As the newness factor starts to wear off, we are bracing for the calls of more time needed before we can pass judgement on what impact manager Jürgen Klopp will have at Anfield.
To be fair to Klopp he understands the challenge he faces at Liverpool and what is expected of him by the owners, but the question remains just how prepared is the Fenway Sports Group to back the German in allowing him to sign the type of players he wants for the club after seeing no real improvement despite the massive spending spree that Brendan Rodgers went on.
Like most new managers at any club, Klopp spoke of his need to get the defensive house in order before anything else, and while we admit Skrtel and company have at times looked shocking the emphasis must surely be at the other end of the park as well.
So far this year Liverpool has only scored more than one league goal twice, first against Tottenham back in February, and then against Aston Villa last month making the heyday of Suarez and Sturridge seems as though it was years ago.
Here now lies the problem for Klopp and why he must persevere with the strikers he has available even if it means getting Christian Benteke to defend more.
Following the 1-1 draw with Rubin Kazan Klopp had this to say: “We have the strikers we need.” “You will not hear from me that ‘with Sturridge, or with Benteke, we can do this’ because I’m really satisfied with the guys on the pitch.
“The question for you (the media) is whether you will give these young players the time to develop. Why? I’ll give them the time, I’ve got no problems with this, but you have to decide if you want to help.”
If history is anything to go by Klopp certainly worked wonders with both Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang while at Dortmund with both players having already scored 13 goals apiece in the Bundesliga this season, a far cry from Liverpool’s 1-1 draws we have all come to expect.
Unfortunately for Liverpool fans, both Ings and Sturridge are missing and while we see the potential of Divock Origi, not counting last weekend’s performance against Southampton in which if you had not been told he was playing you would have never known from his ghost like performance Klopp needs to either become a miracle worker or make a striker signing in January.
