Comparing Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League record to Brendan Rodgers’ at Liverpool

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Liverpool have suffered a dip in form during recent weeks, with their last five league matches producing three draws and two losses. This has seen the Reds drop from 2^nd to 5^th and there are now plenty of supporters with doubts about their chances of returning to the Champions League next season. There had been hopes of a title challenge after a superb start to the season, but they are now fully focused on securing a top four finish and it won’t be easy considering the competition in the top six this season. Chelsea are nine points clear, but only four points separate the rest of the top six, which suggests that we are in for an exciting last 14 matches of the season.

The main reason being attributed to the recent bad form is that the players are tired due to Jurgen Klopp’s system. He asks a lot of his players, with Liverpool often topping the distance covered every week and there is now fatigue entering their game. During January, they have been knocked out of two cups as well as dropping down the Premier League. Liverpool have only managed one victory in 2017 and that came against League Two Plymouth Argyle. It is a concerning time for Reds’ supporters, but they will be willing to trust Klopp’s judgement as he is seen as the right fit for the club.

There are sceptics though, who will point to Jurgen Klopp having an identical record to Brendan Rodgers after 54 Premier League matches. This is 26 wins, 16 draws and 12 losses. It isn’t a bad record, but considering Klopp’s status as an elite manager, it is a worry that he isn’t doing better than Rodgers when looking strictly at league results.

That said, Klopp will see these first 18 months as a transition period for Liverpool, as the players get used to his system and he builds a squad that suits his style. His first two seasons at Borussia Dortmund ended with the side in 6^th and 5^th. The German manager then achieved back-to-back league titles. It will be difficult to replicate that with Liverpool considering the huge amount of competition in the Premier League, but it underlines why Klopp needs time at Liverpool. Rome wasn’t built in a day and the squad that Klopp inherited was nowhere near the level required to challenge for league titles.

Liverpool have continued to dominate possession in recent weeks, but their end product is lacking. Despite having Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, they have become a little too predictable. Klopp’s system has become known and the German needs to show that he can mix things up tactically if required. His gegenpressing 4-3-3 is great to watch and extremely effective, but he needs to have alternative plans if that is failing. Pep Guardiola has struggled in English football and has had to adapt his own tactics. The Premier League is one of the hardest leagues to master and Klopp will have learned a lot from his first 54 matches.

This weekend sees Liverpool take on Tottenham and it is a fixture that they have secured some good results in during recent seasons. Both sides adopt pressing systems and the fitness level of both sides will come to the fore. It is important for the Reds to return to winning ways, even if it requires an ugly performance. The best method for them may be to let Spurs have the ball and play on the counter-attack. Liverpool’s defence isn’t the best, but they are excellent on the counter and it would get the best out of Sadio Mane. The Reds sometimes lack ideas in possession, therefore it could be the right time to let their opponents have the ball and try something different to secure a positive result.

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