Pinning blame on players may be justified, tempting and good for self-esteem but can come at a price for managers who succumb. “That is killing for a team,” said the Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum. Liverpool repaid Jürgen Klopp for his refusal to give the last rites before Saturday’s comfortable defeat of Tottenham Hotspur was under way.
At Melwood last week, while Klopp was continuing to take responsibility for Liverpool’s 2017 slump, the captain, Jordan Henderson, called a team meeting without the manager’s knowledge. The anaemic display at Hull City was the signal for some home truths, with Champions League qualification in danger of joining the Premier League title, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup on Liverpool’s list of unfulfilled targets. The release of anger and return to form that shattered Spurs’ 11-game unbeaten run reflected an acceptance within the dressing room that blame did not rest with Klopp alone.
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