Jurgen Klopp is Gabby Agbonlahor’s favourite Premier League manager.
They may have fallen out previously, but the Aston Villa favourite explains why he’d have shone under the Liverpool boss and explains why life under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City wouldn’t have been for him.
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Watching Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, especially [Sadio] Mane, [Mohamed] Salah and [Roberto] Firmino in that era, there was no messing around. That’s the sort of football I liked.
I wasn’t really into the tiki-taka and all that stuff, I wanted to get the ball and run. Gareth Barry would get the ball and I’d run in-behind. Ashley Young gets the ball, he’d play it in-behind. I’d want to be through on goal, 1v1s and that’s what Liverpool were like.
Trent [Alexander-Arnold], [Andy] Robertson, Salah, Mane; get the ball, go in one-on-one, play it across the box and a tap-in or score yourself. I liked that sort of football.
My least favourite to play under would probably be Pep [Guardiola] because my first touch wasn’t the best so many I wouldn’t have fit in.
Under Pep there’s a lot of one-twos and technical stuff. He’d probably have sacked me if he saw my kick-ups!
Pep’s game wouldn’t have suited my game so much but Jurgen Klopp’s definitely would.
I like Erik ten Hag’s football, it’s positive; Arteta as well. He’s a bit more like Pep but you do see them play balls in behind as well. Look at Arteta and Saka.
If you look at Saka, look at what he did in recent England games. Every time Trent got the ball he played him in-behind and that’s probably what Saka wants more from his Arsenal teammates.
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Table of Contents
Gabby’s top four Premier League managers
4. Mauricio Pochettino
He’s been out of the Premier League for so long so you don’t know what style he’s going to bring in.
You can only play a certain style with certain players so we’ll see.
It’s still unknown how he’s going to do at Chelsea so I can’t really put him above the others.
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3. Erik ten Hag
He did a great job last season and was still new to the Premier League and still getting his ideas across.
He’s sorted out that time a lot but he still needs to decide which players he’s going to give more gametime to. Will he give Antony more time to impress? Will he give Sancho more time to impress or will he bring in replacements.
I do like his style but I’d put him third.
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2. Mikel Arteta
I love what he’s done at Arsenal. You look at Arsenal and you can see why he worked under Pep but his squad doesn’t have the overall quality to win the Premier League.
Saliba getting injured cost them, Gabriel Jesus didn’t get enough goals and Ben White, the right back, maybe wasn’t as good on the ball as their rivals but the signings they’ve made now means it’ll be an exciting season for Arsenal.
They’re going nowhere, they’ll be in the title challenge and I’m sure they’ll hold their own in the Champions League.
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1. Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen, if you’re listening this is my make-up. We’ll grab a coffee and sort out our differences!
Klopp has been an outstanding manager and last season will have been upsetting for him – Mane leaving, Diaz being injured and Jota being injured. People tested Trent and their defence more but the signings that they’ve brought in with more signings means that they’ll bounce back.
They might fall short in winning the Premier League but they’ll be up there with Arsenal challenging.
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