Plenty of Liverpool fans were reflecting on the progress made by the club under Jurgen Klopp after a nostalgic image was shared online.
Anfield Edition writer Laurie Yarde tweeted a screenshot (via @LFC_Laurie) showing the starting XI and substitutes from his first match in charge of the Reds, a 0-0 Premier League draw away to Tottenham on 17 October 2015.
Just four of the starters that day are still at the club – Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana, James Milner and Divock Origi – with the former two both expected to depart this summer (as per The Athletic and Liverpool Echo respectively). None of the seven substitutes from that day at White Hart Lane remain at Liverpool.
https://twitter.com/LFC_Laurie/status/1255234150078058503
The Reds went into that game a lowly 10th in the Premier League and would finish just two places higher in 2015/16. However, Klopp guided the team to the League Cup and Europa League finals that season and has finished fourth or higher domestically ever since. He also won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup last year, transforming Liverpool’s fortunes with a net spend of just £74.5m (as per Anfield Online) during his time at the club.
These Reds fans on Twitter reflected with astonishment at the first Liverpool line-up selected by Klopp back in 2015:
That bench alone makes me retch
— EssinemLFC ???? (@essinem7) April 28, 2020
Dont think there was ever a worse bench than this, in the PL era, abs woeful ! What a man …. Jurgen Norbert Klopp ? #LFC
— Ant (@KopGolfer1970) April 28, 2020
That bench
— Will Yates (@willyates76) April 29, 2020
Unreal manager man
— Alex (at ?) (@Alexlfc19_) April 29, 2020
That bench is criminal
— gazzgetgnarley (@gazzgetgnarley) April 29, 2020
Is that the team he got to 2 cup finals in his first half season. Miracle
— Rachid Choaibi (@RashChoaibi) April 28, 2020
We’ve come along way mate?
— Anthony (@anthonyoctober2) April 28, 2020
Liverpool fans, do you think the quality of Klopp’s first Reds selection compared to now summarises the transformative effect he has had at the club? Comment below with your views!
