The Kopite View

Liverpool have been in great form the last few months and are well placed to finish in the Premier League’s top four at the end of the season despite last Monday night’s disappointing defeat to Swansea City, but it doesn’t look like manager Jurgen Klopp will be buying any players to strengthen his squad despite losing his talisman, Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona earlier this month.

With rival teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Manchester United all looking to strengthen their squads for the business end of the season, Liverpool seem to be happy enough with the squad they have to see out the remainder of the season.

Klopp made a key signing at the beginning of the transfer window by bringing long-term transfer target Virgil van Dijk to the club, but with the amount of money spent on the big defender, many Liverpool supporters were concerned that the money was only being spent because Liverpool would be receiving a lot of money for the sale of Coutinho, and a few days later their fears were realised.

By allowing such an important player to leave midway through the season had many supporters thinking that Liverpool must have someone lined up to come in, but with only a few days to go until the transfer window shuts, there doesn’t look to be any sign of new arrivals.

It seems as if Klopp and Liverpool are taking a massive risk by not adding quality to their squad and the defeat to bottom club Swansea City last Monday night highlighted a few of the team’s deficiencies.

Liverpool faced another team that defended very deep with the intention of frustrating the Reds’ attack last Monday night, and there are many teams that deploy similar tactics in the Premier League.

Many people suggested the absence of Coutinho was a big miss for Liverpool in such a game because he is the type of player that can provide that defence-splitting pass or perform that 30-yard-strike into the top corner that can win a match.

But Liverpool don’t have Coutinho anymore and the midfield looked short of creativity with Wijnaldum and Can in particular devoid of ideas or creativity in the middle of the park.

Jordan Henderson will return from injury soon, but he isn’t the most creative player either and Liverpool’s midfield looks short of creativity.

Liverpool’s attack is well documented and praised but Roberto Firmino plays such an important role combining the likes of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Oxlade-Chamberlain in attack and it would be a major concern if he was to be absent despite Adam Lallana’s return from injury.

Dominic Solanke and Danny Ings are the only other options to replace Firmino because Daniel Sturridge’s career at Liverpool looks like being over.

Goalkeeper is another big concern, and now Klopp has basically told Simon Mignolet that he is not good enough by making Loris Karius his number one, but neither keeper look good enough for Liverpool.

When you look at Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, Klopp’s squad doesn’t look as strong and when you observed the bench against Swansea the other night, you couldn’t see any game-changers to ignite a Liverpool comeback.

I think Klopp is taking a massive gamble by relying on the squad he has to see out the rest of this season because Liverpool are in a real fight to finish in the top four and it is vital that they achieve this despite what happens in the Champions League or FA Cup.

Liverpool are going in the right direction with Jurgen Klopp in charge, and the impressive 4-3 win over Manchester City was a great example of what they can do against some of the best teams around.

Klopp has made Liverpool into a team that doesn’t seem so reliant on individuals anymore, as Sunday’s tremendous win proved after losing Coutinho a week earlier to Barcelona, and new signing Virgil van Dijk to injury.

A few years ago losing key players like Luis Suärez was disastrous but Klopp has a team capable of beating the best regardless of who he has available for selection.

Liverpool’s attack is one of the most feared in Europe and the signing of midfielder Kieta from Leipzig will bolster the midfield.

The Reds’ defence has been criticised in recent years but the signing of van Dijk from Southampton will only help solve that problem along with impressive players like Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez or Trent Alexander-Arnold playing either side of him in the full-back positions.

Klopp has slowly but surely improved his team since his arrival but still needs to solve his goalkeeping position because no Liverpool supporter is convinced with either Simon Mignolet or Loris Karius between the sticks.

Klopp has recently stated that Karius will be his number one keeper but in my opinion he hasn’t shown me anything that makes me think he is good enough, and City’s first goal on Sunday gave his critics more ammunition after seeing him beat at his near post by Sane’s strike.

Mignolet is okay but not good enough either to be Liverpool keeper and at his age you feel he is as good as he’s going to get, whereas Karius is still young enough to improve into the keeper Klopp hopes he will.

I don’t think Klopp will sign another keeper or another player for that matter this transfer window because I reckon he is going to give Karius a run in the team until the end of the season to prove himself before he decides if he needs to sign another goalkeeper in the summer.

The fact that Karius will have van Dijk playing in front of him might help him because Liverpool’s new signing is a tremendous organiser and will help his confidence.

Hopefully Karius can prove us all wrong and Klopp right that he is good enough to be Liverpool’s first choice goalkeeper, time will tell.