It's the International break, and like most Liverpudlians who couldn't give a rats **** about England or International footie in general, I'm (football) bored counting down the days to a week Sat'day tea-time at Citeh. So the ideal time to take a look at the first month of the Klopp evolution (WAY too early to put an 'r' in front of that) of our beloved team. *Feel free to go with a 'TLDR' reply as I'm rarely the most laconic, but I'ma muse away regardless.
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I think a simple thing to some it up would be next to nobody's down after the first setback Sunday against Palace. Yeah, it was disappointing to end the run and very frustrating that we shot ourselves in the foot again with self inflicted defensive mistakes at one end and continued profligacy at the other. But that was a game we could well of won without the mistakes and the feeling after was more 'Meh, we gave it a good go. Should of got something but didn't. That's football. Onto the next game.' Contrast that with the game prior to his arrival, the 1-1 derby draw, and everyone was completely flat coming out of Goodison (Rodgers still in the job at the time) not knowing where the next win was coming from or how much worse it had to get before a change was made. The hope for
anything was at rock bottom. Now, the belief is there that this fella' actually knows what he's doing and he will eventually get it right.
The turnaround in a month has been stark. Even more so when you consider this is not only the same group of players, but we've been dealing with, and are still working through, a pretty horrendous injury list containing some key first team players. To see improvement in different facets game-on-game has been beyond anyones expectations from a new manager. But he's gotten the players
fully buying into it as much as the fans which can only bode well going forward. It sounds stupid as these are the most obviously simple things in football (or at least should be), but just getting all the players working their behinds off for the full 90 minutes (again, a prerequisite that sadly has been missing at Anfield for way too long now), playing them in their proper/ natural positions, and making good, positive substitutions instead of stereotypical like-for-like that changes nothing have made a major difference to our play. Who knew? (Apart from every Liverpudlian screaming for that the last 3 years but I digress.). This is a man that knows football and knows what he's doing.
One of the first things he said when he took over that's been very apparent (again, such a simple football staple the previous manager never got), was that you build from the back with a solid base. We are fast becoming a real hard team to beat. Not since Rafa have we looked as organised as a defence and none less one playing a four. (How great is it to not be switching defensive formations multiple times through games as we have no frigging concept on how to make any of them work with no idea behind them?). ****, you're far less worried now with Lovren taking over from the immense Sakho for a month or so than ever you were down to that defensive solidity. Yeah, we have to cut out the individual mistakes that still haunt us. But they're our mistakes and not teams ripping through us as was the norm the last season or so. The ridiculously hard work up top in the pressing game has also been a big contributor to that (we don't win it direct, we're now panicking teams to hoof it clear at times straight back to us); but the defensive organisation is so bizarrely brilliant as it been so ****** long since we've seen it from those in red shirts!
And talking of Rafa, he's the first manager we've had since then that you know can a set a side up to do a job and is tactically astute enough to go toe-to-toe with the best of them. (1 loss in 5 games against Mourinho says it all.). He learns so fast. We play Kazan at home. Dominate without looking at all threatening. Everything narrow and congested through the middle. So what happens when we play Kazan away? He goes to two wingers for the first time, get's behind them, and we absolutely dominated them and got an excellent win from a real hazardous trip (first English side to ever win there) that could of been so much bigger with more composure and luck. That's another major plus. Europe, the very fabric this club is built on, becoming seriously relevant again. A month back, like most reds, I was fully expecting to not even get out of this group given the lax attitude and **** poor sides being put out. Now, for the first time, again, since Benitez, Europe, WHATEVER the competition, is seen as a must have for Liverpool Football Club which is beyond brilliant.
And his straight talking, no B/S excuses just resonates with what we are as a fanbase and a City. Big injury list? Meh, it's football. Next man up. Those injured aren't a concern to the next match as they aren't available. Europa league games being a tiring distraction? Meh, that's football. I'LL tell you when we're tired and need to make a change. You want to be successful, you just get on with it! The excuse culture the players have been given license to hide behind from his predecessor is well and truly gone from Anfield. Sakho the Palace game trying valiently to play on a glaring example of how the players are fully buying in and are readily prepared to sacrifice everything for the cause. Again, sounds so simple and should be the least we should expect. But it's been sadly been missing for too long at Anfield.
Of course there's been the natural negatives. Rome wasn't built in a day and you're turning around a whole culture which takes time.
The main one we need to address next for me is in our attacking creativity/ fluidity. And no less in scoring some darn goals! Turning the 1-1's into 1-0's and 2-1 wins is the next step on a consistent basis. (And going out and licking someone we should 3/4/5 would be fantastic for confidence.). Benteke, providing he stays fit, should be a major step forward there as opposed to the woefully raw Origi. (I've honestly given up on Sturridge. If and when he plays great. But I'm past even hoping for him to do that. It just is what it is and he can't be relied on at all.). Firmino should be a major step in the right direction there too. He's flashed enough to suggest he can be a real lynchpin to the attack and a superstar to build around when he fully finds his feet and fitness. But the rest of the midfield/ forward players need to step up too. Henderson's been a big miss (NEVER thought I'd type that but he looks the archetypal Klopp player); but Phil needs to step up his game massively on a consistent basis to what we all know he can be. And Lallana needs to start chipping in with goals and assists and start effecting games. He and Milner, along with Phils form, have been the major disappointments for me thus far. We need more from all those guys. Ibe's been great the past few games but we shouldn't be relying on a 19 year old to be the spark. He should be the bonus to it all.
Best players thus far? Split between Lucas (great to see him rewarded with the armband Sunday) and Sakho. Big loss that one (Klopp himself typified his importance Sunday evening by saying he'd rather of lost 4-1 than lost Sakho); but at least we've a much better base to bring Lovren in to. Both those two have been immense in not only their play but their on-field leadership. But there's been so much noticeable improvements in so many it gives you real hope we can sustain this until at least January when we can then look at adding a few better quality players.
All in all a more than satisfactory first month of the Klopp tenure with real hope again. It's not been a massive, off the chart improvement by any means. But it's been a very noticeable, steady one. There's been a gradual upward curve on that line game by game. Once we cut out the stupid mistakes and it all clicks the front end, this is gonna' be one heck of a fun ride.
Roll on City! (To just say that with genuine optimism is a reflection in itself of how things have changed.).
