βOn my world, it means Hope.β β Superman
Despite being plagued with injuries, only three days of training and the international break, Klopp, Buvac and Krawietz have already succeeded in abating what could only be described as a crisis in confidence.
For a team that hadnβt lost since the first match of the season, Tottenham looked like conceding five or six. There was a tangible sense of nervousness β a fragility β about Spurs; not just in their defence, but a pervasiveness β a panic β that emanated throughout the team.
And why wouldnβt they panic? The βgegenpressβ was there. The travelling Kop was there. The mad-man in the glasses was there (albeit, tragically, without a hat). What could they have been positive about?
Quick, interchangeable play was the rule of the day β at times, playing more like a hockey team than a football team β such was the composition, speed and creativity in our passing.
For a first clean-sheet in eight games andΒ the shedding of shackles forΒ a number of key players (despite missing most of them) this was as a wonderful first performance.
Mignoletβs dodgy clearances and questionable βauthorityβ in the box remained, but came-up with several saves –Β previously thought impossible –Β earning us a well-deserved point.
Yes, at times, we looked wobbly. Yes, Martin Skrtel is still β on occasion β a liability. But there were signs of a change in mentality β a new aggressiveness β and, for the first 20 minutes, we looked like title contenders.
White Hart LaneΒ became a North London AzkabanΒ as our players sucked theΒ life outΒ of a hopeless-looking Tottenham team as they misplaced pass after pass after pass.
Weak challenges, mistimed pressing and poor coordinationΒ was not just influenced by our own team: but equallyΒ fromΒ our charismatic German on the touch-line.
The influence Klopp displayed in this game was not just created on the training pitch before the match, evidenced by the manic pressing and counter-pressing, but was further evidenced by his presence within it.
By doing the simple things right today, Rodgersβ faults became even more apparent β and not least through the imperious display of our Man of Steel, Mamadou Sakho.
Superman may have wornΒ a Kevlar vest but, judging by this performance, it might as well have been made of Sakho Skin with a double-stitch-lining of Mamadou β such was the infallibility of Rodgersβ most-hated.
From the Parisian Ghetto of Krypton,Β Sakho’s powers have increased a thousand-fold on Earth. Heβs even managed to reverse-engineer Kryptonite β using our Krypto-Klopp Manager to his advantage; destroying other teams whilstΒ elevating our own Aliens from Anfield.
OurΒ UFO team is quickly becoming identifiable again and, not for the first time, itβs not a bird, itβs not a plane… itβs Mamadou Sakho.
Improve on this performance – as we will – and the top-4 becomes guaranteed, with a title-challenge not beyond the realms of possibility.
TheΒ relationship between Sakho and Klopp will be key to this and, whilst itΒ may notΒ necessarily lead to becoming Captain of Liverpool Football Club…Β it may just save the universe.
My last swipe at Brendan Rodgers (as it’s time to turn the page, since my Christmas wish of Jurgen Klopp running the team has come true): in addition to seeing Sakho play all of the time, it will be refreshing to see Emre Can play at his correct position going forward. Now let’s get a healthy Firmino and Benteke back on the field and maybe the January return of Lazar MarkoviΔ and then let’s see how things play out.