Jurgen Klopp takes aim at his own defenders after Liverpool defeat to Bayern Munich
Posted by  badge Boss on Aug 03, 2023 - 02:16PM
Jurgen Klopp was not thrilled with his players after defeat to Bayern Munich (Picture: Getty Images)

was not impressed with some of his team’s defending as Liverpool were beaten 4-3 by in a friendly in Singapore on Wednesday.

The Reds went 2-0 up thanks to early goals from and and retook the lead at 3-2 through Luis Diaz but eventually succumbed 4-3 in the pre-season contest.

The result ultimately doesn’t matter, but Klopp did not like what he saw from his defenders and was happy to call them out by name after the game.

‘In the first goal we conceded, Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and Joel [Matip] have to react better,’ said Klopp. ‘Both were standing on both feet. I don’t think the pass was one we could have avoided.

‘It was around half an hour into the game and we were feeling the intensity already then. It was a similar time in the second half with Joe Gomez and Ibou Konate.

‘It’s not about speed, it’s about awareness, check the situation, in football there are no breaks.’

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defending has been the subject of plenty of discussion (Picture: Getty Images)

Klopp quickly mellowed and said that he will be quick to forget these errors as long as they are not repeated when the Premier League gets underway later this month.

Liverpool go to Chelsea on Sunday 13 August in their season opener and the Reds boss wants to see a fitter, more focused team then.

‘We won’t be as tired during the season as we were today,’ he said. ‘But there will be moments when you feel the intensity and you still have to make the right decisions. You get punished when you don’t do that. That’s part of the pre-season experience.

‘Give me another hour and I’ll look back and see it (the loss) as a really good lesson and I’ll be even happier that we made the mistakes today rather than in 10 days (against Chelsea).’

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