How far can Jurgen Klopp take Liverpool?
After 28 months at Anfield, Klopp’s Liverpool is very close in terms of team success to his Dortmund sides after that same amount of time. It takes time to build a winner. He is still missing one or two pieces, one of which, Naby Keita, will arrive in the summer.
Offloading Coutinho will ultimately be a positive transaction, especially if the money from the sale is put to good use, unlike the Luis Suarez funds. The development of the youth such as Joe Gomez, Ben Woodburn, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is crucial, as they are being considered vital players for Liverpool moving forward.
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Koppites everywhere may simply have to get used to Liverpool winning matches and the final score reading 4-2 or 3-1. A clean sheet might be a rarity, however, when Klopp truly has his desired team in place his “heavy metal” brand of football will not only be entertaining, it may also be unstoppable.
To quickly jump back to the BVB comparision, with the right players for his system, his 2010-11 Borussia Dortmund squad conceded a mere 22 goals in 34 matches, by far the best defence in the Bundesliga (the next best was 39 goals against).
By no means is this a suggestion that that Liverpool will go through a Premier League campaign with the fewest goals conceded. What it means is that with a competent back line that can support the signature Klopp Gegenpress, Liverpool is capable of wining their first League Championship of the Premier League era.
If given the necessary time, Jurgen Klopp can, and will, lead Liverpool FC to Premier League glory. He inherited a squad that required a complete overhaul in order to fit his tactical philosophy.
Some are perhaps spoiled because of an almost immediate return to the Champions League in just his second season as the boss. This was slightly ahead of schedule if we are honest with ourselves. Liverpool are currently in an excellent position to repeat this feat.
Their performances in the Champions League have been nothing short of spectacular this season. LFC won their group and look primed to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2008-09, following a complete destruction of FC Porto in their round of 16 first leg match (LFC leads 5-0 on aggregate).
With another transfer window prior to next season, Klopp should be able to bring in the final pieces of his Liverpool puzzle. At that time he may finally have a squad that is on par with Chelsea, Manchester United or Manchester City, position for position.
Perhaps next October, at the end of Klopp’s third year with the club, we will be looking at his complete Liverpool product that so many supporters have been patiently waiting for. A product finally capable of hoisting the one piece of silverware that has alluded countless Liverpool managers since the days of Kenny Dalglish: the Premier League trophy.
