JK on Marbella benefits, Moyes impact and West Ham threat
Jürgen Klopp feels Liverpool will benefit from the extra preparation time they’ve had for this weekend’s clash with West Ham United, but stressed how no-one will be underestimating the threat of the Hammers.
Following the 5-0 victory over FC Porto at the Estadio do Dragao in the Champions League last 16, first leg, the Reds jetted straight to Spain for a four-day training camp in Marbella.
They returned to Merseyside on Sunday evening and have spent this week readying themselves at Melwood for the visit of David Moyes’ resurgent West Ham.
Klopp believes the 10-day gap between fixtures could prove a positive for his side; however, he is aware the Londoners will arrive at Anfield buoyed by a run of form that has elevated them to 12th position in the Premier League table.
Read on for a summary of what the boss had to say about the fixture in his pre-match press conference on Friday…
On whether he’s looking forward to returning to action after 10 days…
We are but I am really happy that we didn’t have to play immediately after the Porto game because it would have been quite difficult from this really big result and good game from our side to then get the concentration for a really difficult job against West Ham. I know people think now we have West Ham and then Newcastle before we go to United, and both played before we play Champions League again, so it’s like you need to get these points. Yes, we want to have the points but it’s quite a big job to do. In the form table of the last 15 games, I think they are sixth. Since David Moyes is in, a lot of things have changed there, they get the results. They’ve always had a good team. Arnautovic flying, probably Lanzini back, the rest really experienced, tall, good organised and stuff like that. It’s a real job to do; we are looking forward to it, 100 per cent, but we know it’ll be hard.
On how West Ham could approach the game…
OK, Carroll is injured and they have a few problems. Masuaku is suspended, a good player. But they changed system, a few things and it is just very mature now. We all know how difficult it will be, especially as they are not safe in the league for next year but a few weeks ago it looked like it could be quite difficult. Now it looks much more positive for them and they will use that. They know they are in a good moment and they will show that. We all know that in a few moments you play against a wall of eight players at least, then they have two quick players - maybe Chicharito and Arnautovic or Lanzini or whoever - ready for the counter-attack and stuff like that. We all know it is not easy. The good thing is we have had time to prepare for it in training and usually it helps us when we have time for it. It is a completely different game to Porto and then we would have had to have play three days later [if the West Ham game was immediately afterwards] to do a completely different job. That’s why I was happy we did not have to play immediately, so now we use the time for a lot of sessions since we played the last game. Hopefully everyone will see that.
The key qualities David Moyes brought in at West Ham…
Good organisation. He was one of the most successful and best managers when he was at Everton; maybe the Sunderland job – how it is in the managing life - was not too successful, but things like that happen. Nobody doubted his quality and now he shows it again at West Ham. Slaven Bilic is a fantastic manager and they did really well until they didn’t anymore. Then David came in and changed it all around again. It’s good organisation, a clear plan, bringing the players in their best positions – that’s what he is doing. A few brave decisions as well line-up wise. How I said, David is very, very experienced, he knows what he is doing.