The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Klopp

  • I could not wish for a better start — Klopp

    Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he could not have wished for a better start to the season after watching his side run out 4-0 winners over West Ham United at  Anfield on Sunday.

    Goals from Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane (2) and Daniel Sturridge saw the Reds pick up the biggest win of the opening round of fixtures, leaving them top of the first Premier League table of the season.

    However, Klopp stressed that it is only the start of the campaign and insisted that his focus would switch to the next game against Crystal Palace almost immediately.

    “You cannot wish for better. It was a fresh start from the first minute, everything looked like it should have been. It’s a good day. It’s only the start, and we know that, but for a start it was really good. We all know West Ham have a lot of quality, individual quality. In all other situations we were really concentrated defensively,” he told Sky Sports News.

    “It’s a good game, now let’s carry on. It’s all good, but for the moment, it’s no more. It’s a nice moment, and we can enjoy it for two, three hours, and then prepare for Crystal Palace.

    We already today, with a few injuries, had to make really hard decisions. Alberto Moreno not in the squad, I have no explanation for that, apart from needing Clyney (Nathaniel Clyne) on the bench, or others on the bench.

    “It’s quite difficult to strengthen this squad, because this squad is good. They are used to the style of play, sometimes it needs a bit of time, I have no problem with that. Only the public and media could cause problems by questioning constantly why some aren’t playing. We need everyone in that squad before the end of the season.”

    Klopp also claimed that his side do not deserve to be regarded as the only challengers to Manchester City in the Premier League title race this season.

    West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has admitted that his side must click into gear in time for next next weekend’s visit of Bournemouth.

    The Hammers started their Premier League campaign in the worst possible fashion, falling to a 4-0 loss away to Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

    Pellegrini was unhappy with the officials’ decision to let Sadio Mane’s second goal stand, with the Senegalese forward well offside, but the Premier League title winner concedes that a vast improvement is required at the London Stadium in six days’ time.

    “We knew before the game that our start was very difficult. In our first few games we need to play some of the big teams,” he told BBC Sport. “It’s difficult to play when you concede four goals. We started the second half and the referee didn’t see a clear offside.

    “We need to win our second game. We need to work during the week and try to win three points at home. We not only have nine new players, but three or four players who were not completely fit in pre-season. We need to improve in attack and continue working. I am sure next Saturday we will see a team that is trying to win.”

    Pellegrini has lost more Premier League games against Liverpool (5) than he has against any other opponent in the competition.

  • Liverpool were lucky to get past Roma, relieved Klopp says

    Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has admitted his side needed luck to get past AS Roma in the second leg tie of their UEFA Champions League semi-final pairing on Wednesday in Rome.

    The German said they were lucky much to his relief after his team’s old defensive issues reared their heads.

    Liverpool came into the match at the Stadio Olimpico with a 5-2 first-leg advantage after they tore Roma apart at Anfield last week.

    They twice took the lead on the night in Rome yet they could not kill off the Italians.

    The English side ended up losing 2-4 to squeeze into the final against Real Madrid with a 7-6 aggregate victory.

    The hosts missed a string of second-half chances as Liverpool sat back and invited pressure onto themselves.

    “It was the first time that we were not really as good as we can be. So, we needed luck. That’s what we had,” Klopp told reporters after reaching his second European final with Liverpool, following their Europa League run in 2016.

    Liverpool have looked vulnerable at the back at times this season in the English Premier League, losing composure under pressure and dropping points in games they should have won comfortably.

    It has not affected them in the UEFA Champions League, however, a competition in which they had been unbeaten this season until Wednesday.

    The Liverpool fans inside the Stadio Olimpico might have feared those domestic defensive issues would cost them dearly as Roma created chance after chance in the second half.

    “There was lots of space,” Klopp said. “But then our last line was too deep and you cannot play like this.

    “It was the first semi-final for most of the boys. So, (it is) normal to have to keep nerves in. It was a little bit exciting —- more exciting than I actually wanted.

    “For both teams it would have been crazy had we played extra time. 7-6 sounds crazy, because it is crazy.”

    Liverpool will play Real Madrid in Kiev on May 26 as the Spanish side bid to win the UEFA Champions League for the third year in a row.

    “It’s been a fantastic ride so far,” Klopp said. “Now we will go to Kiev, which sounds crazy. But it’s true.

    “There’s still a job to do. Going to a final is really nice, but winning it is nicer. We will be ready. But it’s Real Madrid.”(Reuters/NAN)

  • Klopp must take blame for Liverpool ’s poor defence – Schmeichel

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

    Juergen Klopp should accept whatever blame comes from Liverpool FC’s current defensive frailties and stop shifting blames, former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has said.

    The Dane said Klopp unfairly shifted the blame for Liverpool’s defensive frailties onto Dejan Lovren by hauling him off in their 4-1 Premier League loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

    Harry Kane scored a brace while Son Heung-min and Dele Alli also got on the scoresheet to hand Liverpool their second league loss after September’s 4-0 hammering by Manchester City.

    Defender Lovren was responsible for Tottenham’s second goal when he failed to cut out Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris’s long throw-in which allowed Kane to find Son.

    Read Also: Liverpool Vs Man United: EPL resumes with rivalry fixture

    Liverpool manager Klopp responded by replacing Lovren with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on 31 minutes.

    “What he’s done now is put all of the responsibility on to Lovren. He will now be in the headlines for this, and that’s really unfair. It should be the manager,” Schmeichel said.

    NAN

  • Tottenham 4-1 Liverpool: ‘I did not see it coming’ says, Klopp

    Tottenham 4-1 Liverpool: ‘I did not see it coming’ says, Klopp

    It was getting dawn on Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp that he was trashed 1-4 at Wembley as he felt there is no justification for his side not to beat Tottenham at on Sunday.

    Obvious he did not see it coming but admitted his boys made four easy mistakes that cost them desapite his master plan for the game.

    He said, “We had it felt like 60, 70% possession, but after 2-0, you saw the goals, what we did around the goals, easy to defend, we have defended situations like this all season.

    “We had our chances, scored one, and the game was on the table. Being down one goal at Tottenham, you can fix it. The third is down to completely not concentrating off the ball. Four mistakes from us, and then Dele doesn’t even hit the ball 100%.

    “After 10 minutes of the second half we gave another goal away. That shows the problem of the game – they were much more spot on and that’s 100% our responsibility.

    “It is my responsibility. No I don’t coach the type of defending for the first throw in… the second goal, we miss the ball and then Son is quicker. We put it on a plate.

    “It’s not about confidence. It’s just about being 100% spot on. It was a really average day for us today.”

  • Klopp praises ´perfect´ Conte and Chelsea

    Klopp praises ´perfect´ Conte and Chelsea

    Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Chelsea and Antonio Conte are the perfect match.
    Chelsea have established themselves as runaway Premier League leaders, 10 points clear of Tottenham and Manchester City, with Conte’s first season in English football set to end in glory.
    Manchester United visit Stamford Bridge in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Monday and Klopp, whose Liverpool side lie fourth in the Premier League and host Burnley on Sunday, is impressed by the Blues’ stunning form under the ex-Juventus boss.
    “They have the perfect players and the perfect manager. It is the perfect fit,” he told newspaper reporters.
    “First they created the momentum. Then they used the momentum. Then they stayed consistent.
    “I think we all agree it is a well-organised side. They have an experienced defence, highly motivated after what happened last year.
    “I think they know they have had luck with injuries but that’s how it is. They could play the same side for a long time. Quality, though, and being organised helps a lot.”
    Klopp’s Anfield squad is set to end the season without silverware once more and does not have such a complete feel.
    As such, planning is already under way for which close-season arrivals the former Borussia Dortmund boss will look to bring in.
    “Yes I have a plan but look it’s March. The plan is different things. It’s still the improvement of the players who are here. And it’s important that these players could improve,” Klopp said.
    “So that is one thing that I think is very important. Another thing of course are transfers. Are we looking for transfers? Yes. For players? Yes.
    “Are we close to signing them? No, nothing to say about that but that’s how it is. It’s not that we say we want exactly four players or five players. But we know what we want and we are working really hard, as you can imagine, at the things we want which will work.
    “We didn’t do the transfers last year to have a positive transfer record. But we are in a good situation, so the base is really good to improve and of course we will spend money.”
    Klopp added: “When you look back it looks like the squad wasn’t big enough at the start of the season. But back then Danny Ings was involved in our plans and Daniel Sturridge was involved, too.
    “Plus, Ingsy could play on the wing like he’s done in former times. But Ingsy got the injury early in the season and Daniel has had a few problems. And in the end, Phil Coutinho was injured and we didn’t have enough options.
    “But Phil came back, Sturridge came back and all of a sudden our base is really good. Now we need to build on it.”

  • Klopp: ‘It was the wrong day to face Liverpool’

    Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has said it was the “wrong day” for his team to face Liverpool, following their heavy defeat at Anfield.

    The German outfit were beaten 4-0 by the Reds in their pre-season friendly, and Klopp has admitted that he was disappointed by the defensive performance from his team.

    “It was the wrong day and the wrong opponent for us in Liverpool,” he told Ruhr Nachrichten. “The first two goals we conceded, we didn’t defend well. If you make mistakes like those we made, then you will lose against an opponent like Liverpool.

    “Our preparation has thus far been relatively unproblematic. From now on we will rest for the DFL-Supercup. The rhythm will come, then the freshness will return too.”

    Dortmund will face Bayer Leverkusen in their first Bundesliga match of the season on August 23.

     

  • Klopp itching to work with full squad

    Jurgen Klopp believes Borussia Dortmund are making sound progress in pre-season but is itching to have his whole squad back together.

    The Bundesliga outfit trounced Rot-Weiss Essen 5-1 on Sunday, with all five of their goals coming inside the opening half-hour.

    Dortmund’s victory means they remain unbeaten in pre-season and head coach Klopp is encouraged by the team’s progress.

    However, with Mats Hummels and Erik Durm yet to return following Germany’s successful World Cup campaign and Marco Reus still absent with ankle ligament damage, Klopp concedes he would prefer to have more players at his disposal.

    “We just keep working. I see a lot of things I want to see, but sometimes it’s the opposite,” said the 47-year-old. “But that’s okay because I know why – it’s no problem.

    “For the moment, we are working really hard with all the players we have.

    “In the next friendly, we will have Adrian Ramos and Sokratis Papastathopoulos will be back as well. It’s step-by-step. In three weeks, the league starts – and on that day we hopefully have 15, 16 men who are able to play.

    “And one week later we should have a few more options. Obviously I would love to have all my players back and together now.

    “It would be great to work seven weeks with your whole squad. Some were at the World Cup, some were injured at home – it will take a while to get them all back into our team.