Gerrard claims Liverpool ready for title run
The Merseyside giants are coming off a very solid 2016-17 campaign, and have secured their spot in the Champions League next year. Going into Jurgen Klopps second season at the helm, can the German lead the Reds to a Premier League title?
In the first half of the season, Liverpool looked pretty unstoppable. The Reds weren’t so good in the second half, but were able to clinch a top four finish. It was a successful rookie season for Jurgen Klopp at the helm, as his players echoed his enthusiasm and energy on the pitch throughout the campaign.
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Steven Gerrard, now a coach with the clubs youth academy, shared his thoughts on his former team with BT Sport:
"“I think we’ve got a fantastic manager at the helm who will attract a few big names to complete the jigsaw…So, Liverpool know where they need to improve and it’s consistency against the teams in the bottom half of the table…” -Steven Gerrard"
If anyone has their finger on the pulse of Liverpool’s status and prospects for next year, it’s the living legend himself. Liverpool were the most underrated side of the top six or seven last term, as they became a chopping block for their fellow Premier League giants. The Reds went undefeated against the other big clubs, recording 5 draws and 5 wins.
Manchester United were the only club who didn’t fall to Liverpool in an away fixture at Old Trafford, although Liverpool almost sealed the victory before Zlatan had something to say about it. It seems non-sequitur: Liverpool steamrolls all of the top English clubs, yet struggles mightily against bottom-table clubs and finishes 4th.
The Reds went from red-hot to ice-cold in 2017, collecting only one point in five fixtures in January and the start of February. They struggled with defense all season, conceding a total of 42 goals for the year. That was the most of any club in the top six or seven. As the great Alex Ferguson once said, “attack wins you games, defense wins you titles.”
Liverpool’s attack is in good shape, with Brazilians Phillipe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino leading the charge. Sadio Mane also emerged as a cornerstone in attack, providing 13 goals and 6 assists before his season-ending injury. Like so many other Premier League sides, the Merseyside boys need to tighten up their defense more than anything.
With Nathaniel Clyne and James Milner doing a solid job on the wings, Liverpool desperately need one or two solid center backs. Unfortunately for their supporters, they were unable to complete the signing of Southampton defenseman Virgil van Dijk. Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool brass have their work cut out for them this summer.