LIVERPOOL haven’t yet made any major signings in the transfer window and, unless injuries force their hand, they don’t seem likely to. That can be a sign of strength, but not to make any changes can be just as much of a gamble as bringing new players in.
It’s never a great idea to allow your actions to be guided by the imagined media response to future crises but, equally, there’s little doubting what the reaction would be if Liverpool were suddenly to suffer two or three serious injuries if they haven’t strengthened their squad.
Jurgen Klopp doesn’t seem too worried by the situation, insisting that he’d rather get players already at the club to extend their existing contracts than bring in new players. “That’s actually our transfers, these are our transfers,” Klopp said. “I’m pretty sure nobody is interested in it really because, how it is: you have a player, he’s good, you want to keep him, if he signs a new contract then for a few people it means only that he’s a bit more expensive if you want to sell him. It doesn't mean anything.
Jürgen Klopp has been named German Football Manager of the Year.
He is the first manager to win it whilst not coaching in Germany.
Best manager in the world? #LFC pic.twitter.com/QA8yNpntjr
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) July 29, 2019
“In our case it was [that] these are our transfers. These new contracts, keeping these boys here, was a strong, strong signal for the outside world. It’s a wonderful sign, to be honest. I like the fact that these boys are really in a good football age.”
And he’s right, of course – at least up to a point. Since signing Alisson, Liverpool no longer have any obvious weaknesses. Perhaps they could do with additional cover in the centre of defence and with not everybody entirely convinced by Divock Origi, despite his series of important goals last season, another attacking option might be of benefit, but these are not issues demanding immediate solutions.
It’s a young squad as well. Only James Milner, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, and Simon Mignolet are 30 or over – and three of them wouldn’t be considered a first choice for major games. In that sense, there is every logic in making sure players who have already proved themselves capable of playing Klopp’s hard pressing game, who have already been assimilated, feel at home and aren’t about to walk away.
Two new players have come in, the 17-year-old Dutch central defender Sepp van den Berg from PEC Zwolle and the 16-year-old right-sided midfielder Harvey Elliott, who made three appearances for Fulham last season. Neither are likely to play much this season but they can be integrated into the squad presumably with a view to more regular involvement in two or three years’ time. Which is one of the advantages of having a dynasty coach like Klopp, who anticipates still being at Anfield far enough in the future to reap the benefits.
I love Jurgen Klopp and so does every Liverpool fan but it dosent mean hes immune to criticism what was he thinking signing no first team players this summer
— Lee ♤ (@TAA_Leee) July 28, 2019
But there are concerns. Most obviously there is the fact that Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino and Alisson, having been involved in the World Cup last summer and the Cup of Nations or the Copa América this, have essentially not had a break for two years.
To what extent will they be capable of playing at full intensity for a whole season particularly if, as last season, Liverpool end up battling for both the Premier League and the Champions League? None of those five were involved last weekend as Liverpool were well-beaten 3-0 by Napoli in a friendly at Murrayfield.
It’s never wise to read too much into pre-season, when teams are often at different stages of development and have different objectives from the game, but Liverpool’s form has not been good over the summer and with those four players who were involved in continental tournaments coming back to training late there must be concerns about Liverpool’s capacity to get off to a fast start, which will be essential if they are to challenge Manchester City again. Then again, a new signing having to get used to Klopp’s football wouldn’t necessarily solve that.
There is a theory, admittedly one formed long before the modern age of constant turnover, that clubs should sign from a position of strength, when they can dictate terms, improving their squad before weaknesses begun to appear. Set against that, though is the danger of disrupting a mechanism that is running smoothly as it is. And in that regard the age of the squad is probably key: Liverpool at the moment are not a club in any danger of growing old together. This perhaps is a time for consolidation.
