Liverpool’s Recent Form Shouldn’t Concern Fans
After a record breaking start to the Premier League season, Jürgen Klopp’s men have hit a bump in the road.
Tuesday night saw Liverpool, five time winners, embarrassed in the UEFA Champions League. Lowly Crvena Zvezda, or Red Star Belgrade, humbled the Reds 2–0 in the Serbian capital.
Liverpool were totally abject and lacked any serious attacking threat, producing only 4 shots on goal and never looking like they could score. They looked a shadow of last year’s team, which broke the Champions League record with 48 goals in a single campaign.
Fans have disagreed over the diagnosis of their team’s recent poor form. Some blame the apparent lull of superstar forward Mo Salah, who has only found the net 7 times this year. Others point the finger at the incohesion in midfield. Last year’s breakout player Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is out for the year, and new boys Fabinho and Naby Keita were left out of the starting eleven by Klopp.
Klopp has employed the 4–3–3 formation for much of his reign at the club, seemingly because he was forced into it due to the emergence of the so-called ‘front 3’ of Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané. Since this has been the formation, the midfield has never been certain. In fact, last year Liverpool were the team that most changed their formation in the league of all teams.
Klopp would be well-advised to cover all bases with his midfield selection. Fabinho has been described as a world class holding midfielder, who can sit in front of the defence and control the play. Naby Keita has creativity to spare, and is a fantastic passer of the ball. And then there is Xherdan Shaqiri, another summer arrival, who in his little time on the pitch has demonstrated his attacking flair well, leading to some fans suggesting that he merits a place in the starting line-up.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been heavily criticised for lacking attacking intent and slowing the play down, and teammate Georginio Wijnaldum can be categorised similarly with regards to his lack of attacking prowess. However, the pair appear to be high in Klopp’s pecking order, playing most times when fit.
A portion of the blame for Liverpool’s meek performances of late can certainly be levied onto the incomplete and therefore ineffective midfield, however football is a team game and it is eminently clear that the forwards have not met expectations in terms of finding the net thus far either.
Liverpool knew that there were expectations of success before this season even began, and may be feeling pressure from the fanbase to deliver silverware. Indeed, the last time the red men tasted champagne was in 2012, a whole six years ago.
There is, however, a bright side. Liverpool’s defence has improved considerably upon last year, owing to the command and control of centre back Virgil van Dijk and his partnership with Joe Gomez, as well as the arrival of Brazilian shotstopper Alisson Becker from Roma over the summer.
The Reds have conceded only 5 goals in the league this year, and have surprised fans with a litany of strong defensive displays to preserve the three points in games, an exact inverse of last year, when they would often rely on simply outscoring their opponents.
It is clear that the squad is replete with exceptional talent. Combined the team is worth over £300 million pounds. The current squad has the ability to win trophies, and Jürgen Klopp knows it. Whatever is not clicking right now has clicked in the past, and it is surely only a matter of time before Klopp rediscovers his characteristic brand of football that he wants the team to play.
All eyes now turn to a suddenly-crucial game against bottom of the table Fulham on Sunday at Anfield, where the boys will look to get back to winning ways to restore confidence and refocus their efforts on bringing home much needed silverware.
Klopp’s men may have hit a bump in the road. However, despite not playing well, Liverpool remain joint second in the Premier League, and are still in the Champions League. And yet probably what is most important to Liverpool fans is the anticipated return of the fast-paced, exciting, attacking football that so entertained us last season.
