Training, transfers and selection of the midfielder – Jürgen Klopp has set himself his biggest challenge.
How much did last season’s problems destabilize Jürgen Klopp?
The next few weeks should give us the answer. Make no mistake, this is a pivotal moment for Liverpool
and their manager. ‘Training, not transfers’ is perhaps one of Klopp’s most important mantras, but this summer he will need both if he is to get the Anfield ship back on track. However you look at it, the 2022/23 season was a huge disappointment and could have long-term consequences.
A dip in performance may have been inevitable given the Reds’ heroics last year, but if it’s one thing to not fight for a quadruple, it’s another to even manage to finish in the top four.
How bad it will prove to be, only time will tell.
Liverpool remain, at least with bookmakers, the second favorites to win the Premier League next season, but this seems more of a nod to the past than the future.
The reality is that Klopp and his team have big questions to answer. The immediate surrounding recruitment.
Alexis Mac Allister represents a good start to the summer, a great player at a bargain price, but the Argentinian World Cup winner is no panacea.
The signing of him must be supported by at least two more players who can not only strengthen the team but also threaten the first eleven.
Whether it’s Khephren Thuram, Ryan Gravenberch, Manu Kone or any of the 352,894 other players connected in recent weeks, the bottom line is that Liverpool have work to do. They must be busy. The other questions, which won’t be answered until the players return to pre-season training in a few weeks, concern the tactical development of Klopp’s squad and what they learned from last season’s struggles.
Many, one would hope and assume.
Klopp has indicated that the last weeks of the last election campaign have not changed his plans and that should be taken with encouragement by supporters.
Although Liverpool are unbeaten in 11 games, they have rarely looked convincing
This is Anfield • Liverpool FC review •
Midfielder training, transfers and selection – Jürgen Klopp set himself his biggest challenge
How much did last season’s problems destabilize Jürgen Klopp? The next few weeks should give us the answer. Make no mistake, this is a crucial period for Liverpool and their manager. “Training rather than transfers” might be one of Klopp’s main mantras, but he needs both this summer if he is to get the Anfield ship back on track.
However you look at it, the 2022/23 season was a huge disappointment and could have long-term consequences.
A dip in performance may have been inevitable given the Reds’ heroics last year, but if it’s one thing to not fight for a quadruple, it’s another to even manage to finish in the top four.
How bad it will prove to be, only time will tell. Liverpool remain, at least with bookmakers, the second favorites to win the Premier League next season, but this seems more of a nod to the past than the future.
The reality is that Klopp and his team have big questions to answer.
Transfers and tactics
Alexis Mac Allister signs for Liverpool Football Club at the AXA Training Centre, Kirkby, England on June 8, 2023. Powell/Liverpool.
The immediate surrounding recruitment. Alexis Mac Allister represents a good start to the summer, a great player at a bargain price, but the Argentinian World Cup winner is no panacea.
The signing of him must be supported by at least two more players who can not only strengthen the team but also threaten the first eleven.
Whether it’s Khephren Thuram, Ryan Gravenberch, Manu Kone or any of the 352,894 other players connected in recent weeks, the bottom line is that Liverpool have work to do. They must be busy.
The other questions, and ones that won’t be answered until the players return for preseason in a few weeks, concern the tactical evolution of Klopp’s team and what they’ve learned from last season’s struggles. Enough, one might hope and assume.
Klopp has suggested that the last few weeks of the latest campaign haven’t changed his plans and that they should be met with encouragement from fans.
manager Jürgen Klopp prepares to make four substitutes during the FA Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at St Mary’s Stadium.
Liverpool may have embarked on an 11-game unbeaten run, but they have rarely looked truly convincing.
The last two games, the sleepy draw with Aston Villa and the crazy duel with Southampton, should alone be enough to reinforce the idea that things need to change next season. Klopp has not backed down from Liverpool’s problems, going so far as to indirectly accuse his players of hiding behind easy excuses – the marathon of the 2021/22 season – after the defeat at Wolves in February.
In his Monday team meetings at the AXA, he probably made some pretty sharp assessments, and rightly so.
The question marks are many.
For example, what will Klopp do with Trent Alexander-Arnold, who seems to have been invigorated by his flirtations in midfield for club and country?
How could Darwin Nunez be involved in the attack? Will Curtis Jones keep his spring promise? Is Henderson and Thiago’s playing time managed better? And is Fabinho’s disappearance definitive? If so, what does this do to the ‘box’ midfield we’ve seen?
Rest assured, these issues will have dominated Klopp’s thoughts throughout his summer break. The Liverpool manager is many things, but he’s not blind and he’s certainly not “stupid” – as he liked to tell us at the press conference last season.
