Jürgen Klopp held his usual post-game press conference after tonight's shock loss to Leeds United. He met with the media to dissect the Reds' first loss at Anfield in over a year and a half. Klopp assessed the game and then, the manager talked about why it has been hard for Liverpool to control games.
Probably most telling from this press conference was Klopp all but admitting that the top 4 was slipping out of sight for the Reds. After this latest setback, Liverpool sit in 9th, tied with Crystal Palace on 16 points. The only reason that the Reds are in 9th and Palace in 10th is goal differential.
Klopp broke down the match and said missed second-half chances are what ultimately cost Liverpool the match. He said, “That's where we created in the first half and where we should have created in the second. We put them under pressure, we did that, not free-flowing football but the boys really tried. We had two big chances which we didn't use so that means the game is still open…
He then seemed to call out his defence on the second Leeds United goal, “...and then we concede a second goal in the situation where it is obvious you cannot defend it like that. That's clear.”
Klopp expressed his frustration as to why Liverpool can take control and then maintain control of football matches. He said, “In these moments, where we should control it, we should let them run, we don't do that good enough in the moment. That leads to situations where we lose the ball again, or cannot finish it off, and that means space for a counter-attack or whatever.”
He then summed up the situation by saying, “If it doesn't feel good, doesn't look good, and that's why we cannot get the real momentum in the game. Even when you are dominant and have the ball a lot, it doesn't feel right and that's what I wanted to say with that.”
The most interesting part of the post-game press conference is when Jürgen Klopp admitted that his side might not qualify for Europe this year. While he wasn't exactly forthright with the answer, if you read between the lines, the Reds' aspirations for a top 4 finish are hanging on by a thread.
When asked whether or not he was concerned with Liverpool's prospects of finishing in the top 4 he said, “Yeah, that's actually not my main worry in the moment because there are a lot of other worries but yeah, of course. I am at least not that dumb that I don't know distances and I know who is up there, but you cannot qualify for the Champions League if you play as inconsistent as we do in the moment.”
This is clearly the darkest day in a very complicated season for Liverpool. The 2022/23 season is shaping up to be the worst of the Jürgen Klopp era. The Boss admitted as much in this press conference.
Saying that not qualifying for the top 4 wasn't his main worry for the moment is a very telling statement. If that's not the biggest worry, then what is? It's hard to imagine that this team can sink any lower in the Premier League than they are right now.
