Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is looking to end his rot as his side seeks to end a run of four matches without a win. As the Reds get ready for the encounter against Leicester City in the weekend, Klopp says that his players are chasing the ball too much leading to defensive errors and goals.
Over the last four games, Liverpool conceded 10 goals and have scored just 3. The goals conceded are bloated because 5 of those came against Manchester City.
Speaking ahead of the Reds’ clash against Leicester City, the German tactician said (as quoted by Teamtalk):
“In the beginning it was so nice, how fluent we are, how creative we are. We are still fluent and still creative but we don’t score, so it’s a big problem.
“If you would ask me what would you prefer: ‘Do you want your team perfect in defending set-pieces but don’t know how to play football or would you prefer the other way round?’ – I still would take this (second) one.
“In the moment it feels like we solved it but in the situation you can see again we are back to old patterns or how we did it a few weeks before. What we have at the moment because of the situation is that everybody wants to help where the first ball is.
“We come too close together in the situation where the first ball is going after a throw-in and it means for the second ball we don’t have a good formation.
“We need to get more natural in these things because it’s not that difficult to be honest but it happens too often. Now we have to work and then it will be even more difficult to create something against us.”
However, goals scored is also a worry as Liverpool looked in total command, scoring 14 in five matches preceding this rut. It is easy for Liverpool to point out at defensive frailties but Klopp knows that lack of goals from his forwards is a bigger worry.
The side that exited the Carabao Cup on Tuesday will be starkly different from the one that would take the field at the weekend but Klopp knows that he needs to concentrate on the positives rather than worry all the time about the problems.
Klopp’s love for exciting play is well known as he always prefers high pressing and counter attacks rather than a defensive arrangement. The German tactician would go for a thrilling 3-2 win than a sedate 1-0.
But even he knows that his side has been too eager for the last four matches that have led to sloppy goals. The team’s lack of formation for the second ball has been the undoing for his side – just like Klopp pointed out.
How can the team come out of this rut? For any club, it may not be a crisis but for Liverpool, it is a mini-crisis to have gone four matches without a win. To add to his woes, Klopp will not have his regular choice centre-backs which could mean more pressure on his front-line to deliver.
The biggest positive here is that Klopp will restore his strongest side for the Premier League encounter – barring the few defensive hiccups. But, can his side deliver him a first win at the King Power Stadium – a place where he has lost on all three visits as a Liverpool manager?
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