Klopp may have got his tactics and sub wrong but I question the mentality and fighting spirit of the players. Since going top, our players have been scared and there is a lack of urgency. That is the reason we are now relying on Man City to drop points now. That is also the reason we have lost the last 3 or 4 finals that we have been in.
Robertson saying now the pressure is on City. Hope he is right but the pressure is also on us. We need to win the next 9 games and hope Man City draw at least once. Lets see how our players handle the pressure now.
I think many of us do not realize what a Herculean effort the players had put in to be in the position we were in, going into the match at the Etihad.
We put together an enviable run of form, becoming the first team ever in the history of the league to win all their December fixtures, one of only 3 teams in the history of the league to have amassed as many points at that point of the season and one of only 2 teams in the history of the Premier League to have conceded so few goals up to that point. That all required a massive, massive effort- more effort than City had put in!
It is not hard to imagine that that run took out everything from the players. Then we had our first loss and the optimism we ran on, started fading a bit. We had 2 longish breaks- sprinkled with a few draws inbetween and I can tell you now- after a run like that, you come down hard and heavy! Still our players dug deep- giving their all, even if their all was slow and lethargic and tainted with draws and 1 teensy loss. They gave their all- and they still do.
I don't think it's fair to criticize them without some measure of objectivity. You can certainly not accuse them of being lax. Whatever it looks like to us- they are fighting and pushing themselves to the edge. No- I would say, they've already pushed themselves to the edge... now their pushing themselves ALONG the edge! What we have seen so far, is the very best that they have ever given hitherto in their lives- to a man.
Their best has not been to good recently, but I vehemently disagree with anyone who says they're being lax! I used to be an innercity long distace runner before the smokes got me and I can tell you- after a run of 20km non-stop, you're going to struggle. Your knees are going to want to buckle with every step, you are going to be at the end of your strength- looking like you're being "lax" from a distance and yet you are giving it your all- your very best and even more, because now it's pure willpower that's driving you- nothing else. Your body cannot anymore- even though you will it and force it to.
Please don't accuse a group of players who have done absolutely superb under ALL circumstances- as much as only 3/4 teams has ever done in the LEAGUE(not just the prem)- of showing a lack of urgency- ie: being "lax".