Jamie Carragher urges Klopp to make one crucial change
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp must make one crucial change.
West Ham nearly spooked the Reds on their Halloween clash, but Pablo Fornels’ early strike wasn’t enough to spoil the evening for Klopp.
Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota handed out the treats as they both scored late goals and rescued three points.
If Klopp wasn’t happy, then he was at least satisfied that a win had been claimed for a game that lacked fluency.
Roberto Firmino started, as is usual, but lacked a goal threat, as is usual, and seemed to be sluggish and off the pace, as is usual.
The Brazilian has been so important for so long now that it’s difficult to see a Liverpool future without him, but it’s something that the coaching staff are going to have to plan for.
In simple terms, we can’t keep playing someone who isn’t performing. It sends a bad message to the rest of the squad, especially players like Jota or Takumi Minamino, and it could promote feelings of complacency in Firmino.
Which is why Jamie Carragher has urged Klopp to make one crucial change. Speaking to Sky Sports after the West Ham win, the Liverpool legend really wants the German to try out something a little bit different.
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"“Bobby Firmino is not a huge goal threat – a lot of what he does is to supplement Mane and Salah, but you still want goals and assists – I just think he [Jota] gives you another goal threat.”"
It’s easy to criticise from afar and offer solutions to problems that the manager doesn’t believe exist, but Carragher’s call to play Jota instead of Firmino makes sense.
Yes, Bobby presses hard and links play really well, but Jota can do that and provides a more direct goal threat. Sadio Mane and Salah are still able to play on either side of him and drive into the box, but the Portuguese international is more likely to get in good areas as well.
Firmino wouldn’t have been in the position to latch on to Xherdan Shaqiri’s gorgeouss reverse pass, or nod home against Sheffield United.
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