What’s gone wrong with Liverpool? Everything. Jurgen Klopp’s team have suffered a meltdown that has been a long time in the making.
The easiest and most simple explanation for the side’s problems are injuries. They have been a significant factor. The defending Premier League champions have lost a number of key figures whose long-term absences have had a negative impact on the team.
The more complex and painful answer is that the root of the collapse is hubris. This crisis was avoidable. Its roots go back to the Champions League win two years ago. The 3-1 defeat by Leicester City on Sunday and the dip in form since Christmas are symptoms. The malaise started long before this run of poor performances.
The aftermath of the victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid two years ago was the perfect time to strengthen the squad. Liverpool were European champions and tradition at the club has always been to build from a position of power. That did not happen.
In the summer of 2019 Liverpool did not invest in players who could challenge the first team. Klopp’s favoured XI were magnificent and went on to win the title but the only addition was Takumi Minamino in January last year.
Liverpool’s brilliant start to last season seemed to confirm that Klopp and Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the owners, had made the right decisions. The title was effectively won by the time coronavirus caused the campaign to be suspended last March. The pandemic covered some unpalatable truths, though. Opposition sides had begun to figure out Klopp’s tactics and the team had passed its peak.
In the short close season after winning the title, Liverpool gambled again. They strengthened up front and in midfield by bringing in Diogo Jota and Thiago Alcantara but those eye-catching signings obscured what proved to be a flawed transfer strategy.
Dejan Lovren was allowed to leave for Zenit Saint Petersburg. The Croat’s Anfield career was underwhelming but his departure left the club with just three senior centre-backs. Going into the season undermanned in such a crucial area was a foolish risk. It has backfired badly.
Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have suffered long-term injuries. The loss of Van Dijk, in particular, disrupted the balance of the side. The Dutchman was the catalyst that turned Liverpool from also-rans into winners. Losing the 29-year-old was bad enough. The injuries to Gomez and Matip piled on the misery.
Liverpool needed a centre-back more than they needed Jota and Thiago. Everyone involved, from the manager to FSG to Michael Edwards, the sporting director, got it wrong. No club with pretensions to win titles and Champions Leagues can go into a season with just three front-line central defenders.
The issue might have been addressed had Edwards been able to get rid of players who were surplus to requirements to free up cash. He could not make the deals and the likes of Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri remained at the club.
The style of Klopp’s team is unusual. The full-backs are the creative hub. Their effectiveness has been compromised by the insecurity at centre-half. Co-opting midfielders like Fabinho and Jordan Henderson into the back four has further disrupted the balance. Liverpool have lost identity, purpose and belief.
In these circumstances it has been hard to integrate Thiago, an undoubted talent, into the side. The 29-year-old looks like a luxury item who does not have the quickness to thrive in English football. Again, it goes back to the failure to restock the squad and buy players who suit the team’s style.
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Leicester v Liverpool ratings
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LEICESTER RATINGS: Kaspar Schmeichel - 7: The Dane made a remarkable one-handed save from Firmino and although Liverpool were offside in the build up the goalkeeper did not know it. Had no chance with Salah’s goal. Getty -
Daniel Amartey - 7: The Ghanaian was deployed at right back and played a big part in keeping Mane quiet. He showed real poise when making a first-half clearance in front of goal, putting the ball out of play just before the Senegalese arrived. AP -
Jonny Evans - 6: The 33-year-old maintained a calm defensive presence in the face of repeated attacks. He took a knock before half time but did not let the injury affect him. He was close to Firmino as the Brazilian set up Liverpool’s goal but could do nothing to stop it. Reuters -
Caglar Soyuncu - 7: The Turk was involved in the action from the start, making two telling interceptions in the opening minutes and was secure throughout. AFP -
Ricardo Pereira - 6: The Portuguese had his hands full with Salah but made a number of telling interceptions. He did well in a role that is not his best position. AFP -
Wilfred Ndidi - 8: The Nigerian was dominant in the air and was efficient at the base of midfield, helping to protect the defence. He is not a huge source of threat for Leicester but he provided the platform for others to get forward. AP -
Youri Tielemans - 6: The Belgian spent most of the match seemingly reluctant to play the ball over the top of the defence. When he did, Liverpool were in all sorts of trouble and Vardy gave Leicester the lead. Getty -
Marc Albrighton - 4: A flat performance from the 31-year-old and never got to grips with the challenge. It was no surprise when he was yanked off for Perez with 16 minutes left. Getty -
James Maddison - 6: The 24-year-old was quiet for most of the match. He rarely got into promising positions but he popped up to score the equaliser from a free kick. -
Harvey Barnes - 7: Seemed to be losing the battle against Alexander-Arnold but played a huge part in Leicester’s victory. He was fouled by Thiago to set up the opening goal and found space behind the defence to score the third. Reuters -
Jamie Vardy - 7: The striker was starved of service until late in the first half when he hit the bar and was foiled by Alisson in short succession. His lurking presence contributed to the confusion between the goalkeeper and Kabak and he gleefully took advantage to give his team the lead. Getty -
SUBS: Ayoze Perez - (On for Albrighton 74') 6: Spaniard gave the team a little more thrust going forward in the 16 minutes he lasted before departing through injury. Reuters -
Hamza Choudhury - (On for Tielemans 87') N/A. AFP -
Nampalys Mendy - (On for Perez 90') N/A. -
LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 4: The Brazilian made excellent saves from Vardy in each half but was let down by his latest huge mistake that gifted Leicester their second goal. AFP -
Trent Alexander-Arnold - 5: Caused plenty of danger going forward and hit the bar with a deflected free kick. He seemed to have subdued Barnes but the winger scored Leicester’s third after finding space behind the full-back. PA -
Ozan Kabak - 4: There were encouraging signs from the 20-year-old on loan from Schalke but things went badly wrong in the last quarter of an hour. His tangle with Alisson for the second Leicester goal will haunt him. AP -
Jordan Henderson - 5: The captain’s passing was superb and he twice released Salah in the danger zone. His defending was less certain, however, and he was lucky that his first-half error was not punished by Vardy. He was unable to do anything about the late meltdown. EPA -
Andrew Robertson - 7: The Scot was strong in the tackle and always eager to start attacks down the left. He is one of the team’s most consistent performers. Getty -
James Milner - 6: The 35-year-old pressed and passed well as Liverpool dominated the midfield in the early stages. Picked up an injury and limped off after 17 minutes to be replaced by Thiago. Reuters -
Georginio Wijnaldum - 6: The Dutchman was effective at the base of midfield, spotting trouble before it could develop and distributing the ball wisely when in possession. He faded in the second half. Replaced by Shaqiri with three minutes left. Reuters -
Curtis Jones - 6: The 20-year-old was instrumental in denying Leicester the space to play. He always looked for a forward pass. Replaced with 15 minutes to go just before Liverpool’s collapse. AP -
Mohamed Salah - 6: The Egyptian menaced the defence from the start. He took his goal beautifully but will regret missing a couple of chances and misplacing a pass in the move that led to Leicester’s third. Reuters -
Roberto Firmino - 7: The Brazilian worked relentlessly, pressing ball-carriers with gusto. He had a shot from point-blank range saved by Schmeichel, although it would have been ruled out for offside. His dancing, twirling backheel to set up Salah’s goal was a moment of genius. AP -
Sadio Mane - 5: Saw plenty of the ball but was crowded out by the home side. The Senegalese drifted out of the game in the second half. AP -
SUBS: Thiago Alcantara - (On for Milner 17') 2: The 29-year-old is uncomfortable with the pace of the Premier League. He made a lazy challenge on Barnes that was dangerously close to being a penalty but was punished when Leicester equalised from the resulting free kick. Getty -
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - (On for Jones 75') 5: He was not responsible for Liverpool falling apart but he added little to the team. EPA -
Xherdan Shaqiri – (On for Wijnaldum 87') N/A. Getty
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The difficulties have been exacerbated by playing in empty stadiums. Klopp’s squad is an emotional group who fed off the spectators in a manner that was more pronounced than any other Liverpool team in club history. Without the crowd they have been flat.
Klopp has a monumental job to turn things around. He is suffering from personal loss – his mother died last month – and a professional crisis. Liverpool face a real battle to finish in the top four.
The 53-year-old German will need to make changes at the end of the season. The paucity of recruitment in the past two summers is manifesting itself now. Liverpool may have to rebuild from a position of weakness after missing the opportunity to reinforce when they were dominant.
