Is the current Liverpool team better than the 2005 Champions League winning squad?

From not qualifying for the Champions League in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons to ‘Corner taken quickly, Origiiii’ and turning the game against Barcelona and going on to win the Champions League against Tottenham Hotspur. The current Liverpool side have surely come far and proven that they are one of the best teams in Europe currently.

The question, however, rises that ‘Is the current Liverpool team better than the 2005 Champions League winning squad?’ Well, many people will have a different opinion on this as both the UCL victories were special in their manner.

Nevertheless, Jurgen Klopp’s side does look better overall and balanced squad in comparison to Rafael Benitez’s squad. The two squads did come from behind in different fixtures and won the most prestigious trophy of Europe.

The current Liverpool team have three unstoppable forwards (Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino) who are capable of changing the game on their own. In the 2005 squad, however, there was Steven Gerrard, Luis Garcia, and Xabi Alonso.

The three legends did have a lot of influence but coming to the difference between them and the current lethal players. Benitez’s squad worked with a different ideology. For them, defending goals was more important than scoring.

This is just the opposite of the current squad. Klopp’s philosophy is to score as many goals as possible. Because this would put his side in a strong position and even after conceding a couple of goals, they will win the game eventually.

Also, the midfielders of the 2005 squad were highly involved in scoring goals, however, the current Liverpool midfielders try to move the ball around and create pressure on the opposition. The biggest difference between the two sides is the full-backs. Andrew Robertson and Trent-Alexander Arnold are one of the best full-backs pair in the footballing world currently.

The two defenders are rock-solid in the defensive line, but the area from where they create a massive impact is flanks. Both Robertson and Arnold produce mouth-watering crosses that swiftly end at the back of the net.

The pressing game of Klopp’s side is way too good in comparison to Benitez’s squad. Also, every team does get scared of facing the Reds in the UCL at Anfield. Because Liverpool always have something special in their locker.

The current Liverpool team also came closest to win the Premier League last season in comparison to all the years since EPL began. Manchester City, however, did not let them come back and took the trophy from under the nose of Liverpool.

Also, the current Liverpool side is more lethal and entertaining to watch on the field in comparison to the 2005 squad. Klopp’s side have amazing pace, which wasn’t there in Benitez's squad. Moreover, Alisson Becker is a solid goalkeeper in comparison to Jerzy Dudek. The Brazilian has phenomenal reflexes and he did make a lot of saves in the Champions League that kept his team alive.

Becker is a modern goalkeeper with better leg movement and position on the goal line in comparison to Dudek. Taking nothing away from the Polish goalkeeper as he was a part of the 2005 winning squad, but the Brazilian did have a lot of more impact when comparing the two of them.

So, according to me, the current Liverpool is a better and more lethal side when compared to the 2005 UCL winning squad. Klopp’s side is not making an impact only in the UCL, but also in the Premier League. This is where the major difference comes in because winning knock-out games is easy but performing consistently in all the competitions is difficult.