Klopp out? Tuchel was sacked for less and ex-Liverpool players look dejected

Five or more years of Jurgen Klopp seems to have taken its toll on former Liverpool players. The dismissal of Thomas Tuchel recalls the brutal and fragile nature of the management of football. No one is invulnerable.

After half an hour, Virgil van Dijk stood in dismay, arms raised. Moments after clearing a clean chance from the line, he watched his defense tear apart again, as the Liverpool forwards huffed and puffed with an impassive home Napoli.

Towards the end of Liverpool's first half embarrassment, tongue in cheek, we reminded the Twitter masses that "Tuchel is available".

“Can he play as a centre-half in the short term? was one of the responses. Joe Gomez stole the show – he was all over the place and at fault for all three first half goals: giving the ball away, not following runners and being overworked on and off the ball. But Napoli scored again less than a minute after Gomez was substituted at half-time. It's not just his nadir, but Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp.

Van Dijk looks ten years older in the last six months. Andrew Robertson looks similarly dejected. Trent Alexander-Arnold's ego has grown to such an extent that he doesn't bother to look back at all. And after playing like a 20-year-old until his 35th birthday, at 36, James Milner now looks like a Masters footballer, supplementing matches with afternoon naps.

Unlike at the start of 2021, when Liverpool lost eight of 12 Premier League games, caveats are not as easy to come by. There are injuries, but not to the same extent. And at no point in this run have they been beaten up and embarrassed like they were in Napoli.

Klopp's style, like that of any top manager, requires absolute commitment. The high line only works if there is some semblance of control and constant pressure on the ball; Liverpool have neither. The defender is terrible, but it's not just the defenders themselves who are struggling. If a team member isn't doing everything possible, it's difficult; with so few Liverpool players making their weight, Klopp's football is proving impossible.

And a day when Thomas Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea, who are above Liverpool in the Premier League, and hasn't fallen as far as the Reds this season, it reminds us of the brutal and fragile nature of the football management.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has removed any emotion from his decision, refusing to dwell on Tuchel's past successes or the loyalty he has shown. It was cruel, but as we know and are frequently reminded, not just today but every day, that's football. And if the FSG focus on this season and disregard the wonderful things Klopp has done for his football club, the German could be tuned in on Thursday lunchtime.

If Liverpool players want Klopp to stay, they have a funny way of showing it. Either that or they don't have the energy to commit to his methods.

Looks like they're at breaking point. It is surely no coincidence that Luis Diaz, who scored a fine goal and was saved a header, and Harvey Elliott, are the best players this season. The rest of the starting XI has had five or more years of Klopp - the old players have nothing left in them.

It's like they're suffering from a Klopp tax, which means you can add a few extra years to the age of each of the players who lived, succeeded, but ultimately suffered season after season without respite from the heavy metal screaming in their ears.

Maybe, just maybe, they've had enough.