Jurgen Klopp’s lack of ruthlessness and Dortmund parallels

Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp is one of the best managers in the world based on reputation alone, but this season his team have struggled at an alarming rate. Since Klopp took charge in 2016, Liverpool began on a gradual upward trajectory which lasted right up until the end of last season when the Reds were in the hunt for all four trophies available.

Lack of much-needed reinforcements

Following Sadio Mane’s departure in the summer Klopp had a big void to fill, in addition to an ageing midfield that was certainly lacking freshness. The German coach brought in a number of exciting options in defence and attack but reinforcements were not signed in midfield and the club have paid the price. In the Premier League betting the Reds find themselves well out of the title race as they are priced at 300/1 to miraculously achieve their 20th league victory after teams lower down the league have commonly taken points off Klopp’s side this season. The sports bet calculator is a tool that allows you to see exactly how much you could win if your prediction comes true, so placing £5 on the Reds to win the title would return £1505.

Liverpool had just 28 points after 18 games played which left them in ninth position, and they will now face an uphill battle to finish in the top-four positions. The midfield has been the root cause of many of the problems this season for the Reds.

Jurgen Klopp confirms he’s has no plan to leave Liverpool: “If nobody tells me to go, I will not leave — so that means maybe there is a point where we have to change other stuff” 🔴 #LFC

Liverpool never considered to sack Klopp — they’re planning for present and future with him. pic.twitter.com/5BSfcL2Ndb

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 16, 2023

Klopp has been incredibly loyal to his players in times when a number of players were underperforming, many influential players have either not been dropped due to a lack of ruthlessness, or because the team lack quality depth in the midfield department. At Borussia Dortmund, Klopp had similar drawbacks in his inability to move players on once they were past their best. Klopp has built two huge clubs in his own vision but rebuilding is something he has not managed yet.

Dortmund similarities

Similarly to Klopp’s Liverpool, Dortmund were known for their high intensity that allowed teams little time on the ball. At Dortmund, the German coach did not manage to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy, but he did take the club to the final against the odds where they lost to Bayern Munich in an all-German final in 2013. However, the starkest comparisons between Klopp’s time at both clubs relate to the pathway to success and then decline that he has taken. He took two teams who had little hope of making an impact on the European stage and made them some of the most feared teams in Europe, before failing to freshen the overall squad over several years which led to an eventual collapse.

ℹ️❗️𝙉𝙀𝙒: (@DominicKing_DM)

Jurgen Klopp has vowed there will be a summer of change at Liverpool. pic.twitter.com/DuoIqN3A8Y

— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) January 16, 2023

Loyalty to certain players was also shown at Dortmund. Going into his final season, Klopp relied on the likes of Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus to be starting players despite their ongoing injury issues. It could be argued that Klopp likes to maintain a small squad in order to give everybody playing time, but this is again a show of his lack of ruthlessness. Dortmund finished seventh that season as a number of players underperformed and the club suffered many injuries, but Klopp still has time to turn around the current season for the reds and dictate the narrative away from his Dortmund days.

From here on out, Klopp must look beyond his relationships with certain players and take no risks in pursuing further success for Liverpool. His Dortmund departure was unfortunate, but at Liverpool, he can ensure things are different and that he can leave on a high in the future.