Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Jurgen Klopp future questioned as Jamie Redknapp puts forward twin theories for Liverpool struggles

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold

Jamie Redknapp feels Liverpool need fresh faces at the club to reinvigorate the side but questioned whether Jurgen Klopp is the right man to rebuild.

The Reds are in the unusual position of sitting in mid table having been one of the dominant teams in recent years. They narrowly missed out on the title last term as Manchester City claimed the spoils on the final day of the campaign. But there is still silverware in the Anfield trophy cabinet as the Merseysiders won both the FA Cup and EFL Cup.

Therefore their current top-flight status is difficult to comprehend. The north-west giants have won just four league games this term, with four defeats on their record already.

Klopp’s charges looked to have turned things around with victory over City and West Ham.

But losses to Nottingham Forest and Leeds United had the German tactician admitting he was concerned about finishing in the top four.

There is still a long way to go and the World Cup will give them time to regroup.

Redknapp has been a keen observer of the club’s fortunes this season. And he has a few theories as to why they have been unable to hit the heights of recent campaigns.

“I do think it’s a number of factors,” he wrote on Sky Sports. “Of course this team has climbed so many mountains before.

“And last year what they did was pretty incredible – to be in every single competition up until the last minute.

“It didn’t end the way they wanted and maybe there’s a little bit of a hangover from that. That’s understandable.

“But when you look at the team right now there needs to be changes. That’s not a dig at the players that have been there, because they have been incredible for the team.”

Redknapp cites Man Utd as example to follow

Few would have expected Liverpool to be struggling and so low in the standings.

They have continually found a way to win over the past four seasons, claiming a Premier League title and the Champions League.

The Reds have breezed into the knockout phase of this season’s elite club competition.

But it remains to be seen if they can keep up that momentum when the competition resumes next year.

Redknapp feels a dip in results was inevitable. And a glance at how Liverpool’s great rivals responded during their glory years might give a clue as to the club’s future plans.

“Every great team goes in cycles,” he added. “If you go back to Man Utd under Sir Alex Ferguson, every time things weren’t going the way he liked, he was given a year or two to build a new team.”

Klopp resolve questioned

Klopp confessed that he was extremely low after the Leeds defeat. But victory over Napoli earlier this week was a real fillip.

It might take just a little tinkering to restore Liverpool to their former status. However, Redknapp is unsure whether the German tactician still has the drive.

He continued: “That’s what you have to figure out with Jurgen Klopp, has he – as he said this week – got that energy to go and build again and be given that time?

“It might take another two, three, four players – but it doesn’t take a lot for things to start to look better.

“Look at Man Utd now, there’s something happening there because the manager has been given time, patience and a few transfer windows to get that team right.”

Liverpool’s next challenge is to take on Tottenham in north London on Sunday. They conclude their pre-World Cup programme by hosting Southampton on November 12.

Six points would certainly give all at the club a boost for the league’s resumption in late December.

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