Jürgen Klopp Hails Liverpool’s Defensive Potpourri

The Liverpool manager was full of praise for the unified mélange driving his defense to success.

Jürgen Klopp has assembled a sturdy defense at Liverpool. It’s taken the manager several transfer windows to get the entire back line up to their present level but all the main players seem to be in place now. At the moment Liverpool’s defense in on a course to be record-breaking if their current form holds to the end of the season. The owners have made sure to extend contracts and increase salaries for players who are over performing and Klopp is excited at the prospect of keeping this defensive unit together for years to come.

“They have a long career ahead, which is cool, and how it looks at the moment is that they want to spend the majority of their careers here, which is cool as well,” Klopp said.

The key to his defense’s success is the variety of personalities and histories of those players. Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joël Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dejan Lovren, Andrew Robertson, Alisson, make up a potpourri of defensive intelligence and unified strength.

“Having different characters always helps, if you are all mainstream, all the same way, that is difficult,” said Klopp.

“In England it is probably not the most expensive defence in the world, but it is a proper one - a really proper one. That is all that counts.

“Wherever good players are coming from, wherever they are raised, wherever the dream started, they are welcome. Sometimes we can afford them, sometimes not. But now it feels to me they are a proper bunch of players together, they really stick to each other and the club in a way which is exceptional.”

Injuries have been an issue for all of our centre-backs with the exception of Van Dijk but Klopp isn’t expected to do any business in that department over the summer. Back-up fullbacks will be needed, however. Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno will both move on and Trent and Robbo will hopefully get some true competition for their places next season. That will raise the level of Liverpool’s defense even higher. More clean sheets. More wins. Glory. Repeat.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com