Is Klopp under Pressure?

[LFCMadLad]

Gutted if he goes but I was in Liverpool on Tuesday and there's a portion of fans already getting restless. 

We are absolutely doomed if he goes. 

[Dave]

A small portion of managers aside we now have the best managers in the world in this league. He's not up against the like of Tim Sherwood and David Moyes for a top four finish which would have been the case a couple of years ago. Arsenal aside, I don't see any point in any of the top teams changing there managers any time soon (18 months)  given the competitiveness of this league.

[Dr. Gonzo]

I think he's definitely under pressure, but only because the wheels have pretty spectacularly come off the season.

He's said it himself, if we don't qualify for the Champions League then this season can't be considered a success. We aren't going to win the league, barring some kind of insane miracle that isn't going to happen, and we don't have the chance to win any silverwear that can make a shit season slightly better.

Having said that, I think he's done a lot of good for us in the general improvement in our tactics compared to a post-Suarez Rodgers. But I also think that there's a lot of work left to do - our defensive record has stagnated for years and regardless of how free flowing the football can be, it's going to keep costing us valuable points and likely to ruin seasons to come if not addressed.

At the end of the day, he's a manager with proven pedigree and quality. Without Champions League football, I don't think we could get anyone better (that's not named Rafa Benitez, at least, but I think our support is still divided on Rafa - even though it's pretty clear sacking him was a massive setback imo). As things stand, I think he's the best suited person (not named Rafa Benitez) to help us move forward after years of stagnation from terrible decisions on and off the pitch.

So ultimately, I think sure there's some pressure on him. But it's not the kind of pressure that I think should lead him to get sacked. But it's the kind of pressure that should light a fire under him, because while he's been good... I don't think he's been great, and our failure to make any significant progress is evidence of that. But without oil money, you can't just expect a manager to come in and do well just because he's a good manager. He needs time to build.

[Danny]

Liverpool are 1 point off of the Champions League, all it takes is a good run to get back on track. Talk of sacking him is madness.

In terms of modern football, Liverpool are fighting with bigger clubs in Arsenal, Chelses and City, not to mention United right behind them. There's also Spurs who have built a really good side around one of the best strikers in the league. It's going to be competitive to finish inside the top four, of course Liverpool will want to be there and maybe it remains to be seen whether Klopp will stay in the Summer if they miss out on CL football, but it's still all to play for.

[DeadLinesman]

I never like stats and saw one about how Rodgers had more points after this many games. He also had Suarez and Gerrard. 

I think Klopp will come good, but as has been said, the wheels seem to have come off spectacularly at the moment. All it takes is a few games to get back in the groove. Look at United for an example of slow but steady. We've been in 6th for what seems forever, yet wins and draws means people aren't losing their shit and at least find some positives, even when we've played wank.

[LFCMadLad]

12 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Koeman was under pressure from some mongs in our fanbase and look at him now - considered something of a genius. It would be absolutely suicidal for Liverpool to sack Klopp and I'm sure the owners know what dismissing him would do. 

Not having a jibe but Liverpool aren't a world-class club anymore and as a result would not be able to attract the Pep Guardiola's to replace Jurgen if he went. He's the best manager for the job at the moment and is simply going through a rough patch. His high intensity football hasn't helped him and if he can tweak his philosophy going forward into next season then he should start to see his results improving - don't forget that he led Liverpool to the Europa League final in his first season, what's to say he can't do it again?

Rodgers record was better but as DeadLinesman has pointed out he also had Gerrard and Suarez in his team. Klopp has had to deal with a squad full of failed transfer committees that anyone would under-achieve with. As things stand they sit a point behind the Champions League places which isn't bad when you consider who's in the league at the moment. It's probably where they should be when you consider United, City, Arsenal and Chelsea have had it conquered for years. Throw Spurs (and dare I say it Everton) into the mix and there's a real challenge for European football this year.

 

My fear isn't that he'll be sacked (not going to happen), it's that he will walk! The wonderful English media are already sharpening their knives and some of our extremely deluded fan base are starting to grumble and groan. 

Klopp to me seems like the type of bloke who will just think 'fuck this' and go on holiday for 6 months and I actually think it could happen if things continue as they are. 

[LFCMadLad]

Would you try and sack this man 

 

[LFCMadLad]

6 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

I would, but over a text message with me being holed up in a New York hotel . 

Joking aside I agree with your earlier post about him walking. He's still regarded as a bit of an expert in the footballing world because of his success with Dortmund and if push comes to shove I think he would have no problems in taking a sabbatical and leaving Liverpool behind. It's vital that you get behind him because in the opinion of the ''neutrals'' he's doing a decent job. There's no trees behind pulled up I'll admit but you could be doing a lot worse!

Our stupid fans that think we can do better need to take a reality check. Klopp hasn't even completed a full season yet and has had us to 2 finals and a semi-final and was sat in second in the league just a couple of points behind Chelsea only 8 weeks ago. The loss of Coutinho through injury coupled with Mane's absence for a month and our ever ongoing injuries to our first choice CB's has led to a run of results that have seen us drop alarmingly off the pace. 

Klopp shouldn't be totally aquited of any blame though. I mean, how can you be (far and away) top of the top 6 league yet consistently lose to clubs in the bottom half? Whether it's tactical or physiological, It's something he needs to sort out! 

 

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

7 hours ago, DeadLinesman said:

I never like stats and saw one about how Rodgers had more points after this many games. He also had Suarez and Gerrard. 

I think Klopp will come good, but as has been said, the wheels seem to have come off spectacularly at the moment. All it takes is a few games to get back in the groove. Look at United for an example of slow but steady. We've been in 6th for what seems forever, yet wins and draws means people aren't losing their shit and at least find some positives, even when we've played wank.

Some people don't like when I say this, but I think Rodgers was a pretty poor manager and Suarez papered over the cracks a lot. Once Suarez left we saw a tactically inept manager who kept insisting his tactics would eventually come good. He absolutely wasted Gerrard's last season playing him in a role that didn't work with no Suarez and a constantly injured Sturridge. I am not a fan, tbh.

[DeadLinesman]

2 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Some people don't like when I say this, but I think Rodgers was a pretty poor manager and Suarez papered over the cracks a lot. Once Suarez left we saw a tactically inept manager who kept insisting his tactics would eventually come good. He absolutely wasted Gerrard's last season playing him in a role that didn't work with no Suarez and a constantly injured Sturridge. I am not a fan, tbh.

Having a world class player always papers cracks when your team isn't that good. Ibrahimovic has definitely done this to us this season and look at us when he doesn't score or turn up (today for instance). Suarez was ridiculous in those last 2 seasons for you, not that I'd ever have admitted at the time.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, DeadLinesman said:

Having a world class player always papers cracks when your team isn't that good. Ibrahimovic has definitely done this to us this season and look at us when he doesn't score or turn up (today for instance). Suarez was ridiculous in those last 2 seasons for you, not that I'd ever have admitted at the time.

Suarez was streets ahead of everyone else in the league during those seasons. Having him in our side felt like we were cheating lol, I wouldn't have needed you to admit it. I can only imagine what we could have accomplished with him and a manager who believed defending was important. 

[IgnisExcubitor]

Not scared about Klopp leaving the club (on his own or otherwise). For now, he seems heavily invested in the club. The problem is expectations, or rather expectations from some sections of the fanbase. Klopp arrived at LFC with this huge reputation and some believed that he would instantly start winning trophies. They disregarded or ignored two very important points.

1] In his past jobs, he has taken time to make his former clubs successful.

2] The LFC squad has been systematically stripped of its quality and turned into a mediocre unit over the years. It will take few seasons to turn the tide.

 

Now, has he brought about a noticeable change at the club? The answer for me is yes. In terms of identity (the playing style) and mentality, the players look better equipped. They squad still has some big problems, but overall there has been an improvement. More importantly, there is a strong belief that the club is heading in the right direction.

Partly, FSG has to be blamed, as well, for our recent failings. They need to change their transfer strategy. However, sometimes I feel that they still haven't recovered from the nightmare of CHAD.

[SirBalon]

Only a madman at Liverpool FC would sack Jürgen Klopp no matter what because you can see his insignia stamped football growing and to change that would be more than just foolish.

But on the other hand I can actually see a decent sized sector of the Liverpool "fanbase" going against him.  The only reason being Champions League qualification...  If that is achieved, everything will be fine and only moaning and whinging will occur every season.  Football is now at a stage where success is qualifying for the Champions League and to be outside the qualification slots via your domestic league is simply a MASSIVE failure depending on the relative size of the club.

Klopp is a fantastic coach but like every human being he has issues and his ones are on the defensive side of the game.  All that high pressing leaves holes either in midfield or at the back (sometimes in both places if not disciplined enough) and this is where others have exploited Klopp's seeming deficiencies.  You see, when a team plays another big club, the players are alert and are up for every single move which can mean that most of the time those tactical problems aren't as obvious.  But when you play "smaller" clubs, then the players relax and when you relax playing an open styled high pressing football, then you will concede chances and most probably goals too.

Klopp needs a solution to that issue which may be another coach working beside him in that area (don't know who's doing that job at LFC right now) or it will always be the same.  Many really promising moments that lead you to believe in seeming false dreams.

[Asura]

yeah sack him and get moyes or pulis.... No way liverpool can get a better manager right now. Stick with him and pray he sorts out the defensive issues

[Honey Honey]

1 hour ago, Asura said:

yeah sack him and get moyes or pulis.... No way liverpool can get a better manager right now. Stick with him and pray he sorts out the defensive issues

That reminds me of this

 

 

 

 

[Asura]

hahahaha that was hilarious

[Mel81x+]

Klopp won't go anywhere till the end of next season if things keep going the way they are. I think he's seen what can happen with a properly conditioned team that needs depth to compete. Its unfortunate how December ended and rolled into Jan because the entire problems of this team don't start with lack of trying but with the fact that they are a static 11. If we lose one or two players it all goes down the drain. The second issue is that we don't have players who can orchestrate a defense breakdown. Yes we have Countinho, Mane and Lallana who try but they aren't really the kinds of players you want sitting behind the oppositions defense they are the ones you want mixed in with them or trying to get ahead of them. 

The defense isn't great at the moment but I'd definitely give him time till the summer to try and sort it out. His tactics work and everyone can attest to that. Now, they just have to start fine tuning certain areas of the pitch and create some kind of plan B for when injuries happen or teams decide they want to be ultra-defensive. If you look at the fixture list post April its very winnable given the kind of form we were in at the start of the season but this is also the business-end of the season and teams will be desperate to stay up and come to games with far more ambition than they did when we played them in the first half of the season. I think Klopp will get us into the Champions League but the real question is whether the fans and the club can be patient till he does.

[LFCMadLad]

Sounds like Klopp tore a strip from the players after Leicester:

"We had a really hard week," Klopp told a news conference. "Directly after the [Leicester] game, I found a few words and it was not asking for friendships. It was pretty clear.

"Next day, we made the analysis, which was nothing to enjoy for me when I did it and not for the boys when they saw it.

https://www.espnfc.us/liverpool/stor...mier-leagues-roller-coaster-club-jurgen-klopp

[MUFC]

He is doing well, am backing him to win the league next season.