Klopp Talk: “Not Connected Enough”
The manager bemoaned the lack of cutting edge, but hey... that’s just preseason, baby.
Liverpool FC lost 1-0 to RB Salzburg in a friendly that was hotly contested and will now look to play somewhat-serious football against Manchester City in the Community Shield this Saturday.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Jürgen Klopp had some hangups about the team’s performance in the first half but ultimately didn’t seem all that concerned about a game in which they did about everything right but just couldn’t find the back of the net:
First half we made too many mistakes, which they could use. We had good moments as well, we could have scored obviously in the whole game like four or five goals at least. Didn’t do that because we were in the first half – if you want to talk about football – we were too open, we were too wide, we were not connected enough in moments when you lose the ball. Then everything is open, it’s like a motorway, and with their speed that’s how they had their chances, especially when you lose simple passes where nobody can react really. They scored their goal and the last half an hour was like a thunderstorm, we were really like a truck. But we didn’t finish the situations off. Obviously we should involve that in our game as well and then it will be fine.
We played the game out of full training. We had to make a lot of changes – that’s fine, I take that. But what I can say: it’s really at least average to lose a game. That’s why we were all animated in the last situation with the possible penalty. In the Premier League I go definitely in the stands for the things I thought and said! But that was it now for the rest of the season with complaining about that. But in that moment it was such a clear penalty; it would have been nice if you get a result for the effort.
He was keen to reiterate that the team and Darwin Nunez getting on the same page is very much still a work in progress:
No, for Salzburg it was definitely no friendly. For us not as well. Salzburg had these kind of harsh challenges, but they do really well; all respect to Salzburg, they do really well. Sometimes I didn’t like the challenges too much but it’s fine, nothing happened there I think. How I said, first half too many mistakes. We set the boys up and it’s all fine, they can do much better and they had good moments as well. But especially the first half, the majority of players have to get used to what we do. Darwin was much too often alone. Everybody dropped, everybody was involved in the build-up but too wide and we could only pass the ball to Darwin in the box. He had his moments and nearly scored, but he needs much more support around him. You keep other players busy that they cannot focus on him. So many things. Second half, imagine now Darwin would have been there in the box, that would have helped as well. It is like it is – doesn’t feel great, but we take it and go from here.
It’ll be interesting to see how seriously Klopp takes the game on Saturday.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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