Liverpool have gone five games without a win in all competitions, and Jurgen Klopp has endured a horrible start to 2017. Any talks of a meltdown would be premature as Klopp has faced similar scenario 13 times before this. It would be nothing new for him nevertheless. Sadio Mane’s departure for AFCON coincided with Liverpool’s dismal run, but that cannot be considered as the only reason for poor form.
Liverpool have lacked a midfield partnership all season, unlike Chelsea or Spurs. The fact that their defence is nowhere as good as their rivals is a fact to worry about. They boast the joint-best attack in the league, but they have the worst defensive record when compared to the other teams of the top 6.
As per the stats from Mirror, we now look at Klopp’s previous winless runs for 5 or more games.
2000/01
The first of many was at Mainz 05, where his side managed no wins in five games between April 20, 2001, and May 20, 2001.
Form during run: LDLDL
Next 10 games: WWLWWDWWWW (next season)
It was the last 5 games of his first season and Mainz avoided relegation from Bundesliga 2 by a mere three points.
They did come back fighting in the next campaign and lost only one of their opening 17 games in all competitions, which included a seven-game winning streak and a 4th place finish, thereby missing out on promotion to Bundesliga.
2003/04
Mainz 05, five games between February 16, 2004, and March 15, 2004.
Form during run: DDDDD
Next 10 games: WLDDLWWWDW
Klopp was a happy man at the end of his 3rd season at Mainz. They were promoted to German top flight for the first time in their history and it was a deserved one.
However, they did go through a rough patch right after the winter break, when they drew 5 games in a row. Mainz responded by winning 5 of their next 10 league games and lost only 2, eventually finishing third and gaining promotion to the Bundesliga.
2004/05
Mainz 05, nine games between November 27, 2004, and February 26, 2005.
Form during run: LLLLLLLDL
Next 10 games: WDWLLDWWLW
Mainz encountered a dismal run in the 2004/05 campaign when they went on a 9 game streak without a win. It included 8 losses, 7 of which were consecutive. They scored just 5 goals and conceded 17 in the process.
However, with 11 games left in the season, they won 6 and lost 3 and finished 11th in the table by end of the season.
2005/06
Mainz 05, six games between February 4, 2006, and March 4, 2006.
Form during run: LDLLLD
Next 10 games: WWDLDDDWWD
Mainz had lost three games in a row before a draw against Dortmund took their winless run to six matches.
Mainz won their next two games, drew one and lost another before stretching themselves to a nine-game unbeaten run.
2005/06
Mainz 05, five games between March 25, 2006, and May 3, 2006
Form during run: DLDDD
Next 10 games: WWDWDDLLDD
This winless streak came as an extension of the previous winless run and included 4 draws and only one loss which was a 3-0 away defeat to Nuremberg, thereby not causing too much damage.
2006/07
Mainz 05, 17 games between August 19, 2006, and December 16, 2006
For during run: DDLLDDLLLDLLDLDDL
Next 10 games: WWDWWWLWLL
This can probably be considered as one of the worst winless streaks in Klopp’s career.
Mainz won their first game of the 2006/07 campaign 2-1 at home to VfL Bochum on August 19, after which they went on a bizarre run of 17 games without a win until the reverse fixture against the very same VfL Bochum, which came after the winter break. A 1-0 win sparked a 6 game unbeaten streak, which included 5 wins and a draw.
2006/07
Mainz 05, seven games between March 18, 2007, and May 5, 2007
Form during run: LLLLDLL
Next 10 games: WLWWLWWDLW (nine in the following season)
This run of 7 games without a win followed Mainz’s six-game unbeaten run that was mentioned above.
Six losses and one draw in the 7-game winless streak, and then a win on the last day of the season wasn’t enough to save a Mainz side already blighted by their disastrous form in the first half of the season. They finished the campaign third from bottom and were relegated back down to the German second division.
2008/09
Borussia Dortmund, eight games between January 28, 2009, and March 14, 2009
Form during run: LDLDDDLD
Next 10 games: WWWWWWWLWD
Jürgen Klopp kicked off his Dortmund reign with a six-game unbeaten run. He then also went on two five-game unbeaten runs before suffering an eight-match winless streak that stretched over the winter break. Dortmund then responded by going on a 7 game winning streak, sending out a strong message to the rest of the league.
2009/10
Borussia Dortmund, five games between August 1, 2009, and September 19, 2009
Form during run: LDDLD
Next 10 games: WLWWDLWDDW
Klopp’s second season in Dortmund started with two wins.
They were followed by a run of five matches without a victory though. However, the men in yellow responded by winning 3 of their following 5 games.
2012/13
Borussia Dortmund, five games between April 30, 2013, and May 25, 2013
Form during run: LDDLL
Form in next 10 games: WWWWWWWLDW (all in the next season)
By the time Klopp’s Dortmund next went five games without a win, they’d won two Bundesliga titles and the DFB Pokal.
Unfortunately for Dortmund though, this run of five games without a win culminated their Champions League final against Bayern Munich at Wembley.
Dortmund bounced back from that defeat to win all of their first seven games of the following season. Talk about mentality!
2014/15
Borussia Dortmund, six games between December 9, 2014, and February 4, 2015
Form during run: DLDLDL
Next 10 games: WWWLWWDDLW
Things didn’t go to plan for Klopp during his final season at Dortmund.
They won just four of their first 15 league games that season and lost nine of them. They also went six games without a win either side of the winter break in all competitions.
That was followed by three straight wins, as part of a run that saw them win six and lose just two of their next 10 matches.
However, Klopp had announced that he would be stepping down as Dortmund manager and eventually seeing a turnaround in form.
2015/16
Liverpool, five games between January 26, 2016, and February 9, 2016
Form during run: LDLDL
Next 10 games: WDWLWWWDLD
This run of five games included three cup matches. It started with a loss to Stoke in the second round of the League Cup semi-final (which they won on penalties) and ended with an FA Cup Fourth Round replay loss to West Ham United. The Reds bounced back with a 6-0 win over Aston Villa and then won four of their next six matches.
Comments are closed.