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I don't think Liverpool need Antoine Semenyo but one January transfer is a no-brainer

John Aldridge has his say on what Liverpool need to do when the January transfer window opens in the second half of his weekly ECHO column

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dont-think-liverpool-need-antoine-33135290

What the ECHO has learned about Antoine Semenyo transfer interest and Harvey Elliott return

A look at what might lie in store for Liverpool this January transfer window by the ECHO's Reds correspondent Paul Gorst

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/semenyo-elliott-liverpool-transfer-news-33136267

Liverpool abandoned proposed Arne Slot tactic after botched pre-season experiment

Liverpool were forced to pull the plug on one proposed tactic after trying it without success during their pre-season tour of the Far East in July.

Amid a summer of substantial change to his playing squad, Arne Slot also sought to implement some tactical tweaks while he had the comfort blanket of friendly fixtures, latching onto one set-piece tactic which has become somewhat in-vogue in the Premier League this season.

Liverpool abandoned long-throw experiment after pre-season

In an article for the Liverpool Echo reflecting on the Reds’ dreadful figures in terms of set-piece situations in both penalty boxes, Paul Gorst higlighted how some players worked on long throw-ins at LFC’s training camp in Japan.

Ryan Gravenberch, Conor Bradley and Milos Kerkez were among the players to test out the scenario on the tour to the Far East as Slot and his coaching staff looked for marginal gains ahead of the competitive action beginning in August.

However, the tactic was quickly abandoned after it became apparent that only Joe Gomez – who wasn’t in the camp due to an injury – came close to proving effective at taking long throws.

Andy Robertson takes a throw-in for Liverpool during their victory over Wolves in February 2025 — (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Liverpool have been appalling at set pieces this season

At least the Liverpool head coach was open to the idea of using long throw-ins to his team’s advantage, rather than viewing it as something which was beneath him, but the botched pre-season experiment duly saw it discarded.

Unfortunately, the Reds’ record from set pieces has been dire ever since. Only Wolves have fewer set-piece goals than our four in the Premier League this season (GIVEMESPORT), while the Reds have the joint-worst concession tally alongside Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest with 12 (BBC Sport).

Those figures will send a shiver up Slot’s spine, especially as upcoming opponents Leeds have scored more goals from dead-ball situations (14) than anyone else in the top flight (GIVEMESPORT), and John Aldridge was raging at how easily we conceded from a corner kick against Wolves on Saturday.

We’d like to think that set pieces will have comprised a substantial chunk of Liverpool’s training sessions in preparation for the visit of Daniel Farke’s side to Anfield on New Year’s Day, particularly with Dominic Calvert-Lewin in such excellent goalscoring form.

The Reds have put a dreadful autumn behind them with an unbeaten resurgence in December. That momentum needs to be carried into January, with nine fixtures across three competitions giving the Premier League champions an unforgiving start to 2026.

The post Liverpool abandoned proposed Arne Slot tactic after botched pre-season experiment appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

from The Empire of The Kop

Liverpool eyeing PSG's Bradley Barcola

Liverpool add PSG winger Bradley Barcola to their January transfer list

Liverpool are pivoting swiftly in their search for attacking reinforcements, with Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola emerging as a prime alternative target if the move for Antoine Semenyo prove elusive.

The 23-year-old French international known for his pace, dribbling flair, and ability to cut inside from the right has caught Arne Slot's eye as a potential long-term successor or rotational option amid uncertainties around Mohamed Salah's future and the Egyptian's current AFCON commitments.

Liverpool have conducted background scouting on Barcola for some time and recent reports suggest the Reds are prepared to invest significantly if the opportunity arises, though PSG remain reluctant to part with one of their valued assets mid-season (his contract runs until 2028, and Luis Enrique rates him highly despite rotation in a stacked attack).

Barcola himself has set a clear condition for any move: guarantees of regular first-team minutes to support his ambitions with France and his career progression. This stance puts pressure on potential suitors like Liverpool, who must balance squad harmony with promising him a prominent role.

Competition is fierce, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and others are monitoring the situation but Liverpool's recruitment team, led by Richard Hughes, appears confident in their ability to convince if they push forward. A January deal looks challenging given PSG's stance, making a more realistic summer 2026 swoop the likelier scenario.

We watch for developments as the window opens. Barcola could prove a statement signing if Liverpool go all-in. 🔴

Antoine Semenyo: Manchester City favourites as Liverpool prepare £65m package

Bournemouth is bracing for serious interest from Liverpool for Semenyo (rivaling Manchester City)

Liverpool remain firmly in the mix for Bournemouth's shining forward Antoine Semenyo, even as Manchester City appear to hold pole position with the January window just days away.

The 25-year-old Ghana international boasting nine Premier League goals and three assists this season has a £65m release clause that activates on January 1, 2026, and runs only until January 10. This narrow timeframe is forcing swift decisions, with Semenyo himself keen to resolve his future before the New Year kicks off.

City have accelerated their pursuit, holding imminent meetings with his representatives and reportedly aligning on personal terms. Bournemouth are bracing for formal contact from the Etihad side, yet sources close to the situation insist the door is far from closed for others. Liverpool's interest endures, fueled by sporting director Richard Hughes' strong Bournemouth ties and the Reds' need for attacking reinforcement amid Mohamed Salah's AFCON absence and broader squad concerns.

While Semenyo's preference reportedly leans toward City, no deal is signed, and the Reds could still pounce if negotiations stall especially as Bournemouth hope to retain him for their early-January clashes against Arsenal and Tottenham before any exit.

Whether Liverpool formalise a bid in the coming hours remains the key question as the clock ticks toward the window's opening.

This one could still twist dramatically watch January 1 closely. 🔴

Concerns about concession from set-pieces

Liverpool's Achilles' heel refuses to heal

As 2025 draws to a close, the Reds sit in fourth place after grinding out a 2-1 win over Wolves at Anfield on December 27. Ryan Gravenberch's cool opener and Florian Wirtz's maiden goal for the club delivered the points, extending an unbeaten run to seven games. Yet the narrative post-match wasn't about celebration it was about yet another avoidable concession from a set-piece.

Santiago Bueno's second-half header from a corner sliced the lead in half, turning what should have been a comfortable afternoon into a tense scrap. That goal took Liverpool's tally of set-piece concessions in the Premier League this season to **12**—joint-highest alongside Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest. Only Bournemouth (12) and a couple of others match or exceed it. At the other end? Just three set-piece goals scored (excluding penalties), leaving a net deficit that stands as one of the worst in the division.

Virgil van Dijk didn't mince words after the final whistle: "We have defended so many set-pieces very well. But the fact is we've conceded too many goals like that and it hurts. We have to improve that. ... The second phase is a killer."

The captain's frustration is palpable. He knows the team drills these situations relentlessly, yet concentration lapses, poor marking in the second phase, and a lack of aerial aggression keep letting opponents back into games.

Manager Arne Slot echoed the sentiment, framing it as both a Liverpool-specific issue and a league-wide trend where dead-ball situations increasingly decide outcomes:

"I know the importance of it, it gets more and more... that's why we are so annoyed by our current record."

Slot has pointed out that excluding set-piece goals, Liverpool would likely sit five or six points higher in the table—such is their dominance from open play (top for chance creation in many metrics). But results don't come with asterisks. The manager has been blunt: without fixing this, a genuine top-four (or higher) push becomes "impossible."

The irony is stark. Last season, under different circumstances, the Reds barely conceded from set pieces. This campaign despite heavy summer investment and the arrival of a dedicated set-piece coach in Aaron Briggs the numbers have flipped dramatically. Alisson's command of his box has been solid but not infallible, and the outfield unit lacks the same ruthlessness that once defined Liverpool at dead balls.

With Leeds United up next on New Year's Day, the message from the coaching staff is clear: more intensity in training, sharper focus on second-phase battles, and zero tolerance for the "killer" moments. The talent is there. The open-play football is electric. But until the set-piece bleeding stops, every victory will feel like it's earned the hard way and every dropped point will sting that little bit more.

Fix this, and the ceiling rises dramatically. Ignore it, and fourth place might be the realistic summit rather than the floor.

YNWA. 🔴

Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck sent Liverpool fans into a January transfer frenzy with his latest comment to Florian Wirtz

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/nico-schlotterbeck-already-made-feelings-33131862

Ahead of a poignant day at Anfield, the ECHO spoke to Diogo Jota's neighbours in Merseyside, who shared their memories of the humble Portuguese footballer who was valued so much

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/inside-diogo-jotas-merseyside-neighbourhood-33125145

Liverpool must ignore the noise over £65m deal and complete transfer they wanted all along

Liverpool have been linked with signing Antoine Semenyo in January but there is another deal the Reds should consider completing first

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-transfer-guehi-semenyo-january-33111263

I don't think Liverpool need Antoine Semenyo but one January transfer is a no-brainer

What the ECHO has learned about Antoine Semenyo transfer interest and Harvey Elliott return

Liverpool abandoned proposed Arne Slot tactic after botched pre-season experiment

Liverpool abandoned long-throw experiment after pre-season

Liverpool have been appalling at set pieces this season

Liverpool eyeing PSG's Bradley Barcola

Liverpool add PSG winger Bradley Barcola to their January transfer list

Antoine Semenyo: Manchester City favourites as Liverpool prepare £65m package

Bournemouth is bracing for serious interest from Liverpool for Semenyo (rivaling Manchester City)

Concerns about concession from set-pieces

Liverpool's Achilles' heel refuses to heal

‘Worst game of my career’ – Liverpool emergency transfer even shocked the player

Liverpool in new Antoine Semenyo transfer twist as £52m Kees Smit claim made

Arne Slot faces difficult Alexis Mac Allister decision as Liverpool consider attack rethink

Nico Schlotterbeck has already made feelings clear after Liverpool transfer plea

Jeremie Frimpong shows his worth as Arne Slot's unpopular Liverpool stance fully justified

Arne Slot sends 'special' message to Liverpool and Wolves fans - 'You guys know'

Ex-England striker Andy Carroll could face jail over non-molestation order charge

15 players could miss Liverpool vs Wolves as Arne Slot faces nervous wait

Meeting of Diogo Jota's former clubs should be a reminder of what is really important

Inside Diogo Jota's Merseyside neighbourhood that has had veil of sadness since tragic death

Liverpool must ignore the noise over £65m deal and complete transfer they wanted all along

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