As the season has played out it has become clear that Liverpool has become the dominant force in English football. Not only are they the current holders of the Champions League, but they have also won the FIFA Club World Cup this season with a victory in the final over Brazil’s Flamengo, and are odds-on favourites to win the Premier League. They are potentially the best team that the world has seen for a very long time.
This has been a major success story for Jurgen Klopp and it has only enhanced his reputation as one of the best managers in the world. It has taken him some time to build a successful Liverpool team, but they do now appear to have the look of true greatness. They are an enjoyable attacking team to watch and they are the right mix of flair and grit.
All of this has come at a price, and Liverpool has a net spend in the past five years of around 92.4 million pounds. However, this is considerably less than their rivals; with Manchester City coming top of the list at a 505 million pound net spend.
The question that occurs to many people is, just what could Jurgen Klopp achieve with an extra 400 million pounds to spend? Well, the general consensus seems to be that he doesn’t need it. He has moulded Liverpool into a powerful force with a mix of homegrown and big-name players and selling certain players at the right time for a high price.
He has got the mix of talent so right that Liverpool has started the Premier League by winning 64 out of a possible 66 points. That is the best start ever to a top-five league in Europe. If Liverpool continues at this level of success they will smash every existing record, and finally, win their first English league title for thirty years.
It is an astounding achievement, and Liverpool fans are right to be excited about what their team might go on to do next.
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Which other teams have impressed in the Premier League this season?
Due to Liverpool’s success last season, in running Manchester City so close in the Premier League and winning the Champions League, many people are not surprised to see them doing so well this year.
Manchester City has often been spoken of as being the best team in the world, but their expensively assembled team have proven to have been disappointing so far this season. They are unlikely to catch Liverpool in the race for the Premiership, so their hopes will be to finally lift the Champions League.
Perhaps the surprise package of this season has been Leicester City. It was a shame to see them flounder after their heroics in lifting the Premier League Championship in 2016. However, they have rebounded under the inspirational Brendan Rodgers and are back in the top three and seem real contenders to qualify for the Champions League again.
It is easy to forget that Leicester City has only been back in the Premier League for six years. So much has happened since then with winning the Premier League, contending in the Champions League and the horrific and sad death of their popular Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash which occurred in the club’s grounds car park.
They are doing well to be back amongst the top clubs in the league. The future looks bright again with Brendan Rogers in charge of the team.
Who are the “best of the rest”?
Chelsea has had a difficult start under their former star player Frank Lampard. This is mostly due to being unable to buy new players because of a transfer ban which was issued as a punishment for financial irregularities.
The club’s team is now starting to show promise and finds itself in the top four and in with a great chance of qualifying for the Champions League once again.
Some other “big-six” clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur have new managers and are in a period of transition. It seems that it might take some time for these giant clubs to become a force to be reckoned with once again.
One interesting development is the appointment of three-time Champions League winning manager Carlo Ancelotti at Everton. It remains to be seen if Mr Ancelotti can raise the sleeping giant and achieve success. His track record suggests that this is likely to happen.
Wolverhampton Wanders and newly-promoted Sheffield United are having fantastic seasons and are vying for places in European competition next season. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to their continued success in the coming season will be their ability to keep their impressive managers taking the reins of bigger clubs.
What about the rest of Europe?
The giant clubs such as Bayern Munich, Juventus, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain continue to be powerhouses in their leagues and can be expected to be a factor in their league championships and the Champions League for many years to come.
One remarkable success story worth noting in the German Bundesliga has been the success of RB Leipzig. They are currently top of the league and are giving giants like Bayern Munich a real run for their money.
They have achieved four promotions from the fifth tier of German soccer since their founding on 19 May 2009 to stand right at the top of the top league. They have achieved unprecedented success. They have experienced a fairytale ride through the divisions, and the story of success is ongoing.
Final Thoughts
Liverpool appears to be destined to be at the top of English soccer for a long time to come. Their success has come through brilliant management and a wise investment in players. I predict that they will dominate for many years to come and only a refocusing and strengthening of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City seems likely to challenge their success.
