Boss: We've created a different atmosphere at Anfield
Jürgen Klopp has credited Liverpool’s players and fans for joining forces to create a ‘different atmosphere’ at Anfield this season.
Heading into tomorrow afternoon’s visit of Watford, the Reds are unbeaten in their last 18 home matches in all competitions - a run stretching back to January, when Stoke City won the second leg of last season’s League Cup semi-final 1-0 but were still defeated on penalties.
Five games at Anfield this season have yielded four wins and 13 goals, with last month’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United the only time so far in 2016-17 that Klopp’s side have had to settle for anything less than victory in L4.
And the Liverpool boss wants to experience the combination of effervescent attacking football on the pitch and impressive volume from the stands again against Walter Mazzarri’s men on Sunday.
“With the crowd it is the same as the team - we always have to perform,” Klopp said.
“At home to West Brom it was brilliant. The biggest difference was that even when we conceded a goal the people were not saying ‘oh my God’.
“Of course the thinking has changed. Since we played Dortmund people know they should not leave the stadium before the final whistle.
“It’s not about what I want, it’s more about what makes sense. The people and the players have created a different atmosphere. You can always sit back and say: 'That’s wrong, that’s wrong, that’s wrong.'
“When you are a guest in the stadium, you can buy the ticket, watch the game and do what you want, but to really help you have to perform, even as a crowd.
“It can make a big difference in a positive way. The performances this season from the crowd and the team have been better.
“If you ask me I’d like the best atmosphere ever against Watford. Why? Because we’re there and there’s nothing better to do, let’s try it. It would be fantastic and help a lot.
“We play a kind of emotional football and that’s how football should be. It’s only one-and-a-half hours a week and it’s easier to enjoy.
“Even when we don’t score, we shoot in the right direction I would say. We always go in this direction, even when we don’t defend perfectly, we do it with a lot of passion and all that stuff.
“There are a lot more important things than football in this world, but in this one-and-a-half hours there’s not so let’s do our best in those 90 minutes.”
LFCTV GO: Watch Jürgen's pre-Watford press conference in full
Last season saw Liverpool play a mammoth 63 games in all competitions, and Klopp explained how dealing with such a heavy schedule in the early stages of his tenure helped shape preparations for his first full campaign in charge.
“The best training was our games so we took it, but unfortunately three days later we had another game. We had never really recovered from the last game and then we had to show it again. It didn’t really work,” he added.
“This year after pre-season we knew. I am pretty sure we said it: ‘We are Liverpool.’ Even when we are 12th in the table the other team has kind of a plan.
“So it’s really nice to play against us. When you lose, it’s normal and when you win, it’s ‘wooaah, great’. We needed a plan for this and the best kind of defending is keeping the ball.
“There are more games where we have to play like we did against Man City last year. In the moment when we have the ball we need to use our skills too.
“It’s all about character and skills. Sometimes you need more character than skills and most of the time you need absolutely both.
“It’s still possible we play not that good but I think before a game we should not think about it. We have the next chance against Watford and let's try to take it.”