Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp doesn’t trust his squad.
Despite being one of the loudest voices in the room when it comes to calling for a relaxation in the number of substitutes he can make, Klopp doesn’t appear to like making any substitutes.
The timings of his changes against West Brom were really interesting and I think it highlights some specific thinking within the gaffer’s mind.
Mainly, this isn’t a man who trusts his rotation options to change a game.
Liverpool had a decent bench, even if a few players on it are still feeling their way back to full fitness. With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Takumi Minamino, Xherdan Shaqiri, James Milner and Divock Origi in reserve, there is plenty of talent available to the boss.
But Klopp’s first change was an injury-enforced one as Joel Matip limped off, which brings it’s own concerns and was replaced by Rhys Williams.
The German didn’t make his second substitution until the 83rd minute when Oxlade-Chamberlain came on for Curtis Jones, while the third took place in the 90th. Origi was sent on for Roberto Firmino.
If Klopp really trusted the full extent of his squad, we would have seen those swaps occur much earlier in the game. Liverpool wasn’t playing well, they were struggling to break down West Brom and looked a little stilted as an attack.
They couldn’t gain momentum from Sadio Mane’s early goal, but the manager felt that the best way to success was to persevere with the 11 he decided to start the game for as long as possible.
It is a good 11. Probably the best in England, if not the world. But it tells a story that Klopp felt he couldn’t make any changes until the 83rd minute as they chased a second goal that would give them three points.
We’ve talked fondly about how good the squad is this season. Does Klopp believe that? On this evidence, he does not.