Liverpool’s miseries after a goalless draw in the Merseyside derby intensified as they were tore apart by Napoli in the Champions League. The Reds were blanked by the Naples side’s offense, which put three past them in the first half itself. Liverpool looked toothless as they could only respond with a sole Luis Diaz striker. Jurgen Klopp cut a frustrated figure post the clash as he vowed to ‘reinvent’ his team to turnaround their form.
The Reds are already facing flak for their form in the Premier League where they have collected only two wins from six games. Although Jurgen Klopp has been dealing with a string of injuries to his crucial players, its the backline led by Virgil van Dijk which seems to be shaky at the moment. With Chelsea sacking their boss Thomas Tuchel after they lost their Champions League opener against Dinamo Zagreb, Klopp needs to quickly find solutions to his problems.
Jurgen Klopp warns Liverpool players their next opponents will be ‘laughing’ at them
Jurgen Klopp called for an instant response from his side against Wolves in their next game in the Premier League. However, the German admit that Bruno Lage’s men would be ‘laughing’ at them after their abysmal performance against Napoli. Calling for a change in the gear at Anfield, Klopp said:
“So, now we have to, little bit looks like we have to reinvent ourselves. So there’s a lot of things lacking – not in all games but now. The fun part is we have to do that in the middle of a Premier League season and a Champions League campaign. In three days we play against Wolves. If they saw the game tonight they cannot stop laughing, probably, and think ‘oh my God, that’s the perfect moment’. I would say it’s the perfect moment. But we have to try to find a set-up to be much better in pretty much everything. In three days time, let’s try.”
Jurgen Klopp further faced the obvious question whether he too will meet the fate his fellow countryman Thomas Tuchel faced after the Blues ousted him post their embarrassment against Dinamo Zagreb. He said:
“Not really, but who knows? The difference is we have different kinds of owners. Ours are more calm and expect me to sort it and not think that someone else will. That’s how they see it. The day they change their thoughts they might tell me.
“[The loss] is really tough to take. I would say it is not that difficult to explain when you saw the game. For start with the two penalties… First and foremost, Napoli played a really good game and we didn’t – that is the first explanation for the defeat. The two penalties we conceded. For sure one, both were a little bit unlucky. Only one goes in.
“And then the next two goals we served on a plate, pretty much, that’s not cool and we should defend it better in the first place, but then of course in the last moment as well. And yeah, 3-0 down having kind of chances – never really in the game. We were not compact neither defensively or offensively.
“Until Thiago entered the pitch I cannot remember one counter pressing situation. The reason for that is because we are just too wide, we try to sort the situation out ourselves with a little dribbling here or there. Cannot really play together, [we] are not connected. So it was obvious. Why it happened? That’s now the question I cannot answer now – give me a little time to think about it. It’s a really tough cookie to take but obviously I have to take it.”
Liverpool do need to strike back against Wolves who would be licking their lips to face the Reds. However, Klopp’s men would find some solace in their home support as they will be hosting the Wolves at Anfield. But Crystal Palace have already taken points off Liverpool at Anfield in a 1-1 draw, and Bruno Lage will certainly planning to do one better and clinch all three points.