Jurgen Klopp did not make any additions to the Liverpool squad in the January transfer window.
He believed that his troops, made up mainly of the Brendan Rodgers Brigade, were ready to go to war for him. Unfortunately for him, they seem to have lost their weapons, and need to find them, fast.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day, Give Klopp a chance to rebuild LFC” – a common line seen on social media support groups.
The problem is, Klopp needed some new bricks in January, FSG/whoever they’ve put in charge/ Santa Claus didn’t help him get those bricks. Now, he has to use some of those rotten old bricks again, even though they are chipped, weak and mostly useless.
Klopp is a wonderful manager for FSG to have…WHY? Because he makes do with whatever [little] he has as this disposal. He did it at Mainz, he did it at Dortmund with much success, so the Liverpool owners must’ve thought he can surely that at Liverpool. He has already improved the team, of that there’s no doubt. He has got the Liverpool players to perform above their level for so long, which on its own is an achievement.But keep trying to turn a party balloon into a hot air balloon and sooner or later it’s going to explode, spectacularly. And that’s where the Reds are currently-Gone is the fluid movement upfront. Gone is the grit in the middle. Defence was always terrible so there’s no use even expanding on that aspect. Ok wait, maybe we should.
Lucas Leiva has been converted to a defender. Well, that was the idea anyway. Extremely slow and just as clumsy, he is sometimes entrusted with keeping speedy attackers at bay. Epic fails, every time. Nathaniel Clyne is allowed time and space to get down the flank – opposition know that he will hardly ever find a player with a decent cross, so he is often left open with acres of space. James Milner is even worse,(e.g Stop ball. Pass back to the centre back/attempt cross, float ball in, hit defender, try to get back as teams counter, fail… rinse and repeat).
Milner and many others have worryingly caught the dreaded Henderson’s Disease: A rare virus that renders players immobile, both physically and mentally. They’re unable to spot a forward run, the leg muscles tense up causing the brain to freeze, and victims become robotic and are often seen passing backwards even when under no pressure and regardless of whether Liverpool are a goal or two down. The symptoms tend to kick in after 15 minutes if Liverpool are unable to score or are a goal down, which is happening with more regularity.
The disease is transmitted via the Captain’s armband, anyone coming near to the guy wearing it tends to follow his example. The one’s who suffer the most are the people who have to watch this plague affecting those they love,week in week out. Really sad.
Doctors researching the problem have said that the only way to get rid of it is to remove the armband from the current wearer. That way it is removed from the source.
But it hasn’t been tested out so it is likely to go on for some time.
Emre Can’t and Hendo wont
Former Liverpool midfielder and cult hero Dietmar Hamann says that Liverpool are simply too soft in the centre. Emre Can has been woeful in recent months and Jordan Henderson has been himself i.e Ordinary.
Add to the equation Wijnaldum and we have the three musketeers… all without swords.
They love passing in 5 yard measures, to, well, each other. Hardly any penetrative passes and the aim is to get as many passes under the belt to look good in statistic reports. They might be winning in those aspects but not in actual football games.
Strikeless Strikers
Daniel Sturridge seems to have lost a yard or five of pace. When he does manage to get a shot, it’s either high, wide and very rarely handsome. Divock Origi also hardly tests the keeper and is offside more often than Inzaghi. In recent weeks, goalkeepers playing against Liverpool have had very little to do, mostly untested in the first half of games, which is extremely worrying.
Phillipe Coutinho returning from injury has looked rusty, Firmino in recemt games has been pedestrian for the most part ( off the field too, he can’t drive ) while Adam Lallana, who had been a real spark in the first half of the season, seems to have returned to his endless turns in no man’s land. Sadio Mane remains one of a few players actually getting positive reviews, and his return can only help Liverpool mend their ways.
The players mentioned above are where the real turnaround has to begin. They were the one’s who had Liverpool flying early doors. They have to lift themselves and their team mates and this bad run could soon be a distant memory.
Liverpool have had defensive issues forever, and that trend looks set to continue.
Ze German is on a run of 5 games without a win, and his team have won just one game in the last 10. As is the case normally, questions abound on where the problem lies:
- Could Raymond “The Fitness Egg” be right, are the players burnt out?
- Can Klopp get these players to play above themselves once again?
- Will he try to manufacture a a Plan B?
All these will be asked time and again unless things change, and in double-quick time. Jurgen Klopp is more than capable of getting the Reds back on track.
