A wave of optimism has spread around the red half of Liverpool since Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield.
The warmth of the reception for the self-styled “normal one” has far exceeded that of his predecessor, Brendan Rodgers, with many supporters and commentators hailing Klopp’s appointment as Liverpool manager as a potential watershed moment in the club’s history.
Klopp’s achievements as manager of Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, where he won back-to-back league titles between 2010 and 2012, have elevated his status in the world game, and his unique coaching style has set him apart from other top European managers.
The high-pressing, all-action approach that Klopp instilled in his successful Dortmund teams was dubbed “heavy metal football” by the manager himself, when comparing his side’s style of play to the “orchestral” way that Arsenal play under Arsene Wenger.
The prospect of having Klopp reenergise the expensive squad that Rodgers assembled assembled at Anfield, and overhaul the culture of the football played by Merseyside’s most successful club, has got Reds fans excited – particularly after Klopp said he expects trophies to arrive sooner rather than later.
You can forgive Liverpool’s supporters for craving a fresh start; they have been through pretty much everything in the last 10 years, from winning the Champions League under Rafael Benitez, to seeing club legend Kenny Dalglish struggle to rekindle former glories, to missing out on the Premier League title by a whisker under Rodgers in 2013-14.
Their supporters have always stuck by the club, and their lowest attendance last season was less than a thousand lower than their highest attendance. Liverpool tickets fly out from Ticketgum every time they go on sale, as supporters clamour to watch history unfold at one of English football’s very biggest clubs.
But if Klopp really is going to turn the club around and put them back into contention for Premier League titles, he is going to need more than a winning smile and some snappy catchphrases.
Unlike the Bundesliga, where in order to become the top team you only really have to dislodge reigning champions Bayern Munich, the Premier League is currently a four horse race, with the financial might of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United making it difficult for even the likes of Arsenal to get a look in most of the time.
Even Liverpool fans’ favourite Jamie Carragher admitted towards the end of Rodgers’ reign that the club were “becoming Tottenham”, implying that they were being cut adrift from the division’s best sides, and losing hope of being regular title contenders.
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/qErb-Be8zzU” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>
Klopp’s task as Liverpool manager will be to dispel that image and quickly re-establish the club as a force to be reckoned with, but to do so he must address the flaws of a squad that was assembled at great expense.
Rodgers spent a staggering £291,550,000 on 31 players during his three year tenure at Anfield. The Rodgers era saw fans flock to Ticketgum to grab the chance to see big money signings like Daniel Sturridge, Adam Lallana and Mario Balotelli pull on the famous red jersey, as the former Liverpool boss gambled on some big name players – many of whom let him down.
Klopp has already met with Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group to discuss the club’s transfer strategy, and he insists he is happy with the involvement FSG will have in any signings he makes. But, of course, he won’t be able to bring in any new blood for the first two months of his Liverpool career, and he must find a way to get Liverpool’s current group of players firing before this season’s hopes of a top four finish are written off.
Those hopes were dealt a blow with the news that England striker Danny Ings is going to miss the rest of this season with a cruciate knee ligament injury, and this could thrust the spotlight on another Rodgers signing, Divock Origi.
Chances at Liverpool have been limited for Origi since he joined the club for £10 million from Lille in 2014, but with Ings injured and Christian Benteke also struggling for fitness, it could be that Origi and Daniel Sturridge form the first strike partnership to play for Liverpool under Klopp.
Injuries have limited Sturridge to just three appearances for Liverpool this season, but he may be asked to lead the line up front while Klopp awaits the return of a number of players from the treatment room.
Along with Ings and Benteke, the club’s sidelined players include Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson, Jon Flanagan and Firmino, leaving Klopp without key men who might in future be the ideal proponents of his particular brand of football.
Jürgen Klopp confirms Joe Gomez has sustained an ACL injury. “We have to wait for further diagnosis.” #LFC
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 15, 2015
But there is talent in abundance at Liverpool, and Klopp may seek to revive the form and morale of 19-year-old attacking midfielder Jordan Ibe, who started this season as a first team member, but seemed to lose confidence under Rodgers.
Two men whose importance to Klopp cannot be overstated are James Milner and Philippe Coutinho.
Milner has played in all positions across midfield during his career at Leeds, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool, but his best performances have often come when, rather than having to sit deep, he has been encouraged to press and attack – something Klopp will no doubt ask him to do.
If Coutinho can continue the form that has made him Liverpool’s stand-out player in 2015, then Klopp has at his disposal a truly top class player, and one who he will be able to confidently build his new-look Liverpool team around.
Find Liverpool TicketsCredits:
Photo 1: Jurgen Klopp by Axel Schwenke (cc) | Photo 2: Brendan Rodgers by runtodaylight (cc) |
Photo 3: Mario Balotelli by Kamran Hussain (cc)
