LONDON • Jurgen Klopp has said Liverpool would resemble a "little weak flower" should they succumb to pressure and change the style which has put them in Premier League title contention this season.
The Liverpool manager took exception to criticism of his tactics and substitutions last weekend when they drew 0-0 at Everton, and slipped behind Manchester City in the table for the first time since Dec 7.
Klopp revisited the issue at a pre-match conference ahead of Burnley's visit to Anfield today, insisting he has not curbed the Reds' attacking nature in recent away matches and it would be a sign of weakness to do so with only nine matches left.
"We do go for it but that doesn't mean we throw 11 players in their box and hope we score," he said.
"That is not how it works. That is why I was a bit disappointed in the last press conference because we don't play PlayStation (football) and you all know that.
"That is a sign of being desperate... The way we did it brought us where we are and if someone thinks we should now be 10 points ahead of City, I can't help this person.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
YESTERDAY
Cardiff 2 West Ham 0
Huddersfield 0 Bournemouth 2
Leicester 3 Fulham 1
Newcastle 3 Everton 2
Palace 1 Brighton 2
Southampton 2 Tottenham 1
Man City v Watford Late kick-off
TODAY
Liverpool v Burnley Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, 8pm
Chelsea v Wolves Ch102 & Ch227, 10pm
Arsenal v Man United Ch102 & Ch227, tomorrow, 12.30am
"Let's do what we did that brought us here plus more intensity if possible, with a positive atmosphere around us, and not be this little weak flower. The target is to win the game, not to go nuts in the game."
Klopp's sparing use of winger Xherdan Shaqiri and, to a lesser extent, midfielder Naby Keita in recent weeks has prompted accusations of not taking sufficient risks.
Shaqiri had a major influence on Liverpool's 100 per cent win rate in December but has played only 210 minutes in the league this year. He was an unused substitute at Goodison Park last week.
Keita, meanwhile, has played only 82 minutes since the 3-0 win over Bournemouth early last month.
Klopp explained: "Shaq had a little injury and was out. There was something with his back and he needed a little time.
"We have to think about a lot of things before a game. We played quite a few teams with really good set pieces and we needed to make sure we had the right line-up and set-up. Naby is in a good moment and has trained well. That's it."
Striker Mohamed Salah, who won the top scorer's Golden Boot last season with 32 goals, is one goal shy of his 50th Premier League goal for Liverpool. He can equal Alan Shearer's record of scoring 50 goals for a single club faster than any other player (66 games).
Although Salah has not scored in his last four games in all competitions, Klopp is unconcerned about the Egyptian's goal drought.
"He has an unbelievable record, his goals brought us where we are," the German said.
"If you are a striker or an offensive player and you have chances in a game, you want to score with them. That is clear.
ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING
Let's do what we did that brought us here plus more intensity if possible, with a positive atmosphere around us, and not be this little weak flower.
JURGEN KLOPP , Liverpool manager, on his team resembling a "little weak flower" should they change their style
"But as a manager I am more than used to it that players do not score all the time, that's how it is."
Klopp also advised the club's supporters to get a good night's sleep to improve the atmosphere at Anfield for the early kick-off today.
"We need atmosphere at 12 o'clock," he said. "If you have a ticket, go to bed at 10pm latest, don't drink and be on your toes from the first to the last second.
"We have to be really good to beat this team, (Burnley manager Sean) Dyche is doing an amazing job."
THE GUARDIAN, REUTERS
LIVERPOOL V BURNLEY
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, 8pm
Giroud eyes Platini's record after scoring again for Les Bleus
Singapore. Football: Ikhsan Fandi the match-winner as Singapore Under-22s beat Thais 1-0 to capture Merlion Cup. straitstimes.com. June 09, 2019 9:50 PM SINGAPORE - The Young Lions' hopes of making it to at least the semi-finals of this year's SEA Games - after group-stage …
Football: Ihsan Fandi, the winner of the match, after
The quarter finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup kick off tonight! Evra, van Persie & Fellaini and Januzaj are still in the hunt! We've felt a void the past two days with no football - well now it's finally back with an action-packed evening of quarter-final action: France vs. Germany and Brazil vs. Columbia.
Liverpool and FIFA Club World Cup - Confusion after Reds
your username. A password will be e-mailed to you.
Ten-man PSG humiliated at Lille, made to wait for title
(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min wanted a transfer back to Germany after struggling in his debut season at the Premier League club but stayed put after a conversation with manager Mauricio Pochettino, the South Korea international has said. Son moved to Tottenham from Bayer
Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min told his South Korea team-mates "we're better than that" after they needed extra time to scrape past Bahrain's part-timers 2-1 in the Asian Cup last 16 on Tuesday.
Son 'unhappy' as Koreans given fright by Bahrain's part-timers
Manchester United legends thrash Bayern in 1999 charity rematch. 4 days ago. LONDON: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer tormented Bayern Munich once again as the Manchester United manager scored in his club's 1999 treble winners' reunion on Sunday. Twenty years after Solskjaer scored the last-gasp winner that helped Alex Ferguson's
Man Utd legends thrash Bayern in 1999 charity rematch
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City must beat Liverpool on Thursday (Friday morning, AEDT) to sustain their English Premier League title bid. City shook off consecutive defeats to coast past Southampton 3-1 at St Mary's on Sunday, with David Silva and Sergio Aguero on target and James Ward-Prowse netting an own goal.
Pep Guardiola challenges Manchester City to beat Liverpool to
Spain get better of Sweden as Ireland labour against Gibraltar The result means Luis Enrique's side have the maximum 12 points from four matches and are five points ahead of Sweden and Romania
Portugal vs. Serbia - Football Match Report - March 25, 2019
MANCHESTER (AFP) - Pep Guardiola's bid to win the Champions League for the first time since 2011 will come under threat from his old friend Mauricio Pochettino when Manchester City face Tottenham
Mauricio Pochettino plans to ruin old pal Pep Guardiola's
MILAN, May 26 (Reuters) - Former European Cup winners AC Milan endured a bittersweet 3-2 win at SPAL in the last round of the Serie A, finishing the campaign outside the top four after their nearest rivals both booked their Champions League berths on Sunday. The result left Milan fifth on 68 points
AC Milan miss out on top-four finish despite SPAL win - Egypt
Football: Toffees aim to start new year on winning note. but that is football and we have another game to turn it around in a short space of time. "Yes (we have goals in the side) but we
Everton 0 Leicester City 1: Vardy strikes in NYD scrap
Sarri condemns 'disgusting' Sterling abuse - sports.yahoo.com
Manchester United caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has fuelled speculation about his future by confirming he is no longer contracted to Molde. The fan favourite joined on a deal until the end of the season 2018-19 season, after the sacking of Jose Mourinho in December. The intention was for
Solskjaer confirms his contract in Norway has expired
0 comments:
Post a Comment