Isak blow exposes how thin Liverpool’s attack really is
Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Tottenham came at a huge cost.
Alexander Isak scored with a clinical finish from Florian Wirtz’s pass, but Micky van de Ven’s challenge as he struck the ball left the striker on the turf clutching his leg.
The £125m signing now faces an extended spell out, with an MRI scan to determine the damage.
With Mohamed Salah away at the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo also sidelined, Arne Slot suddenly has a serious numbers problem up front.
Why Antoine Semenyo looks the logical £65m move
Slot needs at least one reinforcement in January to protect Liverpool’s season.
If one more forward goes down, Liverpool’s attack becomes a juggling act rather than a title push.
Antoine Semenyo ticks a lot of boxes.
He’s thriving for Bournemouth, can score and create from the left, and has been strongly linked with Liverpool for months.
The Ghana international wouldn’t mirror Salah’s right-wing role, but he could replace his end product over time.
With Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham also interested and a £65m valuation, any move would have to be decisive.
Semenyo himself believes his future is through the middle.
He has already said he feels “destined to be a No 9”, which makes him even more attractive to Slot: he could cover both wide and central roles and step in when Hugo Ekitike needs a rest.
Marc Guehi: January opportunity Liverpool can’t miss
At the other end of the pitch, Liverpool’s need is just as obvious.
Marc Guehi was close to joining on deadline day in the summer, but the deal collapsed late.
Now, with Giovanni Leoni and Joe Gomez injured, Liverpool are again walking a similar defensive tightrope to 2020/21.
Guehi has been one of the standout centre-backs in the league and is on the radar of Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
Putting around £30m on the table in January could finally get the deal done.
Waiting until summer risks losing him altogether and leaves Slot exposed if one more defender breaks down.
Freeing Wirtz: play the £116m talent where he’s best
Florian Wirtz arrived as one of Europe’s top central attacking midfielders.
So far, Slot has mostly used him from the left, shifting him away from his natural zone between the lines.
Liverpool haven’t really used a classic No 10 since Philippe Coutinho, but Wirtz gives Slot a chance to try something different.
Playing him centrally would allow him to knit play, combine with the striker and arrive in the box instead of being stuck on the touchline.
A new-look midfield to unlock Wirtz
To make that work, the midfield shape has to change slightly.
Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai could form a flat, hard-running pair behind Wirtz.
Both are comfortable carrying the ball, both can press aggressively, and together they could protect the space behind a free-roaming No 10.
Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones remain strong options, but on current form Gravenberch and Szoboszlai look the most dynamic pairing.
A potential front four after January
If Liverpool do land Semenyo and get everyone else fit, Slot could build around a more fluid structure:
- Gravenberch and Szoboszlai in midfield
- Wirtz as a central playmaker
- A front three of Semenyo, Ekitike and Federico Chiesa
That setup would give Liverpool pace on both flanks, a proper focal point up front and a world-class creator in his natural role.
In the short term, though, the message is simple:
sign a versatile forward, push hard for Guehi, and finally let Wirtz play where he was bought to play.
