Immediately following Liverpool’s dull 0-0 stalemate with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Jurgen Klopp spoke to the media.
Here are the manager’s five main observations following his team’s performance against Chelsea.
Not “spectacular”
When asked for his opinion on the match, the boss expressed the sentiments of the majority by describing it as “not the most stunning 0-0.”
For Liverpool, it was a night to forget as they failed to make an impression in the game. Klopp attributed the lack of quality to confidence concerns on both sides, which were also present in last season’s domestic cup finals.
“I saw two of them [0-0 draws] Liverpool vs. Chelsea the two finals were absolutely ɪɴsᴀɴᴇ,” remarked Klopp.
“Very similar teams I would sᴀʏ, completely different level of football because of confidence for both teams.”
On the “hard work” required
The manager was questioned on his team’s self-belief amid what has been a trying stretch for the players, keeping with the confidence theme.
Liverpool’s last victory, a 7-0 triumph over Man United at Anfield, occurred a month ago.
You can see that confidence only occasionally surfaces again, so Klopp said, “I don’t expect us to lack confidence, but I know that we have to put in the hard work first.”
The impact of Liverpool’s schedule
Liverpool played 63 games in the 2021–2022 season, which has led many to assume that the team’s difficulties this season are a result of the physical strain put on them.
The relentlessness of the football season doesn’t seem to be helping the Reds, who are currently performing considerably below their own great standards from recent years.
“Last season was on the edge of being too much,” was Klopp’s response to questioning about whether fixture congestion has played a part in his squad’s downfall.
“It is not a ʀᴇᴀʟ explanation for it, more of an observation.”
An acceptable point
The outcome for Liverpool could have been far worse given how the game unfolded.
After the game, Chelsea was the more frustrated of the two teams and had generated more opportunities. Klopp insisted that the Reds should have expected a draw given the circumstances.
“It’s not a game that people will write books about but it’s a point for us, and it’s one more than before,” said the boss.
“I can easily live with that and here we go, the next game is Arsenal now.”
“We must win all the games”
The manager acknowledged that the team’s chances of playing in the Champions League the following season are dwindling and said that the Reds may need to win “very much all the games” while depending on errors from opponents.
Seven points behind fourth-place Tottenham in the Premier League standings, Liverpool are currently in eighth place. Yet, manager Jurgen Klopp promised that his team will ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ to the until end to finish as high as possible.
“That’s not in our hands, I cannot sᴀʏ but it’s not important,” he argued.
“If we are not fourth then I want to be fifth, if we are not fifth I want to be sixth.”
