Liverpool’s success without Coutinho is testament to Klopp’s genius | Liam Rosenior


Jürgen Klopp has shown that you can improve a side while selling your best player – it is a victory for team functionality, philosophy and identity

I have heard Jürgen Klopp cite inspirations as varied as heavy metal music and Rocky Balboa so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Liverpool manager was also familiar with Aristotle. After all, Klopp showed in January that his football philosophy is very much in line with the great Greek thinker who believed that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.

Klopp shocked many in the football world when almost four months ago he sanctioned the sale of his most technically gifted player, Philippe Coutinho, who had been outstanding in the first half of the season and did not replace him like for like, causing supporters and pundits to question everything from his judgment to his sanity. Instead he recruited a centre-back in Virgil van Dijk and trusted his instinct that the team would improve as a consequence.

Related: Why Liverpool might not miss Philippe Coutinho as much as people think | Sean Ingle

What Liverpool have achieved this season should be lauded and studied by fans, pundits and aspiring coaches

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