Klopp’s progress at Reds under scrutiny
Liverpool, Sept. 12: When Jurgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool in October 2015, he made a promise: “If we sit here in four years, I think we (will) win one title,” he said.
Next month will mark the second anniversary of Klopp’s appointment, the halfway point of that fouryear cycle.
There has undoubtedly been progress in that time; a team who were 10th in the Premier League when he arrived finished fourth last season.
Whether they are significantly closer to winning a major trophy is more open to debate.
Liverpool reached two finals in Klopp’s first seven months as manager, losing on penalties to Manchester City in the League Cup at Wembley, and suffering a more decisive 3-1 defeat by Sevilla in the Europa League in Basel.
Expectations at Anfield are high now, but Liverpool look far from a complete team as they prepare to face Sevilla once more, this time in the Champions League.
Eduardo Berizzo arrived as coach in Sevilla in May from Celta Vigo and has spent heavily, bringing in Colombian forward Luis Muriel from Sampdoria and Nolito from Manchester City to supplement last season’s top scorer Wissam Ben Yedder.
Midfielder Ever Benega has returned from Inter Milan, with departing centre-back Adil Rami replaced by Dane Simon Kjaer.
The creativity of Pablo Sarabia and Joaquin Correa remained, helping Sevilla make a strong start in La Liga, garnering seven points from three matches. Frustrated by a series of miserable experiences at Wembley, Tottenham Hotspur host Borussia Dortmund in London desperate to finally vanquish the ghosts that haunt them at the national stadium.
The north London club have been forced to relocate to Wembley while White Hart Lane is being rebuilt.
But Spurs have now played 12 matches at Wembley since the famous old arena was revamped — winning just twice and suffering eight defeats. Pep Guardiola’s rampant Manchester City will be keen to keep the momentum going as they open the hunt for Champions League glory against a diminished Feyenoord in Rotterdam.