After Jurgen Klopp’s first 23 games in all competitions, it’s fair to say the Liverpool team under the management of Jurgen Klopp is no better than under Brendan Rodgers.

I think it’s a mixture of things, but really, Klopp is working with players that aren’t his and until he does bring in his own team, then it is probably too soon to judge. Let’s break this down…

As a manager, Klopp was a brilliant appointment for Liverpool. He was being linked with various clubs, even West Ham enquired last summer, but he wasn’t ready.

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He did wonders with Borussia Dortmund and brought in quality players with heart and energy.

He took them from being an’OK’ side to Champions League finalists in 2013. They won domestic cups and the Bundesliga, so this is a man who knows what he is doing.

At the moment, he can do no wrong. He is relatively new, the team aren’t his and he comes across exceptionally well.

The fans are onside, as are the media. This time next year, if things haven’t improved, then it could be a different story and it will be the Night Of The Long Knives all over again.

As a team, Liverpool are inconsistent. A good result against a team that fought, but were defensively woeful, gave them all three points last Saturday, but the problem with Liverpool is simple – you know which team will turn up.

They have struggled with consistency. They beat Manchester City away and blew them apart – great football. They beat Arsenal and Chelsea, but then they play like they did against Manchester United and didn’t look like scoring if they played all week. Against West Ham, they were awful and showed no energy, no enthusiasm and no guile.

As players for a club like Liverpool, you can think of some real household names and some would say the Anfield club is living in the past. It’s an almost, “We are Liverpool” and that’s enough, but it isn’t, and hasn’t been. W

ith the financial gap closing now and teams like Stoke, Crystal Palace and West Ham now attracting better players, these teams that were always seen as “lesser” opposition are catching up – and fast. Next season, with the new TV money available, there probably won’t be too much of a gap, as it closes even more.

The players at Liverpool, apart from a select handful, are not good enough and I would hasten to add that they are not Liverpool players. This Liverpool team needs a complete overhaul. It needs creative players and it needs a world class goalscorer.

Coutinho and Firmino have been very good, but others less so. Is Benteke a £35m player? No way. The Belgium international has undoubted talent, but the Liverpool way of playing doesn’t suit him. He thrives on balls crossed into the box as his movement is ponderous.

Liverpool have played to his strengths a few times, but it’s not really their way. There was alot of talk about a new goalkeeper and Mignolet was looking like he was out in the summer, only to be given an improved five year contract a few weeks ago.

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Then there’s expectations. Liverpool expect, and that’s it. They’ve become used to success and a certain level of play, but they are not seeing it. In the last eight games in all competitions, Liverpool have won four, drawn two and lost two. In the Premier League they sit seventh with a minus goal difference. When did that last happen?

Fans expect to see players show pride and passion, but this season it has been lacking in some games. It is almost as though they raise their game for the big teams, but then can’t be bothered for the smaller teams. In the wind-down to the season, Liverpool are playing three of the top sides – Leicester away and then Tottenham and Manchester City at home. The rest are all winnable games against teams beneath them.

Let’s see where Liverpool are at this stage next season, and then we can begin to judge if things haven’t improved. Klopp needs his own players and a pre-season behind him, and then we can see what progress has been made. E

ither way, he needs a good three years to get Liverpool back to where they were – consistently.

But will he get it?

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