Sadio Mané sends message to Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool and FSG hand over recovery plan

Sadio Mané could provide the answer to Liverpool’s current struggles. FSG and Jurgen Klopp should heed his message as the rebuilding continues.

Football is similar to chess in many ways. You have to move the right pieces at the right time. Short-term gains can often backfire and you should always look at the big picture. Sometimes you can take one step back to take two steps forward.

This is probably the strategy Liverpool have adopted this season. After coming closer to a quadruple win than any other English side last season, Jurgen Klopp’s side have seen several big changes over the summer.

Diehards like Divock Origi and Sadio Mané were moved on, while new guns like Darwin Núñez were brought in to fill the void that had been left behind.

Klopp knows that his team is not getting any younger and that football still works in cycles. If you don’t cool off sooner or later, you’ll be out of breath. The ravages of time and the wear and tear of the body will always catch up with professional athletes: it is the fallibility of human nature.

But still, this is a unique project tackled by Liverpool as the last attack built by Klopp was gradually put together. In 12 eventful months, the FSG did not commit almost all attackers at once, but integrated them year after year.

Roberto Firmino was first put into the puzzle and turned into a striker after Klopp took over in his first year. Then, in his second year, Mané came on, marking the manager’s first major foray into the transfer market. He was allowed to join Firmino and move to Anfield before Mohamed Salah completed the puzzle the following season and formed one of the most feared attacking trios in world football at the time.

It took almost three years for Klopp to build this impressive attack. But now, within a year, he has been given the same responsibility. Since January last year, Liverpool have signed Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo and the aforementioned Núñez. The expectation was that they would all take off immediately. But perhaps many have forgotten that that wasn’t necessarily the case with Liverpool’s front line. Salah may have started his career at Liverpool on fire, but he moved into a forward line where two-thirds of Klopp’s components were already settled and integrated into the system, so it was easier for the Egyptian to find the d support of him. The injured Díaz and the brand new Núñez can hardly fill the role of Firmino and Mané for the Gakpo.

At the moment, Liverpool are asking their three new forwards to not only get used to the Liverpool system, but also to learn how to play with each other, and that will always take time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the saying goes. Liverpool are not the only example of this. See how long it took Mikel Arteta to bring out the best in Arsenal

Liverpool are currently in a state of upheaval in almost every department and the fruits are slow to ripen. It may take a few seasons, or maybe it will work sooner. There is no precedent for such sweeping changes and overhauls at Anfield. But sooner or later, with a little patience, Klopp’s side will be back on top of the game. He’s done it before at Liverpool and he should be trusted to do it again. Núñez, Díaz and Gakpo have already shown their exciting potential and, of course, with their relative youth, there is still plenty to come.

Also…

Liverpool say two transfers have ‘a price’ as Jurgen Klopp sends stark message

Liverpool will still be able to sign the players they want thanks to Jurgen Klopp, says ex-Chelsea star Tony Cascarino

Liverpool say two transfers have ‘a price’ as Jurgen Klopp sends stark message

Liverpool will still be able to sign the players they want thanks to Jurgen Klopp, says ex-Chelsea star Tony Cascarino

“LOTS OF GAMES TO PLAY” | JÜRGEN KLOPP GOES FORWARD IN THE TOP FOUR

Former Chelsea star Tony Cascarino has explained why he thinks a lack of Champions League football won’t stop Liverpool from signing the players they want.

The Reds face an uphill battle to finish in the Premier League’s top four this season. Jurgen Klopp’s side are 10 points from fourth place and have already played half of their league games this season.

On the transfer front, Jude Bellingham, Matheus Nunes and Moises Caicedo are the three names that continue to be strongly associated with a move to Anfield. And uncertainty over the club’s Champions League future has raised doubts about players willing to sign for Liverpool. However, Cascarino does not share this view. The former Chelsea star believes the loss of Sadio Mane and Gini Wijnaldum has hurt Liverpool in recent years but still believes the club can attract top players to the club thanks to Klopp.

“I think Klopp will get some funding to challenge and buy the players I think he needs,” Cascarino told Talksport.

“It comes at a price, some of the players Liverpool let go. Mane has his price, Wijnaldum has his price and I think there will be a slight wind of change at Liverpool next season.

“Getting Diaz and Jota back adds more to the forward line. And yes, you will have injuries next season, it doesn’t mean you have an injury-free season because you don’t.

“So I’m optimistic about where they are after this summer. Both clubs [Liverpool and Chelsea] will be in a good position to face Man City, Man United and Arsenal again.

“The top six are very strong now.”
Cascarino added: “If you liked what you saw from Liverpool you would say, ‘I want to pay for him [Klopp].

“Like people want to play for Pep [Guardiola] and Fergie and [Jose] Mourinho. There are always players who want to play for certain coaches. And there will definitely be players at Liverpool who want to play for Klopp.”