Jurgen Klopp might be the next manager to be axed in the Premier League following Liverpool’s shocking 4-1 loss to Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday night, September 7, 2022.
Before the kick-off of the game, the odds were 66/1, but they dropped to just 12/1 after the Reds’ dreadful night in Naples, as they fell 4-0 after just 47 minutes.
A lackluster Liverpool team was defeated by goals from Andre Zambo Anguissa, Giovanni Simeone, and Piotr Zielinski, who also scored twice, to the jubilation of the home crowd at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Early in the second half, Luiz Diaz restored parity for the visitors, although it was merely a consolation.
Victor Osimhen’s 18th-minute penalty was saved by Alisson, and Virgil van Dijk, who had been singled out for criticism by former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy, made a goal-line block to spare Klopp’s team further humiliation.
The outcome adds to Liverpool’s rocky start to the Premier League season, which has already seen them fall six points behind league-leading Arsenal after losses to rivals Manchester United and draws with Fulham, Crystal Palace, and neighbors Everton in recent weeks.
Following the firing of his fellow countryman Thomas Tuchel just hours after Chelsea’s shocking 1-0 loss to Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League opener on Tuesday, pressure appears to be mounting on Klopp.
However, there has been a range of responses online to the rising unpredictability around Klopp’s future.
Recall that about 18 months ago when Liverpool went six straight home games without scoring and it was attributed to a few injured center backs?
Now they are lucky to get away with conceding only 4 at Napoli with a first-choice defensive line. Will Henderson’s injury or Mane’s loss in the summer be blamed for this now?
As far as they can go, Klopp’s team is exhausted. Although it’s been a successful run, he’s made all the lemonade possible.
The legacy players for Liverpool appear to have suffered under Jurgen Klopp’s five or more years as manager. The dismissal of Thomas Tuchel serves as a reminder of the harsh, vulnerable nature of football administration. Everyone is susceptible.
As far as they can go, Klopp’s team is exhausted. Although it’s been a successful run, he’s made all the lemonade possible.
The legacy players for Liverpool appear to have suffered under Jurgen Klopp’s five or more years as manager. The dismissal of Thomas Tuchel serves as a reminder of the harsh, vulnerable nature of football administration. Everyone is susceptible.
The caveats are harder to find now than they were at the beginning of 2021 when Liverpool dropped eight of 12 Premier League matches. Although not to the same level, there are injuries. They were never as humiliated and beaten during that journey as they were in Naples.
Like any elite manager, Klopp’s approach demands complete dedication. Liverpool lacks both the appearance of control and persistent pressure on the ball, which are prerequisites for the high line to be effective.
Although the defense is appalling, other factors are also having a hard time. It is difficult if one team member isn’t contributing; with so few Liverpool players contributing, Klopp’s brand of football is proving to be impossible.
And on a day when Chelsea, who are ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League and haven’t fallen as far this season as the Reds, fired Thomas Tuchel, we are reminded of the harsh and delicate nature of football management.
Todd Boehly, the owner of Chelsea, made his decision without any consideration for Tuchel’s past accomplishments or his commitment. It was harsh, but that’s football, as we are regularly reminded, not just today but every day.
And if FSG only considers this season and ignores all that Klopp has done for their football team, the German coach may find himself in hot water by Thursday afternoon.
The Liverpool players have a humorous way of expressing their desire for Klopp to stay. Either that, or they lack the stamina to commit to his strategies.
They appear to be at their breaking point. The fact that Harvey Elliott and Luis Diaz have been the standout performers this season—the latter of whom had a thunderous header saved—is undoubtedly no coincidence.
The legacy players don’t have much left in them because the remainder of the starting XI has played under Klopp for at least five years.
They seem to be paying the Klopp tax, which adds a few years to each player’s age as a result of their perseverance and success, but also as a result of having to endure season after season of nonstop heavy metal music.
They may have reached their breaking point.
