Liverpool: Beware of "burning rice, burning popcorn"!
(Baonghean.vn) - After being held to a 2-2 draw by West Brom in round 35, coach Klopp and his team still cannot rest assured about a position in the TOP 4 of this year's Premier League season.
At this time when the season is in its final stage, Liverpool is having to fight on two fronts, the Premier League and the Champions League.
The goal of coach Klopp and his team from now until the end of the 2017/2018 season is nothing other than the Champions League trophy and a place in the TOP 4 of the Premier League. Therefore, the results of the upcoming matches are extremely important to the "Red Brigade".
At first glance, the goal of winning a place in the TOP 4 Premier League is quite simple for Liverpool. With 71 points, the Anfield team is currently holding the 3rd position on the rankings.
The gap between them and the 5th ranked team, Chelsea, is only 8 points (Chelsea played 1 match less). If Salah and his teammates win 5/9 maximum points in the last 3 rounds, they will secure a ticket to participate in the Champions League next season.
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| Liverpool players celebrate after defeating Man City in the Champions League quarter-finals. Photo: Internet |
That's the theory, but the reality is much more difficult. The main thing is that coach Klopp is standing between 2 choices: focus on the Premier League or the Champions League? This is not a surprising decision from the former Dortmund captain.
It has been a full decade since the 2007/2008 season that the port city team reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. Not only coach Klopp but any coach also gives priority to the number 1 European club tournament.
The problem here is how to prioritize to bring the highest efficiency. If we focus too much on the Champions League and neglect and be subjective about the Premier League, the price Liverpool will have to pay is very high.
For example, the Anfield team could not win the Champions League and was also knocked out of the TOP 4 Premier League, meaning that next season the "Red Brigade" will have to participate in the Europa League.
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| Leading by 2 goals, Liverpool (red) let West Brom equalize the score 2-2. Photo: Internet |
Observing Liverpool's last 3 matches against Everton, Bournemouth and West Brom, everyone realized that coach Klopp and his team did not really play with determination in the Premier League arena.
Their minds seem to be on the Champions League, where AS Roma await. Just look at the performance of Van Dijk and his teammates in the Merseyside derby, or the match against West Brom (after leading 2-0) to see.
Losing 4 points in 3 matches (drawing 0-0 with Everton and 2-2 with West Brom), Liverpool still cannot own a position in the TOP 4 Premier League. Even the risk of being knocked out of the group participating in the Champions League in the 2018/2019 season is not small for Salah and his teammates.
If that becomes a reality, along with Liverpool failing to win the Champions League Silver Cup, it would be a complete failure for coach Klopp and his team./.
