Is it too late for Jurgen Klopp to solve his midfield riddle?

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Peter Stevenson wonders if it’s too late for Jurgen Klopp to solve his midfield riddle or if the German can find the right combination to spur Liverpool on to win the Premier League.

Let me qualify everything I’m about to say that being a pundit or a journalist or even a member of the insane Twitter army of Liverpool followers is infinitely easier than being the coach of a team that is vying to win its first league title in almost 30 years.

Had Mo Salah put away his chance then the questions surrounding the midfield or any others involving team selection, substitutions or nerves would have gone away. For the time being, anyway.

It’s telling that the same midfield as the one that Jurgen Klopp fielded away at Old Trafford and Goodison Park appeared devoid of much creativity. But it is as equally telling that the same trio helped keep a clean sheet at two of our fiercest rivals.

Last season there were times that our midfield looked poor, especially in the bigger games, and we had no control of a game. The loss of Emre Can and Oxlade-Chamberlain’s absence meant there were wholes to fill before even trying to improve that area of the field. Fabinho and Keita’s additions have certainly improved the unit but Klopp’s pursuit of Nabil Fekir meant he saw there was something still missing.

What surprises me is that he hasn’t pushed Roberto Firmino further back into that sort of position, having played as a number 10 before, and going more attacking in games that are calling out for a goal. It’s a moot subject for the Old Trafford game with Firmino coming off early but it doesn’t appear to be something Klopp has considered.

Keita is the most attack-minded of our midfielders but he is still trying to adjust to the pace and physicality of the Premier League so what it leaves us with is a group of hard-working players that are excellent at shielding the defence but are not particularly capable of finding the spaces, getting hold of the ball, drawing a foul to either take the heat out of the game or finding a pass to unlock a defence.

That sort of player isn’t easy to come-by, and if they grew on trees every team would have one. It’s why the whole Fekir saga proved so disappointing because you feel he was that sort of player. Another player of that ilk is one Philippe Coutinho but it’s unlikely, however much I’d love to see it, we’ll ever see him don the Red of Liverpool again.

The reasons? Klopp has stated before that he doesn’t like to work with the same players again and you feel the way that Coutinho forced his move to Barca that the Liverpool coach would be loathe to bring him back into the tight-knit group he’s created.

Moving back to this season, the most worrying aspect is that there appears more of a focus on not losing away in the big games, rather than going out to win them. Of course, there is a balance that needs to be struck there and Klopp will certainly not want to be exposed in the big games like we were last season away against Spurs and to an extent at Old Trafford.

Being more reserved also means chances come at a premium. At Goodison park and at Old Trafford a week earlier and even against Bayern at home earlier that week, the general feeling was that a more clinical Liverpool, a Liverpool from twelve months ago would have put those sides away.

But such is the nature of the sport that having seen how easily Liverpool put sides to the sword last year at times, teams are now far more cautious, far more organised and unlikely to try and have a go.

It is surely a huge compliment to Jurgen Klopp and his team and where he has brought us since he took charge that after all three games supporters were left feeling disappointed while supporters of our opponents were visibly elated.

That’s right, they were all extremely happy with a goalless draw against Liverpool, and two of those were playing at home. One of them is even trying to get into the top four.

Maybe the pressure of no longer being the hunted, now being the hunter, will help us on a run until the end of the season. As much as Klopp and his lieutenants tried to put a brave face on it after the match last night, they will all be sorely disappointed to be second in the league now, none more so than Salah.

Hopefully that can spur the team on and get rid of any nerves that appear to be affecting the players in front of goal. There’s still some way to go and probably a few more twists and turns. Nerve-jangling is an understatement.