In hindsight the injury to Virgil Van Dijk was critical to Liverpool’s decline. Without his commanding presence at the back TAA and Andy Robertson have been nowhere near as effective as an attacking force and their formerly rock solid defence has oft resembled a leaky sieve. The decision to switch mildfielders into central defence has weakened the side in the midfield area and no-one has been able to replace VVD’s menace in the opposing penalty area or his goals. They should have signed a new top quality CB in the January transfer window (remember the poor run of results only commenced with Burnley winning at Anfield on January 21st). Thiago Alcantara has largely been a misfit. There has been some element on my part I admit of schadenfreude in watching Klopp squirm helplessly as his formerly invincible Reds plunge from one slough of despond into the next. However I expect them to be much more effective next season if VVD is fit and ready to return.