KLOPP’S IRON CURTAIN
Jurgen has taken a diverse bunch of strong characters and forged them into Reds’ tightest defence in 30 years
IF THERE is a secret to Liverpool’s title challenge, then it comes in a defence that has not just improved, but been transformed.
This season, they are the Incredible Hulk to last year’s Bruce Banner, and the stats prove it. The meanest defence in the Premier League, conceding 50 per cent less goals than last time around. It is remarkable. Why? Jurgen Klopp has a theory. Sure, they spent £75million on Virgil van Dijk, a speculation that has accumulated spectacularly. Yet, the Reds boss believes it is not just money alone that has made his defence what it is.
Joel Matip (right) cost nothing, Andy Robertson just £7m and Trent Alexander-Arnold was plucked from the youth team.
“In England it is not the most expensive defence in the world,” said Klopp. “But it is a proper one, a really proper one. That is all that counts.”
Klopp himself started his managerial path at virtually a part-time level, and worked his way up. Robertson has done the same, part time, on poverty wages, tweeting in 2012 that ‘life at this age is rubbish with no money’.
Matip is the son of an immigrant to Germany – as is his team-mate Dejan Lovren – and faced prejudice at an early age. Alexander-Arnold fought through the youth system at Anfield to play for a top club, an almost impossible dream in the modern Premier League.
All have found different paths to reach those heights, and Klopp passionately believes that character has forged a chemistry which goes beyond the
standard football story to create a powerful bond between them. He added: “Having different characters always helps, if you are all mainstream, all the same way, that is difficult. It is just nice to see. It is not important how much you cost or how big the price was.
“It is all different ideas and characters, but it feels to me they are a proper bunch of players together. Not just as a defence – they really stick to each other and the club in a way which is exceptional.
“Wherever good players are coming from, wherever they are raised, wherever the dream started, they are welcome here at Liverpool.”
Each one took a huge leap arriving at Anfield, Klopp said, even Van Dijk.
“Virgil came here and it was a big step for him,” said the German. “He wants to improve, wants to win titles, this is the first club really where he could do that.
“Exactly the same for Robbo. It is not important if you are £7m. Joel was the same and was a free transfer.
“Trent dreamed of nothing else since virtually when he was born of being involved in something like this.”
Liverpool will need that bond at Southampton tonight, when the pressure is really on. And Klopp openly wonders whether in the future, he will be able to find such bargains. But he said it does not matter for now.
Klopp added: “I hope these transfers you can still find. I don’t know. But the best way would be we don’t have to, because the age group of the players is brilliant.
“They have long careers ahead. Virgil sees his future here now, and how it looks at the moment they all want to spend the majority of their careers here.”