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Jurgen Klopp has previous experience in this situation. He has been in a similar position before, competing for the title and a European trophy, while also making progress towards the League Cup final and participating in the FA Cup. He is faced with the possibility of success on multiple fronts, but also the concern of potentially burning out from a demanding schedule. Recently, he referred to the season as a “near-quadruple”, acknowledging that although there have been teams who have won three trophies in one season, Liverpool came the closest to achieving a clean sweep of major titles. They narrowly missed out on the title on the final day and made it to the Champions League final.
In 2022, they were victorious in both the FA and Carabao Cups. Fast forward two years, and their first major challenge at Arsenal is looming. According to Klopp, this may be the toughest draw they could have received. However, if they can overcome this hurdle, it may open up the possibility of another double. Some may argue that with a depleted squad due to injuries and international commitments, Liverpool would benefit from an early exit from the FA Cup and focusing on other competitions. Others believe that their extensive 63-game season in 2021-22, where they played in every possible match, contributed to their decline in the following year.
Klopp does not support this idea. He reflects, “The season with three finals and a Premier League was intense, but also enjoyable.” He continues, “The matches the team played, especially the two finals against Chelsea, were some of the best games I have ever witnessed. They were incredibly intense and technically at a very high level. It was a wonderful experience. Playing at Wembley is also a top-notch experience. I would not change it for anything. It was truly amazing.” Despite a potential Europa League final, which is challenging to reach due to strong competition, Klopp maintains that they cannot think ahead and should not eliminate themselves from a competition just because they may face difficulties in the future. If that were to happen, they would deal with it when the time comes.
However, Klopp must address pressing issues first. Winning three or four major titles in a single season is uncommon, as knockout matches are unpredictable and a single mistake can be costly. Additionally, the luck of the draw can play a significant role. In the 2021-22 season, Liverpool faced tough opponents in their semi-finals (Arsenal and Manchester City) and finals (Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea) but had relatively easier opponents in the earlier rounds.
There is a chance that resources will be decreased at some point. Going to Arsenal may not be ideal at this time due to several factors, such as the team’s recent losses which may discourage Mikel Arteta from making changes.
At the moment, Klopp has a shortage of eight players, including four who would typically make up his top team. He also has a few others who he may not want to strain too much. On Monday, Mohamed Salah made his exit for the African Cup of Nations after contributing to all four goals against Newcastle. Additionally, Wataru Endo earned the title of Liverpool’s player of the month for December through a fan vote.
Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo are currently representing their respective national teams while on break from playing for Liverpool.
Although Alexis Mac Allister could potentially start in the midfield in about a month, his absence will still leave a gap in the team. In place of Salah, Harvey Elliott may fill in on the right wing after impressing in his previous rare appearance. However, compensating for Salah’s absence will require a collective effort from the team. According to Klopp, when Salah is playing, the team adjusts their gameplay to accommodate his strengths and preferred position. But in his absence, the team will need to be more creative and adapt accordingly.
If Elliott starts as a forward, Klopp will still have five choices for his attacking positions. However, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Thiago Alcantara, and Stefan Bajcetic injured, he will only have three experienced players for the midfield trio: Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, and Mac Allister. It is unlikely that the Argentine player will be able to play the full 90 minutes upon his return from injury.
Liverpool’s defense is currently facing even more challenges. Manager Jurgen Klopp has expressed the importance of protecting Joe Gomez, who is still recovering from injury, and both of their left-back options, Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas, are also unavailable. As a result, Owen Beck has been brought back from his loan at Dundee, potentially giving the young player the opportunity to shine in what could be the biggest game of his career. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate has a history of injuries and Klopp has been cautious about playing him too much, with the Frenchman only starting two consecutive games since August. Jarell Quansah may step in to fill the gap, while Nat Phillips has been recalled from a lackluster loan at Celtic. Despite the exceptional abilities of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool could have used a less demanding match to give them a break.
However, as Klopp explained regarding his missing leading goal scorer: “We are facing Arsenal; we could still lose even without Mo.” Instead, Salah will not be present for the upcoming semi-final match against Fulham on Wednesday, adding complexity to Klopp’s decision-making. There is also the possibility that, despite only one loss in 34 games against English teams, Liverpool may be considered the weaker team against Arsenal. The lineup for the match may provide some insight. But for now, the team chasing a quadruple in 2022 is still competing in four different competitions.
Source: independent.co.uk
