Anfield insiders have suggested that the reason for Liverpool’s poor form at the start of this season is exhaustion from last year’s exploits.
That’s according to The Times. They report a ‘theory’ from those at Liverpool is that the players are ‘simply knackered.’
The fact that Liverpool played 63 games last season is reportedly being seen as a big factor. So too, it’s claimed, is the ‘effort expended’ during the rest of Jurgen Klopp’s nearly seven-year reign so far.
Seen through that lens, a ‘physical drop-off’ as The Times puts it, is said to be ‘expected.’
Liverpool looking tired
It’s understandable that a sense of physical and mental fatigue could be starting to creep in for Liverpool players.
They played an inordinate number of games last season, each even bigger than the last as they attempted to win a quadruple.
But this is all part and parcel of the game. Liverpool had a decent enough break to get last season out of their systems before going again.
One or two key changes in the squad should also have helped to add a degree of freshness to proceedings. In that respect though, there could have been a little more change.
Liverpool perhaps sold themselves short in the transfer market and missed an opportunity for a proper fresh start.
With some players looking weary as age starts to catch them up, a couple more top-quality additions could have kept things interesting.
Instead, Liverpool’s squad hasn’t changed all that much over the last four years or so. These are still world-class players we’re talking about, but things have just been allowed to get a little stale.
Add that staleness into the physical tiredness, and there might be something in this theory. Whatever the reason for it though, Jurgen Klopp needs to find a way to fix it, and quick.
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