In the late 2020-21 season, Liverpool once ranked eighth in the Premier League standings, and suffered a six-game losing streak at home. The prospect of the fourth round was bleak. But in the end, klopp’s team played a wave of 11 games, 9 wins and 2 draws, and won the third place.
This season, Liverpool has been in a slump for most of the time. Recently, it has finally rallied and seen the hope of replicating the achievements made two years ago. At present, they have maintained a seven-game winning streak in the league, with two games left to play, one point behind Manchester United and four points behind Newcastle. The advantage of the latter two teams is that one round is missing, but Liverpool is not without a chance.
Manchester United has been in an unstable state in recent weeks, and its away performance is particularly bad. It has suffered two consecutive defeats in the league and only won three games in the last nine games in various competitions. Newcastle have also suffered defeat this month, and they are relatively inexperienced in the fight for four. Liverpool have been marching in the dark all season, and now at least there is a little light.
Only when you are qualified for the Champions League can you attract big-name stars to join. Teams that can’t play in the Champions League are hard to get the favor of good players. Real Madrid’s competitiveness in the transfer market is not as good as that of top giants such as Real Madrid. If they can only participate in the Europa League, hot stars are even more reluctant to join.
Last summer, Liverpool lost to Real Madrid in the battle for Joan Ameni. Now, their long-awaited number one signing target, English international Bellingham, is also closer to the Madrid giants.
This summer, Liverpool must reinforce the midfield, and the good news at present is that tapping the potential within the team has achieved initial results. Klopp did something new, transforming Arnold into the right back, which greatly improved the team’s offensive efficiency. The beauty of this move is to foster strengths and avoid weaknesses. Arnold can not only let go of the attack, but also need not be exhausted on the defensive end.
In early April, Liverpool drew 2-2 with Arsenal, and klopp used this new system for the first time. Since then, Liverpool has remained unbeaten, and Arnold’s assists (6 times) rank first among all players in the Premier League.
Diaz and jota’s return from injury also gave the Reds a shot in the arm. Diaz has been sidelined for half a year because of a knee injury. He has played in all the last seven games, and Liverpool have kept winning. Jota was injured for nearly half a season, which greatly reduced the firepower of the team (he scored 21 goals last season).
During their rehabilitation, klopp could only use Nunez and Gakpo. In the past, he was more used to helping new aid to integrate into the new environment. It is totally unacceptable to drive ducks to the shelves this season.
After Liverpool’s recent recovery, military fans are more looking forward to the new season. Nunez and Gakpo replaced training by competition, which basically adapted to the rhythm of the Premier League. During the offseason, klopp has enough time to adjust the team’s supplier system.
This season, due to the existence of the Winter World Cup, the schedule of club events has become very tight, which is not good for a high-energy team like Liverpool. The core of klopp’s tactical concept is to grab the high position and create opportunities for transformation, but his players are too tired to grab it this season, not to mention that they were still fighting for the championship on four fronts in the last game, and they fought to the end on every front.
The tide of injuries has passed, the players’ physical fitness has slowly recovered, and the team’s state has improved, but the season is coming to an end. The hole dug in front is so big that it is not easy to climb out. But no matter what the final result is, Liverpool must keep this good momentum and make a good start for the summer and the new season.
At the end of the 2002-21 season, they bottomed out and won the fourth place. In the 2021-22 season, they continued to triumph, scoring 92 points, and narrowly lost to Manchester City by one point in the championship battle, ranking second.
Now, Liverpool has reached a similar crossroads. Manchester City is fearfully stable, Arsenal has undergone a qualitative change, Newcastle has risen strongly, and Manchester United is gradually on the right track. The competition in the Premier League may become more intense next season. Before the targeted reinforcement of the summer window, klopp must lead the team to fight for four more times.
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