Jürgen Klopp met with the media ahead of Liverpool's FA Cup replay with Wolverhampton. Among the topics discussed were Klopp's reflections on the Brighton loss, possible tactical changes, and the toughness of the club.
Not only did Liverpool suffer a tough loss to Brighton, but the boss also admits that the day was made even harder by having to face the media afterward.
“Losing a game in the way we lost it is already bad enough, but then facing all of you doesn't make life better, to be honest!” he said. “ Of course, two days after now, everything looks different. It doesn't make the game better but obviously, the next game is waiting, and that's the good thing in our life that there's always the next chance. That's what we are preparing for.”
When asked, Klopp brought up the possibility of changing formations for this match with the introduction of a midfielder who can drop back to defense if needed.
“We have a lot of things to consider. Of course, we have two senior strikers available, if you want, the rest are midfielders, so how can you set that up?” Klopp said. “How you can bring them in the best position? It was actually the real intention because we played at Brighton, But yes, we have to find solutions, that's clear. We have to find them for a few weeks still, I think. That's what we do pretty much every day.”
It has been a tough season so far for Liverpool and their supporters. Klopp says that the club is not making the most of their potential, which has led to some harsh words from him, but they are still fighting to improve as a group.
“The boys are good with each other, we are good with each other. That doesn't mean I cannot be harsh, that doesn't mean they cannot be clear in what they want from each other and stuff like this,” he said. “All of these things happen, it's clear. We don't hide – neither information, nor ourselves. That's it.
But we have to admit that too often this season we didn't play to our potential. That's the truth. We had games where we played really well, but obviously not often enough to be really successful. That's where we want to go again because we cannot and don't want to turn time back to start again and say, 'Come on, we have to start at nil.' It's not nil but we have to start again because it's all situations.”
As badly as Liverpool played against Brighton, it's a good thing that the Reds return to the pitch so quickly. Klopp admitted as much to the media. It will give the club a chance to pick up a much-needed road win, or it could keep the season on its downward spiral. It remains to be seen whether the change in tactics Klopp hinted at will be enough to generate goals, and more importantly, solid defending. It is good that the team has stayed together through these tough times. Let's hope that spirit continues even if the wins don't come.
