Gray and Keys: Jurgen Klopp can take Liverpool back to the top

Sport360 staff 09:49 16/04/2016
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  • Inspirational: Jurgen Klopp.

    Liverpool’s amazing comeback against Dortmund in the Europa League is the talk of football. But was it just a one-off special match you occasionally get or is it a sign that, under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool are on their way to becoming a major force again?

    Andy Gray and Richard Keys who front beIN Sports’ Premier League coverage discuss Thursday’s terrific encounter.

    Andy Gray: The one thing you can’t argue with is that Jurgen Klopp has got the pedigree to take Liverpool back to the top, but a lot depends on whether he can get the right players into the club to take them to the next level because at the moment there is too much inconsistency.

    Thursday’s game, in my opinion, didn’t have much to do with Klopp this, or Klopp that. Yes, his charisma will have played a part but it was just one of those Liverpool nights we have seen many times over the years – something that’s almost indescribable, something you can’t teach, not tactics, not statistics, it’s something unique that sometimes happens at Anfield which lifts the players and you get a fantastic game of football.

    Whether Liverpool can take that performance and use it as a benchmark for next season remains to be seen. There is no doubt in my mind that they will be a better team next season, but I don’t know whether they will be good enough to win the title.

    I truly believe that if the players buy into the way Klopp wants to play the game and his recruitment is good during the summer they have a great chance of finishing in the top four next season.

    Klopp needs depth in that squad so where does he need to strengthen? Up front, he already has Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi, and Christian Benteke, although he looks like he might be on his way. He has good potential there so a striker might not be a priority.

    He probably needs an attacking midfielder, although again, he’s has some good players there already. I like Emre Can, there’s Jordan Henderson and we don’t know how good Adam Lallana is going to be, although he has been much better under Klopp that he was when Brendan Rodgers was manager, and Philippe Coutinho has been fantastic.

    He will want to improve the back four but overall he hasn’t got that much to do. As for this season, their focus is obviously going to be on qualifying for the Champions League by winning the Europa title.

    It’s too big an ask to finish in the top four in the Premier League this season. They travel to Bournemouth tomorrow and there might be a bit of a hangover from the emotion and effort they put into Thursday night’s game. Bournemouth’s record against top-10 sides is not great but home advantage will be enough for them to get a draw. 1-1.

    Richard Keys: Thursday night was right up there with the very best of Liverpool’s European nights and just goes to show that they can still do it on the bigger stage and they have a really good chance of winning this competition.

    I get what Andy is saying about that fightback not necessarily being down to Klopp, because European nights like that at Anfield are unique and generate their own energy, but I think it had everything to do with what Klopp has brought to that club. His presence in the dugout is entirely different to Rodgers’.

    Sometimes he goes over the top with his enthusiasm but it is having the desired effect and he has found a natural home at Anfield.

    There is a little bit more to do yet but Klopp knows exactly what is needed and we can expect them to be a major force again next year. He needs to make sure he hangs on to Coutinho but I would get rid of Sturridge.

    The players he requires and what he can get will be dictated by whether he wins the Europa League and can offer Champions League football because then it is a whole different game. That is why he will be totally focused on the Europa mission and not that bothered about the Premier League because top four is, realistically, beyond them.

    As for Sunday’s game, Bournemouth can get something out of this. 2-2.

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