If you look at Jurgen Klopp’s record as a coach you’ll notice that at his previous clubs, Mainz O5 and Borussia Dortmund, the German’s sides have always suffered from dips in form at some point.

I think it’s fair to say that he’s now suffering from yet another dip in form at current employers Liverpool.

Early in the campaign it looked like the current Premier League champions would be a force again this year as they looked to retain their title.

But before February ends, it looks like Liverpool are already out of the title race and are now losing ground in the fight to get back into the league’s valuable top four places.

While it might be a bit depressing for Reds fans at the moment, personally I can see three key issues that have made this term so difficult for Liverpool. When you can identify reasoning behind the decline, then that should show supporters that a return to form should be expected.

It just might not happen as soon as people would like.

So here’s the issues that have really hampered the Anfield side:

INJURIES

This one has been huge.

The biggest loss has obviously been the talismanic figure of Virgil van Dijkat the back. Probably the world’s best centre-half and a player who demands the best from those around him.

Liverpool would’ve been a weaker force without Van Dijk no matter what but when you add long term injuries to fellow centre-backs Joe Gomez and Joel Matip it has meant for a much weaker backline for The Reds.

Klopp just hasn’t been able to call on a consistent backline with goalkeeper Alisson also spending time in the doctor’s room and gap fillers Fabinho and now Jordan Henderson (Source: Liverpoolfc.com) also succumbing to knocks.

The red half of Merseyside has conceded the most amount of goals so far out of the top seven sides in the Premier League and that is simply down to amount of key personnel missing in defence. The continuous new faces in the heart of Liverpool’s back four has seen confidence and consistency levels drop dramatically.

“Why we change late is because we constantly have to think that somebody will go down with an injury. We cannot change early, because we change early and the other one has an injury, and you end the game with nine players,”

Via ESPN

PRESSURE OF BEING CHAMPIONS

It’s not the worst pressure to be under as it means you’ve already got a winner’s medal in your bag but it has been notoriously difficult for teams to retain the English top flight crown in the last decade. Only current league leaders Manchester City (once) have managed it in that period of time!

It was thirty years between Liverpool’s current league title win and their previous one. They have an experienced squad but dealing with being the country’s biggest scalp is new to pretty much everyone in their squad.

While Jurgen Klopp oversaw his Dortmund team win back to back Bundesliga triumphs, it should be noted that that was over eight years ago now.

So it is somewhat natural that this new experience can be hard to cope with as every other team in the league sees you as a trophy to be won. Just look at Everton’s celebrations yesterday (BBC Match Report)

MISSING THE FANS

This is a big one when you look at Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp.

The German gaffer always makes a point in making the crowd his twelfth man. Now I know missing the supporters in the stadia has impacted on every team but few use the energy of the fans quite like Klopp can.

We’ve seen it countless times when his team has needed an extra push, Klopp will prowl up and down his technical area being as animated as Disney’s Simba singing about one day being a king. Every fist pump or yell is met with the Anfield crowd pumping up their own decibels.

Klopp, more then any other current Premier League manager, has a connection with the support and gets them on their feet and almost forcefully pushing their players on to great things. European victories over Dortmund and FC Barcelona instantly spring to mind.

It’s hard to imagine that Liverpool would fail to get more points if they had the Kop backing that inspires heroes and defeats opponents.

…..

These three key factors point to a brighter future for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool. In injuries will stop mounting and players will return. That will see a much stronger defence and they’ll start to concede less. The pressure of being champions will soon come to an end as Man City charge towards the title and that will give The Reds time to refocus and regroup. And hopefully by next term supporters will return to the stands and they can become that twelfth man again!

It just might not all happen right away, so as ever it’s best to back Klopp and watch as he gets things right again in the future.

Posted on February 21st, 2021 by scott
Filed under: Article