They're just better than us. Their passing is much crisper, they don't give the ball away stupidly like we do, technically and tactically they're just a lot further ahead in their development as a team than we are.
That doesn't mean we can't go through. I think we'd all agree that Dortmund are a lot better than we are, yet we managed to get by them. Maybe we'll do the same against Villarreal.
But I don't really think it's the end of the world if we don't. If we don't have CL next season, we will see this summer who really is committed to being here, both in terms of current players and incoming transfers. Does Götze really want to come because of Klopp and because we're Liverpool? or is he just wanting CL football? does Coutinho want to stay long term? etc etc.
Considering how much more competitive the league is getting and add to that the fact the Premier League could lose its 4th spot in the CL in the upcoming seasons, it's more and more important to get players at the club who are in it for the long term. What if we have CL next season, but then lose it the season after that? will they all jump ship? if so, we're right back where we started.
So it won't be the end of the world if we don't go through. It'll give Klopp the chance to really see who's in it with him and who's not.
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