It has been a while that the iconic Liverpool Football Club have thrived under the shadow of their own achievements. It began with a fall from grace, not making it to the Champions League to subsequent finishes outside the top four of the Premier League.
It was unusual for the fans who had once witnessed the romanticism of European football nights at Anfield. But today’s Liverpool is a different club. 'A selling club’ according to numerous fans across the world.
Ever since the heights of the 2013-2014 season, much was expected from the club even after the sale of talisman Luis Suarez. But towards the final day of the season, it became clear the club took quite a few steps back in their quest for success.
From failing to attract marquee players to letting Steven Gerrard leave the club, the fans yearned for a change. And after a stuttering start to their latest campaign, change finally arrived on the 8 October 2015 in the form of Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool’s new manager replacing Brendan Rodgers.
It has been just over five months since that day and as fans must have noticed during the time, there are no fairytales during the transition, no quick fixes to consistent success. And Klopp, from his previous experiences at Mainz and Dortmund knows how to build a squad alright. It’s always very important for a Liverpool manager to understand the emotions of the fans, the stature and history of the club and the unfulfilled expectations yet for a Premier League title. In Klopp, they have their best possible choice.
Gegenpressing – The Immediate ball recovery
It has been a mixed bag for the German at his new club but the positives have slowly started taking shape. It is always hard for players to adapt to their new manager’s style and so it proved. Liverpool played a possession based game under Brendan Rodgers which was less physical to Klopp’s approach famously titled as ‘gegenpressing’.
This meant players have to run throughout the game to snatch the ball away from the opponent and launch a quick counter attack. The tactic proved hard to be implemented as the manager saw several of his key men succumb to injuries. The initial days of gegenpressing saw Liverpool play the high tempo game for only a while before tiring out and adopting a possession game.
Five months hence, they now look to maintain the tempo throughout the game and the fast movement of the team have sometimes seen wave after wave of Liverpool attacks. However, as some popular media outlets have joked, Klopp is unsure which Liverpool side will come out of the tunnel – the one which rips Manchester City apart or the one that falls prey to the middle tier teams like Watford. Consistency is one area the manager would want to address soon.
A Fragile Backline
The most worrying aspect of Liverpool’s current game is their defence. While recurring injuries to their recognized centre backs have impacted a stable partnership, the confidence level in that defensive set up had always kept the fans on the edge of their seats.
The lack of a defensive leader has been evident. Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren, Liverpool’s strongest centre-back duo have failed to see off set pieces contributing to the count of goals conceded. While Sakho has been influential of what is still good in the backline and Lovren, a different player under Klopp, Liverpool still need to find a solution to their fullback situation.
Nathaniel Clyne is one of the best in the Premier league in that role but Alberto Moreno has been a regular source of trouble with his increased attacking prowess that left huge pockets of space at the back. The acquisition of Joel Matip should do them good but the return of youngster Joe Gomez and probably a more defensive minded full back would still be on Klopp’s summer radar.
The key men
March is the month when the team enjoying its best run of form under their new manager. A lot has fallen into place but nothing more than the return of prolific striker Daniel Sturridge. With Sturridge, Liverpool have a new dimension to their attack.
Combined with the boys of Brazil, Coutinho and Firmino the Reds front three is capable of scaring most of the defences in the game.The recent form of Adam Lallana would prove to be crucial as Klopp looks for players suited for a long-term future under him. Emre Can, with all his potential, is likely to assert his influence even more in the subsequent seasons.
But for starters, Klopp would definitely want to build his team around Coutinho and Firmino. The arrival of an out an out winger that the team lacks, and a ’20 goal a season striker’ is what Klopp should aim to achieve this summer. And with all the doubts surrounding Simon Mignolet’s future, it still seems unlikely he will be replaced next season.
Hope builds a home
Jurgen Klopp is just getting started at Liverpool. It is quite a bit that he has achieved with this squad at his disposal.Statistically, the team has scored 53 goals in the 35 games he has been in charge and kept 14 clean sheets.The goals conceded count came down to a goal per game as opposed to 1.2 under Rodgers. Numbers are one way of looking at it.
Remember the days when the fans lost their voice at Anfield?.When a goal conceded late on led to queues heading towards the exit?.Jurgen Klopp has stopped that from happening.He made them believe that its not over until its over. Last minute goals against Arsenal and West Brom are testament to that spriit. Anfield has seen the passion from their manager at every goal scored, sometimes to an extent of being asked to calm down.
They have seen acknowledgement for their support with a lap of honour. And in every single minute that passed, Klopp succeeded in instilling belief and uniting Anfield under one roof.
Two distinct images spring to mind. An ecstatic Klopp punching his fist in the glory of a late equaliser amid a snowy Anfield. The latest one, when a red smoke greeted Anfield as Liverpool led Manchester United 2-0. It sums up the air of romanticism that has come back to the club.Anfield is now composed of more ‘believers’.
“Please give us the time,” he said in his first interview.
It has just been five months and the rebuilding is very much in progress. And while reflecting at the ironies of life, it took around two decades for a Scot to knock the Liverbird off its perch.It might just take lesser time for a German to rescue an English club back to where it belongs.The red half of Merseyside surely wouldn’t mind.
