I read you, chief, and you're right in a way.
This season we have been playing very well vs the big teams (top 10) - including those with a low block set-up like Spurs, and am 100% certain tomorrow we'll do well vs the highly rated Sotons - but we haven't been able to replicate those same performances vs the lowly teams.
Can anyone explain this?
Personally I think our current team's biggest problem is more to do with individual players' "mentality" than the team's technique, formations, etc.
It's a problem we had back in 2017 / 2018 (or thereabouts) if you may recall when our performance vs the top teams was quite impressive but tended to nosedive vs those at the bottom.
The players' level of application tends to dip (low intensity) when playing vs the Fulhams of this world.
"Intensity" has been, is and will always remain our reliable weapon - without it we're doomed!
The question is.... where do we go from here?
I'll personally do the "Arteta". Arteta has recently turned the Gooners' fortunes around by shuffling his pack with an upheaval on his starting XI.
I know am not a better football technician than Klopp but the problem we are currently facing is not conventional - which means its solution cannot be conventional.
Perhaps our gaffer could borrow a leaf from how Arteta has unconventionally addressed his misery at Arsenal recently. It should serve as a wake-up call for our "star players" who tend to go AWOL vs the lowly teams. It's a gamble that could ultimately pay off at the business end of the season.
For instance, look at Salah's impact when he entered the fray vs Palace coming off the bench. After he was introduced, you could clearly see a player who through his instant contribution was telling his manager "you bastard.. let me show you now why I should always be featuring on your starting XI!".
My 2 cents.
YNWA.
There is no magic in football we have been to be certain of that...have said so if you look at the Arteta super kid Sako who is inspiring the others he has been there with 1st team for long guess after Mikel took over.. He has been patient as they went too low to too high now..
In football they say proper consistent is earned in real games not in training grounds thus you will understand why Klopp didn't drop Bobby when he had that poor form at the beginning of this season..
We have a quality team especially in final 3rd the issue is thier finishing or output dont march thier names or thier quality..
If you check at the statics you will be surprised man the shot on target has been waning since end of last season... So if ask me i would say we start from there going forward.. How Klopp and his attacking coaches get back the firing of this boys the better...
You got a point on we are suffering more of individuals performance rather than the overall team.. This is naked truth as chances are being created though very few but we aint converting them to goals...
How have our boys played this season
Rhys Williams, 0 Goals 0 Assists 11 Pass interceptions
Mohamed Salah, 13 Goals 3 Assists 15 Pass interceptions
Joel Matip, 1 Goals 2 Assists 36 Pass interceptions
Sadio ManΓ©, 6 Goals 2 Assists 27 Pass interceptions
Andrew Robertson, 1 Goals 5 Assists 65 Pass interceptions
Nathan Phillips, 0 Goals 0 Assists 14 Pass interceptions
Trent Alexander Arnold, 0 Goals 2 Assists 50 Pass interceptions
Jordan Henderson, 1 Goals 1 Assists 66 Pass interceptions
Fabinho, 0 Goals 0 Assists 70 Pass interceptions
Diogu Jose Teixeira De Silva(Jota) , 5 Goals 0 Assists 9 Pass interceptions
Alisson Ramses Becker, 0 Goals 0 Assists 46 Pass interceptions
James Philip Milner, 0 Goals 1 Assists 20 Pass interceptions
van Dijk Virgil, 1 Goals 0 Assists 19 Pass interceptions
Thiago Alcantara do Nascimento, 0 Goals 0 Assists 7 Pass interceptions
Joe Gomez, 0 Goals 0 Assists 42 Pass interceptions
Georginio Wijnaldum, 1 Goals 0 Assists 50 Pass interceptions
Curtis Jones, 0 Goals 0 Assists 25 Pass interceptions
Neco Shay Williams, 0 Goals 0 Assists 16 Pass interceptions
Naby Keita, 0 Goals 0 Assists 18 Pass interceptions
Roberto Firmino, 5 Goals 3 Assists 26 Pass interceptions
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, 0 Goals 1 Assists 1 Pass interceptions
Takumi Minamino, 1 Goals 0 Assists 6 Pass interceptions
Xherdan Shaqiri, 0 Goals 1 Assists 0 Pass interceptions
Adrian, 0 Goals 0 Assists 9 Pass interceptions
Divock Origi, 0 Goals 0 Assists 0 Pass interceptions
Caoimhin Kelleher, 0 Goals 0 Assists 4 Pass interceptions
Now the above case makes super logic why Klopp will stick with whats has made him a winner all this long...
He won't do a Mikel because he dont have those kids ready to die for the team.. Unless you meant Takumi, Origi, Chamberlain nk... Klopp wont have the kids there just like that unless due to injuries case study Jones and Kelleher..
Since individual form is the real concern i would say we stay put mix the team and have Bobby Takumi Salah or Mane Takumi Salah or Takumi Bobby Salah.. Takumi is desperate to make his mark he is hungry thus its might suit us this time..
So far this season Salah still leads us with points won.. He is still the difference.. Now having firing with full cylinders is the issue...
But anyway we have to have faith and luck when facing Southampton maana they are now in full confidence perhaps this the team to do revenge on us lol..
Kazi ipo...
YNWA