Klopp may be right: Perhaps Liverpool don’t need a new lease of life

Friday’s easy win over Norwich gave credence to Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp’s claim that his team doesn’t need new blood – but at least one old question still remains to be answered.

While much has been made in recent weeks of the lack of fresh faces in Juergen Klopp’s squad going into this season, plenty that was new was on display in Liverpool tonight.

First, there was the huge mural of local hero Trent Alexander-Arnold painted on the side of a house near Anfield, which the team coach passed on its way to the stadium. Then the Liverpool players were finally allowed to touch the famous “This Is Anfield” sign as they passed through the tunnel, having previously been forbidden from doing so by Klopp until they’d won a trophy.

In the stands, we saw that Klopp’s face now adorns the famous Kop banner alongside those of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, which is some accolade. And while not new in the strictest sense, the “We are the champions, champions of Europe” chant was as good as, seeing that it hadn’t been aired in more than a decade.

The ensuing Liverpool performance certainly bolstered Klopp’s claims that there was no pressing need to inject new blood into his side. Adam Lallana – good in pre-season and impressive off the bench against Manchester City on Sunday – didn’t even make it into the squad today.

“It’s just that what is new is seen as more exciting,” Klopp said shortly before the Premier League transfer window closed. “It’s like with a new car. Your old car is completely reliable, but you want a new one, and two weeks later it breaks down. It looks better, but obviously it’s not that good.”

While he may well be proven right on that count, there are still other issues for Klopp to address.

Norwich manager Daniel Farke said prior to the game that his team had come to Anfield to do more than just defend and would try to play their natural passing game. He was as good as his word.

It was easy to see why his side had finished last season as the Championship’s top scorers, and Norwich will win plenty of friends – and hopefully enough points to survive – if they continue in the same vein.

But the inroads made by Norwich brought to mind a question that was asked about Liverpool often last season.

No one can deny that Alexander-Arnold consistently does brilliant, match-changing things going forwards. There was a typically fine assist from him here for Divock Origi’s goal, and he was only denied another by Bobby Firmino’s wayward finishing in the second half. As we saw again tonight, however, Alexander-Arnold remains a mixed bag defensively.

Every Norwich attack of note in the first-half – and there were a good number, despite the scoreline – came down Liverpool’s right, just as had happened against Manchester City on Sunday. This is not a coincidence.

While Liverpool remain reliant upon their full-backs for creativity, then the trade-off Alexander-Arnold entails is easy to understand. But if, as many expect, one of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain become staples of the starting XI this season, then will Klopp switch the onus onto them to create from deep and shore up the defense with Joe Gomez at right-back?

Liverpool will face plenty of sides that will both defend and finish better than Norwich did here, so it could well be a question that Klopp is forced to answer sooner rather than later.