Ranking Klopp’s seasons

[rurikbird]

1. Season 2018/19 – Let’s talk about six, baby!​

League finish: 2nd
Points: 97
Champions League: Winners
FA Cup: 3rd Round
League Cup: 3rd Round

A stunning season saw Liverpool not only win a sixth European Cup but also accumulate 97 points in a relentless Premier League title battle with Man City.

This takes top spot, not only because it wasn’t Covid-affected, but because this was the best-performing team of the Klopp era.

To not win the title with 97 points is cruel, but thankfully, Liverpool went all the way in the Champions League, including clinching an all-time great win over Barcelona.

The final win over Tottenham was achieved in clinical, dogged fashion before some iconic on-pitch celebrations after the final whistle.

This was the Reds at the absolute peak of their powers under Klopp.

Best league win: Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool

2. Season 2019/20 – Champions at last​

League finish: 1st
Points: 99
Champions League: Last 16
FA Cup: 5th Round
League Cup: 5th Round
Club World Cup: Winners
Super Cup: Winners

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After 30 long years, Liverpool finally got their hands on another league title – but the manner of it was somewhat anti-climatic due to circumstances out of our control.

Forget any nonsense talk of a ‘Covid title’, Liverpool were home and hosed by the time football was halted for a while, leading the rest by TWENTY-FIVE points on one occasion.

Even if they’d have lost every match after lockdown, they still would have finished the season with a point more than Man City.

Unbelievably, the Reds’ only dropped points in their first 27 league games came away to Man United, which remains an unfathomable statistic.

We were all robbed of celebrating the title with the players, which will always be hard to stomach, but until the beginning of March, this was just as enjoyable as 2018/19, if not better.

The quality and mentality of that Liverpool side were a match for any team in English football history.

Best league win: Leicester 0-4 Liverpool

3. Season 2021/22 – A quadruple chase – 2 games from greatness​

League finish: 2nd
Points: 92
Champions League: Runners-up
FA Cup: Winners
League Cup: Winners

Liverpool came within touching distance of an unprecedented quadruple, but two trophies still represented an impressive season.

It’s easy to forget that Klopp’s men looked jaded midway through the campaign, but the arrival of Luis Diaz gave them fresh impetus and they came so close to an outrageous achievement.

Two penalty shootout wins over Chelsea in both domestic cup finals sealed glory, with Caoimhin Kelleher and Kostas Tsimikas the unlikely heroes.

Sadly, Liverpool ran out of steam in the end, again being painfully pipped by City on the final day, and beaten by a Thibaut Courtois-inspired Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Still, what a ride it was.

Best league win: Man United 0-5 Liverpool

4. Season 2017/18 – Delivering fun all the way to the final​

League finish: 4th
Points: 75
Champions League: Runners-up
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: 3rd Round

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The signing of Virgil van Dijk helped inspire Liverpool to the Champions League final in another season of huge progress.

In terms of memories, 2017/18 provided us with some of the most special in history, mainly in the Champions League.

Van Dijk joined halfway through the season and his impact was immediate – it doesn’t get much better than a debut goal against Everton! – helping Liverpool go all the way to a final.

To beat arguably Pep Guardiola’s greatest-ever City team over two legs was an amazing effort, and the scenes in Italy after the semi-final triumph over Roma were special.

Ultimately, Liverpool ran into Madrid once again in Kyiv, and Loris Karius produced one of the worst performances in a big game, but it was still a thrilling campaign.

Best league win: Liverpool 4-3 Man City

5. Season 2015/16 – Klopp’s promising first season​

League finish: 8th
Points: 60
Europa League: Runners-up
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: Runners-up

A campaign that started so badly under Brendan Rodgers eventually saw Klopp arrive and show immediately why he would grow into a legend.

The appointment of the German in October 2015 will forever be a seismic moment in Liverpool’s history, and from that first game at Tottenham, you felt something special was brewing.

It was far from perfect in, but there were high-octane victories away to the likes of Chelsea, Man City, and perhaps most memorably, Norwich.

Gegenpressing, heavy metal football had Arrived and we’d all strapped in for the ride!

There was also the small matter of Klopp reaching the finals of both the League Cupand Europa League in his first half-season.

There was the unforgettable 4-3 win over Borussia Dortmund – one the best nights Anfield has ever witnessed.

Best league win: Norwich 4-5 Liverpool

​

 

[rurikbird]

6. Season 2016/17 – Champions League qualification​

League finish: 4th
Points: 76
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: Semi-final

Having featured in the competition only once since 2010/11, Klopp inspired Liverpool back into the Champions League.

In Klopp’s first full season in charge, he delivered the primary objective of getting back into Europe’s top club competition.

At one point until January, Liverpool were in a title race with Chelsea, but star signing Sadio Mane‘s absence at the Africa Cup of Nations saw that dream slowly fade.

In the end, a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough on the final day sealed fourth place – how important did Gini Wijnaldum‘s opener feel? – and the Reds were back where they belonged.

A great achievement by Klopp so soon after coming in.

Best league win: Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool

7. Season 2023/24 – Disappointing end to Klopp’s reign​

League finish: TBC
Points: TBC
Europa League: Quarter-final
FA Cup: Quarter-final
League Cup: Winners

---

A season that threatened so much has fizzled out, but Klopp will leave Liverpool in a strong position and as a legend.

Few expected a Premier League title charge, with Champions League qualification and Europa League glory the primary objectives.

Grinding out results, Klopp and his players got themselves into a three-way title battle, raising our hopes, but poor finishing and patchy performances put pay to that.

The League Cup win was great, but we all dreamed of Klopp bowing out in the most memorable way imaginable with league and Europa glory.

Many would have taken third place originally, but greater things were teased, which has made this drop-off so much harder to take.

Best league win: Newcastle 1-2 Liverpool

8. Season 2020/21 – Fake football & injuries galore​

League finish: 3rd
Points: 69
Champions League: Last 16
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: 4th Round

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In what was the true Covid season, Liverpool started promisingly but ended up dogged by injuries and affected by no fans in stadiums.
stadiums.

Can anyone watch back highlights from the 2020/21 season and not feel flat?

Eery, empty grounds made for lifeless matches, and while Liverpool were in a great position to win back-to-back titles around Christmas, they fell away.

Van Dijk’s injury at Everton was a massive moment, but endless other players were also out for large periods, and Liverpool had to limp their way into the Champions League.

In fairness, third place was a good effort in the end, given the absentees, but it was hard to enjoy any of the action.

Six Anfield losses in a row in the league would never happen with supporters in the ground.

Best league win: Crystal Palace 0-7 Liverpool

9. Season 2022/23 – Legs go & lowest points total​

League finish: 5th
Points: 67
Champions League: Last 16
FA Cup: 4th Round
League Cup: 4th Round

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The 2020/21 season has obvious reasons for being depressing, it was the most soul-destroying of Klopp’s tenure at Liverpool.

After the joys of 2021/22 and so nearly winning the quadruple, more brilliance was expected in the following campaign.

Instead, it quickly became apparent that Liverpool’s legs had gone, not least in midfield, where Fabinho and Jordan Henderson toiled.

There were so many humbling defeats, including at Brighton and Wolves, and fifth place was all the Reds deserved as Klopp got his lowest total of 67 points for a full season.

There was still time to beat Man United in a 7-0 humiliation, though.

Best league win: Liverpool 7-0 Man United

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Anyone disagree with these? Somehow I don’t remember the quadruple-chasing season so fondly, it was just too mentally exhausting and our football wasn’t always inspiring. I also probably wouldn’t rank Klopp’s first season so highly as there were too many random un-Klopp like players in the squad. Despite the disappointing end this current season was an exciting ride with some special moments, so I would place it a notch higher. And even the dogshit previous season had one of the best games of Klopp’s tenure in that 7:0 drubbing of Man United - even Klopp’s worst had some great moments.

 

[Fabio]

I don't overly agree that this season should be that low. We were in a title chase til April, off the back of a disappointment of a season. And we won a trophy.

 

[tomasjj]

1. The league
2. The CL win.
The rest

 

[Frogfish]

I don't overly agree that this season should be that low. We were in a title chase til April, off the back of a disappointment of a season. And we won a trophy.

Agreed.

We'll likely finish no worse than 5-6 points off the title. That's no mean feat when pre-season everyone thought we'd be 20 points off and fighting for Top 4.

 

[StevieM]

I know last season was a shit show, but still…. That 7-0 victory against Utd, taken on its own, was one of the most enjoyable matches I’ve ever witnessed.

Also… I was at Anfield for the 9-0 Bournemouth game.

I wouldn’t have it as my worst season - the shit show the season after we won the league was much worse.

 

[Fabio]

I know last season was a shit show, but still…. That 7-0 victory against Utd, taken on its own, was one of the most enjoyable matches I’ve ever witnessed.

Also… I was at Anfield for the 9-0 Bournemouth game.

I wouldn’t have it as my worst season - the shit show the season after we won the league was much worse.

That alisson Becker goal tho...

 

[binomial]

Great thread Rurik.

Ranking all his seasons 1-9 best to worst is incredibly hard to do as there are so many different metrics to go by. You’d ask 50 fans and they’d give you 50 different answers. Even separating the top 2 is nip and tuck.

20/21 for me was the biggest disappointment and it speaks volumes when I can say that in the most disappointing season we still had a brilliant last 1/3 of the season. The first time the fans started to turn on Klopp, the 7-2 loss at Villa. FSG doing fuck all in January to save our season and leaving it to Klopp to work miracles.

 

[StevieM]

That alisson Becker goal tho...

Yeah… but it like the Barca “corner taken quickly” were games I didn’t watch, so.. yi know!!

Actually I may have watched the WBA game.. can’t remember… so that probably tells a story.. I remember watching the 7-0 v Utd… and I have selfies from my selfie stick of me in my full kit, with jester hat during the game with my back to the action in the Bournemouth game.*








* Of course I fucking don’t!!!!

 

[tombrown]

Great thread Rurik.

Ranking all his seasons 1-9 best to worst is incredibly hard to do as there are so many different metrics to go by. You’d ask 50 fans and they’d give you 50 different answers. Even separating the top 2 is nip and tuck.

20/21 for me was the biggest disappointment and it speaks volumes when I can say that in the most disappointing season we still had a brilliant last 1/3 of the season. The first time the fans started to turn on Klopp, the 7-2 loss at Villa. FSG doing fuck all in January to save our season and leaving it to Klopp to work miracles.

20/21 was doomed as soon as the wardrobe dweller called it a dead rubber

 

[moron]

for me its easy:

1] 21/22 - League Up, FA Cup, Runners Up - League, and CL - Has it ever been done before - we played every game we could do that season, and took every competition to its finality. I will never forget that season, never.

2] 19/20 - Title Win, but for Adrian's fuck ups we should have and could have won the CL that season.

3] 18/19 - CL Win

4] 17/18 - CL finalists - what a wonderful run that was even though it ended in sadness, we knocked City out and beat the 100+ that season. The wins against Roma - it was so fun that season we had really high highs and an absolute low in the CL Final only to wake up the next day and find we signed Fab !!!

5] 23/24 - League Cup, 3rd in League - Klopp's final season ends with hope, and if we are honest we are in the right place given the midfield rebuild - but it is a season highly reflective of his overall reign.

6] 14.3/15 - Klopp's first season - what fun it was getting to the two finals (lost both of them) and getting to know Klopp, we all knew we were in a for a ride.

7] 15/16 - Qualifying for the CL with Klopp for first time, quite a few nice games that season.

8] 20/21 - 3rd - Everton/Pickford Assault year - we had an exciting end where clawed our way back to 3rd, but ultimately it ranks low despite Ali's goal because injuries really cost us the title, and FSG gave us a ghost and some Turkish guy that we never saw for like the last 10 games.

9] 22/23 - The rundown season - they were fucked, most of us knew we needed some fresh blood that season especially in midfield - but the Top Red's knew better.

That is my lot.

 

[jan]

for me its easy:

1] 21/22 - League Up, FA Cup, Runners Up - League, and CL - Has it ever been done before - we played every game we could do that season, and took every competition to its finality. I will never forget that season, never.

2] 19/20 - Title Win, but for Adrian's fuck ups we should have and could have won the CL that season.

3] 18/19 - CL Win

4] 17/18 - CL finalists - what a wonderful run that was even though it ended in sadness, we knocked City out and beat the 100+ that season. The wins against Roma - it was so fun that season we had really high highs and an absolute low in the CL Final only to wake up the next day and find we signed Fab !!!

5] 23/24 - League Cup, 3rd in League - Klopp's final season ends with hope, and if we are honest we are in the right place given the midfield rebuild - but it is a season highly reflective of his overall reign.

6] 14.3/15 - Klopp's first season - what fun it was getting to the two finals (lost both of them) and getting to know Klopp, we all knew we were in a for a ride.

7] 15/16 - Qualifying for the CL with Klopp for first time, quite a few nice games that season.

8] 20/21 - 3rd - Everton/Pickford Assault year - we had an exciting end where clawed our way back to 3rd, but ultimately it ranks low despite Ali's goal because injuries really cost us the title, and FSG gave us a ghost and some Turkish guy that we never saw for like the last 10 games.

9] 22/23 - The rundown season - they were fucked, most of us knew we needed some fresh blood that season especially in midfield - but the Top Red's knew better.

That is my lot.

I'd prolly swap 1 and 3 but otherwise this is spot on for me. The title winning season should have been #1 on paper if it wasn't for the lockdowns, empty stadiums etc. The whole vibe was just off, unfortunately

 

[rurikbird]

I'd prolly swap 1 and 3 but otherwise this is spot on for me. The title winning season should have been #1 on paper if it wasn't for the lockdowns, empty stadiums etc. The whole vibe was just off, unfortunately

During our title-winning season I distinctly remember thinking that we’ve become more efficient at grinding out results, but our football was less exilarating than the previous season’s. It was kind of a continuation of the Spurs game in the CL final. If we chart the peak of Klopp’s LFC I think it starts from winter when we sold Coutinho and signed Virgil (let’s say starting from the Man City 4:3 game) and ended with 7:2 against Villa and Virgil’s injury in the next game.

That 2018-2020 team was genuinely among the best in history of football and I will always be grateful to Klopp for having the opportunity to witness it. We put so much fear into any team who had to face us during that period.

 

[moron]

During our title-winning season I distinctly remember thinking that we’ve become more efficient at grinding out results, but our football was less exilarating than the previous season’s. It was kind of a continuation of the Spurs game in the CL final. If we chart the peak of Klopp’s LFC I think it starts from winter when we sold Coutinho and signed Virgil (let’s say starting from the Man City 4:3 game) and ended with 7:2 against Villa and Virgil’s injury in the next game.

That 2018-2020 team was genuinely among the best in history of football and I will always be grateful to Klopp for having the opportunity to witness it. We put so much fear into any team who had to face us during that period.

Agree with what we witnessed - but the peak was actually the quad challenge season - which was what our full potential is when Klopp has players available to him most of the time, it was unfortunate that Diaz joined us late that season and we signed no one during the summer except Konate. That quad season - and even though we did not win the two big ones - for me to watch LFC play all those games and be in contention for all 4 was a dream of mine and a realization of what I believe we are capable of at the start of each season. As a fan - I want us to win every competition , and having come so close to actually doing it - I still think WOW !!!! we nearly did it.

The VVD + defence injuries screwed us up in 20/21, that season we should have won the league and could have - we all know it, we were excellent by Christmas - the 7-2 to villa can be put down to something strange in the players - I still remember VVD in that game having the eyes of a ghost, maybe some were carrying Covid, but apart from Salah at least 6-7 players looked messed up.

 

[moron]

I know last season was a shit show, but still…. That 7-0 victory against Utd, taken on its own, was one of the most enjoyable matches I’ve ever witnessed.

Also… I was at Anfield for the 9-0 Bournemouth game.

I wouldn’t have it as my worst season - the shit show the season after we won the league was much worse.

Both of those seasons caused by Top Red under-investment of course. The common reason given ? - "why do we need to sign players after winning the league or why do we need to sign players when we nearly won the quad ... NO NO - you just think signings will solve everything - these players can go again - all of them even without their bollox fitted on, we can get every ounce out of them".......

 

[binomial]

1] 21/22 - League Up, FA Cup, Runners Up - League, and CL - Has it ever been done before - we played every game we could do that season, and took every competition to its finality. I will never forget that season, never.

Looks like you're on your own with this 1, end of it we still only walked away with 2 domestic cups and you're essentially you're saying you'd take a repeat of that than win either the Prem or CL. Ridiculous.

Has winning the CL and losing 1 game all season in the league ever been done before?

 

[moron]

Looks like you're on your own with this 1, end of it we still only walked away with 2 domestic cups and you're essentially you're saying you'd take a repeat of that than win either the Prem or CL. Ridiculous.

Has winning the CL and losing 1 game all season in the league ever been done before?

You fail to understand, the quad attempt season is what Klopp is all about, the journey, the victories and the pain of failure after coming so close. Its the Klopp era in a nutshell.

 

[binomial]

You fail to understand, the quad attempt season is what Klopp is all about, the journey, the victories and the pain of failure after coming so close. Its the Klopp era in a nutshell.

But we're ranking his seasons as fans from most successful to least which is what this thread is for is it not?

The celebration and sheer emotion from Klopp after the CL win and he himself saying that was his best moment in his managerial career is what Klopp is all about. The journey, victory and pain are what the 18/19, 19/20 and 21/22 seasons all have in common.

 

[moron]

But we're ranking his seasons as fans from most successful to least which is what this thread is for is it not?

The celebration and sheer emotion from Klopp after the CL win and he himself saying that was his best moment in his managerial career is what Klopp is all about. The journey, victory and pain are what the 18/19, 19/20 and 21/22 seasons all have in common.

@rurikbird - just said ranking the seasons, not successful seasons or whatever. Thats how i rank them and at the top is where we went for everything and nearly did it.

 

[tombrown]

Quick mods - lock the thread (with both of them inside)

 

[Fabio]

Quick mods - lock the thread (with both of them inside)

Is it possible to throw the locked thread in to a river as well?

 

[Le Chacal]

Agree with 18-19 as #1
We played our best football in this season, we were umplayable towards the end and lost the title because of goal line technology.