For all the twists and turns and late dip in league form, Liverpool put on a show on the last day of the season to qualify for the Champions League next season. They were never in the title race but their run to the UCL final will make the 4th placed finish in the league all the more impressive.
Jurgen Klopp will be lauded for his efforts with a squad that is certainly not the fourth best in the league. There are a number of players who have overachieved but how does the team rate as a whole? Here is a mini-season review of Liverpool’s 2017/18 campaign:
3 Players Who Impressed:
Mohamed Salah:
Having scored 32 league goals to add to 10 assists, the Egyptian dazzler has broken goal scoring records aplenty in his first season at Anfield. Scoring in 30 of the 36 league appearances, Salah also won the PFA Player of the Year award and was easily the best player in the league this season.
Roberto Firmino:
Though not as popular as Salah, Firmino’s 15 goals and seven assists were as crucial to getting Liverpool a place in the Champions League next season. His style of play has allowed Klopp’s system to thrive at Anfield and surely, he will be one of the most crucial players for The Reds in the upcoming campaign as well.
Andrew Robertson:
A player who divided opinion among Liverpool fans at the start of the season is now a crowd favourite at Anfield. His relentless running added to his composure at the back and his willingness to add to the attack have made him an effective player in Klopp’s system and he remains one of the most consistent left-backs in the league this season.
3 Players Who Disappointed:
Dominic Solanke:
The English youngster was expected to add a different dimension to Liverpool’s attack but his first goal for the club came on the final day of the season, on his 21st league outing.
Alberto Moreno:
The Spaniard was preferred over Robertson at the start of the season but he seems to have not learnt from his mistakes and was less than impressive every time he got a chance back in the first team.
Joel Matip:
The Cameroon international was supposed to be Liverpool’s answer to their problems at the back but he has shown his own weaknesses this season and will not be the first choice come the start of the upcoming campaign, regardless of his injury status.
Season Rating:
Liverpool’s season, their 84 goals scored and just 38 conceded, deserve a higher spot in the points table but they lost crucial points late in the season, thanks to the UCL run, which needs to be taken into account.
It is possible that they could have challenged Manchester United for the second place in the points table, if they did not have to rest players for games late in the season but even without that, with the limited budget that Klopp has worked with, this season for Liverpool, that has given them UCL qualification in consecutive years, is certainly one to remember.
Rating – 8/10