Jürgen Klopp

[Fosterbloke]

I so badly want to see him win a major trophy and be regarded as a legend at the club.

My biggest concern (should we win our semi finals) is his record in major finals. Lose another one and he will be tagged as a specialist in finals failure. He needs this as much as us.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BG1973]

I so badly want to see him win a major trophy and be regarded as a legend at the club.

My biggest concern (should we win our semi finals) is his record in major finals. Lose another one and he will be tagged as a specialist in finals failure. He needs this as much as us.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There is that isn’t there.

He hasn’t got a Stevie either who won Rafa his two biggest cups.

But he is building the best LFC team I’ve seen since the 80s.

Rafa’s Torres team was brilliant with that midfield but it always lacked something - there was always a lampshade instead of a sofa. And then G&H happened.

Klopp has the backing, but he also has the balls and the belief in himself and his team not to panic buy. He doesn’t buy players that quite soon won’t play much, and by doing it he’s galvanzied an incredible team spirit of long term players that he can mould.

I’m rambling, he’s ****ing ace.

Trophies or not I love us under him.

[Paul12]

Rafa’s Torres team was brilliant with that midfield but it always lacked something - there was always a lampshade instead of a sofa.

Mascherano, Alonso and Gerrard?

[frank the tank]

I think he meant the team..... Not the midfield.

Riera, Pennant, Dossena......

[Le Chef]

Gets us - We get him - simples

[Irishnev]

Mascherano, Alonso and Gerrard?

We needed a LM to have the perfect team but we had no depth in the squad - imagine Suarez or Mo as the LM in the 4-2-3-1

[Zapater]

Rafa never got the backing he deserved. He was the right man, at unfortunately slightly the wrong time (for him, not the club). We should have won more under him, but he did a fantastic job regardless.

I'm pleased that the likes of Salah, Mane, Keita and van Dijk prove that Klopp is getting good money, but hopefully it can continue this summer without selling. Getting in some top quality like Dybala for example in addition to what we have would be fantastic. I know the club is in different shape and the owners are completely different, but let's not have history repeat itself. Klopp needs the opportunity to take this club where Rafa could have but couldn't quite with the limitations imposed upon him. And unfortunately at the moment, Solanke and Ings on the bench aren't dissimilar to Ngog. If we can get 3 really good players in without losing anyone important Klopp will be at a great point to continue working his magic.

[Buzzo]

How Jürgen Klopp put Liverpool back among Europe’s elite

The German’s presence at Anfield has been transformative, culminating in the remarkable victory over Manchester City — here’s how he has revitalised the club


A club working to the same goals
Liverpool were not in the pits of despair when Jürgen Klopp was appointed as Brendan Rodgers’ successor in October 2015. Idling would be a better description. Different people at the club were on different pages, which led to Rodgers pushing for the signing of Christian Benteke that summer in return for “accepting” the arrival of Roberto Firmino, whose merits were pushed by the scouting hierarchy of Michael Edwards, Dave Fallows and Barry Hunter.

The sense of separation was not conducive to success and, ultimately, resulted in a disconnect between the players and supporters. Klopp has galvanised Liverpool to ensure that everyone now pushes in the same direction and has mobilised fans behind a team of whom they can be proud of.

Klopp works closely with the Fenway Sports Group president, Mike Gordon, and the sporting director, Edwards. He is not indulged and their conversations and debates reach a decision that is no longer just good for one person but for the entire club. The sanctioning of Philippe Coutinho’s sale in January is a prime example of this. There was an obvious risk attached to selling him to Barcelona mid-season, even for £142 million, but the pros and cons were weighed up and the bold decision taken that keeping a player against his will could do more short-term damage. A penny for Coutinho’s thoughts today after his former club have progressed with a swagger while he spent last night cup-tied for Barcelona’s shock expulsion by Roma.

The relationship at Liverpool has to be two-way however. Klopp has embraced what Liverpool are about, too, recognising the club’s rich European heritage, which was a point Pep Guardiola picked up on. “The Liverpool fans, they all believe ‘this is our competition,’ ” he said. As a consequence of joined-up thinking Liverpool are able to feel better about themselves again; a fact evident in the supporters who whipped up such a raw, raucous atmosphere at Anfield in the first leg that City’s flag-waving drill before kick-off yesterday resembled Last Night Of The Proms.

“When you concede one goal and score five against Manchester City I think we should respect Liverpool more,” said Dejan Lovren. “People talked from the beginning about Manchester City being favourites, and they were favourites, but I think after this there should be more respect for Liverpool.”

Moving Salah and refining the relentless pressing
One of the misconceptions about Klopp comes from his demeanour on the touchline, where he is a ball of energy, all facial expressions and arms waving. It deflects from the reality that he is a tactically astute coach, supported by his brains trust of Zeljko Buvac and Peter Krawietz. The decision to switch Mohamed Salah centrally, push Sadio Mané to the right and drag Firmino to the left was important in stifling City and belatedly establishing a foothold in the first half.

Liverpool’s approach has become more refined the longer Klopp has been in situ at Anfield. The relentless pressing that was evident in his first months at the club has given way to a philosophy that looks at when and where to press, the onus is more on what Liverpool do with the ball. He has worked on turning Liverpool into a slick, potent, attacking unit with hours on the training ground drumming into the likes of Salah, Roberto Firmino and Mané where to attack space.

The 4-3-3 system gets the best out of the players, especially Firmino, a player transformed under Klopp and crucial to everything Liverpool attempt. The defence, while still prone to the occasional meltdown, has improved markedly, as shown when denying City a single shot on target a week ago. The manner in which Liverpool emerged from City’s “whirlwind” start, as Klopp put it, at the Etihad further highlights the progress. There was a resolve and resilience (and a little luck) to ride out that difficult first half but, tellingly, the responsibility for the improvement was shared.

Klopp wants his players to work out solutions themselves and not always be told what the answer is. Half-time yesterday brought the perfect response and the re-emergence of leaders. “To be honest I was shouting a bit at half-time,” said Lovren, who was excellent throughout. “I told the lads to wake up because it was not good enough and I said we were sitting too deep. Of course Klopp said, ‘Yes you are sitting too deep because you are not pushing up’. He wanted me and Virg [van Dijk] to be more compact and push the team up but it was quite difficult to push up when City had the ball.

“It was all positive, there was nothing negative, but I needed to remind the guys that we had 50 minutes to be in the semi-finals of the Champions League and we needed to give more. The first 10-15 minutes wasn’t good enough. When you see the second half, again they had a couple of chances but nothing too serious.”

Buying — and selling — well
Of the Liverpool team who started both legs against City only Firmino, Lovren and James Milner were not Klopp signings, although the German would accept that he is the one with the good fortune to inherit the precocious Trent Alexander-Arnold. Firmino, in particular, and Lovren have grown under Klopp’s tutelage, while Milner has proved a clever free transfer from City in 2015. Increasingly, Liverpool’s transfer business looks smart with Van Dijk, Salah, Mané and Andrew Robertson all recruited for about the same combined fee Barcelona paid for Coutinho.

Liverpool have also sold well which is so crucial in the modern game. In excess of £50 million for Benteke and Mamadou Sakho from Crystal Palace illustrates the point perfectly. Passage into the last four of the Champions League — and, importantly, the manner in which it was achieved — will help recruitment again because the best players will want to join a club where they can become heroes and play for a manager who embodies such belief. What should not be overlooked are the ages of this group: Van Dijk, Firmino and Mane are all 26. Robertson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 24 and Salah 25. The incoming Naby Keïta is 23. There is a nucleus that could remain together.

Pushing players to go further
When Liverpool were celebrating in front of their supporters at the final whistle, Klopp told Georginio Wijnaldum, one of the many players who stepped up in the second half (literally and figuratively in his case), that the night was not to be the “highlight” of the year. That is Klopp in a nutshell: pushing, chasing, demanding more, but in a way which makes the pursuit of success enjoyable.

Lovren is already setting his sights on next season with Liverpool emerging as City’s natural challengers from a domestic point of view, too. “The competition is wide open and anything is possible now,” he said. “It depends on who you get in the semi-finals. From a personal point of view I don’t want Real Madrid in the semi-finals. They have a lot of experience in the Champions League, a lot of records and over the past three seasons it is always them. But whoever we get will find it difficult to come to Anfield and score some goals.”

Lovren was asked about the Premier League next season. “We didn’t catch up well from the beginning. I’m definitely confident that next season we can push everyone, even ourselves to do better from the beginning to the end,” he said.

[RedReet]

Yes, Jurgen Klopp has still won no silverware with Liverpool, but who'd bet against that changing VERY soon?

From inheriting a team on a 15-month downward spiral, the German has the Reds in their best shape for almost a decade


There will be some who point out that Jurgen Klopp may have taken Liverpool to the Champions League semi-finals but he’s still won nothing.

And if it stays that way come May, he’ll have gone three seasons without winning a trophy at Anfield, when that was what he was brought in to do.

Because there are still those who see the German as a Keeganesque show-boater who is big on smiles and hugs but no more up to the job of restoring Liverpool’s past glories than predecessor Brendan Rodgers was.

People such as Alan Shearer, who a few months ago said “Liverpool have not improved since the day he took over.”

They drag out statistics about percentage win rates which do not paint the whole picture.

Stats don’t tell you that Rodgers inherited a peak-reaching Luis Suarez, a maturing Raheem Sterling and a certain Steven Gerrard. Or that Klopp inherited none of those men, just a side that had been on a downward spiral since the sale of Suarez 15 months earlier.

By the time the Americans sent out a distress signal in October 2015, they were tenth in the table having scored a mere 11 goals in the first 11 games across all competitions.

The truth is, Liverpool are in the best shape they have been since Rafa Benitez came close to winning the title in 2009 — which was also the last time they were fighting for a place in the Champions League semis while almost certain of a top four finish.

The difference being, nine years ago, they went out in the quarter-finals, and domestic competition was less stiff as the billions had yet to take effect at Manchester City and Tottenham were not the force they are now.

The real progress under Klopp is evident when you look at the players he has brought in compared to some of the dire buys that preceded him.

Of Tuesday’s starting line-up (that finished a 5-1 aggregate demolition of a Manchester City side some say is the best ever constructed in the Premier League era) only Dejan Lovren, Roberto Firmino and James Milner were there before the former Dortmund boss came.

He signed Mo Salah, Andy Robertson, Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Loris Karius, Joel Matip and Gini Wijnaldum — all on a net spend of £4million — and blooded Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Klopp’s real quality is his unshakable belief in his players and in his own vision.

He refused to panic and buy a cheaper version of Van Dijk in August when the deal had fallen through and his shaky defence was screaming out for a leader

When he saw Philippe Coutinho no longer wanted to play for him, instead of forcing the Brazilian to stay, as many fans demanded, he showed him the door and pocketed a phenomenal amount of money that he will spend this summer on players who buy into where he wants to take Liverpool.

And such is his aura and passion, there are many who do.

Players like Van Dijk, who shunned offers from Manchester City and Chelsea as he’d set his heart on playing for a man he hailed this week as “the complete manager.”

Klopp has also persuaded Naby Keita to ignore all the overtures from Europe’s top clubs and Oxlade-Chamberlain to leave Arsenal and join him on lower wages.

Pep Guardiola said before Tuesday that it didn’t really matter what happened on the night as he was convinced he would be winning the Champions League with City some time soon.

Klopp, who is far shrewder than the jovial-giant image he exudes, has said nothing of the sort.

But if he keeps this dramatic progress going, the coach who now has eight wins in 14 against Guardiola, may turn out to be the Spaniard’s nemesis at home and abroad.

Yes, Klopp’s still brought no trophies to Anfield, but who’d bet against that changing soon?

Maybe even as soon as May.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/yes-jurgen-klopp-still-won-12344951

[Assassin]

More like a 13 year downward spiral me finx

[rudedog]

Showed his mettle the other night - during half time, all the commentary talk was about how Klopp needed to sacrifice one of the front 3 to bolster the midfield and try and slow City down. Their midfield had completely dominated ours with their energy levels and press.

I think Klopp knew that City couldn't maintain those levels for 90 mins and at some point the physical and mental fatigue would creep in. Mistakes would be made and we'd need our front 3 in place and ready to take full advantage


Turned out he was absolutely spot on

I never imagined we could be as ruthless as that though - it wasn't too long ago it seemed we needed 10 good chances to score a goal.

[labourRed]

Showed his mettle the other night - during half time, all the commentary talk was about how Klopp needed to sacrifice one of the front 3 to bolster the midfield and try and slow City down. Their midfield had completely dominated ours with their energy levels and press.

I think Klopp knew that City couldn't maintain those levels for 90 mins and at some point the physical and mental fatigue would creep in. Mistakes would be made and we'd need our front 3 in place and ready to take full advantage


Turned out he was absolutely spot on

I never imagined we could be as ruthless as that though - it wasn't too long ago it seemed we needed 10 good chances to score a goal.

He hasn't really got the credit he deserved. We clearly needed a bit of help in midfield and he gave them that by adding Firmino and Mane while giving them something to think about with Salah. Mane and Firmino really had to put in a shift in that second.

He sometimes (and did again here albeit at the very end) go to three at the back and push the full backs on a bit.

These micro changes have worked a treat in these last few games as well as some player instructions that are less obvious.

He's a world class coach and we're very lucky to have him.

[BigChief]

Utd did us and Klopp a huge favour. Brilliant of Klopp to follow his (and our) conviction that City were physically and mentally fatigued the past fortnight.

[danperkins]

I so badly want to see him win a major trophy and be regarded as a legend at the club.

My biggest concern (should we win our semi finals) is his record in major finals. Lose another one and he will be tagged as a specialist in finals failure. He needs this as much as us.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

that's the only thing that will go against us and that is no experience in winning trophies and titles. Klopp is due a nice cup win though

[Doc_Piptorious]

that's the only thing that will go against us and that is no experience in winning trophies and titles. Klopp is due a nice cup win though

Same could be said for a lot of teams before they go and win a major trophy or win a title for the first time in years.


We have a manager that knows what it is like to win league titles and he knows how to get to big cup finals.

We also have a few players that have experience of winning leagues and/or cups (albeit in lesser leagues for most of them but it is still the experience of being in title races and of winning said races).


Get in enough quality, have the right sort of mentality and you will gain that experience as you go.