The start of a new season for Liverpool but the same old problems remains for the Merseyside club. The Reds did pick up an impressive victory against Arsenal but succumbed to Burnley in their next fixture. The inconsistency of the team is baffling to say the least. They tore apart Burton Albion in the EFL Cup, then again drew against Tottenham Hotspur and nobody knows which Liverpool will turn up in the next weekend.
This has been the bane for Jurgen Klopp ever since he took over at the club last season. The Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde persona of the Reds certainly is a big issue for the German manager and he does need to correct this as soon as possible.
In order to solve the inconsistency problem, Jurgen Klopp has to take a few measures. He has been brought here for a reason and that is to take the Reds back to the top. Performances like that at Burnley will not help his cause and a poor finish this season could see him come under immense pressure.
Last season, Liverpool blew a lot of teams away with their gegenpressing style of football. We saw glimpses of that against Arsenal on the opening day but that was only for a crazy 20-minute spell. The Reds flattered to deceive in the game against Burnley, something that Klopp has to weed out.
Bring in the form players-
One way of ensuring that they do not go slow on the opposition is to stick with players who are in form. For some reason against Burnley, Klopp decided to play with Daniel Sturridge and it did not work. The English striker was poor and should have been taken off at half-time but the manager did not make an early enough change.
Similarly, they also need to start games off with every player being on fire. A quick start right from kick-off would put the opposition under pressure and dominate the early exchanges. A good start from the first whistle can also lead to a few goals for the Merseyside club and they would not have to do crazy comebacks.
Coming to the transfers, The addition of a left-back would be appreciated but Klopp seems to have found his answer in James Milner. The other change that Klopp should do is play Divock Origi as the main striker. The Belgian might not be the most prolific striker at Liverpool but his athleticism and running gives the side more options than Daniel Sturridge provides.
It was a concern to see Liverpool play such a drab game at Burnley, especially since the Reds do not have any midweek commitments. That should help Jurgen Klopp’s men to energize themselves for the weekend Premier League games. The Europa League was a major distraction for the Reds last season. They failed to win the trophy, losing to Sevilla in the final and also missed out on Champions League football.
That is the aim this season for the German manager, to take Liverpool back to the Champions League. The faster he sorts out these problems and ensures that they go at the opposition right from the go, there would be no stopping the Reds in this campaign. But this is Liverpool and nothing is ever simple for the Merseyside club anymore. Failing to finish in the top four is a luxury the side cannot afford and neither can Klopp.
