TOO MUCH EXPECTATION WAY TOO SOON FOR LIVERPOOL

It’s been just over two weeks that Jurgen Klopp assumed the reins at Liverpool, two weeks since the gregarious German coach has had a chance to assess what he has to work with in this injury-plagued squad of players that lack confidence after the last 18 months of tinkering by now former Liverpool coach Brendan Rogers.

Still, the air of expectation is so high for the German that despite Liverpool drawing their first three matches under his care, there is this air of disappointment. I don’t get it.

Klopp took over a team that has lost its identity and hit by injuries to some key players like Joe Gomez, Danny Ings, Daniel Sturridge who seems to be permanently injured, Christian Benteke, and Roberto Firmino. The latter two have only recently returned to the squad after a couple weeks out with injury. Also, since Klopp took over he has barely had time to work with the team. When he first assumed duties more than half the starting XI was out on international duty and since they have returned they have been virtually back-to-back matches. What that means is that Klopp has barely had any time to start teaching the players how to play under his system.

Evidence of this year can clearly be seen on the field as the players are clearly seen to be thinking too much as opposed to playing with the kind of fluidity their fans have come to expect. Under Rogers, the significant slowing of the tempo was due to him playing players out of position. They were not comfortable in those roles and were still trying to figure out how to play in those unfamiliar roles when the coach was fired after the team’s 1-1 draw with Everton.

Since that time they have played a Europa League match against Rubin Kazan and then this past weekend against Southampton. In the former they had 29 chances at goal but rarely troubled the Russian outfit’s keeper and against Southampton they had far fewer opportunities because they lacked a cutting edge until Benteke replaced his ineffective countryman Divock Origi at half time.

Against Southampton, Liverpool looked unsure in the first half but improved in the second and scored with 12 minutes left before another series of defensive mistakes allowed their opponents to equalize with five minutes to go. Liverpool has a few matches left in this hectic schedule and only after that will the coach have time to start making his imprint on the squad  that is also lacking in overall quality.

Based on what we have seen, it will take weeks perhaps months for the Klopp effect to take hold at Liverpool. They will have to learn his systems well enough for the play to become instinctive and a similar amount of time for the players to ‘calm down’ and regain the kind of confidence that saw them comes within two points of winning the club’s first league title in a quarter century. They will also need to bring in fresh talent, quality talent to bolster a squad lacking in wide players, strikers and defensive midfielders.

Until then, the fans need to lower their expectations. Rome wasn’t built in a day and Klopp is not a magician, just a very good coach with a very hard job ahead of him.