HOW KLOPP CAN ENSURE TITLE DEFENCE IS NOT DERAILED
Get braver with subs, stop chuntering away... and decide on centre-backs
The final whistle had barely sounded at the Amex when Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp dug out his violin and began the latest rendition of his saddest song. You know how it goes by now: TV bosses, turnarounds, treatment tables. Repeat.
You can only imagine, from isolated households around the country, the tears of pity flowing towards the corridors of power where, as the authorities battle to control one crisis, another arrives at their door.
Surely the Anfield boss can forgive the sarcasm. After all, his trip to the south coast ended with a slow clap for the officials (who gave Brighton a late penalty) and a congratulatory message for BT Sport (who apparently caused the hamstring injury to James Milner). Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder was treated similarly.
Klopp’s frustrations are not without merit, of course. his injury list is lengthy, Liverpool’s s c hedule is especially punishing.
The reintroduction of five subs would, as Klopp says, be ‘a little help’ — particularly as we enter the f estive period. But sympathy will always be in short supply while everyone suffers.
especially while Klopp’s squad remains flush with brilliance and while Liverpool are sitting pretty near the top of the table. even Tottenham hotspur boss Jose Mourinho, whom the world is forever against, has told Klopp to save his breath.
Ahead of a crucial Christmas run, ‘ the most difficult time’, the German must put concerns over subs and scheduling to one side. Those are up to his bigwigs to change.
But, in the dugout, there are battles he can win to ensure this title defence is not derailed.
BE ‘BRAVER’ WITH HIS SUBS
IT hAS been a common criticism aimed at Klopp on Merseyside: he is too slow to make changes. That irony won’t be lost on his detractors.
But his argument for five subs is this: ‘If you are not brave, then you have to wait for the third sub until the 90th minute.’ Only then, Klopp says, can you be confident you won’t be left with ten men.
Against Brighton, his side were hit by a l ate i njury to Milner. But there i s, nevertheless, a pattern of caution about Klopp’s changes.
his decision to hook Neco Williams at half-time is only the second occasion in the league this season that, injury- enforced changes aside, he has made a substitution before the 58th minute.
In two of Liverpool’s ten league games, he has made only two. In seven, he has waited until the dying minutes to fill his quota. Against Brighton, Klopp said he would have replaced Andy Robertson had five subs been an option.
The left-back then gave away the late penalty. Perhaps, to avoid more injuries and heartache, Liverpool should gamble more often.
NARROW HIS FOCUS
FOR so long, Klopp has embodied the dynamic positivity of this team. his passion and force of personality shone through in the spirit and fearless abandon with which Liverpool played. On Merseyside, supporters i mmediately i dolised a manager who understood a city and its people, and whose thoughts on national conversations invariably chimed with theirs.
his energy on t he t ouchline was infectious, too. And yet at the Amex, any
Liverpool player in need of inspiration would have glanced t o see Klopp chuntering away.
he spent virtually all of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with fourth official Simon hooper, steam bellowing from his ears.
If his drive and optimism transfer to his side, surely this negativity, this sense of us against the world, will feed in too? Suddenly a boss and a team defined by their relentless positivity are locked in a vicious cycle.
STICK RATHER THAN TWIST
I N The f i ve l eague matches si nce Virgil van Dijk’s injury, Klopp has named five different centre-back partnerships.
On Saturday, Fabinho a nd Nat Phillips were paired together for the first time and, for a while, they played like it. Too often one was drawn out and a vast hole emerged between them. Come the end, though, Klopp was lauding Phillips’ ‘exceptional’ display.
Perhaps now, given Joel Matip’s fragile body, the manager should give this pairing a prolonged run. After all, Liverpool’s success has been built on solid foundations. This season they have conceded 17 goals in ten league games. Last season, it took them 27 matches to ship that number. especially without Van Dijk and Joe Gomez, defences need consistency to flourish. At the other end, their numbers are more encouraging. But issues remain. Their midfield could do with the incision of Thiago Alcantara and the front line still needs work, too. Roberto Firmino has been the sole permanent fixture — despite his struggles in front of goal — while Mohamed Salah was upset to be brought off against Brighton.
Given Diogo Jota’s superb performances, Klopp must find a way to keep all four fit, firing and happy. Not a bad problem to have.
BRIGHTON (3-4-3): Ryan 6; White 6, Dunk 6, Webster 6; Veltman, Bissouma 7, March 6, Gross 7; Connolly 7 (Lallana 63; Jahanbakhsh 71), Welbeck 7, Maupay 5 (Trossard 26). Subs not used: Alzate, Steele, Burn, Molumby. Booked: White, Veltman.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson 7; N Williams 5 (Henderson 46), Phillips 6, Fabinho 6, Robertson 5; Milner 6 (Jones 74), Wijnaldum 6, Minamino 6; Firmino 6, Jota 7, Salah 6 (Mane 64). Subs not used: Adrian, Tsimikas, Origi, R Williams. Booked: Alisson.
Man of the match: Diogo Jota. Referee: Stuart Attwell.