Jürgen Klopp on Bayern analysis, 'really special' Singapore and more
Jürgen Klopp saw 'a lot of good stuff, stuff to improve' as Liverpool's tour of Singapore ended with an eventful 4-3 defeat against Bayern Munich.
The Reds were narrowly undone in their second pre-season outing at the National Stadium, where a stoppage-time finish from Frans Kratzig settled a game that included goals by Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk and Luis Diaz.
Post-match, Klopp provided an update on Alexis Mac Allister following a knock and reflected on the clash with Bayern, the trip to Singapore and more at his press conference.
Read his reaction below…
On whether he was surprised by the intensity of the game, and how much he enjoyed the support of the fans in Singapore…
A lot. Was I surprised about the intensity? No. I think it was pretty clear when you set up a game in that period with two teams who are pretty competitive, two managers who are pretty competitive then I think it’s pretty clear that it has to be intense. I saw a lot of good things, but of course some things which I didn’t like and now we have to make an analysis. That’s always in pre-season the same: we need to have a look what is really physically, because we did a lot in training and yesterday a lot in really tough circumstances. And you saw the goals we conceded were mainly lack of concentration in the moment twice. A very similar situation, the first goal we conceded and I think the fourth, were very similar. It’s obviously not allowed but it can happen anyway. We have to analyse it properly, I have enough time to do that on the flight home.
And the atmosphere was great, I said it outside. The people created something really special, we felt from the first second super-welcome. That’s intense as well! People were waiting everywhere for us, I understand that. But I will not miss opening a door and everyone is cheering, to be honest! I’ll be really happy if I can open a door at home and nobody is cheering! Good. I hate losing, I feel that all the time when it happens, I really feel it and today is the same. But pre-season, strong opponent, we could have scored a fourth as well obviously; Bobby Clark had a really nice situation with Ben Doak, other situations as well. So, a lot of good stuff, stuff to improve. That’s how it is, let’s keep going.
On Diaz’s goal and how important a pre-season it is for him after his injury last season…
Pre-season is massive for everybody, and for Lucho especially. You could say today it was really hard. I thought we played super in the first 10 minutes or so and then we were really in the game, bam, bam, bam, everything was clicking and then you could see the players probably had a look at the watch and thought, ‘It’s only 10 minutes, feels like an hour and 50.’ And that’s obviously the moment in the pre-season where it’s clear. We had two camps in a row now, this is the last day of the camp; the most important information of all possible information is nobody got hurt. I think both teams see it exactly the same, that’s really cool.
We did a lot of things in the physical aspect of the game today; it was a super-important session as well, to get through this. And yes, Luis is no shadow of a doubt. We scored really good goals in the first half as well – so, Diogo’s pass and quick awareness and reaction to Cody, fantastic. We had a lot of really good, good moments where we showed what is possible. But in other moments – that’s how it is, and it’s good because we will not be as tired during the season like we were today – there will obviously be moments where we feel the intensity and then you have to still make the right decisions. And for that feeling that you get punished when you don’t do that, that’s part of the pre-season experience as well. And that’s why maybe if you give me another hour then I will see it as a really good lesson and maybe I will be even happy that we made the mistakes today and not in 10 days. But in the moment I still work on that.
On Liverpool’s defensive display...
Around the goals obviously not that great, but there were a lot of other moments that were really, really good as well. The last line was good. We have to still adjust. It’s not so much about the boys and stuff, [but] yes it is, of course, in these moments. The first goal we concede, Trent and Joel have to react better. This pass, I don’t think it is [able] to avoid, to be 100 per cent honest. We cannot always be there and block all balls, sometimes balls will fly towards our last line. It was just a little doubt in between, but both stand on both feet – I am not sure exactly when it was, 30 minutes when they scored the first goal? – so we felt the intensity properly then, like humans are. I think it was a similar time [in the] second half, between Joey and Ibou. It’s nothing about speed or whatever, it is just about awareness – check the situation. In football there are no breaks. When you are really tired, that’s the thing you hate the most: there are no breaks. Apart from that, how I said, I saw a lot of good individual performances, I think really encouraging, really positive, and we can work with that, that’s it.