Jurgen Klopp Now Has A Worse League Record Than Brendan Rogers At Liverpool
By Ty Duffy
Liverpool fired Brendan Rogers, replacing him with charismatic former Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp. Klopp appeared, at first, to be a messiah. Liverpool racked up emphatic wins over Chelsea and Manchester City. Some saw them working their way back into the title race. But, as he’s settled in, the club has returned to its previous sour state.
The Reds have been outscored 7-2 in their last three matches, taking just one point against Newcastle, West Brom and Watford (Though they got their money’s worth celebrating that one point). After that stretch Liverpool has fewer points per match under Klopp (12 pts in 9 matches) than Rogers (12 pts in 8 matches). One can quibble about the aggregate goal difference, (+2) vs. (0) respectively, but it’s clear Klopp has resolved little so far.
Judging the German coach at this stage would be unfair. He was brought in to change the culture at Liveprool. The Reds’ rot goes deeper than mere motivation.
Steven Gerrard got old. Elite talents such as Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling left. The club could not attract like for like replacements. For all the talk about “Moneyball” when Fenway Sports Group took over, they have never presented a clear vision for running the soccer club.
There have been a few hits – Suarez, Henderson, Coutinho – but for the most part FSG has overspent for B-level talent. There has been ample turnover. Jordan Rossiter’s lone EPL appearance is the only one in the league by a homegrown Liverpool academy player this season.
Klopp was hired for the long haul. His “Gegenpress,” reliant on fitness and cohesion, takes time to implement. It took two years, and multiple wise signings, before Dortmund truly got rolling under him. Patience, as much as the EPL business model can tolerate, is necessary.
Though, the early returns may indicate some cause for concern. Dortmund feasted on complacent possession teams, pressing them high, rattling them, and forcing them to be more direct than usual. Most teams Liverpool will play are far better suited to helter-skelter, direct soccer. That’s the hallmark of the English league.