As false dawns go, Liverpool's Community Shield win over Manchester City 12 months ago may take some beating.
The Reds looked energetic, motivated and, with new signing Darwin Nunez, had a new, exciting threat up front. Not many at that point would have predicted the nightmare season that was to follow, with Liverpool finishing outside the top four for the first time in seven seasons.
A week after that Community Shield, Jurgen Klopp’s side played out a 2-2 draw at Fulham and looked dull, tired and lacking inspiration. The tone for the season was set. This summer, Klopp’s great big rebuild has so far consisted of signing a whole two new players - only West Ham have fewer incomings.
Why Fabio Carvalho At Liverpool Didn't Work
And with less than a week until the first game of the season, the club don’t have a defensive midfielder. No wonder fans are showing discontent. We can safely predict, then, that Liverpool won’t be winning the title this coming season. You simply cannot topple Manchester City, who have, in Josko Gvardiol, signed the exact player Liverpool needed this summer but again felt they couldn’t afford.
So while we wait around for Liverpool to do the final rebuilding part of their rebuild, let’s take a look at seven alternative predictions for the season ahead…
1. More goals from midfield
Let’s start with a positive. Liverpool’s midfielders will score more this upcoming season than Liverpool’s midfielders have in any of the previous seasons under Klopp.
Liverpool’s whole midfield - all 10 players - scored 10 goals last season. Their two new signings, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai scored 22 goals between them. They also contributed more assists (16 versus 11).
Creativity and a goal threat from the middle aren’t something Liverpool have had under Klopp, a new dawn is upon us.
2. More goals to be conceded than last season
Liverpool conceded 47 league goals last season, which was 80% more than the season before (26 conceded). And yet, we’re still predicting Liverpool to concede even more in 2023/24.
The reasons for this are numerous. Firstly, the new in-possession system leaves Liverpool’s right side even more susceptible to counter-attacks than before, with Trent Alexander-Arnold being inverted into midfield. An injury to Ibrahima Konate (he missed 13 games due to them last season) would be extremely problematic.
Secondly, as above, Liverpool literally have no defensive midfielder. A pretty big issue. And even if Romeo Lavia is signed, he’s a teenager, still very raw and won’t be stopping all the gaps in front of the back three.
Thirdly, there’s been no movement to sign a left-sided centre-back, despite the clear desire and need for one. Andy Robertson’s positional discipline in a back three is questionable after years of playing as a high-pressing full-back. It’s not so much his fault, but he doesn’t suit the system.
Not since 2015/16 have Liverpool conceded 50 league goals in a season. That milestone could be hit this season.
3. Ben Doak to enter into Liverpool’s European list
Teenage winger Ben Doak is tipped for a breakthrough season, with the Europa League especially likely to offer him a route into first-team involvement.
He turns 18 in November, so won’t quite be able to beat Michael Owen’s record of being the club’s youngest goalscorer in Europe (17 years, 9 months), but he should be able to enter that list in second place behind the Englishman.
Scotsman Doak scored four and assisted four in eight appearances in the UEFA Youth League last season.
4. There will be an injury crisis
With the, according to Transfermarkt, smallest squad in the Premier League at the time of writing, and given Liverpool’s absurd ability to have an injury crisis every season, this one is nailed on.
If you include the likes of Doak and Conor Bradley, the Reds currently have 21 outfield players, plus four goalkeepers.
It’s not ideal for any club, but especially one that has Europa League football and a history of injuries from intense training and playing methods under Klopp.
5. A January signing will be needed
With that in mind, then, a January signing or two will be needed and add life to Liverpool’s season.
There was a time when Klopp often preferred over how he wasn’t a fan of January signings and that they are hard to make, which has proven even stranger given that Virgil van Dijk, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo prove otherwise.
One potential January arrival is Brazilian midfielder Andre Trindade, whom Liverpool are linked with now but Fluminense are highly unlikely to allow to leave mid-season.
6. Europa League offers a positive distraction
For all that Liverpool don’t want to be in the Europa League, at this stage in the development of Klopp’s new squad, it could prove to be a salvation.
It can provide opportunities for the likes of Doak, Bradley and other youngsters, plus potentially confidence-building minutes for Nunez and others. The group games should be less intense, the focus is away from the main group, and arguably the first team can benefit from that.
“It [the Europa League] gives a chance to focus on the Premier League a lot more,” says Alexander-Arnold.
Winning the trophy - the only trophy Klopp has never won - in Dublin next May, would give the squad a winning European feeling again, with only eight players left from the squad that won the Champions League in 2019.
7. Liverpool’s latest-ever Premier League goal incoming
Last but not least, Dirk Kuyt’s 102nd-minute penalty at Arsenal in 2011 is the latest goal ever scored in a Premier League match, but with the new rules around added time, we can expect that to be broken this season.
A simple prediction that you can safely impress your mates with!
More Liverpool stories
In FourFourTwo's Season Preview of the upcoming campaign, we assess how Liverpool can challenge for the title once more.
Meanwhile, Liverpool transfer news is ramping up ahead of a huge overhaul at Anfield this summer. Benjamin Pavard of Bayern Munich has been linked, while James Ward-Prowse is said to be on the shortlist. Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga is a target and Khephren Thuram of Nice is said to be close to joining
In other news, Diogo Jota has told FFT that Liverpool can win the title in 2024.
