Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool manager was right not to overhaul the squad in the summer
There were only two big-money signings in the summer, Georgino Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane for a combined £55million
JURGEN KLOPP heard all the calls for him to make wholesale changes to the Liverpool squad in the summer.
In the end, he ignored them — and it is lucky for the Kop he did.
An eighth-place finish and two cup final defeats meant it was ultimately a disappointing season for the club.
And many fans felt it was time to rip up the current squad and start again.
The German had other ideas, though. He scoured his homeland to pick up four players from the bargain basement.
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And just two big-money signings arrived — Sadio Mane and Gigi Wijnaldum — for a combined total of £55million.
Hardly a fortune compared to their two title rivals down the M62 — and when you consider he allowed more than £70m worth of talent to leave.
Despite the clamour for him to get the chequebook out again last month, Klopp was happy with what he already had.
Like with the imposing new Main Stand at Anfield, the foundations were already in place at the end of last season.
The 49-year-old said: “The big difference between us and the rest of the people in the Liverpool world was everyone thought we should change a lot of the team.
“We changed a few things but not a lot. Most of the players who performed most of the time last year are still here.
“That’s what we want to build on. We brought a few things in, that’s true. A few new skills. But it’s all about the base that we already had.”
And he has won over the doubters with a blistering start to the season.
Hull defender Curtis Davies was also impressed and said: “When you play against a Liverpool that is vibrant, exciting and enjoying itself, it is tough.
“They are a side which plays with Henderson and two centre-halves at the back and the rest can go where they want.
“That is not an ill-disciplined thing, that is organised. They go where ever they want and that is what causes all the problems.
“It’s the inter-changing, the good football, the passing.
“With their pressing game they don’t give you a chance to breathe for a moment.”
This was the fourth game out of eight when the Reds have scored four or more.
Klopp will celebrate his first anniversary in charge in just two weeks and is delighted with how his players have adapted to his philosophy.
The former Dortmund chief explained: “The rule is be an option, or be protection. If you are not involved in offensive situations then protect.”
Klopp has already decided to stick with Loris Karius, 23, at Swansea on Saturday rather than recall Simon Mignolet.
The keeper — a £4.7m arrival from Mainz — has yet to be really tested in his two games against Derby and Hull.
The Anfield chief said: “You need to see how a player reacts in games.”
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