ClapAnother week, another defeat for a Liverpool side who have experienced one of the most dramatic falls from grace in Premier League history.
Last season’s champions, who ran away with the league title, are now sat in 7th place – 22 points behind leaders and champions-elect Manchester City.
It’s a tough feeling for them to try and settle into and there’s no doubt about that, but as we all know, there are several factors that have played a role in their downfall.
But first, let’s talk about last night’s game.
Liverpool went into the clash with Chelsea knowing that it could be a huge night for their top four qualification hopes. In the end, the Blues managed to grind out a 1-0 win that left Reds fans wondering where their next win is going to come from.
It marked their fifth successive home defeat at Anfield and while some will try to blame the whole thing on fans not being in the stadium, we think it goes far deeper than that.
First of all, the injury problems they’ve had to endure are no joke and it’s really important to stress how damaging that’s been. We know other teams have had to deal with a plethora of injuries and we know there are other complications at hand here, but it’s worth pointing that out.
Secondly, nothing can serve as an immediate fix for a distinct lack of confidence. You can look towards the defensive turmoil they’ve endured and realise they don’t have a fit centre-back partnership, but these problems are now starting to bleed into their front three.
Mane, Salah and Firmino were once viewed as the most exciting front three in all of world football – and many feel like they still can be if they get back to their best form.
But the headline man has been Diogo Jota ever since he came into the club, and with the former Wolves star being on the shelf for the last few months, he hasn’t been able to really prove himself to the Anfield faithful.
Some feel like a change in management is going to be the key that unlocks Liverpool’s success but we’re just not so sure that’s the definitive answer here. Klopp knows this team better than anyone on the planet, and if he has a summer in which he can allow his injured stars to get back to full fitness, they should fare much better next seaosn.
However, their big problem now is going to be getting back into the UEFA Champions League.
They could always win the competition and qualify that way, but the top four should be viewed as a minimum requirement for a team possessing this sort of quality – even with the injuries.
We know that the schedule is relentless and we know there’s a chance they’ll just keep dropping like a stone down the Premier League table, but there has to be some sort of gameplan. If there isn’t, and Klopp continues to look dejected, Liverpool could set themselves back years.
