Liverpool assistant Pep Ljinders’ influence has been questioned by some Reds fans in recent weeks, while Jamie Carragher has claimed that Liverpool ‘no longer look like a Jurgen Klopp team’
“This is not a Jurgen Klopp team I’m watching anymore.”
That was Jamie Carragher’s verdict after Liverpool produced another disappointing display against Brentford on Monday night.
The Reds were put to the sword by the Bees, who ran riot against Liverpool’s fragile defence to claim a famous 3-1 victory at the GTech Community Stadium. Intriguingly, Thomas Frank’s side were without their top-scorer and talisman, Ivan Toney – but didn’t prevent them from tearing through a Liverpool side that have looked uncharacteristically brittle this season.
Just months after the Reds fell short at the final hurdle in their bid for an unprecedented quadruple, Liverpool’s irrepressible team suddenly look alarmingly mortal. Already, the Premier League title appears to be beyond them – and now more and more people are beginning to question the influence of Klopp’s assistant, Pep Ljinders.
Ljinders, 39, is held in high esteem by both Liverpool and Klopp but his role has become somewhat of a hot topic amongst fans online in recent weeks, with some concerned that Klopp’s decision to hand Ljinders more authority than a traditional No.2 may not be such a wise decision.
The Independent has outlined how Ljinders, as well as taking first-team training regularly, has had more of an influence in terms of recruitment amid changes amongst the club’s transfer personnel. The report goes on to claims that three of the four big signings Liverpool have made recently – Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz – have all been advocated by Ljinders, underlining the extent of the sway he currently holds.
Ljinders, who had a brief stint in charge of NEC in the Netherlands, has turned down the chance to pursue other managerial roles and also came in for criticism from fans online last year after releasing a book which had insight into Liverpool’s tactical approach.
Carragher, meanwhile, believes he may have played a part in tweaks that have been evident in Liverpool’s game this season.
The former Anfield favourite believes that his old side have abandoned their high-octane origins for a more refined, technical approach – and it hasn’t exactly born fruit with the Reds currently 16 points off the pace at the summit of the Premier League.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher said: “I don’t know if there’s an influence from Pep Lijnders, who is Jurgen Klopp’s assistant, he has a huge say in what’s going on as well and there’s a Dutch way of thinking – getting players on the ball.
“Thinking Liverpool need to reinvent themselves and always keep tweaking things and changing things because people are used to them. But for me, from minute one of Jurgen Klopp’s era at Tottenham away – forget the quality of players – people were sprinting all over the pitch.
“I don’t see people sprinting around anymore, but they still play with this high line. This is not a Jurgen Klopp team I’m watching anymore.”
Source: mirror.com
