LIVERPOOL FC SEASON PREVIEW FOR 2021-22: POINTS TO PROVE!!
Last season was a strange one. Due to the pandemic, the English Premier League was something of a ghost league with fans largely absent. For defending champions Liverpool it was stranger still. Not only were they missing the passion of their fanatical support but they lost pretty much the entire core of the team that had walked the league the previous season. Initially, injuries took away all their senior central defenders. The central midfield was moved into the back and they too fell to the injury curse. In an awful midseason slump, the team lost 6 home games on the trot. Unparalleled in their history!! Admittedly, every team has injuries, and whilst I’m a fan I can appreciate that this was no ordinary run of injuries. However, in spite of it all somehow they still managed to put a run together to finish third when qualification for the Champions League appeared to be highly unlikely. As a result, Liverpool FC enters the new season with a number of points to prove!
In my lifetime, the Reds have had their share of ups & downs. I’m not going to get out my calculator and the record book but I would guess they would just edge out the “Evil Empire” claiming more major trophies than any other English team over this time. However, much more than that Liverpool is a “moments” club. Whether it be Istanbul 2005 or Cardiff 2006 Liverpool has enjoyed many moments of sheer magic. Sometimes they are unexpected, other times they defy logic. Since the formation of the EPL Liverpool has scored more injury-time winning goals than any other team. 38 injury-time winners! No less than 5 against local rivals Everton!! If you have 11 minutes to spare take a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQUg082GKis. The final one is probably the most improbable with goalkeeper Alisson Becker heading home a corner to clinch a victory at West Bromwich Albion. Equally improbable is that it was scored in an empty stadium. Arguably so many of those goals have been scored in packed grounds with the fans willing them on. In theory, whilst the return of spectators will be welcomed by all it may favour Liverpool FC more than most.
Looking back at 20-21 Liverpool went into Christmas 4 points clear at the top despite their growing injury list. Only 1 loss - a “where did that come from” 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa! (Conversely, one of their bad “moments”!!) Overall. the Reds were doing so well in the circumstances that I believed that their squad actually had more depth than Manchester City. How wrong I was! After falling down the table at a rate of knots Liverpool did eventually bounce back in the last 10 games with 8 wins and 2 draws to be the form team of the EPL. Take out the middle section and Liverpool would have won the league!! Whilst injuries were a major factor in the midseason slump it would be foolish to ignore there were other shortcomings. The fabled front 3 suddenly looked very jaded and the lack of goals from midfield became very evident. The injury to Diogo Jota also hurt the team mid-season when Firmino & Mane looked desperately tired and in need of a break. Jota was on fire whenever he played. That said the Reds somehow pulled it together and a lot of the credit must go to the manager Jurgen Klopp. In the middle of the bad run, his mother died and due to COVID he was unable to return to Germany. It was clear to see that a man usually so ebullient was finding the going tough. Somehow he rallied the troops using tactical nous and his considerable motivational skills to propel the team back up the table when all seemed lost. I’m not big on who is the “greatest”, “best” etc. The usual measure for a manager is trophies. Whilst that is a huge consideration for me the ultimate measure of a manager/coach might be their resourcefulness when things look bleak or they have limited talents at their disposal. Accordingly, Jurgen Klopp compares really well to all the very “best”!!
On to 21-22. Can Liverpool return the stellar form of the 2017 to 2020 period? The team collectively may have something to prove but so do most of the senior players. A year ago Liverpool’s squad was valued as the most expensive in Europe with individuals winning awards & receiving plaudits left, right & centre! This summer at the Euros & Copa America Liverpool players were by on large backups with their respective national teams. Has their value really fallen that much? Do they still have something left in the tank? A number of LFC fans are looking on with envy as City, United & Chelsea are splashing out on big-money signings. In comparison, Liverpool have signed only a young central defender, Ibrahima Konate, from RB Leipzig where he was effectively a backup. Konate’s ￡36m transfer fee has been effectively covered by the sale of 5 players. The Reds may or may not sign another player this summer but if they do it appears it may well be financed by the sale of squad players like Shaqiri, Origi & Karius plus Academy youngsters such as Phillips, Neco Williams, Woodburn, Ojo & Gallacher. Who might they buy? The reality is that M’bappe or Haaland will not be coming to Anfield. Fans have to accept that the club is not going to compete for that kind of player. In the past, the likes of Torres, Suarez & Coutinho have been signed on their way up in the game. These are the level of players LFC can afford.
Ideally, it would be helpful if a player or two was brought in to freshen up the squad especially with the African Nations Cup coming along midseason. As an onlooker, Liverpool’s transfer policy appears to identify a specific player that suits and then go after them. To that end, Konate fits the bill though there is more of a “potential” issue with him than there was with Salah, Van Dijk, or Alisson. The other ingredient is owners Fenway Sports Group want to see players coming through the Academy to play on the first team. Adam Lallana was let go and replaced with local lad Curtis Jones. Shaqiri is supposedly on his way with Harvey Elliott earmarked to take his place. Elliott is a talent and brimming with confidence. My only question-mark concerns his athletic dimensions. He’s not big and whilst he’s not a slowpoke does he have the pace for the top end of elite football? To me, he looks like an understudy for Mohammed Salah minus the speed. The same cannot be said of another outstanding prospect, 16-year-old Kaide Gordon who showed this preseason he might be a real star of the future. Blistering pace and absolutely no fear. I doubt he will play in any EPL games this season but I think he is more than ready for the domestic cups. (Sad note - a sign of the times!)
So how strong is Liverpool’s current squad? In goal, Alisson had a bad spell midseason following the sudden and tragic death of his father but he remains top-notch. Backups are Caoimhin Kelleher & Adrian. Kelleher has come on over the last couple of seasons and has been capped by Ireland. Adrian is experienced and certainly not a bad option though he does have a tendency to throw one in here & there! VERDICT: Top keeper but could be problems if he is injured.
The full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold & Andy Robertson are top draw. Too much is made of the fact the TAA is better going forward than he is defensively. He’s not dreadful in this department. Far from it! I feel a lot of the criticism stems from the fact that the England manager is primarily concerned with defence. Andy Robertson is Liverpool’s best left-back of the Premiership era! End of!! Backups for TAA are 2 young internationals: Neco Williams (Wales) & Conor Bradley (Northern Ireland). Over on the left, Kostas Tsimikas had a difficult first season in England with injuries being a factor. However, in preseason he has played well and looks set to start in the first game at Norwich with Robbo out injured. VERDICT: Top full-back pairing! Backup Neco Williams could be sold so expect Joe Gomez to fill in at right-back if needed as he has done in the past. Liverpool has a good replacement option on the left.
Central Defenders. Hopefully, the curse has been lifted. Van Dijk, Gomez & Matip are all back. Konate is very fast and has been tracked by the club for some time so we have to have belief in a system that has done well in recent years. The only issue I see is he dwells too long on the ball at times though technically he is strong. The youngsters who did so well in last season’s run-in, Nat Phillips & Rhys Williams, should also be considered. Phillips is apparently up for sale. Hard on him I suppose but look who is ahead of him in the pecking order!! VERDICT: With everybody fit the Reds are very strong in this area. If VVD can return to previous levels Liverpool will boast one of the best defences around.
In midfield Klopp has tended to favour hard-working players who press and have high work-rates. The signing of Thiago Alcantara suggested that the manager was planning some variations to his usual game plan. Unfortunately, this was derailed by Thiago’s injury and the teams' subsequent loss of form. With Wijnaldum off to PSG I suspect Klopp probably has Fabinho, Henderson & Thiago in mind for his strongest XI. Over the years Henderson’s growth in stature as a player has been well recorded while Fabinho is a top defensive midfielder with a creative side to his game. Backups include Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Both are excellent players but more often than not they spend more time on the trainer’s table! Then there is the evergreen James Milner. Very underrated by many but his track record speaks for itself. Academy grad Curtis Jones saw significant time last season. He is very talented but sometimes over elaborates holding the ball too long. Watching him in preseason he appears to have plateaued. Harvey Elliott may be a stronger option. Forgotten man Ben Woodburn has also emerged. After scoring heavily in the Academy he became the club’s youngest ever goalscorer in 2016. However, it was pretty clear he didn’t have the athletic dimensions to be another Michael Owen. Watching him in the reserves he has always struck me as a clever player. Based on preseason he looks to be in a better place than Jones. He’s still only 21 but apparently up for sale. I wonder whether Jurgen is re-considering his place on the squad especially with Shaqiri on his way out? VERDICT: Dependable Wijnaldum is a loss. Liverpool’s 6 senior midfielders are all excellent players if they stay fit! The Academy prospects are all talented but can they contribute at the necessary level to help the Reds challenge for the title again? Ultimately, will Liverpool look to bring another player before the transfer window closes? Can they afford it?
Up top, Liverpool at their best is peerless. Since coming together in 2017 Firmino, Mane & Salah have scored an incredible 274 goals between them in all competitions!! Mane & Salah had the summer off so they have looked fresh in the preseason. How the front 3 play is certainly not a secret to opposing teams as they put together their game plan to stop them. That said, it still amazes me how many goals Salah continues to score as everyone knows he is going to come back to his left side whenever he can. Diogo Jota has emerged as a potential starter and is another who knows his way to goal. A good option for the manager. Divock Origi is apparently up for sale. He’s a player I’ve always felt was underrated but clearly Klopp has lost confidence in him and with Jota around his status on the squad has slipped. That leaves Takumi Minamino as the only other forward option. Minamino has had a good preseason and is a player I really rate. However, where does he fit in? Will the manager turn to him in critical moments? He’s tended to have been used in wide areas but he just doesn’t have the pace of Liverpool’s other options. I have wondered whether he could be used as a backup for Firmino dropping deep as he stood out RB Salzburg playing in a central area behind the strikers? It appears that Jurgen doesn’t think so. He knows the players better than I do!! VERDICT: Liverpool’s forwards may be getting on but they are still top players Diogo Jota is leading the next wave but will the Reds have enough upfront when the African Nations Cup rolls around and takes their 2 top scorers away for a month?
FINAL THOUGHTS.
1. Liverpool still has a strong squad of players to choose from plus they have good talent coming through the Academy.
2. Last season’s issues of central defence have been addressed.
3. Primary strikers Mane & Salah are well-rested.
4. Liverpool have had a good month’s preseason away, primarily in Austria. Their preseason preparations have been much smoother than many other EPL teams.
5. Liverpool has something to prove both as a team and the players individually. They should be motivated!!
6. However, perhaps the biggest factor in Liverpool having a good season maybe that they are being written off! The pundits expect them to be strong but … https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-premier-league-title-predictions-21292080?utm_source=liverpool_echo_newsletter&utm_campaign=lfc_newsletter2&utm_medium=email.
Liverpool is ranked fourth behind City, Chelsea & United. The Reds haven’t splashed the cash! It is possible this could turn out to hurt them but with a manager like Jurgen Klopp at the helm, I don’t see that as a given.
For me, the biggest issue that Liverpool has is that they are more reliant on certain key players than their rivals. Who are the players that the manager is loathed to leave out if everyone is fit? Who is indispensable? At Man City Ederson, Dias & De Bruyne. At Chelsea Mendy & now Lukaku likely comes into this bracket. Liverpool does not have options of comparable level for a number of starters. Consequently, Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Mane & Salah are irreplaceable. 7 players!! This puts significant pressure on them over a demanding season especially with Liverpool preferring to play a high-tempo game.
Coming into 21-22 I would guess that Klopp will be eyeing the third game of the season against Chelsea before he starts to reveal his hand. In the opening game against Norwich I expect Van Dijk to play. His progress is unexpected and with Robertson out this may tip his hand to play him. I don’t expect Henderson & Thiago to be involved but that should change by the Chelsea game.
I anticipate the Reds to line up as follows against Norwich:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip Tsimikas; Milner, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Firmino & Mane. Oxlade-Chamberlain for Keita and Jota for Firmino could be other possible starting options. However, these players may be used as impact subs. The remaining 5 subs could be Kelleher; Gomez, Konate; Elliott & Minamino. Let’s see if I’m right!
Ultimately, I think Liverpool can challenge again for the title and in the Champions League but I don’t think the picture will be clear until the new year. (Squad players as usual in the domestic cups!!)