Whoever mischievously booked Jurgen Klinsmann as a television pundit on Tuesday night must have known what was coming.
Short of donning a cowl and carrying a sickle, the German seemingly embodies the grim reaper threatening Rafael Benitez’s reign at Liverpool, appearing only at the darkest of times for the Spaniard.
And the storm clouds are once again gathering around the Anfield manager after a demoralising, damaging defeat to Lyon.
A fourth successive setback, Liverpool’s worst losing run in more than 22 years, has cast serious doubt over Champions League progress as an underwhelming campaign plumbed new depths.
When Liverpool’s European future was threatened in similar fashion two years ago, the heads of American co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks were turned towards Klinsmann.
The German’s subsequent unadulterated failure in charge of Bayern Munich last season while Liverpool challenged strongly for the Premier League title indicated it was one particular bullet dodged.
But Benitez now finds himself back in the firing line, although with Gillett and Hicks struggling to see eye-to-eye on pretty much anything, it’s unlikely any triggers will be pulled in the foreseeable future.
Certain sections of the Liverpool support, though, are beginning to have their patience and faith in the manager sorely tested.
Witness the jeers that met the final whistle on Tuesday and, more tellingly, the decision to replace goalscorer Yossi Benayoun, a rare attacking threat for Liverpool on the evening, in the closing moments.
So, barely five months after their thrilling yet futile attempt to chase down Manchester United, what has gone wrong?
Of course, Tuesday wasn’t the first time a Benitez substitution has met with disapproval from the Anfield faithful. Almost 12 months has passed since the Spaniard was berated for hauling off Javier Mascherano and not Lucas Leiva during a goalless home draw with Fulham.
Some things don’t change. And while Lucas is conveniently made the fall guy by fans apparently unable to point the finger at the shortcomings of more experienced players, the fact remains the central midfield pairing of the Brazilian and Mascherano lacks the required guile at this level.
Worries over preparation in pre-season have been compounded by a lengthening injury list, and there is a very real prospect of entering Sunday’s crucial Anfield showdown against United without Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.
The manager often cites last season’s home win over their bitter North West rivals as evidence of how the team can cope without their talismanic duo.
But the line-up that September afternoon included Robbie Keane and Xabi Alonso, players who, for varying reasons, are now at pastures new.
And there’s the problem. Since the start of the year, Liverpool have lost a main frontline striker in Keane, their most experienced centre-back in Sami Hyypia, and their most influential midfielder in Alonso.
None have so far been sufficiently replaced. Whether that has been through lack of available funds, lack of foresight or Benitez’s transfer policy is open to debate.
What’s not is that the failure to recruit comparable strength to the squad has contributed to six defeats in 13 games this season, more than in the whole of the previous campaign.
Benitez’s admission after last weekend’s surrender at Sunderland that Liverpool cannot withstand the absence of five first-team regulars was in tacit agreement with this view.
Few would have expected Danny Ayala, Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly to have started games in anything other than the Carling Cup during the opening weeks.
And Benitez hasn’t helped himself with some curious team selections and a stubborn refusal to change either tactics or personnel in the face of overwhelming evidence they aren’t working.
Admittedly, the Spaniard could have done without the unwelcome surprise of Alberto Aquilani’s recovery from his ankle injury taking twice as long as first expected.
The Italian could make his belated bow in next Wednesday’s Carling Cup clash at Arsenal, and will have to cope with the anticipated pressure to instantly deliver on his £20m price tag and provide the creativity Liverpool’s midfield is so sorely missing.
But it’s not only the supporting cast that have been found wanting, too many first-team regulars falling way short of the high standards they have set during the past 18 months.
Mascherano, preoccupied by summer interest from Barcelona and the malaise that threatened Argentina’s World Cup finals place, has underwhelmed, Jamie Carragher by his own admission below par, and Gerrard unable to consistently stamp his influence on games.
Even Torres, despite his eight-goal haul, has produced intermittently. Indeed, only Pepe Reina and new signing Glen Johnson can largely be absolved of any genuine blame.
The resilience and unity for which Liverpool became noted last season just isn’t there, meaning they are more likely to concede last-minute goals, as on Tuesday, than score one. Simply, they are too easy to beat, falling whenever any half-decent opposition has been put before them.
It could be argued Liverpool are suffering a curious kind of hangover from their exhilarating run-in last season.
Since the defeat at Middlesbrough in February, Benitez’s side, previously founded on watertight defence and gaining a vice-like grip on proceedings, had no option but to change tack and go for broke in an attempt to close the gap in terms of both points and goal difference on United.
That cavalier attitude transformed Liverpool into the great entertainers but exposed their renowned backline, precisely the criticism they have attracted this campaign.
Maybe a return, if only temporary, to the previous obdurate, composed and efficient machine can help rebuild a confidence clearly shattered by recent events.
Otherwise, Klinsmann may find more television work coming his way sooner rather than later.
Short of donning a cowl and carrying a sickle, the German seemingly embodies the grim reaper threatening Rafael Benitez’s reign at Liverpool, appearing only at the darkest of times for the Spaniard.
And the storm clouds are once again gathering around the Anfield manager after a demoralising, damaging defeat to Lyon.
A fourth successive setback, Liverpool’s worst losing run in more than 22 years, has cast serious doubt over Champions League progress as an underwhelming campaign plumbed new depths.
When Liverpool’s European future was threatened in similar fashion two years ago, the heads of American co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks were turned towards Klinsmann.
The German’s subsequent unadulterated failure in charge of Bayern Munich last season while Liverpool challenged strongly for the Premier League title indicated it was one particular bullet dodged.
But Benitez now finds himself back in the firing line, although with Gillett and Hicks struggling to see eye-to-eye on pretty much anything, it’s unlikely any triggers will be pulled in the foreseeable future.
Certain sections of the Liverpool support, though, are beginning to have their patience and faith in the manager sorely tested.
Witness the jeers that met the final whistle on Tuesday and, more tellingly, the decision to replace goalscorer Yossi Benayoun, a rare attacking threat for Liverpool on the evening, in the closing moments.
So, barely five months after their thrilling yet futile attempt to chase down Manchester United, what has gone wrong?
Of course, Tuesday wasn’t the first time a Benitez substitution has met with disapproval from the Anfield faithful. Almost 12 months has passed since the Spaniard was berated for hauling off Javier Mascherano and not Lucas Leiva during a goalless home draw with Fulham.
Some things don’t change. And while Lucas is conveniently made the fall guy by fans apparently unable to point the finger at the shortcomings of more experienced players, the fact remains the central midfield pairing of the Brazilian and Mascherano lacks the required guile at this level.
Worries over preparation in pre-season have been compounded by a lengthening injury list, and there is a very real prospect of entering Sunday’s crucial Anfield showdown against United without Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.
The manager often cites last season’s home win over their bitter North West rivals as evidence of how the team can cope without their talismanic duo.
But the line-up that September afternoon included Robbie Keane and Xabi Alonso, players who, for varying reasons, are now at pastures new.
And there’s the problem. Since the start of the year, Liverpool have lost a main frontline striker in Keane, their most experienced centre-back in Sami Hyypia, and their most influential midfielder in Alonso.
None have so far been sufficiently replaced. Whether that has been through lack of available funds, lack of foresight or Benitez’s transfer policy is open to debate.
What’s not is that the failure to recruit comparable strength to the squad has contributed to six defeats in 13 games this season, more than in the whole of the previous campaign.
Benitez’s admission after last weekend’s surrender at Sunderland that Liverpool cannot withstand the absence of five first-team regulars was in tacit agreement with this view.
Few would have expected Danny Ayala, Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly to have started games in anything other than the Carling Cup during the opening weeks.
And Benitez hasn’t helped himself with some curious team selections and a stubborn refusal to change either tactics or personnel in the face of overwhelming evidence they aren’t working.
Admittedly, the Spaniard could have done without the unwelcome surprise of Alberto Aquilani’s recovery from his ankle injury taking twice as long as first expected.
The Italian could make his belated bow in next Wednesday’s Carling Cup clash at Arsenal, and will have to cope with the anticipated pressure to instantly deliver on his £20m price tag and provide the creativity Liverpool’s midfield is so sorely missing.
But it’s not only the supporting cast that have been found wanting, too many first-team regulars falling way short of the high standards they have set during the past 18 months.
Mascherano, preoccupied by summer interest from Barcelona and the malaise that threatened Argentina’s World Cup finals place, has underwhelmed, Jamie Carragher by his own admission below par, and Gerrard unable to consistently stamp his influence on games.
Even Torres, despite his eight-goal haul, has produced intermittently. Indeed, only Pepe Reina and new signing Glen Johnson can largely be absolved of any genuine blame.
The resilience and unity for which Liverpool became noted last season just isn’t there, meaning they are more likely to concede last-minute goals, as on Tuesday, than score one. Simply, they are too easy to beat, falling whenever any half-decent opposition has been put before them.
It could be argued Liverpool are suffering a curious kind of hangover from their exhilarating run-in last season.
Since the defeat at Middlesbrough in February, Benitez’s side, previously founded on watertight defence and gaining a vice-like grip on proceedings, had no option but to change tack and go for broke in an attempt to close the gap in terms of both points and goal difference on United.
That cavalier attitude transformed Liverpool into the great entertainers but exposed their renowned backline, precisely the criticism they have attracted this campaign.
Maybe a return, if only temporary, to the previous obdurate, composed and efficient machine can help rebuild a confidence clearly shattered by recent events.
Otherwise, Klinsmann may find more television work coming his way sooner rather than later.
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