With the League Cup final on the horizon, Jürgen Klopp will be devising every possible strategy to win his first trophy as manager of Liverpool.
The Reds have had flashes of brilliance under the guidance of the German so far, but that has been the problem.
After beating Manchester City 4-1, many thought that this side was destined to challenge for Champions League qualification. Currently sitting eighth in the Premier League further reiterates just how inconsistent this Liverpool team is and how flashes of brilliance will unlikely lead to a spot among Europe’s elite.
This certainly is not a criticism of Klopp, this is not his squad for starters and he has done ever so well to get where he is with these players. He will not be fooled and will know who is and who is not up to scratch come the end of this campaign.
The beauty about the cup competitions is one only needs to turn up to each game and perform on the day. Unlike the Premier League, it is not something that is won in the space of a few games. Consistent performances are needed all season to have any chance of glory. The point being is, this incarnation of Liverpool is a cup side.
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Knowing they are capable of exceptional performances, the League Cup has been something many of the supporters have had an eye on.
Wins against Carlisle United, Bournemouth, Southampton and Stoke City have given Klopp the chance to go to Wembley with a squad that is in desperate need of silverware. But not only do these players need something to cheer about, so do the supporters.
The Anfield faithful have not fully recovered after the disappointing ending to the 2013-14 season that nearly saw them win a first league title in over 20 years, only to have it snatched away from them in the cruelest fashion.
When people talk about Liverpool, they talk about the illustrious history. It is a club that has a phenomenal record in England and all across Europe, but that has disappeared over the recent years. They need to restart somewhere and hiring Klopp was part one of that, part two is now winning trophies.
The League Cup may not be one of the major honours in English football, but this is a perfect place to start the path to larger success.
Coming up against one of the big boys in Manchester City, it will certainly be no walk in the park for the players in red. The Sky Blues have been slightly out of touch in recent games, but that is not a reason for the squad of Liverpool players to get comfortable. We all know Klopp will not allow naive thoughts to sneak into his teams mind.
Despite this being the case, some confidence should be taken going into the game. What Liverpool did to Manchester City back in November last year was an example of what this side can produce. Playing that brand of football typical of the new manager, they pressed, passed and defended like a Klopp team. One area that could concern Manuel Pellegrini is he has no idea what Liverpool side will come on the day. They are honestly that unpredictable, which will make it even more interesting.
Daniel Sturridge returning from injury in recent weeks is a major positive for Klopp and his team. Having the Striker operating in front of the Brazilian duo of Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino could potentially overwhelm City’s back four, but only time will tell.
If Liverpool can win, it could very well be the beginning of the Klopp era. Imagine if he won some silverware in his first season, remembering that he only came into the job last October.
Bill Shankly once stated that this club was built to win trophies. The supporters have not seen enough silverware in recent years, which is why this weekend is a big priority. In the last 10 years Liverpool have won two trophies. Both were cup competitions, 2006 where Steven Gerrard produced a man of the match performance to overcome West Ham on penalties and 2012 where the Reds overcame Cardiff in a League Cup final shootout.
Liverpool really do need to win this and use it as a launch pad for bigger and better things. The time has come for the Reds to give their supporters a day to remember and make that trip up to Wembley a special one.
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