Monday Verdict: Klopp stuck in a rut, but Liverpool lack quality

Mark Scott
Jurgen Klopp: Left frustrated

Jurgen Klopp: Animated on touchline

Liverpool were exposed by Wolves at the weekend, while the role of Danny Welbeck and the rise of Manchester United are discussed, plus the burning issue: are too many changes made by big clubs in FA Cup games?

 

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Liverpool’s distinct lack of depth being exposed

What a disastrous month it has been for Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp has presided over just one win in their last eight games and has been knocked out of two cup competitions in the space of three days.

Blame Klopp, blame the loss of Sadio Mane, blame the exhausting effects of the gegen-press at this stage of the season, even blame the wind. But what it all boils down to is Liverpool, quite simply, do not have the squad depth to deal with their busy schedule – even without European football.

With a crucial home game against Chelsea on the horizon, Klopp can be forgiven for making a number of changes to his Liverpool side against a Championship outfit who are stagnating in 18th place in the table.

However, while it is fantastic to see youngsters given their chance in the first team, they just cannot be thrown in and expected to perform to a high standard.

You do get the sense that Klopp brought in the academy products because he had to, rather than because he wanted to.

If Chelsea are the benchmark this season, then just look at how far Liverpool are below it on the basis of their team selections at the weekend.

Both managers made nine changes, but just look at the calibre of players Antonio Conte is able to call upon compared to Klopp.

He can bring in a rock-solid back-up goalkeeper, a legendary captain in John Terry who still plays an important role in the squad despite his advancing years, a trophy-winning machine in midfield with Cesc Fabregas and a £33million striker who is impressing in his first season irrespective of his limited game time.

Klopp, meanwhile, has to pick between two goalkeepers who are below the standard that Liverpool are aiming for, two defensive liabilities in Alberto Moreno and Connor Randall, and a midfielder in Lucas who has to be one of the first out of the door in the summer as part of an exodus that is clearly needed at Anfield.

While the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Nathaniel Chabolah can try and continue to develop by being gradually introduced alongside top quality team-mates, Liverpool fans are looking to the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer Ben Woodburn and 19-year-old Ovie Ejaria in the hope that they can be the ones to break Liverpool out of this dismal spell.

 

[of_poll name=’Biggest factor behind Liverpool’s struggles?’ id=’1423131′]

 

There is so much to love about the Liverpool squad but there is equally so much to hate about it too.

The goalkeeping trio of Simon Mignolet, Loris Karius and Alex Manninger fail to inspire, Mamadou Sakho continues to rot in the reserves, the aforementioned Lucas and the increasingly ineffective Emre Can are clogging up spaces in midfield and Daniel Sturridge is clearly not suited to Klopp’s style of play.

Then there are the loanees. Are players like Adam Bogdan, Jon Flanagan, Andre Wisdom and Lazar Markovic going to come back and make a huge difference to Liverpool next season? We all know the answer.

The relentless pressing from the front all season long requires a big squad to cope with physical demands.

Yes, it sounds straight-forward and patronising, but that basic principle appears to have been lost in all the forensic reports of Liverpool’s demise.

What is absolutely crucial now is that Liverpool go on and secure a place in the Champions League for next season. If they do not have Europe’s elite competition to lure in the calibre of player they need then Klopp will be unable to end this all-too-familiar cycle of being just on the brink of challenging for major honours.

READ MORE: Ratings: Liverpool full-backs slated in Wolves defeat

READ MORE: Neville defends Klopp’s team selection

WATCH: Klopp’s reaction to Liverpool’s latest setback

 

Mark Scott

 

‘Mentally strong’ Welbeck can play key role for Arsenal

I’ve always watched Danny Welbeck with a sense that he’s the stereotypical modern-day English centre forward. That is: someone who can run all day, is technically okay but at times looks a little clumsy, but is good for the odd goal or two when required.

That’s not to say I don’t rate him – far from it – he wouldn’t have played for the clubs he has if he was a bad footballer. But yet there’s something more than a little endearing about Welbeck and his occasional clumsiness with a football.

The one thing I’ve not given him credit for is his mental strength – something all the top players need to help them ride out the bad times.

And the bad times are something that Welbeck has been forced to become accustomed to, having suffered two serious knee injuries in the space of two years.

The second of those injuries, a torn meniscus, I can certainly relate to, having done the exact same injury on a five-a-side field a couple of years prior. Having seen Welbeck writhe round the turf in agony, it was one of those moments when you can almost almost feel a player’s pain. The best part of 30 months on for me, I still don’t have confidence in my knee – albeit probably as much to do with my enhancing years as anything else….

So Arsenal supporters and the player aside, there were probably few people more delighted than me with Welbeck’s goalscoring double against Southampton on Saturday evening – his first goals for the Gunners since April.

And Welbeck’s return to the fold will be akin to a new signing for Arsenal at this stage of the season, with his ability to play on the right of the attacking three, or as a centre forward, giving Wenger some much needed options.

He may not be to everyone’s taste and the media and public don’t always give him the credit he’s due. But Welbeck has proven his mental strength by coming back and essentially picking up where he left off; let’s just hope the player can stay injury free for some time now, play himself back into contention for England, and perhaps silence one or two of the doubters along the way….

 

READ MORE

Arsenal ratings: Welbeck & Walcott star; youngsters impress

Wenger admits he doubted Welbeck would return the same player

 

James Marshment

 

Mourinho’s men going from strength to strength

Henrikh Mkhitaryan: In fine form at Man Utd

As the full-time whistle blew at Old Trafford on Sunday, it was another feeling of job done for Manchester United. A 4-0 cup win over Wigan may not have been a blockbuster or the piece of cup magic that the media were praying for, but for United it represented another step in the right direction.

Despite the fact that a few more Premier League teams were whittled off in the fourth round, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are all still in the hat. That would lead fans of the Red Devils to believe they have as good a chance as any of getting silverware this season.

With the EFL Cup final next month and the Europa League also due to resume, Mourinho admitted he is concerned about the upcoming period for his team.

He said: “We are going to have a very difficult season compared with other clubs. Liverpool will play 16 matches until the end of the season, Chelsea will play 16 plus some in the FA Cup and we are in this really crazy situation.

“Southampton will have 15 days without football before the final. We are going to play two matches against St Etienne and the next round of the FA Cup, so the calendar in the best country of world football is nonsense.”

Mourinho complaining about fixture congestion is nothing new, and it begs the question whether he will choose to let the FA Cup take a back seat.

The Portuguese boss made nine changes from midweek, with only Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo remaining from the side that faced Hull. Not only does this illustrate depth, but it also represents an unpredictability about both Mourinho and this Manchester United team.

They may have started the game against Wigan slowly, but when Marouane Fellaini put the home side 1-0 just before the break there was an element of business as usual. That’s the sign of a good team too, and goals from Chris Smalling, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Bastian Schweinsteiger put the gloss on an efficient day.

One loss in 18 games for Mourinho’s men is a testament to just what a good run they are on. The team is believing in itself, and when you have the likes of Mkhitaryan, Ibrahimovic, Pogba et al., the results begin to look after themselves.

 

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What’s next for this team? Well, expect them to have a say in the top four race this season, and with Wembley already awaiting in the EFL Cup, and still being in the FA Cup and Europa League gives a chance of a possible treble.

Not bad for team that is only just finding its feet…

READ MORE

Man Utd cruise into fifth round with win over Wigan

Mourinho comments on future of Schweinsteiger and Young

 

Cup exits – just the tonic?

Rafael Benitez: Big fan of Gayle

The Premier League is obviously the ultimate aim for those clubs at the right end of the Championship. It is the proverbial “promised land”, full of increased revenue streams, sponsorship money, TV deals and the possibility of attracting big-name players.

It may be no coincidence then that three promotion hopefuls in Newcastle United, Brighton and Leeds all crashed out of the FA Cup this weekend to lower-league opposition. This is something most managers would want to avoid, but is there method in the madness?

As discussed by Mourinho above, the key thing for teams with lofty league ambitions is to keep the fixture calendar as bare as possible. It is no surprise perhaps then to see teams like the aforementioned roll up with as many as 10 changes, then for them to subsequently get dumped out of the competition is also not a big deal to them.

There are a whole spectrum of different opinion on changing so many players. Some say teams are right to prioritise the league, particularly promotion, while the flip-side is that it shows disrespect to England’s national cup competition.

Sutton United: Make FA Cup 5th round

Leeds made 10 changes, while Brighton and Newcastle made nine, and Alan Shearer had his say.

“Clubs care about money while fans care about trophies. That’s very unfortunate,” Shearer told BBC Sport.

“It’s just crazy, I don’t understand it. I’m all for bringing kids into the team but not seven or eight of them. Six rounds from the third round to the final, it’s not asking a lot is it?”

Hull and Watford were knocked out by Championship sides Fulham and League One Millwall respectively, again with changed squads. Are teams getting too cocky, or is the FA Cup just not what it used to be.

Still, while Newcastle, Brighton and Leeds were getting knocked out, Huddersfield Town made eight changes and ran out 4-0 winners at Rochdale. Impressive, given the fortress that Spotland has been this season, and showing the value of having a deep squad.

Will any of the teams previously mentioned care about their cup exit if they reach the top flight? Absolutely not. However, if the FA are to preserve the long term respectability of the oldest cup competition in football, action may need to be taken soon.

But then this begs the question, do people really care enough to take any action? Plus what kind of action would that be? Fines and bans almost begin to ruin the idea of squad depth and question manager’s integrity in a way.

The dilemma will continue.

READ MORE

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