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The Reds boss had previously claimed that he would not splash money to win trophies, but he did so precisely in the last seven months
. His reputation is that of an attack-minded manager, a man known for gegenpressing and "heavy metal football". You score two points and we score three.
Jurgen Klopp, however, always knew how to recognize the value of a solid defense.
He is approaching three years as the German with a smile as wide as the Mersey Tunnel more like the boss of Liverpool. His first press conference at Anfield was memorable, a huge media event with several standout lines.
Klopp himself described himself as "The Normal One", of course, he was talking about carrying the story in a backpack and "restarting" a club that was going on. was unfortunately run away under his predecessor. buried among these first words came another insight into the state of mind of German, which is as relevant today as it was then.
"Everyone is talking about ball possession," Klopp told reporters in October 2015. "But we have a plan for when we have the ball and when we do not have it.
"You can not just think of offensive things – you have to feel stability, when you feel that, you are free of creativity and that's how football works."
Liverpool was "free of creativity" Of course, but their search for "stability" has been long, and a hope of Klopp could be completed very soon.
In January, the Reds broke the world transfer record for a defenseman. m) sign Virgil van Dijk of Southampton
Six and a half months later, they are about to do the same for a goalkeeper, accepting a £ 66m ($ 86m) fee with Roma for the Brazilian international Alisson. Becker
They also, it should be noted, paid about £ 90m ($ 117m) to sign two midfielders, to Naby Keita and Fabinho, who bring significant defensive capacity to the table.
They argue that Klopp believes that Liverpool will target their main targets – P The success of the first league and the European glory.
Suddenly, the Reds have a side that seems to be able to go after the big prices. Suddenly, they have a team strewn with footballers of high quality and high price. Suddenly, if Alisson signs, they have their strongest spine in years.
Rival fans, of course, can point to another quote from Klopp. One of July 2016, when Manchester United was about to pay a record fee for Paul Pogba.
"Other clubs can spend more money and collect the best players, yes," he said. "But if you bring a player for £ 100m or whatever, and that's hurting himself, then everything goes up the chimney."
"Do I have to do it differently?" In fact, I want to do it differently, I would do it differently if I could spend that money, the day it was football I did not more work. "
Bizarre Perhaps – Jose Mourinho's certainly remembered these comments and used them against Klopp since – but maybe that the truth is that Liverpool realizes that even if "doing differently" can take you so far, to fill that gap, the vital gap requires more.
It takes money. , unfortunately, is football.
In their 2014 book "The Numbers Game", authors Chris Anderson and David Sally used data to examine and challenge a series of common myths surrounding their game. of their main findings was that it was statistically more useful to prevent an object if only to score one.
Goalkeepers and defensive players, they argued, had long been underestimated in the transfer market, with clubs often sparing big fees (and high salaries) for their headlines.
The signing of Van Dijk and the proposed Alisson agreement suggests that things are changing. Other clubs – Manchester City, for example – have shown a willingness to spend a lot on defenders, while N & # 39; Golo Kante would have required a hefty sum had he left Chelsea this summer.
Another argument presented in The Numbers Game, and what certainly applies to the Alisson movement, is that football is a weak sport, a game defined more by the quality of the worst player in the game. 39, a team only by its best.
Liverpool fans understand him better than others. Back in May and the final of the Champions League in Kiev. Or at the opening day of the last Premier League campaign in Watford if you prefer. In fact, try the final of the 2016 Europa League.
What was Liverpool and what do they need to add if they want to bridge the gap that separates them? of their competitors?
Maybe a new left-back? A dominant and vocal center-back for sure. A little presence and dynamism in the midfield? How about the depth on the bench, a pedigree striker who can dive in and out of the team when needed, allowing the bright club players to rest and spin?
Oh, and a goalkeeper. Obviously, a goalkeeper.
Gradually in the last 12 months, Liverpool has sought to solve each of these problems.
They improved Alberto Moreno to Andy Robertson, they spent big on Van Dijk, they bought legs and quality in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabinho and Keita. Xherdan Shaqiri, at 13 million pounds sterling, is also a "rotation player" as they can hope.
And now, if things go to plan, they have their last piece. Alisson, at 25, is a goalkeeper for the present and the future. He is the number 1 Brazilian, a player with high level national and European experience to his credit.
Crucial, he is a problem solver; The weak link of Liverpool was exposed in Kiev, they simply had to try to repair it this summer.
They could not get into the season with Loris Karius as number 1, a problem aggravated by the unfortunate pre-season accidents of the German Simon Mignolet lost Klopp's faith some time ago and suggestions from Danny Ward. the promotion has always seemed fanciful. He needed a surgery. Costly Surgery
Like Van Dijk, Alisson was "the only one" until Klopp and his recruiting team headed by football director Michael Edwards. Like Van Dijk, Liverpool is willing to spend a lot of money to get it.
And like Van Dijk, Alisson will come under tremendous pressure if the deal is concluded. With a lot of money come great expectations. There will be many people to convince, inside and outside Liverpool.
Van Dijk did it quickly – who is talking about the price tag of the Dutch now? – and the likes of Robertson, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mohamed Salah have shown that Liverpool is more right than wrong in the transfer market these days.
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The case of the Reds under Klopp was, overall, excellent. Enough to get them a trophy? That's the next challenge.
For the moment, however, it is difficult to argue with what Liverpool does. They remove doubts, eliminating weaknesses, one by one.
Premier League contenders? They must be.
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