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Klopp immunity is wearing thin as Liverpool fall short again

Jurgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool as the messiah. Frustration through the spells of Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers had left Liverpool fans near the end of their tether. Champions League football was a rare treat at Anfield, and consistent transfer howlers were leaving them way off the top four pace.

Klopp had made Borussia Dortmund a universally loved team and brought success to the club, including a trip to the Champions League final. That combination is what clubs dream of, and it was done with an intensity and attacking freedom.

His interviews were – and are – free from the PR bile that riddles the majority. Honest, and often cheery, Klopp is immensely likeable.

Given the trouble under Rodgers, the German was afforded plenty of time to turn things around. A run to the Europa League final in his first season made it a success. Finishing 8th in the league in a year when Leicester City won the title was largely forgotten about. Klopp had taken over part way through the campaign and had focussed on the secondary European competition. A decent effort, but ultimately Liverpool fell short.

Growing Demands

The 2016/17 season was the year when expectation ramped up for Klopp. He had the summer to build the team he wanted, and the players should have been accustomed to his demands. After getting off to a flyer, the team dropped off the pace and battled right into May to qualify for the Champions League.

A top four finish was the most anyone could have expected at the start of that season, and few predicted that. They delivered, albeit with a feeling of what could have been hanging over them into the summer months.

The manner of the slip ups in 2016/17 was a concern. The defence was still calamitous all too often, and teams who sat deep too easily calmed their attack.

A central defender and left-back were surely necessities in the summer. A controversial pursuit of Virgil van Dijk turned out to be a lot of smoke with no fire, and Andrew Robertson was added to compete with Alberto Moreno. With no centre-back brought in when Southampton’s van Dijk resistance held out, it was obvious Klopp’s side had failed in the summer despite the other signings they had made.

Spend, and spend properly

Watching this thrilling team rip sides apart in 2016 only to decide against adding the most obvious of reinforcements was puzzling. Their squad clearly had an undermining weakness, and Liverpool had once again failed to address it.

Even before the window had shut, Liverpool had an early warning of their defensive woe when they required a late goal to take a point from Watford in a 3-3. The following demolition at the hands of Manchester City and 1-1 at home to Burnley were additional reminders of their transfer shortcomings.

The Burnley match, in particular, must have stung.

These were the matches that pulled Liverpool away from a title challenge last season. Without a midfield creator, and with a defence always vulnerable, they could not take three points from matches where they were favourites. The combination of struggling to break down the opposition and a defence likely to concede is not a good one.

With millions spent and such clear deficiencies, frustration should be expected. Klopp has earnt his immunity from criticism until now, but Liverpool are threatening to stagnate.

His points-per-game record has been widely publicised, and it reads no better than Rodgers’ at Liverpool. It is no more than a shallow viral tweet, perhaps, but the reasons for patience with Klopp are beginning to wear thin. He has had time, he has rejected the opportunity to sign centre-backs, and he has more than ample opportunity to right the wrongs that so frequently sprung up last season.

Klopp, still the Right Man…

There is no doubt that Klopp is the right man for Liverpool. He does, however, have to show progress before the early flickering of frustration becomes widespread criticism. There is no alternative to the German at the moment – and the Premier League is better for his presence – but Liverpool are becoming predictable in all the wrong ways.

Teams face Liverpool knowing they will get opportunities. Burnley, and many others before, fancy their chances of nicking a goal or two, while becalming their occasionally fearsome attack is done with a repeatable defensive setup.

A top four finish again looks as much as Liverpool can hope for this season. That would be satisfactory. The woe defensively against Manchester City, Watford, Burnley and Sevilla already this season suggests it will be a tough ask.

Klopp’s decision to stick with Dejan Lovren could cost Liverpool any progress this season. Early signs are that 2017/18 will be littered with the same disappointments as 2016/17, and Klopp cannot be excused any longer.

There is no doubt Liverpool are a better side than when Klopp took over. If the problems defensively persist, however, Liverpool might be forced to look elsewhere to make any further progress.

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