I agree & I dont think there is a quick fix personally, what I'm trying to say is there is reasonable rationale to write the season off as an anomaly, whether that is right or wrong. I realise all clubs have had to deal with the same issues, but internally at Liverpool the will look at the injuries, lack of crowd, Covid season, possibly VAR and so on & just say "write it off as a freak and move one" -
I think in a weird way, it gives them a physchological chance to bounce back which you don't under any other circumstances. Even the practicality of the players being in a better headspace once lockdown is over will be a positive.
With all that said, I think the problems run way deeper & they will struggle to bounce back here, but my belief would be they will go down the "write it off" approach & get players back in positions get two or three out & in and go for a "fresh start" with lots of Unity with the fans etc etc messages.
I understand the principle of what you are saying, but when you investigate each point it doesn't really stack up. They haven't been unlucky with VAR, offsides have been given offside (they had one in their favour v Chelsea). Their injury record in terms of players lost, or games lost is nowhere near the worst on either front and given the nature of the injuries it's frankly quite unlikely they return to normal next season. Lack of crowd affects everyone, and in honesty it will help poorer teams more (and teh Anfield crowd, when things are tough, tends to be an inpediment not a help). For each excuse there's a reason.
There is a trend here. A trend that began with the 3 defeats before lockdown in quick succession, and continued into the summer circus, when none of their players were even injured. It straddles both seasons. It's als a trend that is repeatedat Dortmund under Klopp almost identically. I also think, as a club, when momentum starts turning against them, they tend to sturggle a bit, they're mot a Chelsea whobounce back immediately. It's an older, more rooted organisation that takes more time to rebuild.
In a lot of ways, what is interesting is not their injuries now, but why it's taken so long to get these injuries. Rather than being unlucky this season, they have been lucky in other years, playing the way they do, with lack of rotation (both in terms of transfers and at the end of season) more players haven't gone down. I don't see this magic bullet that these injuries all come back perfectly, and magically a grouo of lads who are 30+ don't keep getting injured under this manager.
There's no doubt some players may think that (but it would be worrying if they did) and I'd imagine what will hit them is that they have an enormous mountain to climb, and at 29/30 whether thats really what they want to do again. I suspect that's more a consciousness amongst fans really, and in truth will hamper them. In situations like they are in, expected an immediate bounce back will just undermine any potentiall recovery they make.
I actually think they will bounce back somewhat if Klopp remained (with the obvious cavaet some backing was given financially). But the idea that they they improved performance to the levels of 1 point per game, which is going to be the amount required to overhaul City will be for the birds. VAR is staying, injuries will continue to happen- and may happen more frequently now he's run the squad into the ground, and while fans return, it would be ridiculous to say that they only get a net benefit from Anfield but get no net pushback in away games.It makes very little difference as it's the same for everyone, and while certain clubs may derive a small advantage, Liverpool don't really fit the profile of club who would do. They are not known for massively passionate home support, and it tends to be poorer clubs who rely on the chaos of fans to benefit. While the season is freakish, the fundamentals will not change. I also think, for opposing players, the mystique of Anfield has gone now and for their players there is clearly a mental block now there. Returning fans and the expectation that comes may well be counter productive to them.
As said though I do expect some bounce back, they are in pretty serious trouble if not, as frankly their form this year has been relegation fodder, but I don't think they go from relegation fodder form to challenging this City team for the title in a single season without much investment. I see them probably mid 60's to mid 70's in points, with the hope being they can secure CL from that. That will be the hope of a best case scenario here.
