The squad seems to be stuck in somewhat of a stasis, with one returning player merely stepping in to replace another injured member of the squad, the net result being a constantly thin pool of players.
Hence, it is satisfying to hear that several of our side-lined players are nearing return. The addition of Skrtel, Coutinho, Origi and Sturridge will bolster a team looking a bit perniciously lethargic at the moment. A fuller squad should set the reds on track to turn their consistent inconsistence into consistent consistence.
The return of Martin Skrtel will give Klopp more options to rotate the defensive line-up over the three cup competitions we are currently battling for and the league. It will be interesting to see how Klopp decides to set-up his defence when all five of his senior centre-backs are back to full fitness. Arguably, the best defensive partnership this season has been the pairing of Sakho and Kolo Toure – the Frenchman and Ivorian complemented one another exceptionally well during recent games against Manchester United and Stoke City. However, whether this could be a sustainable partnership is debatable given Toure’s age, a deputising role would perhaps continue to be the best option for both player and club.
With Skrtel returning, Klopp will have to decide whether to go with Sakho-Lovern or one of those two along with the Slovakian; Steven Caulker will also be pushing for a place in the starting line-up. Perhaps Sakho and Lovern could pair together for the league fixtures, and Skrtel-Caulker could start in the cup games with Kolo Toure filling in when necessary. Regardless of the centre-backs chosen, I personally feel consistency is important: it seems like ever since Agger and Skrtel first burst on to the scene we have suffered from relentless injuries in this part of the pitch and there has been continual change in the centre-back pairing. I believe this has been the root of our defensive frailties rather than the perceived lack of quality.
At the opposite end of the pitch, the return of Coutinho and Origi will hand Klopp more attacking options, perhaps enabling him to alter the formation and game strategy from time-to-time. Coutinho will doubtless slot back into his number 10 position, but whether this will be as a single pivot or as part of a strategic trio of three no.10s along with Lallana and Firmino remains to be seen. The combination of L-F-C (Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho) has been central to Liverpool’s best performances this season, with the trio performing exceptionally during away wins at Chelsea and City this campaign. If the three number 10s could replicate this form (which was based on narrowness and penetrating runs), it would perhaps offer the best solution for a transition (of sorts) from the exceptional S.A.S to another exciting attacking dynamic.
However, when Klopp decides to go with a more orthodox attacking strategy deploying genuine strikers, Divock Origi will provide another option. The Belgian has performed well as a lone striker at times this campaign, but perhaps could form a partnership with Benteke, with the former completing the runs out wide, creating space for the latter in the central areas. Benteke would probably benefit from another attacking runner, as I think he thrives on space to penetrate through the middle.
Daniel Sturridge would be an obvious starter if he were fully fit, and his return to fitness would be an excellent bolstering of the squad. However, I feel a cautious approach to the striker’s return is necessary – there is no point whatsoever in playing him as soon as possible if it merely means he runs himself into another lengthy spell on the sidelines. For this reason, I believe Jürgen Klopp has taken a sensible approach in allowing Sturridge to up the tempo of his training and rehabilitation gradually. A fully fit Sturridge is what we need, and what the club must ensure materialises.
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