The Jurgen Klopp era for Liverpool Football club is officially underway, with a 0-0 draw against Spurs at White Hart Lane.
Klopp had famously said ahead of playing Arsenal that the North Londoners are “like an orchestra, but it’s a silent song. I like heavy metal.”
Well, as Klopp brought Liverpool into North London, the heavy metal was rocking for the first 25 minutes of the match. Like an adolescent when they learn a new word, I found myself screaming “gegenpress” any time I saw a player sprint forward. I’m not exactly sure that’s its textbook definition (does it really have one, though?) but hell, count it.
The stereo that Klopp blasted his heavy metal from was either turned down by a disapproving father or simply ran out of battery after those 25 minutes. After that first segment of the match, Liverpool struggled to ratchet up the noise but for a few times Klopp scurried away to turn up the volume before fading out again.
The trip to White Hart Lane was always going to be a tough one for Klopp to step into and the growing list of injuries didn’t help. With Jordan Henderson already out heading into the international break, a multitude of others followed their captain onto the treatment table.
It was rumoured that the already injured Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino might find fitness in time ahead of the match, but that was never likely. Then, in back to back days both Joe Gomez and Danny Ings each tore their ACL. One more day later, Jordan Rossiter goes down. Furthermore, as kick-off grew closer, rumours of Daniel Sturridge picking up a knock grew louder, then confirmed when he “wasn’t risked” for the bench.
Player Ratings ahead. Don’t be shy in telling me how many times I was wrong.
