Jurgen Klopp's Bold Decision-Making Is Another Positive Sign for Liverpool

ANFIELD, Liverpool — The final home game and penultimate Premier League game of the season was supposed to give Liverpool a dress rehearsal for next week's UEFA Europa League final. Instead, Chelsea gave Sevilla a lesson in how to nullify Jurgen Klopp's Reds.

Klopp opted for the same XI that started last week's semi-final against Villarreal, with eight players returning after being rested for the league clash with Watford on Sunday. It's fair to say that that side is expected to walk out in next week's final in Basel, and all 11 could be rested against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

The home side started well, with the attacking quartet of Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana linking well. That final pass or finish proved elusive, though, with Sturridge in particular struggling to find his range against his former club.

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After a bright opening 15 minutes, Chelsea began to get more interest and in particular Eden Hazard, who has sprung to life in the closing weeks of the season. It was his jinking run that opened the scoring, with the Belgian waltzing past four Liverpool defenders before coolly dispatching past compatriot Simon Mignolet at the Kop end.

Liverpool struggled from then on to find their rhythm, with wayward passes more on show than shots to test Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

Hazard was at the forefront of everything good from the visitors, and he was the difference between the two sides. His goal looked set to be the match-winner until an injury-time equaliser from substitute Christian Benteke rescued a point for the home side. 

Late Goals and Impact Subs

Klopp can't be accused of accepting defeat, that's for sure. Post-match, he described 0-1 as "the best result to draw still."

He brought on Benteke and Joe Allen with 15 minutes remaining, then added winger Sheyi Ojo with two minutes to go. "We had the most offensive formation we could have at the end," said Klopp.

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Ojo almost—and perhaps should have—scored with his first touch within seconds of coming on, finding himself on the end of a superb Allen pass at the back post but failing to keep his shot on target.

But the 18-year-old then provided the cross for Benteke to head home, thanks also to Begovic's error in dealing with the cross.

It was, impressively, Ojo's fourth assist in five league appearances, and the England youth international is becoming a useful player to have on the bench, offering an end product that fellow young winger Jordon Ibe has struggled to provide.

Klopp's three subs without a doubt saved the game, not only with their own play, but also seemingly boosting those around them—players and crowd. When subs arrive in games at Anfield, there's now an expectancy that things are about to change.

Benteke's goal means Klopp now has 14 goals scored by substitutes in his 29 league games in charge of Liverpool, the next closest in the league all season being Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Everton boss Roberto Martinez on eight (per Transfermarkt, via Andrew Beasley).

It also means the former Aston Villa forward has six goals as substitute this season, two more than any other player.

That's credit to Klopp, but also credit to Benteke for showing desire and work ethic when being introduced late on in games to make an impact.

Klopp has regularly reiterated the need for a never-say-die attitude, and despite not being at their best on Wednesday, Liverpool evidenced this new-found belief again.

Sevilla

While the come-from-behind point was another positive for Klopp, the negative was how Chelsea nullified Liverpool, and how some players became very frustrated.

Post-match, Klopp urged patience from the players and the crowd, saying: "There was not enough faith in our own quality and so we lost patience, and formation.

“There were a lot of moments when we shot and we should have passed."

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Coutinho and Sturridge in particular seemed guilty of this, with the Reds' Brazilian No. 10 cutting a frustrated figure when passes weren't working out in the second half.

This is where Chelsea showed Sevilla how to stop Liverpool's attacking output. Guus Hiddink's side sat deep, with the full-backs rarely venturing forward, instead playing close to their centre-backs and not giving Liverpool any space centrally.

Klopp changed from his 4-2-3-1 shape at half-time to a midfield diamond with Firmino alongside Sturridge. Perhaps it was only once Ojo arrived that Liverpool had natural width, which they'd lacked all game. No wonder Klopp has expressed the need for a winger to arrive this summer. 

"Everyone lost patience tonight and the crowd did too," said Klopp.

"You see we all don’t trust finally our quality, and that is what we have to learn in the future, and we will."

Liverpool can't play with high intensity for 90 minutes in every game, and players and fans must learn this together. Have faith and patience.

Most, if not all, of this XI will now have a week to digest where they struggled against Chelsea and how they can improve if Sevilla adapt similar tactics in the final in Switzerland.

* Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise stated.