KILBANE
JURGEN KLOPP MUST LEARN TO SHOW A LITTLE RESPECT
JURGEN KLOPP has had better weeks. A comfortable derby win thrown away, four points dropped in total which has damaged their top-four chances and another spat on TV with a reporter.
But I do not expect the Liverpool manager to have many regrets or to change his way of managing the club and his players. Dropping Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino for last Sunday’s game against Everton seemed a strange decision by the German coach.
By making it, he handed Sam Allardyce his pre-derby teamtalk. All he had to do was stick the team sheet up and tell his players ‘look what Klopp thinks of you.’ Not that it made much difference. Everton were hopeless in the first-half and lucky to get a point by the end.
Obviously, Klopp is in possession of all the stats and data, the yardage comparisons and energy levels. I know we are entering a busy period for clubs and this game came just a few days after their Champions League win over Spartak Moscow.
Yet the feeling among the majority of Liverpool supporters is that this is the game when you pick your strongest team. Klopp obviously disagrees but he missed the opportunity to win the one game every Liverpool fan wants to win and to keep up their good run of form.
As soon as that side was named, it created negativity around Anfield and, in the event of a draw, became a very big stick with which to beat him.
Let’s be fair, Liverpool should have won the derby by four or five. They had plenty of openings and chances, but they didn’t take them. Everton had one opportunity, took it, and got a point. Regardless of whether they played well or not, Allardyce’s side got a result. The performances and Liverpool’s domination are irrelevant now. They didn’t win the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
Afterwards, Klopp was involved in a heated exchange with Sky Sports’ reporter Patrick Davison and while I have some sympathy for him, this is not the first time it has happened in a post-match interview.
His personality, passion and humour have always been endearing parts of Jurgen Klopp’s character to me and he has that edge.
Speaking five minutes after the derby, with adrenaline pumping through him and unable to hide his disappointment and frustration, Klopp made some poor comments on camera when he was asked about his team selections and the refereeing decision on the penalty.
Part of me doesn’t want him to change. You need that drama, reaction and rawness from managers and players because too many are likes robots now. But Davison was within his rights to ask his questions and Klopp has to show a bit of respect.
He is going to react because of his undiminished passion for the game. His team constantly play that way too and that is the way they are going to play in the future. Klopp won’t want to change that.
Still, he did apologise down the camera at the very end of the interview, and, even when he had calmed down a few days later, he said he cannot and will not change. And I’m glad. He is acting on instinct and that is why he is so likeable for many football fans.
But how many times are Liverpool going to be totally dominant in games and throw points away through stupid defensive mistakes?
And why didn’t he question Dejan Lovren rather than the referee? The defender continually makes basic errors which are costing Liverpool points.
Lovren is a total liability and he was the guilty party again against Everton. Why did he think he needed to get so tight to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and then touch him in the back with the referee so close to the action? The penalty may have been soft in some people’s eyes, but Lovren made it an easy decision for Craig Pawson.
Throwing away the derby had a knock-on effect on the Liverpool team and supporters going into the midweek game against West Brom and it was no great surprise they couldn’t break Alan Pardew’s team down and win the game. West Brom just sat in and rolled their sleeves up to scrap for a point.
Liverpool are already out of the title race but this could prove to be a costly week for them. By dropping points this week, they left the door open in the Champions League race.
They are under pressure to qualify for the top four again, whereas they really should be cruising in the league after games against two sides who have been struggling.
Of course Liverpool are right in the mix for the Champions League places and, as I have said before, they have the attacking talent to beat any side in Europe.
The problem is clearly at the back. Yes, they were close to signing Virgil van Dijk from Southampton, but I always felt they needed another decent centre-back alongside him too. And they still haven’t addressed the goalkeeping issue.
No doubt there will be attempts to strengthen those areas in January and to change Liverpool’s defensive frailties. Just don’t expect the manager to change.