Jurgen Klopp is maybe having his best season in terms of managerial input. He is a humungous difference maker for Liverpool.

The manner in which he’s improved players, trusted youngsters, inspired comebacks and made tactical changes within matches has been the primary reason Liverpool are joint-top of the table and still in Europe with one cup already won.

That’s before mentioning his insanely progressive use of substitutes and how he regularly uses game-changers from the bench.

So, this isn’t really a criticism of the manager. He’s been incredible. He’s the best. And I think he might well ride off into the sunset with another Premier League winner’s medal.

But I do find the games in which he’s picked Ibrahima Konate and Jarrell Quansah over the past month quite strange.

Let’s take a closer look.

Liverpool 3-0 Southampton (FA Cup) – Quansah full game (Virg and Konate half-each)

Nottingham Forest 0-1 Liverpool (PL) – Konate full game

Sparta Prague 1-5 Liverpool (EL) Quansah and Konate share minutes (Konate gets injured)

Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City (PL) Quansah full game

Liverpool 6-1 Sparta Prague (EL) Quansah full game

Manchester United 4-3 Liverpool (FA Cup) Quansah full game

–Konate plays game for France in international break–

LIverpool 2-1 Brighton (PL) Quansah plays full game

LIverpool 3-1 Sheffield United (PL) Konate plays full game

Manchester United 2-2 Liverpool (PL) Quansah plays full game

The way I look at it is, this: you want your best players available and fresh for the biggest, hardest games.

Konate is part of Liverpool’s best XI. He is one of the top defenders on the planet when fit. In fact, the only criticism you can have of him is his availability. So, it’s obvious the manner in which Klopp rotates him in and out of the side is to look after his fitness. After all, Virgil van Dijk plays every game and is looked after much differently.

But since the end of February, Liverpool have failed to win three games, two in the Premier League and one in the FA Cup. Quansah has started in all of them and Konate has not.

Let’s go through it. Against City in the Premier League, Quansah had to play because Konate got 50 minutes on the Thursday night against Sparta Prague and picked up an issue. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but did we really need Konate on the pitch for that game?

He missed the FA Cup game with United due to that same injury, but he still went away with France right after that game and played well over the international break…

But upon his return, Klopp picked Quansah against Brighton and left the on-paper easier Sheffield United game for Konate, meaning he then had to pick Quansah at Old Trafford again as Konate is seemingly not going to play two games in three or four days.

If it were me, I’d have gone Konate versus Brighton and Quansah against Sheffield United, meaning Konate would be fresh for the Old Trafford tie, and Quansah can come in for the Europa League tie this Thursday with Atalanta… This would then mean Konate would be ready for the more important Crystal Palace tie next weekend, and so on.

It’s possible now that Konate plays Atalanta and Quansah gets Palace, which just seems the wrong way round given the priority should be the Premier League.

It’s important to note that Quansah has been exceptional. His mistake against United last time out aside, the 21-year-old has way outperformed expectations. He’s composed and physical and does well alongside van Dijk whenever called upon.

United target our right-side though, as do most big teams, for a few obvious reasons. Firstly. van Dijk is on the left and they want to avoid him. Secondly, there is often space left at right-back when either Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez or Conor Bradley are playing that role inverted or just as a natural attacking fullback.

If I had one criticism of Klopp in this season and perhaps a few that have gone beforehand, it’s an insistence on picking strong teams in dead-rubbers or less important ones before more important ones.

One of Jota’s big injuries a few years back came in a Champions League tie with nothing riding on it. And we’d have beaten Sparta Prague without Konate.

Who knows if we’d have fared better than two draws and one win against United and City if Konate had played. We never will.

But hopefully the Frenchman will at least be fully fit for our most crucial upcoming fixtures. As City and Arsenal will only lose or draw one of their seven games left by my reckoning which means we have to finish perfectly. Old Trafford was the slip-up. No more room for another.

The post Editor’s Column: Klopp’s selection of Konate and Quansah is confusing appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Jarell Quansah had England caps at every level from U16 to U20 before this season started… He captained Liverpool’s team in the UEFA Youth League and was an automatic starter for us in successful youth teams since his arrival in 2008.

Yet, for some reason, there was little or no hype. No fans were hoping Jurgen Klopp would give him minutes this term. There was no clamour for his promotion to the first-team. Quansah had a fairly mundane loan spell at Bristol Rovers in League One last season under Joey Barton, where he didn’t always start.

There was an incident with a red-card in which Quansah was criticised by an opponent for his recklessness.

Joe Morrell told BBC Radio Solent: “I’ve got up. Maybe he’s started a bit and he’s headbutted me. I think it’s probably [worth] two red cards.

“I haven’t made a tackle like that in my career and I certainly wouldn’t do that.”

Despite then Bristol Rovers manager Barton taking him in and out of the side, he did have big words of praise for the towering defender, which surprised many given the average performances.

“Jarell’s been excellent since he’s come in, he’s gone away with England and done well with them, got a goal and he’s come back and it looks like he’s figured out how to head the ball.

“He would probably be our top scorer if he’d had known that before,” he said in March, cited by TIA.

During the summer, Liverpool fans desperately wanted the club to sanction a deal for a new centre-back, but they refused and that decision has actually allowed Quansah minutes in the cup competitions.

So far, he’s played two full games in the EFL Cup and four in the Europa League. He’s had one start in the Premier League and come off the bench in three more to shore up matches. Without exaggeration, Quansah hasn’t put a foot wrong.

Strong, fast and imposing, he has the physical traits required of any elite centre-half, but he backs it up with composure and technical skills on the ball. It’s obviously a silly comparison right now, but aesthetically, he passes the ball like Virgil van Dijk with his relaxed gait and effortless side-footed balls into midfield.

His performance on Thursday night against LASK was again, faultless. Check out the highlights of his outing in the video, below. His passing and interceptions are good, but I especially like the recovery pace and timing of the last ditch tackles you see in the second-half.

Liverpool will always give other teams chances due to our ultra-attacking style, so you need defenders and goalkeepers who can get you out of jail when big moments arrive. He did exactly that.

Quansah vs Lask pic.twitter.com/9YfwhBTGUg

— 1947 (@1947production) November 30, 2023

Klopp was very keen to laud Quansah post-match and spoke about his new defender in length, referencing the decision not to buy a centre-back before the season as a good one.

“For us it was absolutely perfect. Jarell played a super game,” Klopp said, cited by Anfield Watch.

“There couldn’t be better news for the club, to be honest. Before this season, people told us we should buy a centre-half. We knew we had Jarell. Did we know that he would show up like this? Not exactly, but we were pretty hopeful. So the future’s bright. He is our own boy, calm on the ball, good in the challenges, quick, ruthless in the right moments.

“Besides Caoimh he had the most spectacular defensive situations when he saved our backside in some moments, so that’s really top news for us.”

“That couldn’t be better news for the club, to be honest. I think before this season a lot of people told us we should buy a centre-half. “We knew we had Jarell. Did we know that he will show up like this? No, not exactly, but we were pretty hopeful, so the future is bright. “It’s cool. Our own boy, calm on the ball, good in the challenge, quick, ruthless in the right moments and besides Caoimhin, who had one or two saves, [he] probably had the most spectacular defensive situations when he saved our backside in some moments. So, that’s really good. [It’s] top news for us.”

The great thing about our defensive situation is that it’s not only Quansah who is playing above expectations.

Joel Matip is enjoying a brilliant season. So much so, he’s arguably climbed above Ibrahima Konate in the pecking order, who himself hasn’t done anything wrong other than picking up a few niggling injuries.

Van Dijk is back to his absolute best, which helps tenfold. The Dutchman is oozing the confidence that made him stand head and shoulders above any centre-back on the planet and is clearly relishing the full-time captaincy.

Joe Gomez is showing he can play the inverted right-back position but also cover in central defence, too. What a squad player he is, capable of both.

Even at fullback, Kostas Tsimikas has found form while deputising for Andy Robertson.

With our attack always firing and our midfield finding its feet, should Liverpool find a way to become ultra-solid defensively, we really do have a chance in all four competitions this season.

Klopp will prioritise the Premier League, but don’t be surprised to see the Reds pick up at least one cup, too, with Quansah likely to be in the side for any run.

The post Editor’s Column: Jarell Quansah, from League One head-butt to Liverpool’s next centre-back superstar appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool didn’t deserve anything from their trip to Toulouse but thought they had salvaged a point thanks to a stoppage time strike from Jarrell Quansah.

Reds hearts were broken, however, with referee Georgi Kabakov deciding their was a handball by Alexis Mac Allister in the build-up to the goal.

A lot happened after the Argentine made contact with the ball, with numerous passes of the ball and a goal mouth scramble, but the Bulgarian rather bizarrely ruled out the goal to hand Toulouse all three points.

READ MORE: (Video) Diogo Jota fires in breathtaking finish past Toulouse to give Liverpool late hope

Jurgen Klopp’s side were far from their best but battled until the very end and should’ve came away with a point from Stadium de Toulouse.

It’s confusing as to what the actual rules of VAR now are but to see a goal ruled out for something so minute – and so early on in the build-up to the goal – is disappointing.

Our German tactician had words with the referee on the pitch at full-time and it’s fair to say he didn’t look very happy.

You can check our disallowed goal below via @TheAnfieldBuzz (originating from RMC Sport) on X, as well as an image of Mac Allister’s handball via @ESPNFC:

Quansah makes it 3-3 in the last few seconds of the game. pic.twitter.com/TYS3cvL14R

— The Anfield Buzz (@TheAnfieldBuzz) November 9, 2023

20-year-old Jarell Quansah thought he scored the equalizer in the final minute of stoppage time for Liverpool.

The goal was overturned due to an Alexis Mac Allister handball, and Toulouse won 3-2.

Unlucky pic.twitter.com/H7zhZIxp85

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 9, 2023

The post (Video) Confusing VAR check rules out Jarrell Quansah’s stoppage time leveller against Toulouse appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Jarrell Quansah has impressed on every single occasion when called upon by Jurgen Klopp this term.

The Warrington-born talent made his seventh appearance of the campaign for the Reds during the 2-1 League Cup defeat of Bournemouth last night and threw in a man-of-the-match performance.

The Reds may not have kept a clean sheet but the 20-year-old was immense alongside Joel Matip at the heart of our defence.

READ MORE: Luis Garcia says Liverpool ace is ‘just warming up’ after another promising display

The England U21 international was extremely composed on the ball and he sent one of his opponents for the ECHO with a show of immense skill last night.

In the torrential conditions at the Vitality Stadium our No. 78 appeared to be cornered in his own half with no way out. That was until he performed a delightful Cruyff turn to set the Reds on the attack.

Check out the piece of skill below via @LFC on Instagram:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Liverpool Football Club (@liverpoolfc)

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Andre ticks a box, Liverpool have a ‘real top player’ with Kevin De Bruyne gift, unfair treatment of Nunez and much more!

The post (Video) Quansah sends Bournemouth winger for the ECHO with incredible Cruyff turn appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

A number of players left Liverpool in the summer, including captain Jordan Henderson and other senior figures such as Bobby Firmino, James Milner and Fabinho, but Jurgen Klopp was adamant he wanted to retain the services of one player in particular.

Numerous clubs are believed to have been interested in signing 20-year-old defender Jarrell Quansah on loan this term but our German tactician prevented him from leaving the club, that’s according to Daily Mail (via HITC).

That decision is already paying off with the Warrington-born talent, who Virgil van Dijk labelled ‘outstanding’ recently (as quoted by Liverpoolfc.com), featuring in three of Liverpool’s five games so far this season – including a superb performance at Molineux last weekend where he was named in the starting XI.

READ MORE: (Video) Nunez’s partner posts adorable clip of his son and Luis Diaz’s daughter out for Merseyside stroll

With van Dijk suspended and Ibou Konate out with a muscle injury the Academy graduate was named in defence alongside Joel Matip and did everything that was asked of him.

He kept a cool head, especially during the first half, when many of Klopp’s more senior figures failed to get a grip of the game and Wolves could’ve very easily been two or three up.

Quansah earned praise for his performance in the West Midlands and although he’s on the bench for tonight’s Europa League clash with LASK in Austria he’ll be hungry for more minutes in a red shirt this term.

Liverpool are expected to strengthen their defensive options, either in January or definitely next summer, so it remains to be seen whether a loan departure for our No. 78 could be sanctioned in the future.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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