Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has heaped praise on Jurgen Klopp for the improvements that the German has made to the Reds since he became their manager in 2015.
Liverpool finished in 8th place in the Premier League in Klopp’s first half season in charge after the German replaced Brendan Rodgers during the 2015/16 season, but this season they have reached a second successive Champions League final, as well as finishing runners-up in the league recording 97 points and only losing once all season.
Lovren has suggested that Klopp has made Liverpool improve in every season under his management and believes that with the Reds current squad they can only get better and achieve more next season.
“When you look back on the last three years, it was every season improvement,” Lovren told Liverpool’s official club website.
“When Klopp came, every year we did better and better. Last season we did quite well, we had quite a lot of injuries and reached the final of the Champions League.”
“This year, with the new players, we reached second place with 97 points, it’s incredible, and again the final of the Champions League so definitely we are again one of the contenders for next year to do something great. With this team, we can only improve.”
OPINION
Lovren is right to praise the improvements that Liverpool have made in each year that Klopp has been in charge of the club. When the German arrived at Anfield Liverpool were struggling after selling the likes of Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling from the side that finished runners-up in the 2013/14 season under Rodgers. Klopp deserves credit for managing to once again build a team that is capable of challenging for both major domestic and European honors. The German has been backed in the transfer market recently by the club’s owners, but that does not guarantee success and improvement, and Klopp has used the funds very wisely strengthening his squad with some excellent players. That has enabled Liverpool to transform into a side that is no longer inconsistent, even the sloppy defending that plagued the Reds in the first few years of Klopp’s reign is now a thing of the past. That is largely down to the arrivals of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, but also down to Klopp recognising that a more measured approach is needed to win trophies in England, rather than an all out attacking style that leaves teams open in defence. Liverpool, as Lovren acknowledges have made significant improvements over the last few years.
