Liverpool Uncovered: Klopp's problems, Sturridge solution, transfer plans revealed
OUR man in the know on Merseyside takes an in-depth look at Liverpool and where they are going under Jurgen Klopp.
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| Jurgen Klopp has started well as Liverpool boss, despite losing his last four games |
Season so far?
Liverpool’s
owners, Fenway Sports Group, always hoped to be heading into the New
Year with a manager who had galvanised team and supporters alike and was
looking to push on in the second half of the campaign.
Firing
Brendan Rodgers three months after he spent £80million was not part of
the blueprint, however. Liverpool were not in crisis when Rodgers was
sacked in the aftermath of a 1-1 draw with Everton in October, but he
had simply run out of credit with a hierarchy who lost faith in where he
would take the club.
Enter
Jurgen Klopp. He cut short a sabbatical having left Borussia Dortmund,
where he pieced together an impressive CV, and immediately made an
impression on and off the pitch with his glass-half-full approach. Four
games without a win have checked momentum, but that the focus is on the
players not the manager speaks volumes for Klopp’s standing.
Highlight?
The
4-1 destruction of Manchester City was Klopp’s vision for Liverpool
crammed into 90-minutes. To see the front three of
Coutinho-Firmino-Lallana in perfect unison, pressing aggressively high
up the pitch and displaying cool heads, was a sight to behold. Jamie
Carragher’s description of them as the “red arrows” was fitting.
The standard was set that evening at the Etihad, though it has seldom been adhered to since.
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| Liverpool's highlight of the season so far was the 4-1 win at Manchester City |
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| Jurgen Klopp will be looking for a solution to Daniel Sturridge's injury problems |
Lowlight?
The
failure to compete at Manchester United back in September, when
Liverpool lost 3-1, was the beginning of the end for Rodgers and such an
insipid, anaemic performance at the home of bitter rivals can never be
tolerated. Yet the manner of the defeat to Watford last weekend was in
many ways just as chastening.
This
was Liverpool with a full week to prepare under Klopp (although he
chose to give the players some days off) only for his team to surrender
against opponents willing to get in their faces.
Given
it had happened in the previous away game at Newcastle, Liverpool
should have been steeled for something similar regardless of Adam Bogdan’s early mistake. It was proof, if required, that Klopp really isn’t a miracle worker and he labelled it as the worst day of his short reign.
New Year hopes
Liverpool’s
fortunes remain intrinsically linked to Daniel Sturridge’s fitness, so a
solution to his numerous issues will be top of Klopp’s wish-list. If
Sturridge can put a run of games together, then top four has to be a
realistic target given the inadequacies of many of their rivals.
The
priority though? Liverpool remain in three cup competitions and it is
time for them to win silverware once again. Lifting a trophy would be
more important to the team’s long-term development and fall in line with
what the club’s philosophy used to be.
Transfer plans
There
are unlikely to be big moves in January as Klopp continues to work out
his squad’s strengths and weaknesses. He appears to genuinely believe
Liverpool boast quality, but the mental weaknesses exposed against
Watford will alarm him.
Red Star
Belgrade youngster Mark Grujic will be loaned back to the Serbian club
if his dad gives the go-ahead to a £5.1m deal, while Schalke’s Joel
Matip is being lined up for next summer when he is out of contract. I
would expect more expensive transfers to be done in the summer when
Matip’s team-mate, Leroy Sane, could be a target.
