Klopp: Don’t Wait for Transfers, Sort it out Now

Five points in four games. That’s Liverpool’s record since club football resumed after the last international break. Although the Reds are still (barely) averaging over 2 points per game for the season—almost certainly good enough for Champions League qualification—the recent dip has put loftier ambitions in doubt.

Fans and pundits alike have seen our vaunted depth crumble after a few key injuries, and now many are clamoring for an attack-minded savior to come in and lift the squad in January. Liverpool Jürgen Klopp sees one problem with this proposed solution: the inconvenient fact that Liverpool have games that need to be played between now and then.

“The least problem for me at the moment is the transfer window because we have already a lot of very important games,” Klopp told the club’s official website. “Should we wait until the transfer window opens or not? We have to sort it out now.

“Players will come back, another will leave [through injury], we will see how another one develops and take our decisions. We take what we get.”

For Liverpool fans, after getting justifiably excited from the prospects of a true title challenge this season, this is probably not the response they wanted to hear. However, it can hardly been seen as a surprise, given Klopp’s long-view philosophy to squad building and previous statements on the matter of transfers.

Another point of frustration against West Ham (among many) was the fact that Klopp had two unused subs. For Klopp, the timing and situation just wasn’t right to bring on young, inexperienced players.

“I love our young players. They are brilliant, but Sunday was not a game to bring them in,” he added.

“We were fighting for the result. West Ham bring on [Andy] Carroll and we bring Ben or Ovie? That makes no sense.

“But we believe in them, of course, and we will use them for sure. It’s not perfect but what can I talk about?”

As exciting as Klopp has been for Liverpool Football Club in just over a year, it’s easy to forget that this is still a work in progress. He hasn’t been shy about shelling out for transfers, nor about giving youngsters playing time. But in both cases, he prefers a measured approach. It might feel like each game is life or death, but Liverpool fans need to appreciate the journey and keep an eye on the future, which is bright under Jürgen Klopp.