Liverpool coach, Jurgen Klopp has reacted to his team’s 3-0 defeat to Wolves at the Molineux stadium today, February 4.
Wolves took a surprise two-goal lead just 12 minutes into their Premier League clash. A long ball over the top found Hwang Hee-chan in the Liverpool box and the South Korean star took the ball down to the byline before trying to cut back to a team-mate in the centre. However, the pass struck Joel Matip and bounced off his trailing leg past Alisson from close range to break the deadlock just five minutes in.
Craig Dawson who was also making his first appearance for Wolves since joining from West Ham, pounced on a loose ball after a headed effort by Max Kilman was blocked from close range by Matip. The centre-back then blasted the ball through the bodies in the way to double the lead.
In the second-half, Ruben Neves went on to make it 3-0 to the home team when Adama Traore’s excellent pass found him in the penalty area, setting him up for a fine finish.
Following the defeat, Klopp was forced to listen to home fans singing “you’re getting sacked in the morning”.
When asked by reporters in a post-match press conference whether he still has confidence in his ability to turn things around at Anfield, he responded by saying “Yeah, yeah. Absolutely.”
Klopp who also stated that the defeat has left him concerned, added that he’s sick of offering excuses for his team’s poor performances.
He said;
“The start of the game was horrible, it is not allowed to happen.
“There is the first 12 minutes, then it is OK for an away performance, where we created, we were there. We started extremely well in the second half, the first 20 to 25 minutes, it is a super away game without scoring. Then they score the third goal from a counter-attack.
“We caused our own misery in that first 12 minutes. That cannot happen. It did. But it cannot. It is really tough to swallow. You can criticise, you can judge and you are probably right. I have nothing to say because these 12 minutes are not allowed.
“It is really difficult to summarise. The team is not full of confidence, but do you need a lot of confidence for that? To put your body between the ball and opponent? Stop the cross?
“How can I not be concerned? I cannot sit here and say it is ok because it is not. I got asked if it is because of last season, 63 games. It is clear that has influenced the start of the season but how long can we suffer that? It is February by my watch.
“It might have been a problem but today, the first 12 minutes, it is not allowed and this is outcome. This is not a 3-0 how a 3-0 looks with Wolves clearly better side. Maybe for 12 minutes and the end when the ball was their friend again.”
Klopp also averred he has not lost belief in himself as a coach or the players who have brought him such success at Liverpool but are now falling short of their best form.
He added;
“I don’t think they are at their best at the moment but I still know how good they are and how good they can be. But we cannot help ourselves in this moment.
“Seven or eight players weren’t involved in the first goal, seven or eight players weren’t involved in the second goal, but all are affected by it. The start is horrible. Then it is normal, it is great. OK, no finishing. But at the moment it is always if if if and I can’t hear it anymore.”
