Three Impending Problems Jurgen Klopp Has To Quickly Solve At Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp will not be a happy man as his side have now picked up just one point from their last two games in the league and the Champions League. While Sadio Mane’s red card saw them lose 5-0 to Manchester City, their defensive frailties saw them drop a couple of points against Sevilla in the first game of the group stage of the UCL this season.
The Reds are still a formidable side that has what it takes to go all the way but the German manager needs to change a few things quickly before his side can compete for the biggest title in Europe. They have a decent squad at their disposal but what should Klopp do to get things back on track? Here are three problems Klopp needs to solve quickly to help establish Liverpool as a force to reckon with.
Change The System
Ever since Klopp took over at Anfield, he has used a 4-3-3 system, which has had its ups and downs. But the biggest issue for the Reds has been the lack of a defensive midfielder to do the dirty work. Jordan Henderson and Emre Can are the only two options for this role and in a 4-3-3, one of them usually plays an attacking role, leaving gaps behind. It might just be time for Klopp to shift back to a 4-2-3-1 system that was effective with Dortmund, at least to add more mettle to his midfield and cover for his backline.
Centre-back Partnership
Easily the biggest problem for Liverpool at the moment is their centre-back pairing. Having failed to land their top transfer target in Virgil van Dijk, the Reds have had to stick with Dejan Lovren, who never seems too far away from a mistake. Just five minutes into his European campaign, Lovren and his howler gifted Sevilla the lead in their first game of the group stage and there cannot be any excuses for such errors. It does not look like he belongs at the highest level and a change in personnel is needed.
Lack of options is a problem, as the likes of Ragnar Klavan and even Joe Gomez are not too good an upgrade on their current lot. So he may have to find other ways to solve these problems at the club.
Full-backs
And finally, Liverpool lack a full-back of European pedigree in their squad. Alberto Moreno seems a changed man but is still not dependable at the back while Andrew Robertson is too early in his career to be able to shoulder the responsibilities, leaving the left-back slot a bit weak. James Milner might yet again be the best solution.
On the right, Nathaniel Clyne’s injury has given youngsters Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez their chances in this position. Though they have done a decent job so far, it is debatable if they are good enough for the Champions League. Surely, this is one thing that needs to change for good.
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