Liverpool were aghast to see both Firmino and Coutinho on the bench for today's clash with Stoke City, and according to Prem legend Chris Sutton, Jurgen Klopp was wrong to start the game without Firmino.
Upon hearing the news Firmino was on the bench due to tiredness, a clearly disgusted Sutton scathed:
"What do you mean he [Firmino] is tired!? They're all tired!"
Sutton went on to criticise Klopp during the first half, and when asked after the game about leaving Firmino on the bench, Klopp explained:
"Roberto, after the last game, said ‘I’m really done’. After two games for Brazil, last game after injury played Man City, flying immediately to Brazil, played there, coming back and playing the derby immediately. He was now at a point where it was clear if we tried to bring him through 90 minutes it would cause us real problems".
Sorry, but this just doesn't wash. If Firmino is so knackered, why did Klopp just start him against Bournemouth, just a few days after the high intensity Everton game?
Klopp cites Firmino's travelling, and international exertions as a reason for resting him today, but the midweek home game was surely the best time to leave him out
Klopp also claimed that 'sports science' dictated that Firmino should be on the bench, but was surely the case after the Everton game, too?
In my pre-Bournemouth article, I even argued that Firmino should be rested.
If Klopp had rested Firmino against Bournemouth, today's starting lineup fiasco (with Coutinho and Firmino both missing) might've been avoided.
All's well that ends well, but Klopp is making some really detrimental decisions at the moment. Liverpool got away with it today, but the team may not get so lucky in future games.
* Firmino: €55m-rated (CIES). Hailed as 'magnificent' by Phil Thompson.
Upon hearing the news Firmino was on the bench due to tiredness, a clearly disgusted Sutton scathed:
"What do you mean he [Firmino] is tired!? They're all tired!"
Sutton went on to criticise Klopp during the first half, and when asked after the game about leaving Firmino on the bench, Klopp explained:
"Roberto, after the last game, said ‘I’m really done’. After two games for Brazil, last game after injury played Man City, flying immediately to Brazil, played there, coming back and playing the derby immediately. He was now at a point where it was clear if we tried to bring him through 90 minutes it would cause us real problems".
Sorry, but this just doesn't wash. If Firmino is so knackered, why did Klopp just start him against Bournemouth, just a few days after the high intensity Everton game?
Klopp cites Firmino's travelling, and international exertions as a reason for resting him today, but the midweek home game was surely the best time to leave him out
Klopp also claimed that 'sports science' dictated that Firmino should be on the bench, but was surely the case after the Everton game, too?
In my pre-Bournemouth article, I even argued that Firmino should be rested.
If Klopp had rested Firmino against Bournemouth, today's starting lineup fiasco (with Coutinho and Firmino both missing) might've been avoided.
All's well that ends well, but Klopp is making some really detrimental decisions at the moment. Liverpool got away with it today, but the team may not get so lucky in future games.
* Firmino: €55m-rated (CIES). Hailed as 'magnificent' by Phil Thompson.
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