It’s now over four years since Jurgen Klopp was appointed Liverpool manager.
It’s now also over four years since Klopp’s first game as Liverpool manager, so join us as we look back at the first XI the German ever put out.
And there’s some good ones…
GK: Simon Mignolet| Mignolet was the seemingly untouchable number one when Klopp arrived, however key mistakes led to him being replaced by Loris Karius, (the less said the better) and consequently Allison Becker.
He left Liverpool last summer following the Champions League triumph, signing for Belgian club, Club Brugge. Still a current Belgian international, his performances this season looked to have secured him a place in their Euro 2020 squad. Until covid-19 happened of course.
However, Alexander-Arnold’s emergence coupled with a number of long-term injuries pushed Clyne down the pecking order. Failing to make an impact on loan at Bournemouth last season, he was subsequently transfer-listed in the summer and it remains to be seen where he will end up.
A regular starter for the German in his first season in charge, Skrtel featured heavily in Liverpool’s run to the Europa League final. Despite signing a new contract the summer prior, Skrtel was sold to Turkish side Fenerbache in the summer of 2016.
Having spent three successful seasons with Fenerbache, the Slovakian now plays for fellow Turkish club Istanbul Basaksehir.
Having earnt a move to Atalanta last summer, Skrtel bizarrely terminated his contract just three weeks after signing, citing ‘adaption issues’ as the reason.
Despite this, due to reported disciplinary issues, the Frenchman was marshalled out of the club in 2017 to fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace. Having made 54 appearances since his move, Sakho has cemented himself as a first-choice defender for the South London outfit.
Perhaps the most catastrophic player – bar Karius – of Klopp’s reign at Liverpool, Alberto Moreno was the first-choice left-back in the German’s first game in charge.
The defensive frailties that were obvious in the Spaniards first season reared a nasty head in the 2015-16 season, culminating in a mistake in the Europa League final against former club Sevilla.
Years of polite ushering out of the club by Klopp culminated in a move to Spanish club Villarreal last summer. Injuries have hampered his return home but both him and Liverpool are no doubt better off following the move.
An ever-present over Klopp’s five-year stint on Merseyside, ‘Miggy’ as the German affectionately calls him, has displayed both his reliability and versatility. Featuring at left-back for the almost entirety of the 2016-17 season and even at centre-back this season against Bournemouth; Milner is no doubt the most underrated player during Klopp’s time at the club.
Something of a cult-hero on Merseyside, Lucas spent 10-years at the club experiencing some of the best football of his career. That was until he moved to Lazio that is.
Player of the Year in his first season, and a stalwart of Lazio’s current title chasing side, the Brazilian has no doubt flourished since moving to Italy.
An enigma. That’s the only word to describe Emre Can.
Coming through the ranks of German giants Bayern Munich, followed by a move to Bayer Leverkusen; Can was in high demand when Liverpool swooped in to sign him on a free in 2015.
Surprisingly one of Klopp’s most used players in his time at the club, Can flattered to deceive in his three-year stint at the club.
The 26-year old moved to Juventus on a free last summer, but due to lack of playing time along with questionable fitness, he returned to Germany with Borussia Dortmund in January.
Arguably one of England’s most technically gifted players in recent years, Lallana finds himself at a crossroads in his career.
A stalwart at the beginning of Klopp’s reign at Liverpool, followed by a serious of hideous injuries pushed Lallana further and further down the pecking order to where he is now; essentially surplus.
Despite working incredibly hard to regain fitness and his place on the bench, Lallana is now below the level of player that Liverpool entertain.
The 31-year old looks set to leave on a free this summer.
One of the most bizarre inclusions of Liverpool’s current side is the Belgian, Divock Origi.
Deemed essentially surplus to requirements in the summer of 2018 but with no offers coming in for him, Origi’s career was stagnating.
However, over the next season the 24-year old became something of an expert in the art of ‘big-game goals’. A last-minute winner in the Merseyside derby, followed by his winner in the Champions League final, perhaps pose more questions than answers as to how Origi has ended up where he is.
I’m not sure even he knows.
Once the standout of Liverpool’s attacking trifold, Coutinho left the club in January 2018 for a supposed ‘dream’ move to Barcelona. However, what followed was nothing short of a full-blown, utterly sleep-depriving nightmare.
Despite a couple of trademark well-taken goals, the Brazilian has struggled since his move to Spain. With Barcelona realizing what a monumental mistake it was to sign him, Coutinho has spent the past two seasons being shopped around Europe with no takers.
The grass isn’t always greener, eh Phillippe.
[Featured image courtesy of wikicommons: Mike Phelan & Jurgen Klopp 2016-09-24.jpg; by Dom Fellowes]
