, while selling no one for a fee.
Is that relevant? I am just not sure what your rules for relevancy are?
31 Dec 2025 21:18:58
Maybe we’d have more room in the wage bill if we weren’t committing almost half a million each week on a guy who isn’t doing a lot.
31 Dec 2025 21:58:32
They still spent around 300m Irish, on a squad everyone expected to finish way ahead of us when Slot came in. They also didn't lose players of the calibre of trent, Diaz andJota.
31 Dec 2025 23:57:02
Arsenal’s net spend was higher than ours in the summer Irish.
If you’re going to use the value of players brought in to criticise the team and manager you also need to take into account the value of the players we lost.
Arsenal didn’t lose anyone, they just added to what they already had.
01 Jan 2026 02:19:55
TBH if he doesn't want us, I don't want him no matter how good he is. Must like the prospect of playing lower division when the 115 charges are finally announced. Anyone else think Pep has been given a nod in that direction hence the rumour of him going next summer has suddenly come about?
01 Jan 2026 04:24:32
You forgetting his trips to Ibiza Monstersoyness? Definitely a Rodgers type character.
01 Jan 2026 08:48:56
Perhaps Slot shops at Morrison’s, if so, it’s an absolute disgrace and Slot should be sacked immediately.
01 Jan 2026 09:31:57
Bit ridiculous calling van gaal, hiddink and rijkaard crap managers, sure they dropped off later but they reached the very very top of world football before that. Is the only measure for a good manager managing to win everything forever? Would you call mourinho a crap manager just because his career went into decline after winning everything?