Liverpool and Klopp's 'illness'

(Baonghean.vn) - Losing 0-1 to Southampton in the first leg of the English League Cup semi-final marked Liverpool's third consecutive defeat in 10 days. Could Klopp's "illness" be manifesting itself at Anfield?

Highly regarded for his tactical acumen since his time managing Madrid 05, Klopp has always known how to operate a team that doesn't possess the best quality players compared to his rivals. Two successful seasons with Dortmund (winning the Bundesliga consecutively and reaching the Champions League final once) have proven the talent of the 50-year-old strategist. However, that was when key players weren't sidelined for extended periods due to various reasons. The ideal lineup wasn't disrupted, leaving Klopp with no need to scramble for replacements.

The German coach's forte is building a highly cohesive team. The players on the field always support and complement each other. Simply put, the team led by Klopp always has a stable, tight structure, not relying on any single star player. Therefore, in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons, his Dortmund team surpassed powerful rivals Bayern Munich to win the Bundesliga title.

The recurring injuries to the Reus-Gundogan duo contributed to Dortmund finishing only 7th in the 2014-2015 Bundesliga season. Photo: Internet.

Klopp's "Achilles' heel" only became apparent in his last two seasons at Signal Iduna Park, when his most important players left the team (Sahin went to Real Madrid, Gotze and Lewandowski joined Bayern Munich) or suffered injuries (Gundogan, Marco Reus). At that time, Dortmund became an inconsistent team, with good and bad performances. They could beat strong opponents like Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, but could also lose to lower-ranked teams like Hertha Berlin and Werder Bremen. As a result, from being a serious contender against Bayern Munich for the title, they finished 7th in the Bundesliga in 2014-2015.

Arriving at Anfield to replace manager Rodgers in early December 2016, Klopp was expected to help the Merseyside club rediscover its glory days. Although he only led Liverpool to an 8th-place finish in the 2015-2016 Premier League (a position that did not qualify them for European competition), the confidence of experts and The Kop fans remained undiminished, and even increased significantly. It was believed that, after a period of acclimatization to England's top league, Klopp would transform Liverpool into a true force, capable of winning the championship at the end of the season.

Initially, things went quite smoothly for the Anfield team, with Klopp's side even leading the league table at times, along with convincing performances. Then, the German strategist's "illness" resurfaced as key players suffered injuries and were sidelined. First Coutinho was out for an extended period, then Matip, Henderson, and Lallana also experienced health problems. Klopp's strongest lineup was constantly disrupted, and his backup options failed to perform their assigned tasks.

The former Dortmund coach's failure to make do with what he had put in the team put Liverpool in a difficult situation with disappointing results. After a bitter 3-4 defeat against Bournemouth, they suffered a regrettable draw against West Ham. While concerns about the absences of Henderson and Coutinho hadn't yet subsided, their main striker, Mane, had to return to serve his national team at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. Without a dynamic and effective forward, the Merseyside club suffered two consecutive winless matches.

Coach Klopp will have another headache due to Mane's absence. Photo: Internet.

The draw against lower-league side Polymuot was understandable, as Klopp only fielded 10 young players. But in the 0-1 defeat to Southampton at St Mary's, Liverpool had almost their strongest squad (except for Mane, Henderson, and Coutinho). Throughout the 90 minutes, the Merseyside team couldn't find the net even once. Klopp failed to compensate for the absence of key players Henderson, Mane, and Coutinho. Liverpool was reduced to a mid-table team, rather than a serious title contender.

Coach Klopp might blame the packed English football schedule or the lack of squad depth at Anfield compared to other big clubs, but one thing is undeniable: the German strategist isn't as adept at adapting to difficult situations (when key players are absent) as many people think. What happened at Dortmund in the last two seasons and at Liverpool currently is clear evidence of Coach Klopp's "Achilles' heel." This is not surprising, as every strategist has their strengths and weaknesses.

With the 2016-2017 season only a little over halfway through, Liverpool will have to deal with some unexpected absences in the upcoming period. If manager Klopp doesn't address his weaknesses, winning the Premier League title will be difficult for Anfield. Furthermore, in the upcoming English derby against Manchester United, the Merseyside team may once again fail to achieve the desired result due to Klopp's "illness."

Thanh Hung