The Kopite View

Scared To Lose

After all the hype surrounding the clash between Liverpool and Manchester United, the game itself turned out to be one of the most boring spectacles in many years.

A typical Jose Mourinho master class earned United a point in a goalless draw at Anfield last night.

Rashford’s heavy challenge in the first minute was a clear indication that United were going to make it difficult for Liverpool.

The hosts struggled in the first half hour of the match to find their usual fluent passing game as United started the game the brighter without threating to score.

Liverpool’s best chance of the first half came from a weak Firmino header that De Gea handled easily.

Liverpool played better in the second half and United had their keeper to thank for keeping them in the game with two brilliant saves.

But although Mourinho set his team out to frustrate Liverpool in typical fashion, Klopp’s team played rather cautiously considering they were at home with Can and Henderson staying deep in midfield for the most part of the game.

Whenever one team had the ball the other team were quick to get players behind the ball.

United couldn’t afford to lose and Mourinho knew that and he made sure his team would be difficult to score against.

But with Klopp starting the nervy Karius in goal once again, he could have taken all three points if United put Liverpool’s new keeper under more pressure.

The draw isn’t the worst result in the world for Liverpool as it puts them only two points off the top of the league and still three points clear of United, and recording their first clean sheet of the season is very encouraging after conceding too many goals since the start of the season.

Overall I just felt both teams were too scared of losing the match.

Magic Milner

Liverpool made a shrewd signing last year when they acquired the services of England international James Milner from Manchester City.

The experienced utility man wanted regular football and felt a move away from the Etihad was the only way he would get to play more often.

Brendan Rodgers was the Liverpool manager at the time when he arrived at Anfield, but he has flourished under current boss Jurgen Klopp.

The German loves players that have an abundance of energy and work their socks off and Milner is thriving under the leadership of Klopp.

After a good first season at Anfield playing in numerous midfield positions Klopp has transformed Milner into a left-back.

The left-back berth had been a problem position last season with Alberto Moreno heavily suffering much criticism after some poor performances.

Many supporters including myself thought that Liverpool had to dip into the transfer market to buy a left-back, but Klopp had other ideas and Milner has been superb so far this season playing in his new role.

Milner has such a great attitude that he can do a job anywhere in the team but Klopp’s decision to play him at left-back is an inspired one.

The former Manchester City player has been solid defensively and instrumental offensively by producing numerous assists, he’s also contributed goals and has scored three penalties in his last two games.

Milner is arguably Liverpool’s best player this season and who would have thought it playing left-back other than Klopp ?

Liverpool Striker Struggling

Jurgen Klopp has transformed Liverpool in only one year in charge.

Two cup finals and a tremendous start to this season has Reds fans enthusiastic for the rest of this season.

Most of the players in Klopp’s squad seem to be singing off the same hymn sheet with their high tempo and energetic performances.

But one player is struggling to fit into Klopp’s style of play, and that man is Daniel Sturridge.

In fairness to Sturridge he missed a large part of last season through injury that left him playing catch up into acclimatising to Klopp’s intense training and playing style.

In recent seasons Sturridge has been Liverpool’s number one striker but Klopp has a different view and the England striker has been left frustrated sitting on the bench for more games than he would like.

Sturridge is a fantastic finisher and a tremendous striker but I think Klopp isn’t too keen on his work rate.

The German wants his players to work hard and put in a lot of running and it is noticeable that Sturridge hasn’t been as industrious as some of his teammates.

It might be the fact that all his injury problems have taken their toll on his body and that he is unable to push himself as hard as he used to, or it might be a mental problem, where he is worried about breaking down again.

Whatever the problem is, you don’t see Sturridge sprinting behind the last defender or running flat out very often and it is costing him a regular place in the team.

Roberto Firmino looks as if he is Klopp’s preffered choice to lead Liverpool’s attack because his work rate is amazing and although he isn’t as clinical a finisher as Sturridge, he contributes more for the team.

It will be interesting if Sturridge plays on Monday against Manchester United.

Personally I think if everyone is fit then Sturridge will once again be left disappointed sitting on the bench.

Can Sturridge evolve his game to fit into Klopp’s team ?

Time will tell.

Klopp’s Big Decision

Liverpool have started the season well and have put themselves in a good position in the Premier League table with some good results in some tough fixtures but Monday night’s game against bitter  rivals Manchester United could have a major significance regarding what kind of season the Reds will have.

Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp must be happy with how his team is playing at the moment, especially with his team’s attack making them joint top scorers in the league, but he has a big decision to make for Monday night’s crunch game regarding who will play in goal ?

Simon Mignolet has been first choice for the last three seasons but has lost his place to Karius for the last two league games.

However, the German stopper hasn’t looked convincing, especially in his last outing against Swansea City where he flapped at a couple of crosses and looked very nervy as the game progressed.

It might be a bit harsh to drop Karius after just two games but I think it is just too big a risk to play him against United.

Yes, he could play a blinder and cement his position as Liverpool’s number one keeper but if he has another poor game it could really shatter his confidence more so than being dropped will in my opinion.

Mignolet is not the greatest keeper but he is the safer option to start on Monday, hopefully Karius will prove to be an upgrade on Mignolet in time but he needs time to prove himself and personally I hope Klopp selects Mignolet on Monday.

Liverpool Must Prove They Are Real Deal At Swansea

Liverpool travel to Wales today for a tough away fixture at Swansea, the Welsh side are fourth from bottom of the Premier League but they will provide a tough test for Jurgen Klopp’s men.

The Reds have been in tremendous form this season and are scoring goals for fun, but this is the type of fixture that has caused them problems in recent seasons.

Liverpool have struggled to beat teams from the lower half of the league table, in fact Swansea won this fixture last season, although the Anfield men had an important Europa League Semi-Final second-leg fixture against Villarreal a few days later.

Although Liverpool have enjoyed a good start to this season, there was a stark reminder of their weakness at Burnley, when they lost 2-0 in disappointing fashion.

Liverpool need to find consistency by winning the games they should win if they have to challenge for a top four place this season, and today’s game against Swansea is a must win game going into the international break.

Liverpool are still conceding goals but they have looked more solid defensively in recent games with Matip and Lovren forming a solid spine in the middle of defence.

The Reds are scoring a lot of goals this season and the impressive fact is that they are getting goals from so many different players and if they can keep up the good form then they should gain another important win today to keep the momentum going.

Henderson Silencing His Critics

Jordan Henderson is a player that has had more than his fair share of critics since joining Liverpool from Sunderland, and since taking the captain’s arm band from the legendary Steven Gerrard, his performances in a red shirt have been scrutinised even more.

But the former Sunderland player is made of strong stuff and he has constantly answered his critics in the best possible way, by producing superb performances on the park.

Henderson was superb in that wonderful season that almost took the Reds to their first Premier League title, and many people felt that the midfielder’s absence in the loss to Chelsea, cost Liverpool the title.

Henderson was the supporters’ favourite to take over from Gerrard as Liverpool’s captain, but after a difficult season last season, the critics voiced their opinions once again.

Injuries prevented Henderson from producing his normal level of performances, but despite not being fit he wanted to play.

The critics were sniping again at the start of this season but Henderson has silenced them once again by producing some outstanding performances.

His winning goal against Chelsea just highlighted a superb performance that proved that Henderson is fit again and back to his best.

Henderson will always unfortunately be compared to Gerrard because he is captain, and that is unfair because there will never be another, but Liverpool’s current captain is a tremendous player in his own right and it is great to see him back to his best.

                                          Liverpool Learning From Mistakes

Liverpool’s impressive start to the season is all the more remarkable because of the tough fixtures they’ve had, away fixtures at Arsenal, Spurs, Burnley and Chelsea tested Jurgen Klopp’s men, and a solitary home fixture against last season’s Premier League champions Leicester City wasn’t easy either.

But a record of 10 points from a possible 15 is a very good return from the tough run of fixtures to start the season.

Noticeably Liverpool are showing signs of improvement highlighted in the excellent performance and 2-1 win over Chelsea last Friday night.

The Reds hit Chelsea hard in the first half with an energy and tempo that left the home side struggling for a foothold in the match, and in the second half Klopp’s men managed the game superbly by hardly giving Conte’s team a chance to turn the game around despite pulling a goal back with half an hour left.

Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Arsenal was a rollercoaster of a game and the result could’ve went either way, and last week’s 4-1 win over Leicester City wasn’t as comfortable as the scoreline suggests, with the champions missing a host of chances.

But although the win over Chelsea was only won by a one goal margin, I felt Liverpool won the game more comfortably than the score suggests because of the way they managed the game.

Liverpool always remained a threat going forward despite leading, but they remained disciplined and didn’t throw players forward in a cavalier-style when attacking.

Klopp’s team kept good possession in the second half and they never looked like conceding an equaliser with Matip and Lovren in commanding form in defence.

It just looks like Liverpool are learning from some of their end-to-end games from earlier season, and although they remain a real threat going forward, they look more solid defensively and better equipped to hold on to a lead.

Reds Can Kick-Start Season With Win Over Champs

With a win, a draw and one defeat recorded in Liverpool’s first three games of the season, a win over Premier League champions Leicester City on Saturday would be the perfect way to ignite their season.

It seems weeks ago since Liverpool’s 1-1 draw away at Spurs, with the annoyance of the international break putting the Premier League on hold.

But Saturday’s visit of Leicester will bring a welcome return to Liverpool’s Premier League campaign with the added excitement of the opening of Anfield’s new main stand, giving the stadium a capacity of over 54,000.

I think the extra support will carry the Reds to victory on Saturday despite Klopp ruling out Klavan and Can for the fixture through injury.

It will be a welcome return to Anfield after a tough start to the season with three away games in the league and they will be aiming to make their home a fortress as a base for a successful season.

Leicester will provide tough opposition for the Reds after their morale boosting 2-1 win over Swansea City last time out.

It will be interesting to see if Jurgen Klopp selects Daniel Sturridge to start after leaving him frustrated on the bench against Spurs.

Personally I think Klopp will start the England striker because he knows that he will be desperate to show what he can do.

Liverpool against Leicester really does look a tasty fixture, and I think the Reds will shade it 2-1 with Sturridge scoring both goals.

                          Is Klopp’s First Summer Transfer Window A Success ?

So the transfer window has finally shut and now managers must get on with working with the players they have.

Concerning Liverpool’s summer business, there have been far more players leaving than arriving-

INS

Sadio Mane (Southampton)

Loris Karius (Mainz)

Joel Matip (Schalke)

Ragner Klavan (Augsburg)

Alex Manninger (Free transfer)

OUTS

Jose Enrique (Free transfer)

Kolo Toure (Free transfer)

Samed Yesil (Free transfer)

Jordan Rossiter (Rangers)

Joao Carlos Teixeira (Porto)

Jerome Sinclair (Watford)

Sergi Canos (Norwich City)

Martin Skrtel (Fenerbahce)

Jordon Ibe (Bournemouth)

Joe Allen (Stoke City)

Brad Smith (Bournemouth)

Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace)

Luis Alberto (Lazio)

Mario Balotelli (Nice)

ON LOAN

Jon Flanagan (Burnley)

Adam Bogdan (Wigan Athletic)

Danny Ward (Huddersfield Town)

Andre Wisdom (Red Bull Salzburg)

Lazar Markovic (Sporting Lisbon)

With all of Liverpool’s rivals spending big money to strengthen, Klopp has recouped more money from selling than buying.

Many people thought Klopp would spend a lot of money and bring in many new players to take Liverpool to the next level, but the German has decided to only bring in a few and has been more intent in scaling down his squad.

The left back and defensive midfield positions are two key areas where Liverpool supporters thought Klopp would address, but he seems to be happy with his current options.

It remains to be seen if Klopp has a strong enough squad to compete for honours this season after moving so many squad players on to pastures new.

I believe that Klopp has an abundance of options for midfield and attack and Karius will give Mignolet competition for the goalkeeping spot.

But I worry about Liverpool’s defensive options, Moreno is not good enough and looks like he doesn’t have the brains to mature into good left-back, so it looks like Milner will be Klopp’s first choice left-back and that is a major transition for the former Manchester City player, Joe Gomez is another option but after a serious injury it remains to be seen if he can return good enough to provide cover at left-back or for the centre of defence.

I’m also worried if something happens to Clyne because I don’t feel we have adequate cover in Connor Randall.

With Matip and Lovren looking like Klopp’s preferred choice in the centre of defence, will Klavan, Joe Gomez and possibly Lucas provide the necessary alternatives with Sakho seemingly out of favour with the Liverpool manager.

Time will tell if Klopp’s squad is strong enough, but he is a man that supporters can have faith in.

Liverpool’s Frustrations

It’s not easy being a Liverpool supporter, we have suffered years and years of anticipation and hope, only to see them dashed and our team fail.

This young season has already highlighted this all too familiar theme, first we beat Arsenal away from home for the first time in years, giving us a great start to the season, before losing away to newly promoted Burnley yesterday in a very disappointing performance.

Liverpool supporters believe we have the right man at the helm to take us to glory in Jurgen Klopp, but we still have many frustrations highlighted by yesterday’s defeat.

1.       Everyone can see we need a better left back except for Klopp and his coaching staff. Moreno has had plenty of chances and is not improving and Milner is not a left back either.

2.       We need to sign a defensive midfielder, Burnley’s counter-attacking caused us all sorts of problems without one, and Lucas is our only natural DM and he is too slow after all his injuries.

3.       Goalkeeper, is Karius the answer to our problems? Hard to tell, but Mignolet isn’t good enough and with Joe Hart seemingly available, Liverpool should seriously think about him.

4.       We lack leaders in the team and Henderson is not captain materiel.

5.       Yesterday’s defeat was like a Brendan Rodgers’ team, so much possession, without any penetration.

6.       Sturridge needs somebody to play alongside him, because he doesn’t have the pace, workrate and strength to play as a lone striker.

7.       We can rely on the Klopp’s enthusiasm to win games, we need better quality players and whilst we have been reluctant to spend money this summer, being more interested in bringing money in by selling, we will continue to see the inconsistency we are frustratingly used to seeing.

Yesterday’s performance and result wasn’t a bad day at the office, it is just where we are at, not good enough to be consistent or challenge for a top four place.