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Tag: Jurgen Klopp

  • Klopp furious as late Kane penalty kick denies Liverpool

    Klopp furious as late Kane penalty kick denies Liverpool

    Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp launched a scathing attack on referee Jon Moss and his officials after Harry Kane’s controversial last-gasp penalty kick gave Tottenham a dramatic 2-2 draw on Sunday.

    Reds boss Klopp was furious that his side’s chances of a vital victory over their top-four rivals were wiped out in an incident-packed finale at Anfield.

    After Victor Wanyama equalised for Tottenham with 10 minutes left to cancel out Mohamed Salah’s early opener, Moss and his linesmen took centre stage.

    First, Tottenham were awarded a penalty kick for Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius’s foul on Kane, even though Klopp felt the England star was offside.

    Kane’s spot-kick was saved by Karius and when Salah put Liverpool ahead in stoppage-time, Klopp must have felt justice was done.

    But in the final seconds, Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk nudged over Erik Lamela and Moss gave another penalty kick, with Kane this time converting from the spot.

    Read Also: Klopp  must take blame for Liverpool ’s poor defence – Schmeichel

    Klopp confronted Moss on the pitch at fulltime and still had not calmed down when he spoke to the media.

    “I am not allowed to go in their room until half an hour after. It was clear offside, unbelievable, I don’t know what they were discussing,” Klopp said of the first penalty kick.

    Speaking about the second spot-kick, the German said: “Yes, Virgil van Dijk touches him, but we all know Lamela wants the touch and we all know there were so (many) hard fouls in the first half and we didn’t get any fouls.

    “That was the level for the game today, but then a situation in the last minute like that? Wow! He (the official) wanted to be middle of interest and he is.

    “It was clear two sides (of) high quality both wanted to win desperately, but the result was massively influenced by linesman decisions.

    “We have to take it, that’s how it is.”

    NAN

  • Pep: i and Mourinho are like twins

    Pep: i and Mourinho are like twins

    Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have enjoyed a rivalry, in Spain and England, that has at times been acrimonious but the Manchester City manager believes they have something in common.

    The Spaniard believes that when it comes to the desire to win trophies they are identical.

    “Definitely. In that, we are twins,” said Guardiola when asked, ahead of Sunday’s derby clash, if he was as obsessed with winning as his United and former Real Madrid counterpart.

    “They want to win trophies, we want to win trophies.

    “I think Antonio Conte is the same as well, and Jurgen (Klopp) and Mauricio (Pochettino), and in all the leagues around the world, the managers are (like that),” the former FC Barcelona manager added.

    “I never criticise my colleagues for the way they play. I never did in the past, I will never do it.

    “Football is magnificent for that, because every manager plays in the way they play. There are different ways to enjoy football. It’s simple like that,” he said.

    Keeping it simple is Guardiola’s mantra ahead of the highly anticipated derby.

    Although City head to Old Trafford with an eight-point lead over their local rivals, the Spaniard is determined that his team keep their focus.

    Their focus, he said, will be on doing what they have done so well this season — playing their style of possession football.

    “The big challenge is to play good, to try to control the start point. It’s hard, because it’s United at Old Trafford. We want to try to play our game.

    “The focus is going there relaxed and knowing that if we don’t win the individual duels, it will be almost impossible to beat them,” Guardiola said.

    “We will try to play well, to play good football, what we have done, to be what we are. So I would like to finish the game and go to the locker room and feel we were what we have been for the season.

    “As for the result, nobody knows what is going to happen. We will try to find the best way to play well and to win the game,” he said.

    While a victory would send City 11 points clear ahead of the festive season, Guardiola has little time for the notion that the game could be a title decider.

    “Winning, drawing or losing on Sunday, we are not going to win or lose the English Premier League. It’s December,” he said.

    “It’s an important game, because it’s United. You can get points and deny your opponent points. But it’s the same for them.

    “I am not going into the game thinking: OK, we have an eight-point lead. What do I have to do because we have an eight-point lead? The Premier League is a marathon. We haven’t even arrived at the halfway stage yet.

    “There are a lot of points to play for, more than 70. We just focus on the game, and the result, and then after, recovery and then thinking about Swansea three days later.

    “It’s simple like that. It’s about going there and doing our game. That is what I want to see from my players.”

    NAN

  • JURGEN KLOPP : ‘I am the most passionate manager in the world’

    JURGEN KLOPP : ‘I am the most passionate manager in the world’

    Jurgen Klopp is the antithesis of everything you’d expect from the manager of one of the biggest football clubs on the planet.

    The Liverpool mentor occupies a job that demands mental acuity, deep and undivided concentration, supreme decision-making and the courage to carry the responsibility and consequences of his decisions.

    And, yet, at the same time, he is as unpretentious, uncomplicated and down-to-earth as the quintessential good guy living next door.

    Klopp was in Cape Town recently  as a guest at a fund-raising event organised by the Hout Bay United Football Community – and he regaled the audience on football and life in general.

    Not that there is any difference between the two – because it was abundantly evident, from his words, that he approaches his job as a football manager in much the same way as he approaches life.

    His passion is unrestrained; he wears his heart on his sleeve and he makes no excuses for it; most of all, and probably key to his philosophy, he doesn’t “exist only for football”.

    There are things outside the game, like his family, that are far more important to him.

    “I may not be the smartest manager in the world, but I am the most passionate,” said Klopp. “Yes, there is pressure in managing a club – one week you are a genius and the next you have no clue.

    “For me, it’s easy to be nice, it’s easy to remain down to earth. I love my family, I enjoy time with them, and as long as my family is healthy, I am fine. I love what I do, but I don’t exist only for football.

    “I don’t expect perfection from myself – I just always try to put the best 11 on the field. Those who don’t make the team or the squad, I tell them you have to do more, you have to do better. And if you do that, then life will change for you.”

    It was at Mainz that the legend of Klopp the manager was to begin.

    He spent seven years at the club – 2001 to 2008 – and got the team promoted to the German Bundesliga.

    More success was to follow when joined Borussia Dortmund, where his unorthodox approach and exceptional managerial skill inspired the club to back-to-back Bundesliga title-wins in 2011 and 2012, the German Cup in 2012, the German Super Cup in 2013 and 2014, and the UEFA Champions League final in 2013, which they lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich.

    In 2015, Klopp arrived at Liverpool – and, as he was quick to point out, it was a case of love at first sight.

    “I had an offer from another historical English club two years before I came to Liverpool,” said Klopp.

    “I won’t say the name of the club. I listened to them, but it didn’t feel right and I didn’t take it. When Liverpool came, it felt right, right from the first second – I can’t tell you why, it just was.

    “For me, I don’t have to go anywhere else – if I stop coaching now, and have Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool, I would be fine with that.”

  • Liverpool Vs Man United: EPL resumes with rivalry fixture

    Liverpool Vs Man United: EPL resumes with rivalry fixture

    Premier League actions resume this weekend with seven matches on Saturday (tomorrow), two on Sunday and one on Monday.
    Liverpool will be at home to host Manchester United in one of the Saturday’s fixtures.
    Jose Mourinho’s United have been in superb form this season, winning six of their seven league fixtures and also sealing two convincing victories in the Champions League.

    Their form has allowed them to emerge as early front runners in the title race alongside Manchester City and Mourinho will be looking to maintain their run at Liverpool on Saturday.

    Jurgen Klopp’s side are already seven points adrift of United and have only won one of their last four fixtures in the English top-flight.

     

    Klopp has yet to win major silverware two years after being appointed following Brendan Rodgers’ sacking.

    Defeat at home by Manchester United on Saturday will leave Liverpool on 12 points from eight games – the same tally as when Rodgers was dismissed.

    “I don’t think I am perfect but it’s quite difficult to find better options,” said Klopp on Friday when asked about what he thinks about the match and what he thinks could happen to his job if he did not win the Saturday game.

    Meanwhile, Mourinho is prepared for an unfriendly environment at antfied.
    He said, “will be beautiful” to take his side to Anfield despite expecting an atmosphere of “animosity.”United can go 10 points ahead of their rivals with victory, while Liverpool will hope to win at home for the first time since August.
    Sports analysts on Supersport on Friday hinted that a record of 900,000,000 fans will be watching the rival match across the world.
    FIXTURES

    Saturday (2:00pm unless otherwise stated)

    Burnley v West Ham,

    Crystal Palace v Chelsea,

    Liverpool v Man United,

     Man City v Stoke,

    Swansea v Huddersfield,

    Tottenham v Bournemouth,

    Watford v Arsenal (1630 GMT)

    Sunday:

    Brighton v Everton (12:30pm),

    Southampton v Newcastle (3:00pm)

    Monday (7:00pm):

    Leicester v West Brom

  • Expected line-up if Liverpool must defeat Spartak Moscow

    Expected line-up if Liverpool must defeat Spartak Moscow

    Liverpool plays Spartak Moscow in Russia tonight (Kickoff time is 7:45pm – West Africa Standard Time) to put their qualification back on track after playing a 2-2 draw with Sevilla at Anfield.

    Recall that Liverpool’s last five games have seen them play beautiful football but with no good result to show for it after they were thrashed by Man City 5 goals to nothing.

    In other disappointing games, they drew with Sevilla (2-2), drew 1-1 with Burnley, eliminated by Leicester in the Carabao cup before getting back to winning ways against Leicester in the English Premier League (EPL) with the hard-fought match on Saturday.

    Russia is a difficult place to go and get results for English teams as it has proved to be in the past.

    Liverpool has played with Spartak Moscow on four occasions in European competitions, winning two and losing the other two.

    If Liverpool must win against Spartak Moscow, they must on top of their game, which means their attack must put on their goalscoring boot; the midfielders must create enough for the Strikers and complement the defenders, who will be tasked with keeping the counter-attacking Spartak Moscow team at bay.

    Here is Liverpool full squad for the Spartak Moscow game:

    Keepers: Karius, Mignolet, Ward

    Defenders: Matip, Lovren, Moreno, Robertson, Alexander Arnold, Flanagan, Klavan

    Midfielders: Henderson (captain), Wijnaldum, Milner, Can, Coutinho, Oxlade-Chamberlain.

    Forwards:  Mane, Salah, Sturridge, Solanke, Firmino.

    This is the line-up football analysts will expect for the game if Liverpool is to win the game in Russia. The club operates a 4-3-3 formation. that has been Liverpool’s formation since last season and it could be difficult to imagine Klopp changing it anytime from now.

    Expected Line-Up:

    Goalkeeper: Loris Karius.

    Reason – Mignolet should be rested after his “hero and villain” performance against Leicester.  Ward should remain on the bench and Karius be given the nod to take charge of the goal post.

    Defenders: Flanagan, Matip, Lovren, Moreno.

    Reason – Flanagan strength and power will be needed since Gomez is suspended for this game and the young Alexander-Arnold will be bullied on the ball.

    Matip and Lovren should be at the heart of defence due to Klavan’s lack of pace and power.

    Moreno should be given the nod ahead of Robertson due Moreno’s pace, his contribution to the attack and directness.

    Midfielders: Henderson, Can, Coutinho

    Reason – Henderson will be expected to lead the team out on the field of play after a good all-round game on Saturday.

    Wijnaldum or Can?  This is a big task for me to do. Either of the two can do the job but I will go for Can because of his versatility and his big body presence. Wijnaldum away performance is against him as he does not use to perform when he plays away from home. Coutinho automatically slots into creating and dictating the play from midfield.

    Forwards: Mane, Sturridge, Salah

    Mane is ready for selection after not playing for his club’s last three games serving a suspension.

    According to kloop, Mane is in the right frame of mind to start this game, so there is nothing stopping him from starting this game.

    Mo Salah should start the game from the right side of the pitch, is pace and goal scoring ability will be needed if Liverpool is to win.

    People will be expecting me to start Firmino for this match, but I will go for Sturridge. Many eyebrows will be raise as to this selection. In this match, Liverpool will need a natural number 9 to do the finishing which Sturridge has proven to be over the past years.

    And moreover, Firmino needs rest as he has underperformed in the last two games and Sturridge showed what he is capable of doing in his brief cameo against Leicester.     

    With this strong line-up, I see Liverpool dismantling Spartak Moscow in Russia with a bit of luck.

  • Liverpool sign Oxlade-Chamberlain from Arsenal

    Liverpool sign Oxlade-Chamberlain from Arsenal

    Liverpool has completed the £35million signing of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Arsenal.

    The 24-year-old passed a medical on Wednesday after the Gunners accepted Liverpool’s bid for a player who made it clear he would not extend his contract beyond next summer, Sky Sports reports.

    Oxlade-Chamberlain has since agreed personal terms on a long-term deal, and the transfer was confirmed at 12:00 p.m. on Deadline Day.

    It is understood the fee could eventually reach £40million with appearance-based add-ons.

    Speaking from England’s St George’s Park base, Oxlade-Chamberlain said: “I’m delighted to have signed for Liverpool and a big thank you to everyone here at the FA that has made this possible, using the facilities. It has been a massive help.

    “I’m not going to say too much. I’m here with England and we’ve got two big games coming up, so I want to focus on them. But I can’t wait to get to Melwood.”

    Oxlade-Chamberlain was used at wing-back in his final few months at Arsenal, and his desire to establish himself in central midfield was a motivating factor in his departure.

    Jurgen Klopp told the Liverpool website: “I hear a lot of talk about positions but let’s talk about the player. He is someone with really good abilities who always gives everything for his team. A player that is positive and willing to take risks to try and make positive things happen.

    “He may still be young but he has a lot of experience in the Premier League, Champions League and for his country. Already he is a very, very good player and I think he has the mentality and desire to get even better – and that excites me.”

     

  • FA Cup: Ikeme’s Wolves sack Liverpool

    FA Cup: Ikeme’s Wolves sack Liverpool

    Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers Saturday sent Liverpool packing in the FA Cup thanks to a 2-1 victory at the Anfield.
    It took just 52 seconds for the Championship outfit to inflict more misery on Jurgen Klopp’s out-of-sorts side, with a free-kick whipped beyond a statuesque Reds back line allowing Richard Stearman to nod home.
    Things got even worse for the hosts four minutes before half-time when a Wolves breakaway freed Andreas Weimann to waltz around Loris Karius and fire into an empty net.
    Liverpool threw on Philippe Coutinho at the break and did offer more of a threat in the second half.
    Divock Origi pulled one back late on but the Reds were unable to break their struggles at the start of 2017 and must now focus all of their attention on a fading Premier League title challenge. Super Eagles goalkeeper Carl Ikeme who ought to have been in goal for the side was however missing having received red card in a previous match.
    Liverpool have now lost three successive fixtures in front of their own supporters, with Swansea City and Southampton having left Merseyside with the spoils in recent weeks.
    The Swans secured a thrilling 3-2 victory in the Premier League, while the Saints dumped Liverpool out of the EFL Cup in a two-legged semi-final.
    Wolves have now compounded Klopp’s misery, with the German coach enduring his toughest run on home soil in close to a decade.
    Breaking their home hoodoo is not about to get any easier for Liverpool either, with Chelsea next up at Anfield on Tuesday.