The Fall of Klopp’s Rambunctious Reds

Amidst the troubles and differences this season has provided so far, Liverpool’s defence of the Premier League crown has been nothing short of astonishing and with ten games left to play they face a fight to just finish within the Champions League places.

Last season the Reds were storming their way to a first ever title under the Premier League guise when the pandemic hit but upon resumption they made no mistake and Jurgen Klopp’s side secured top spot as expected with Manchester City well off the pace behind them.

That staggering run of form which saw them undefeated at Anfield for 65 games has dramatically fallen apart this season leaving the Merseyside club looking at one of the worst title defences in recent history.

Despite this, Klopp appears under very little pressure from the Anfield hierarchy and will be expected to launch a rebuild in the summer to restore the club back to the top again. There is no doubt they lack strength in depth to cope with the injuries that have decimated the squad over the course of the season and that has to be addressed.

It is currently unclear whether the board will back Klopp in the market given the losses sustained through the pandemic are likely to affect not just Liverpool but clubs and companies across the world, but they do need some investment to compliment what is already there, a loss of form attributed to most rather than becoming bad players overnight.

The problems at centre half have been well documented since Virgil Van Dijk’s injury earlier on in the season at Everton and that lack of depth at such a crucial position in the team has played a part in sinking their title aspirations all season.

While Mo Salah has found the net on a consistent basis over the course of the season he hasn’t replicated the high level of form from last year, neither Sadio Mane nor Roberto Firmino have either hit the same heights or taken the pressure off their beleaguered back line.

Fans not being inside Anfield to lift the team on when things haven’t gone their way can be viewed as another reason but then all clubs have suffered the same bar a small two game period in December for a few. 

They have shown at times that the spark is still there but have found wanting most at Anfield where six defeats in a row must have left Klopp scratching his head at how far they have fallen and after Tottenham’s win on Sunday evening the Reds find themselves in eighth place although should Aston Villa win at Newcastle on Friday evening they will start the weekend a further place back.

There is some respite during the week with a Champions League second leg to play at home to RF Leipzig where Liverpool hold a 2-0 lead from the first leg before heading to Wolves on Monday evening for their final Premier League fixture of the month.

Klopp himself looks a little resigned on the touchline to try whatever he can to rescue a Champions League place for the Merseyside club but with most teams around them with games in hand it’s going to take a good run of wins in the final two months of the season just to finish fourth, the fixture list however is kinder to them than it is to the other top four chasers.

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