Jurgen Klopp has often been criticised for how Liverpool haven’t achieved success in the FA Cup since his appointment, but Ian Wright can see why the German hasn’t targeted the competition.
The Reds haven’t achieved success in the prestigious competition since 2006 when they lifted the trophy after beating West Ham in a penalty shootout following a historic 3-3 draw.
But with the strength of the squad Liverpool have and the depth they have, many feel that Liverpool should be targeting the FA Cup as well as other bigger competitions – such as the Premier League title and the Champions League.
However, Wright told ITV that Klopp does not have a big enough squad at his disposal to seriously compete for all competitions.
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"I’m not sure Jurgen Klopp will not be trying to win the cups I think the teams he’s had to put out because we’re talking about someone who’s come in to try and win the Premier League and the Champions League.
"He’s done both but at the same time, this is something he has to add to his cloth. He’s always had a good team to do it but you have to give credit to the teams that have beaten them, but at the same time who he’s put out probably is the strongest without the missing players.
"We know that the way that Liverpool have done business, to even stay in touch with Man City and Chelsea and what they’re having to compete with, the signings they’ve made the players that have come through the academy, the players they’ve bought for the academy to then get into the first team.
“There’s no fat on Liverpool, everything is really lean. They’re trying to keep up with those teams so sometimes you can see why in the FA Cup they haven’t done well in it because they have bigger fish to fry.”
The Reds signed Luis Diaz in the January transfer window for £37.5million from Porto to provide Klopp with a different option in the final third, and almost secured the signature of 18-year-old Fabio Carvalho of Fulham but the deal fell through.
There has been a clear plan at Anfield of late that purchases must be capable of improving the squad, but also with a vision for those incomings to improve with time and develop at the club.
Wright continued: “They’re building something and like I say, they’re doing it properly. They don’t waste their money they buy the right player they target who they want and they get who they want and they all deliver."
Liverpool beat Cardiff City 3-1 on Sunday afternoon to progress into the fifth round of the FA Cup, where they will take on fellow Premier League side Norwich City in another tie that the Merseyside outfit will view as winnable.
The Reds will take on Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final later this month and also have been in flying form in the Champions League too, though Manchester City do appear to be pulling away in the Premier League as well.
If Klopp is able to secure at least two pieces of silverware this season then it is hard to see many Liverpool supporters being overly disappointed if they aren’t able to close the gap on City.
