“Klopp is the man for the job” – Three things learnt from Liverpool’s 2016/17 campaign

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After a rollercoaster ride of a season, Liverpool were successful in their aim to secure Champions League football for the 2017/18 season with a top four finish earning them a qualifier in August.

Starting with an impressive win over Arsenal at the Emirates, the Reds were dominant for periods of the season when their quality was too much to handle for many sides, but during other spells their inconsistency and defensive weakness cost them dearly.

Here, The Boot Room highlights the three lessons that we can learn from Liverpool’s displays this season…

1) Squad depth is the key to success

Whilst Liverpool’s first strength eleven is one of the best in the Premier League, when injuries struck, the replacements were just not up to scratch for the Reds. Key figures such as Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana, Jordan Henderson and Joel Matip all spent time on the sidelines and were sorely missed.

Mane’s absence in particular was notable as his trip to the African Cup of Nations coincided with a sharp downturn in form with only a win over League 2 side Plymouth Argyle in the whole month of January. With a shortage of replacements available, Jurgen Klopp was at times forced to turn to changes in formation or youngsters to fill the gap.

If Liverpool are to compete on an added front of Champions League football next season, they will need to spend this summer in order to have the depth required so as not to jeopardise their hopes in the Premier League as well as Europe, with rotation and injuries inevitable.

Read on over the following pages to see what else Liverpool can learn from this season…