Pengurus Liverpool yang tertekan, Jurgen Klopp telah dinasihatkan bahawa dia perlu memecat enam pemain dari pasukannya jika dia mahu membantu The Reds memperbaiki diri dan menyelamatkan dirinya daripada dipecat.
Pasukan Merseysiders telah menikmati masa yang cemerlang sejak pemain Jerman itu mengambil alih tugas. Sememangnya, setelah mencapai tiga perlawanan akhir Liga Juara-Juara dan menamatkan penantian panjang mereka selama 30 tahun untuk dinobatkan sebagai juara Inggeris, Klopp akan sentiasa dikenang sebagai legenda Liverpool.
Dan setelah hanya melalui beberapa perlawanan sahaja untuk memenangi empat kali ganda yang tidak pernah berlaku sebelum ini, hanya sedikit yang meramalkan kejatuhan utama yang akan datang musim ini.
Setakat ini, Liverpool berada di tempat kelapan dalam Liga Perdana, setelah tewas tujuh daripada 22 perlawanan mereka setakat ini.
Kelemahan mereka telah jelas musim ini, dengan isu di seluruh padang. Dan tidak pernah mereka terdedah lebih kejam daripada pada malam Selasa menentang Real Madrid. Penyandang juara Liga Juara-Juara itu tanpa belas kasihan di Anfield, membelasah Liverpool 5-2.
Dan dengan harapan trofi mereka berakhir untuk satu lagi musim – Liverpool juga terkeluar daripada Piala FA dan Piala Liga – Jamie Carragher telah memberitahu Liverpool beberapa kebenaran kejam tentang di mana mereka salah .
It all amounts to speculation beginning to rise on the Liverpool manager. As a result, there are suggestions growing that Reds owners FSG are pondering his future for the first time.
To that end, the name of a highly-rated German successor was touted for the Anfield hotseat earlier this week.
Carragher reckons though that their problems are not just connected to their midfield. And the pundit has also highlighted big issues in defence and attack.
Danny Murphy tells Klopp to axe six Liverpool stars
Danny Murphy, however, has gone one step further and has named the players Liverpool need rid of.
Picking up on the sextet who have let their standards drop and thus put Klopp’s job in jeopardy, Murphy told talkSPORT that immediate changes are needed.
However, he has dismissed the notion that Klopp will be fired, despite reports to the contrary.
“I think it’s time for a big reset, I think there’s going to be five or six gone in the summer.
“And I think Klopp knows. Klopp will get the opportunity to fix this and he deserves that opportunity, a hundred per cent.
“I think most fans are with me on that. Is it easy getting players out the door? Some who will be on big money? We will have to wait and see.
“But I think you’re looking at least half a dozen, maybe four of five at least. They probably need half a dozen coming in, in the summer.”
Pressed by host Jim White at what players need to leave, Murphy gave a pretty firm response.
“Well I think there are some obvious ones who are nearing the end of their contracts or career.
“When you’ve got Keita, Ox, Milner is near the end, that’s three in midfield, that leaves space then.
“You could probably throw Fabinho in there maybe, depending on how much you could get for him to get someone younger in that role with more energy.
“That would be three or four spaces in midfield that would give you carte blanche then to bring in new players and entice them in.
“Because it’s hard enticing players into a club, a big club, unless they’re the best in the world, who see so many players in your position, and think, ‘Where am I going to play?”
Klopp to make tough choice and let Matip and an attacker leave
Murphy also reckons some tough choices are needed to strengthen in defence with Joel Matip not the player he was. He was definitely among those at the fault against Real, with the match ranking high among their worst losses under Klopp ever.
“So some of them are definitely going to go, maybe a new centre-half. Matip has been there seven or eight years.
“Matip has been great by the way, it’s not a criticism of him. But there’s a time where the squad has to evolve.”
Murphy also reckons Klopp will need to whittle down his forward options. Currently there are six players, when all fit, battling for three positions. As a result, Murphy thinks it is one too many for Liverpool to comfortably accommodate.
“Kami mempunyai banyak bakat dalam bidang hadapan. Liverpool agak berat apabila anda melihat pilihan di bahagian tengah, mereka tidak sehebat enam penyerang yang kami ada.
“Enam penyerang untuk tiga posisi, melainkan dia mengubah taktiknya. Kami ada [Cody] Gakpo, [Luis] Diaz, [Diogo] Jota, Bobby Firmino, Mo Salah dan [Darwin] Nunez.
“Kami tidak memerlukan enam, jadi salah seorang daripada mereka mungkin pergi juga. Tetapi dia perlu mengosongkan sedikit ruang untuk membawa masuk tenaga baharu.”
Di sebalik cadangan Murphy, Klopp adalah antara pilihan yang akan kehilangan jawatannya dalam Liga Perdana. Malah, dengan sembilan pemecatan daripada 20 kelab sudah musim ini, terdapat sangat sedikit yang menganggap diri mereka selamat dalam pekerjaan mereka. Adakah ia akan menjadi satu kejutan besar jika Klopp akan menjadi yang seterusnya? Ya dan tidak….
