There is no one leader in the Liverpool squad
By Zubin Daver
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has built a team of giants.
The German has fashioned a team of mentality giants who know nothing but how to win. Winning is a habit and Klopp has systematically made sure that Liverpool find an answer to every hiccup.
With five key parts of this method, the former Borussia Dortmund gaffer has managed to bring success to Merseyside after many fallow years. Here is how I think he has done so:
He’s established the right mentality
Klopp has instilled a winner’s mentality that is unmatched. Each player wearing the jersey knows how to dig deep and do what it takes to win. On multiple occasions in the past, Liverpool have come from behind, dug deep and won.
Most rival teams need at least a couple of players to fire to wrap up the three points. For example, unless Harry Kane and Son Heung-min fire for Spurs, Timo Werner fires for Chelsea, and Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford fire for United, they barely win. However, for Liverpool, their all-important goals can come from anywhere.
Klopp as well has ingrained that mentality into this team and that’s why these players fight for every ball for the entirety of the game. The brotherhood amongst the current crop is evident. The players are ready to run through a brick wall for each other and that is the main reason they are champions.
Faith training and background work
Klopp has always been hellbent on training player that he has. We have seen him do that with Trent Alexander Arnold, Fabinho and Andrew Robertson – he took time and trained into world-class players. Klopp knows how to get his players to give their all and a little bit more each time they step on the field.
The new set-up at Kirkby should only help players stay fitter and train harder. This promises to help Klopp unlock another level from his players.
No one player is a leader
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All the players that Klopp has assembled have leadership skill. Each player is not only a master of his craft but a leader with compassion and the ability to listen and learn. They learn, not only from their managers and coaches but also from their fellow teammates.
Klopp has managed to keep the player egos under check. Any rumours of dressing-room bust-up or disagreements are straight-up quashed by the manager. The team comes first.
I can go on a limb and say it. This is something reminiscent of what Sir Alex Ferguson had instilled in the squad as United manager. There is no one top dog, except the manager.
Multiple national team captains/ex-captains
Klopp has systematically gotten players with captain’s mentalities. If you look at the roster, they have four players who at some point of time have captained their national teams. This is one of the significant reasons that Liverpool are know how to dig deep.
- Jordan Henderson – Ex-England captain
- Virgil van Dijk – Netherlands captain
- Naby Keita – Guinea captain
- Andrew Robertson – Scotland captain
Injuries not affecting the style of play
There are not a lot of teams that can maintain their standard, style of play and intensity if they have more than half of their starting XI out injured. Liverpool’s latest 3-0 win over former League winners Leicester was testimony to their mentality.
In that game, Liverpool was missing Henderson their captain, their top goalscorer Mohamed Salah, their leading goal creator and provider in Trent Alexander-Arnold and the world’s best defender in Virgil van Dijk.
Next. Three things we learned vs Leicester - Jota is the next Salah. dark
Overall, Klopp has built a team of leaders and captains. Hence, there is no ‘one’ leader in the Liverpool squad, that is because all of them are.