Klopp knows fans will be respectful of Queen’s death; Napoli loss his ‘worst Liverpool game’
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has called for a reaction from his players when they host Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Reds were convincingly beaten 4-1 by Napoli last week in what Klopp has described as “the worst game since I’ve been here”.
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“We met with the players, I watched the Napoli game a lot and we saw horrors,” the German manager said. “The players knew as well.
“It was the worst game since I’ve been here. We’ve had a few, [Aston] Villa away, but there are always glimpses of us.
“In this [Napoli] game, nothing. We have to understand why.
“You solve all individual problems as a team and that’s the first thing we have to do, to follow a common idea again.
“My teams are based on a real foundation if not nearly perfect defending.
“I only read about 10 words of what was said about us, but most of them were fair probably.
“I watched the game back, and (if it was me) I’d have asked a lot of questions about the manager and the players.”
Klopp continued: “We have to show a reaction, we know that. It doesn’t mean we get a result against Ajax.
“A massive rebuild for them but a really good job. The situation about the group is not massively helpful but it’s a home game in the Champions League.
“We make sure we play different to Napoli and we’ll see.
“We had a meeting, showed them the situations and I didn’t have to say a lot [about Napoli]. The players know. We brought ourselves to this situation.
“We had obvious football problems which was from misjudgments. Everyone wanted to sort it by themselves. No structure.
“We had 4 or 5 days now of absolute truth. Not to knock the players down, just to make sure where we are now, this is the starting point for us to sort the problems together on the pitch. No pointing at each other.
“Ajax are in the Champions League and they belong there. Are they the strongest team in the competition? I haven’t seen the rest yet.”
Liverpool have started the season very slowly as they sit seventh in the Premier League with two wins from their opening six domestic encounters.
On the Reds’ start to the season, Klopp said: “I don’t want to give Ajax some sort of hint of what to expect tomorrow night.
“We don’t have to create headlines before the game, to create positive headlines after the games is from what we do on the pitch.
“But we’re just not consistent enough so far (this season).”
Liverpool’s Premier League match at home to Wolves on Saturday was postponed following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Football all across the country was postponed, from the English top flight to amateur leagues played on a Saturday morning.
“I’m 55 years old and she’s the only Queen of England I’ve ever known,” Klopp said.
“I didn’t know her but she was kind and warm. People feel so close to her and I respect their grief a lot.
“I will show my respect tomorrow night with silence.”
Klopp insists that the club’s fans do not need to be told how to behave when Anfield is due to observe a minute of silence before kick-off against Ajax.
“Yes, I think it’s the right thing to do. But I don’t think our people need any advice from me to show respect,” he added.
“One that surprised me was last year when we played United, with the sad situation around Cristiano Ronaldo’s family.”
On the match against Wolves being postponed, Klopp said: “It would have been a tough one anyway, but yes (we’d have like it played) but for reasons we all know it didn’t happen and we respect that.
“We try to use the time for analysis and training which makes sense after game v Napoli.”
Klopp also provided injury updates on left-back Andy Robertson and midfielder Naby Keita.
“He (Robertson) is out until at least the international break. Curtis Jones is not available but Fabio Carvalho is training.”
On Keita: “I don’t expect him to go on international duty.
“We had to make a decision and that’s why he’s not with us [in Champions League squad].”
