Appreciating Liverpool's Greatness

Liverpool have climbed to the top of world football. Through excellent recruitment, coaching and creating an environment of togetherness and the mentality of winning, this team has risen to the top. 

After 30 years of waiting, after months of postponement due to a global pandemic, Liverpool will finally win the Premier League in the coming weeks. A historic achievement. The key question is, could this be the best team we’ve ever seen in the Premier League?

Back in October 2015, when Klopp was hired as Liverpool's new manager, I wrote an article on his appointment and asked the question “Can Klopp bring success to Anfield?”.  His influence as a coach and a personality was certainly going to help Liverpool become better. He had proven himself at Dortmund with less resources. But I wasn’t so sure. I felt there were better teams in the league. I wasn’t convinced, because this was what I had come to expect of Liverpool. 

As a guy born in the mid-80’s, as a Villa fan, I wasn't brought up in the Liverpool era. I lived in a period of English football where Man United dominated. And so Liverpool for me had always seemed a challenger, not a champion. A great history but who now were a flawed team, one which promised a lot yet never really delivered. The 2000’s felt like a team on the rise, winning trophies and bringing through top talent like Owen and Gerrard. However, the league always seemed out of their reach. Even when they seemed in the driving seat they messed it up. 

I can’t imagine how hard it’s been for Liverpool fans going through each season with the feeling of anticipation, excitement and ultimate disappointment. However, bringing in Klopp seemed significant. This was one of the world’s best coaches. He had won leagues, taken his team to a Champions League final. He was a winner. And a that’s what Liverpool needed.

A need to re-build

It had seemed so close under Rodgers, playing some excellent attacking football, with the best player in the league in Luis Suarez. And then they blew it! Suarez departed, Gerrard had given all he could, the wheels felt like they had come off. What next? A team that seemed to promise so much now looked in need of a whole turnover. Their top young talent Sterling sold to City. Sturridge's continual injury issues. Where were they going? Klopp needed a squad overhaul. 

In his first game he chose this team. 

17th Oct 2015. Liverpool’s starting XI v Spurs: 
Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno, Leiva, Can, Milner, Lallana (replaced by Allen), Coutinho (replaced by Ibe), Origi

Subs: Toure, Allen, Ibe, Bogdan, Sinclair, Vilaca Teixeira, Randall

Just looking at this squad and it's not the best. It's ok. But to say it is a new team since then is an understatement. Not many of this bunch have survived! 

What we have seen at Liverpool since Klopp arrived is a significant overhaul of the team, and of the club as a whole. This hasn’t just been a fantastic piece of work from a coaching perspective. Although what Klopp and also Linjders have achieved and developed is extraordinary. This is about a whole organisation working together to put in place a complete machine working towards producing the best performing team on the pitch. Coaching, recruitment, data and analytics, sports science. This is a winning organisation. 

Recruitment is the foundation to success

For me the key to a successful team is recruitment. Then the pieces fall in after this. The right players are bought and the coaches and staff then have the role of developing the environment and creating a philosophy and game model which the players can embrace and succeed from. And from a recruitment perspective, what Michael Edwards, the clubs Sporting Director has achieved, is simply remarkable. 

Edwards came to the club in 2011 with Damien Commoli and worked his up to become the clubs first sporting director. And it is clear that his influence and ability to target players through data and analytics has helped Liverpool recruit some excellent talent, often at fantastic value. Fenway Sports Group are famed for their pursuit of succeeding with analytics in their time at the Boston Red Sox and they have brought this approach to Anfield. And it has reaped the rewards. A joined up approach of board, recruitment and coaching has meant that the transfer policy of the club has become almost a guarantee of success. 

In this article from Paul Gorst in the Liverpool Echo, Ian Graham, director of research is interviewed. They look into what the recruitment department looks at. And it's an excellent insight. 

Graham says, "We get data on every ball touch that every player makes in a game, where it was on the pitch, and what happened next. We can see where all of the players are, at 25 frames per second. It’s done with optical tracking. The same technology that is used for missile-tracking. The thing that I’m really obsessed about is the risk-reward payoff of passes. So, some of the best passers in the game have some of the lowest pass-completion percentages in the game. And that’s because the risk-reward payoff is very, very skewed in soccer or football. And the passes I really love are the passes that go in behind the opposition defence, that take four or five defenders out of the game. Those passes are really hard to make. But someone who gets those passes correct half the time would be a world-class attacking midfielder. So you’ve got the traditional methods of scouting, some newer methods of video scouting, the coaches and the manager have to be on board and enthusiastic about the player. My role is the data-analysis side of analyzing football, which is the newer side."

Graham's work was believed to have been integral in helping identify both Naby Keita and Salah as players Klopp should be targeting, while the numbers found in Andy Robertson's data made his signing something of a no-brainer for a club who needed a left-back in the summer of 2017.

This is an example of a department and club using data and analytics to achieve their aims. To assess what they need and use the data to help and guide them. Not just looking at the numbers but assessing which numbers are relevant to what the team needs. And it is proving a massive success. 

Recruitment must align with the coaching and environment, because if it doesn't then you don't get the seamless transition and ability to utilise the talent set you recruited into your team. This felt like what happened when Commoli recruited for Dalglish, it didn't work effectively because they looked at the numbers but didn't account for the players personality, adaptability and durability. As well as the style of the team. So many of those recruited struggled to replicate the numbers and performances they'd produced before, because they weren't utilised the same. Jordan Henderson is the only one who has managed to find a way to adapt and succeed at Anfield, adjusting his position and influence on the team. A great example of perseverance, dedication and adaptaiblity. The type of character traits which successful teams need. 

Recruitment has to be done with purpose. And it's perhaps why so many teams who recruit players based on reputation or name, struggle to get performances from them. They haven't assessed if this person is the right fit. 

Another key element of assessing a player is their availability and fitness. Klopp's style, which has perhaps become less intense in terms of a pressing and counter attacking style in the past 18 months, is still very demanding. It needs players who are capable of dealing with these demands and not breaking down. Which initially players were doing in Klopp's early days. Which is why the need for sports science, pre-hab and post game re-hab are so important. You need your players on the pitch, able to perform at their best. Which is why improving players durability and limiting their injuries, is so key in the game. Bringing in players who have experienced injury issues may not help keep them on the pitch and help the team. So your investment is wasted. It is why a sports science/physio team is so key also - in order to help keep players fit. 

Cultural development

Klopp sought to develop the culture of the team early on. The famous hands together salute to the Kop was mocked initially, but it was done with the purpose of developing a bond with the fans and team. Bringing the two together, to achieve and be in it together. If the fans had lost an element of bond with the team in recent years, especially under Benitez and the issue with ownership, then Klopp wanted to bring them back on board. Klopp is fantastic at understanding this, knowing how important the fans are, how important atmosphere is, to create a cauldron of noise, intimidation and togetherness. 

This fear was evident in the Champions League quarter final with Man City in 2018 where the fans created an atmosphere of intimidation and energy both before and during the match which actually put fear into City. This gave the team more energy. Leading to a 3-0 win. It was a fantastic example of energy and work rate which Klopp’s team are synonymous with. 

It was a long term development approach. Building over time. Adding key parts. Developing the togetherness  the trust and the mentality of never quitting. The Europa League game against Dortmund in 2018 was evidence of this. 2-0 down at half time, and a 4-3 win in the final moments. Mentality. What winners do. Finding a way to win. Never say quit. 

Down 3-0 to Barca from the 1st leg, they win 4-0 and go on to win the Champions League. An incredible night. The fans, the atmosphere, the belief and the ability to make it happen! That night was the catalyst for the season we have seen this year. This unquestionable belief that they can't be beaten. It not only became their mentality, but the opposition. The fear has been instilled. Like United under Ferguson. Teams know they've lost before the even kick off. 

This has become the mark of this team now. No matter what it seems they will find a way. In the last moments you believe they will win. They have developed their Championship mentality. 

Tactical development

In his time from taking on this club he has moulded the team in his image. He has created the type of energy which he craves. Yet this has been different from the Dortmund side which we became accustomed to. Whereas the importance of gegenpressing have continued to be important, while the speed of counter attacking has remained a part of the style of Klopp’s team, there is certainly a progression and evolution of the style. One which has made Liverpool the most complete, versatile and dominant team in the game today. 

We talk about recruitment of talent and this applies to Pep Lijnders. Recruited from Porto to the Academy he was seen as one of the best coaches around and has been a key figure within Liverpool's development programme for several years now. He was progressed to the 1st team with Rodgers and has become Klopp's right hand man, coinciding with Liverpool's progression to the best team in world football. Coincidence? Lijnders is the coach who works with the players on the pitch, he is the brains of the coaching. And under his work Liverpool have become even better.

They have progressed from the high energy, high pressing side to a hybrid team which is capable of using any style to achieve their ambitions. There has been a massive improvement in their ability to control games and dominate possession, building attacks with more patience, yet they also have increased their direct style, in terms of playing more balls in behind. This has proven to be a great tactic, and an area of the game which many coaches have seemingly neglected regarding it as 'old school' or old fashioned direct play. But Liverpool are proving it is very effective and beneficial. With the speed and intelligence of their forwards and wing backs, they are able to penetrate defences with defence splitting passes over the top. The game at Anfield versus Everton this season was evidence of how effective they are with this tactic and Everton were ripped apart.

What I love about Liverpool and what the coaching staff have done, is evolve them into a machine which can provide nearly any attacking threat to defeat the opposition. And this is a deadly tactic. They are not stuck to one way of playing, they can do it all. And because of this opponents can't defend them without giving up something in return. If they defend compact they can be exploited in wide areas, back three defences mean 3v3 against the best forward line in the game. Press them high and they can go over the top. Defend deep and they can dominate and play in the opponents half with large numbers. They are effective from set pieces with the quality of delivery from Trent and the dominance of Van Dijk. And the option to counter attack at speed is always a threat!

Dealing with loss - being stronger 
These tactical improvements have coincided with the loss of key members of the team and staff. In loss Liverpool actually got better.

When Liverpool lost Coutinho to Barca it seemed like a statement that they couldn't keep their best players. Yes they made a significant amount of profit on a player they had bought for £12m. Which was excellent business. Yet the question was could they still be competitive without him? Well, the truth was that they got better in his absence. They improved their quality, effectiveness, changed how they played and attacked and was better for it. They were better without him. This shows an ability to adapt, react and deal with adversity or loss.

The same was true with Zeljko Buvac when he left his role as assistant. The man regarded as the brain's to Klopp's style and therefore a key part of his success. Could Klopp deal with his loss? Well, he made Pep Linjders his assistant, and Liverpool got better. 

Developing good to world class

We have become normalised to the quality of this Liverpool team, but this re-build, this revolution of the Klopp/Edwards era is evident of a strategy which has recruited the finest talent around, not necessarily ‘world class’ talents, but players who had the potential to become world class. When you look at the list you see players who have come in, you see that many don't come from the biggest clubs. They have recruited on potential. They’ve recruited on what the team needs and found the right players, with the right mentality and fitness to fill the necessary gaps.

Some of these players were considered bargains, other considered over-priced. But what is certain – that of this list all the players have developed and improved. All have become integral to the teams success. They have fitted in perfectly. Have become the best in the game. And this is the brilliance of the work which Liverpool have done with building this team. A great example of finding the right talent and then nurturing them, developing them, educating them and with a team with the right mentality and drive, have pushed them above their levels. 

The team which won the Champions League last season was a very different team to the one which Klopp had inherited on his first game against Spurs in 2015. 

2019 Champions League final. Line up versus Spurs, 
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mané. 
Substitutes: Mignolet, Lovren, Milner, Gomez, Sturridge, Moreno, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Shaqiri, Brewster, Origi, Kelleher

List of starting XI from the final, where they came from, how much and how bloody good they've become!

Alisson – signed from Roma for £75m

Has become one of the best goalkeepers in the world and has been a key, if not the key, to Liverpool going from good to great. A phenenomal keeper who makes key saves and always shows excellent positioning and poise. Has brought stability to a strong defence and at times look unbeatable. A world class keeper is worth his weight in gold. You simply cannot go cheap or average with this key position. It's no surprise Liverpool have moved to a new level with him in the team. 

Alexander-Arnold – Academy product

Wow! What a player. Local lad, developed through the Academy as a central midfielder. Models himself on Gerrard. An opportunity to break into the team was given to him at right back. He embraced it and as they say the rest is history. Has grown into the wing back role and rivals Dani Alves as one of the best wing backs the game has seen. His playmaking ability from wide areas has become exceptional, a creator who has a crossing ability and vision which is up there with Beckham and De Bruyne. A fantastic talent and still so young. And an edge about him which makes him tenacious and determined. Phenomenal! 

Robertson – Hull £7m

Seen as an absolute again now, a shrewd move yet no guarantee he could cut it at Liverpool. Struggled at first but overcame those concerns and has proved any of those doubts very wrong. Has thrived within this team and in their system. His energy and drive to get forward, his crossing ability and his overall tenacity has taken him to the top of the best left wing backs in the game right now. Another example of seeing potential, of the talent being developed within the environment and with the right mentality and fitness has thrived from there. 

Matip – Schalke free

An underrated part of this Liverpool side, a very good ball handler, comes out with the ball very well and has improved with van Dijk next to him. Signed on a free he is another fantastic piece of business.

Van Dijk – Southampton £75m

Arguably the most important addition. While Allison has been key to the team being more secure, van Dijk has brought a level leadership, poise and overall quality which has transformed Liverpool from a team who seemed vulnerable defensively into a powerhouse of defensive might and strength. Van Dijk is one of the most complete defenders we have seen, and like many who have arrived at Anfield, has improved further since arriving. His positioning, awareness and defensive quality are exceptional, he just seems so dominant and never looks caught out. Added to that is his passing ability which has allowed Liverpool to provide so many weapons and options when building from the back. And a big threat from set pieces. Just awesome! 

Henderson – Sunderland £20m

A fantastic example of a player who has proved doubters wrong and who has emerged as a leader and captain. The energy and leader of the team and the guy that does whatever job needed to help the team. The way this midfield works is to work hard for the team to make sure the forwards are supplied and supported, and no-one does that job better than Henderson. A great leader who deserves the praise for the transformation he has achieved at Anfield. 

Fabinho – Monaco £40m

Another fantastic acquisition who allows the team to play with attacking wing backs based on the quality of his holding midfield work and awareness. Sometimes dropping in to a back three or playing in midfield, he has shown a quality in terms of his tackling and interceptions, while being able to retain and control the game with his possession. Another piece to the team which has been upgraded and thus made Liverpool even better. 

Wijnaldum – Newcastle £25m

One of my favourite players in the game, a player who can play in nearly every position and who has the skill-set to provide the team with what is needed in certain situations. I think Wijnaldum’s energy and teamwork is not given enough credit yet the proof is clear that he is a vital part of the teams success. He also has shown a willingness to do what is needed for the team, and adapts accordingly to play for the team. 

Salah – Roma £35m

The committee who were deciding which player was needed for their attack ultimately decided that Salah was the one. And what a choice they made. He has been a revelation. And while perhaps frustrating at times, that sometimes his decision making isn’t always perfect, what he provides the team is clear. Salah has found a team that has propelled him from good to great. His time at Roma was evident that he thrived as a forward when given an important role in the team, something he was denied at Chelsea. And he just hit the ground running at Liverpool by becoming a goal machine. Anyone questioning Salah needs to seriously consider how they view football. 

Firmino – Hoffenheim £29m

A player bought under Rogers but one which has excelled under Klopp. Argubaly the most dynamic piece of this team, an incredibly intelligent fluid forward who links the play superbly, and drifts between positions offering space for others. His creativity and ingenuity are fantastic. He has embraced the role Klopp has provided him, a type of false nine who mixes between a target man, creator and goalscorer and is again proof of the recruitment strategy of finding the right type of individual; intelligent, creative and coachable. As good as an example of a modern centre forward as there is. 

Mané – Southampton £30m

Probably the best forward in world football the past 18 months. Mane was a good player yet I was unsure he could provide the level of consistency and quality which a top club required. How wrong I was! Mané has gone to world class levels, proving to be a fantastic player who often is the player who is the difference. His skill level, energy and again intelligence has made it almost impossible to defend at times. A player who I feel deserved the Ballon D’or last year.

Special mention;

Joe Gomez – Charlton £3.5m

Gomez is on the road to becoming England’s best defender, if not there already. Learning from van Dijk is of course going to help and he has thrived next to him. At the end of January his record showed that after the previous 35 games played, the team had only conceded 8 goals. It’s clear that he compliments the other pieces around and makes Liverpool even stronger defensively. Another bargain! 

James Milner – from Man City free

Special mention to one of my favourite players. A player who has proven to be extremely reliable and capable of doing any role asked of him, because of this fantastic work ethic, fitness, intelligence and leadership. For me a key leader in this team who does what is needed when required to help the team. Just love Milner!

Oxlade-Chamberlain – from Arsenal £25m

A player who promised so much as a kid, who perhaps lost his way at Arsenal, has shown more at Liverpool than he ever did at Arsenal. The only problem is injuries – and in contrast to what many of Liverpool’s have proven – their ability to be available, free from injury – the Ox has suffered from injury at Anfield. But it’s clear that he has thrived under this team and management and with his energy, speed and quality he can provide so much. 

Origi – Lille £10m

Special mention to a player who while struggles to break into starting XI has proven to be a great option when needed. Scores important goals in important games. A sign of his mentality. 

Naby Keita – Leipzig £48m

Keita has shown flashes of the form he brought at Leipzig yet has so far underwhelmed on what he could have brought. Yet this is an example of how Klopp has integrated his new talents into the team. It is not necessary to rush the process, or force a player in, he gives them time to adapt, to gradually work their way in. So before too many write off Keita, let's see how he does next season. Because it may just be that he proves to be a revelation.

So, the best ever?

So the big question is, are Liverpool the best Premier League team ever? Who's on the list?
United's 99 team. Arsenal's 2002 and Invincible's team. Chelsea's 2005/06 side. Man City's 2017/18 100 point, 106 goal record scoring side. Liverpool are in the discussion, but are they the best?

Had they went unbeaten they would have been the best. That's gone now. Had they won the Champions League this season, that would have helped their cause. There's also an argument to say that Liverpool haven't actually played that well this season, they played better last year. Yet City were just a bit better. That title run-in was great entertainment. It was theatre, every game mattered, no mistakes were allowed. And City just sneaked it.

There's been no competition this time though. This season they've been ruthless, efficient and won games which they have drawn before. The gap between 1st and 2nd is simply ridiculous. They've blown all competitors out of the water and their road to become winners.
If they win all their games and finish with 109 points then it's without question that this is the best team we've ever seen in the Premier League. It would mean they'd won 36 games, and just drawn 1 and lost 1. This is pure dominance!

We have witnessed the growth and evolution of Liverpool from challengers to the best. They'e climbed the mountain and reached the peak. They've done it due to world class recruitment and coaching. Their organisation has delivered in all areas to produce a winning side. Klopp was the catalyst to develop the culture and environment, Linjders has shown his coaching excellence and Edwards skill-set has found and recruited the best talent to fit the needs of the team. FSG have done a great job of investing smartly and trusted their staff.

We marvel at the Chicago Bulls documentary and Michael Jordan’s greatness. But what was key to the success ultimately? A fantastic team building job, of putting the right pieces into the team to make it a success. That’s what Liverpool have achieved. And in a world of vast money and overpriced duds, Liverpool are showing what can be achieved when all the pieces of the organisation align and work together. 

It is a shame that the pandemic has taken the gloss of this season, that some talk of this season being an asterisk. No, no, no! The only thing which take away from the season for Liverpool is the lack of fans being able to celebrate in the streets, that so many will be denied celebrating 30 years of frustration and disappointment. But the title is theirs, finally. And you can't take that away from them.

The question now is, can this become a dynasty? Can Liverpool and Klopp take this club back to the top of domestic and world football for a number of years. This will be the challenge now. The challenge of evolving the squad, adding the necessary pieces, dealing with the loss of key players through injury or being sold. Liverpool right now are at their absolute peak. Question is, can they stay there?

The Whitehouse Address @TheWAddress