Our Liverpool fans here in the Transfer Tavern are counting the cost of a poor first half of the season for not truly challenging for the Premier League title under Jurgen Klopp – although some of their play under the German has simply been very exciting.

Liverpool have looked every bit a Premier League winning team at times, however, the first half of the season – pre-Virgil Van Dijk – saw them suffer with some poor defensive displays. So, if the Reds harbour ambitions of being a genuine Premier League title contender, then they have to have a massive shakeup within their team in the summer and Jurgen Klopp must reveal a ruthless streak in his quest for his first trophy during his Anfield stay, according to many of the punters at the bar.

Our regulars feel that a few players had let the side down when it came to being on top of their game week in, week out and certainly could have been the difference between fighting for the top four and fighting for the title.

With that in mind, our landlord has taken a look at TWO players who should be to blame for them not winning the league this year…

Simon Mignolet

Liverpool got nowhere fast in the league as Klopp opted for Mignolet as the number one ‘keeper at the start. Despite giving him several chances to prove himself in this new look Liverpool side, the Belgian couldn’t make the grade Klopp was looking for. Our glass collector has been taking a look back at the Premier League winning teams and everyone has had a reliable, world-class ‘keeper at the back, creating the first rock of a winning foundation, so it’s obviously of huge importance.

With that in mind, Klopp absolutely should look to replace Mignolet has his number one priority in the summer.

Loris Karius

In Klopp’s desperate search to find a permanent goalkeeper to steer the club upwards, he often swopped and changed between the two ‘keepers. This led to mass confusion in the defence and it reverberated right through the team at times.

With neither one of the GK’s taking the step up in the first half of the season, it left the Reds fragile and prone to many a mistake.

Recently Karius has taken the bull by the horns and made the No.1 spot his own, if only he had done this sooner, things could have been different for Liverpool.