Jurgen Klopp has pulled Liverpool back into another title race. What can Chelsea expect from a Liverpool that feels wholly separate from the old luggage?
There is a sense of what could have been looking at Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. Chelsea started the 2015/2016 season incredibly poorly. It would have been hard to sack Jose Mourinho so early after a title winning campaign, but Jurgen Klopp was briefly linked before he took over at Liverpool.
Would he have fit in right away at Chelsea? It is hard to tell but it is undeniable that at the time Chelsea had a much stronger squad with greater resources. Had the Blues grown tired of Mourinho’s spiral early enough, they could have brought in Klopp and the last few seasons could have been very different for everyone.
But that is not what happened. Instead, Chelsea stuck to Mourinho through December when enough was enough. Klopp slowly built Liverpool up with the limited (comparative to the other top six) resources available to him. And while many will draw the parallels to Liverpool’s title race in 2013/2014 and all their preceding history, this is very much not-yer-da’s Liverpool.
This Liverpool side is not burdened by the history of the occasion in the same way Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool was. There will be no slip to aid Chelsea to a goal. They will not drop their heads if things are not going their way. Maurizio Sarri has to prepare his side for a team that will grind and fight for the full 90.
Tactically, Klopp’s Liverpool still set up in some variant of a 4-3-3. At times it has been a 4-2-3-1 and at others it has been the 4-3-3 Klopp has mostly stuck with in England but he has been willing to experiment and adapt to find the best starting lineup and shape for his side to succeed.
Whereas last year their attack was about overloading away from Mohamed Salah before playing the Egyptian in, this year they have struck a far more balanced approach. Their counter press, if the opt to use it, will lead to counters where any player can score. It is hard to point out the threats given how many players could potentially start but the simple answer is to say they will have at least five players capable of scoring on any counter.
Defensively, Liverpool has two modes of operation. The first is the high line aggressive gegenpressing that Klopp made a name for himself with. The second is a more reserved type of press where the aim is to soak up pressure, force the ball wide, press, and counter with speed.
Klopp used both of these defensive styles last season, but this season he has been able to have his side swap between the two on the fly. To do so requires a great deal of understanding and Klopp’s greatest success this season is that he can do it with almost any player on the pitch.
All that being said, Chelsea can control the game in their own fashion depending on how Sarri sets the side up. If the Blues stick to their usual plan of pressing high and controlling possession, they can pin Liverpool back. The cost of that will be Chelsea’s greatest weakness, counters, being readily available.
Another option is for Sarri to drop the defensive line and change the block from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 as he did against Manchester City and Tottenham last month. That will give Liverpool little room and space to counter while also giving it to Chelsea. The only problem is getting through the press which will likely become aggressive and through Virgil van Dijk who is having the season of his life.
This game is, quite frankly, nearly impossible to call. Every result seems as likely as another. This will be a hard slog against Liverpool’s mental fortitude this season as they chase Manchester City for the title. Sarri will need to not only get his tactics spot on but he will need to ensure that the mentality of the squad is as locked on as ever.
The world is pinning their hopes on Chelsea to stop Liverpool once again. But again, this is not Rodgers’ Liverpool and it is certainly not-yer-da’s Liverpool either. This is a Liverpool side that not only believes they can win the title but has the tools to do so this time around. Prepare for either the game of the season or one of the hardest and longest slogs of the season.