After Liverpool’s desolate performance in the 3-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, Jürgen Klopp is completely served – and at least partially takes out his frustration on a journalist. English media are already practicing the swan song of the German coach.
“How could I not be worried? I can’t sit here and say everything is fine and we’ve worked well. It’s not that,” said the 55-year-old after the Wolves bankruptcy.
His team’s performance was “very frustrating, very disappointing,” Klopp continued: “The start of the game was terrible, absolutely terrible – it was the opposite of what we wanted to do.”
In fact, the start was catastrophic. Joel Matip scored an own goal (5th), Craig Dawson (12th) increased to 2:0. Although the Reds showed a decent performance at times in the second half, Ruben Neves (71st) still put the lid on it with his goal to make it 3-0.
Liverpool: ‘Klopp must have felt like a fool’
“Jürgen Klopp must have felt like a fool as his team was utterly humiliated,” wrote the English newspaper The Sun: “Klopp’s world looks like it’s coming to an end. Liverpool put on a shocking, chaotic performance. The nightmarish opening phase showed how far and how quickly Klopp’s men have fallen.”
For the Liverpool Echo admits that to describe the season as inconsistent would be an understatement: “In the early years under Klopp, the Reds were known for getting off to a good start and overrunning their opponents. Liverpool are far from that today. The Klopp -Elf have conceded more goals in the first five minutes this season than any other team in the Premier League.”
Liverpool: Klopp reacts thin-skinned to a reporter’s question
Without resistance, Liverpool surrendered to their fate in the early stages. “I don’t know what has to happen to wake us up. We come here saying we have to believe in ourselves, but that’s not how we behave on the pitch,” said the puzzled Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.
At the press conference that followed, Klopp responded to a question from James Pearce, Liverpool correspondent The Athleticwhether the mentality of the players is not a problem, quite thin-skinned.
“It’s very difficult to talk to you. If I’m completely honest, I’d rather not do that. You know why: because of everything you wrote,” complained the native of Stuttgart, but admitted: “If When you arrive here after everything we’ve been doing in the last few days and that’s the result, it’s really hard to take, I have to say. I can’t explain it.”
Liverpool: Klopp believes in the turnaround
To make matters worse, Klopp had to endure the taunts of the hosts’ fans. The Wolves supporters intoned the popular English chant “You’re getting sacked in the morning.”
Of course, it’s not that far yet. Nevertheless, the coming weeks at Anfield are likely to be uncomfortable. The Premier League derby against Everton is on Monday in a week’s time, followed by the away game at Newcastle United five days later.
And then – on February 21 – there is perhaps the last chance for a conciliatory season: the first leg in the Champions League round of 16 against Real Madrid.
“Yes, absolutely,” said Klopp when asked if he believed in the turnaround: “I’m not losing faith in the boys.”
