As Liverpool go from bad to worse on a weekly basis, various reasons are offered (injuries, confidence, loss of belief, heads turned etc.) The one thing that all those arguments have in common is that they are rectifiable, i.e. with the same team, rest and recovery, Liverpool will be back, stronger than ever, next season. However, there is a line of argument, I would like to discuss here, that suggests that the team has, actually, passed its peak and what is required is a renewal of the squad, i.e. it is time on the legs that has done the damage this season. As many are aware, Klopp's style of pressing is physically demanding and, eventhough I believe it has been reduced somewhat from it's earliest incarnation at Liverpool, it is still wearing for the players. Perhaps what is not fully appreciated is that there is a significant core of players at Liverpool who are not just, arguably, passing their peak, but have also played a lot of games in Klopps high tempo system:
VDV - Turns 30 in July, is coming back from a year long injury, has played 95 times for Klopp
Firmino - Turns 30 in October, has played 274 times for Klopp
Matip - Turns 30 in August, has played 123 times for Klopp
Wijnaldum - Turns 31 in November, has played 182 times for Klopp
Henderson - Turns 31 in June, has played 198 times for Klopp
Shaquiri - Turns 30 in October, has played 58 times for Klopp
Milner - just turned 35 in January, has played 231 times for Klopp
That is 7 players that are not just pushing or past 30, but have an enormous amount of games under their belt for Liverpool in a relatively short space of time. Firmino, in particular, has clocked up, on average, 48 games a season at Liverpool since has joined. It's incredible when you look at it how much he has given to the team. In the same vein,
Mane - turns 29 in April, has played 203 times for Klopp, averaging 40 games a season
Salah - Turns 29 in June, has played 189 times for Klopp, averaging 47 games a season
I haven't even mentioned Adrian at 35, simply because I view keepers as somewhat different to outfield players. The point I am making though is that a hugely important core of players in key positions with huge mileage in their legs are ending a somewhat awful season in poor form and with Euro finals on the horizon as well. Quite simply, I would argue, we may have gone to the well too many times. Depending on the same players to get back to their peak is not only grossly unrealistic, but, I would argue, grossly unfair. The likes of Firmino, Wijnaldum, Henderson etc. should be, naturally, seeing less playing time and be being brought on for impact purposes. That has been the role Milner has occupied for a long time at Liverpool and great service was had as a result. But instead the players mentioned are first on the team sheet, with almost nothing on the bench ready to replace them. That brings its own pressures to bear and, possibly, helps explain the loss of form.
In some ways I believe this season is a blessing in disguise, though that may be hard to believe. What is has served to do is highlight all the weaknesses of the squad that need rectifying; aging, fatigued players, a significant drop off in quality to the reserves, lack of cover for injuries and the role of confidence in overcoming adversity. Had Liverpool had a normal season, what might have occurred was drop in levels, City sweeping to the title and Liverpool 2nd, but by a distance. The problems would have remained and the team would have started next season without the necessary renewal.
What this season has (cruelly) exposed, is the need for renewal, to remove deadwood from the squad, to improve the second string and bring in players that will challenge the first team and inject energy and dynamism. That was started with Jota, but it is a long way from where it needs to be. Of the players brought in from last summer, only Jota fufils the requirements I have outlined aboved. This summer is crucial, it cannot be another summer of 1 big buy, 2-3 lucky dips. Those are half measures and will not meet the needs of the manager.