Liverpool boss Klopp reveals the ‘two reasons’ why he’s tinkered so much this season

Joe Williams
Jurgen Klopp gets the keys to the city of Liverpool

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed the “two reasons” he has tinkered his tactics so much this season and warned of Tottenham’s “offensive power” ahead of their match at the weekend.

The Reds have lost their last two Premier League matches to Nottingham Forest and Leeds United but bounced back from defeat at the weekend to beat Napoli 2-0 in midweek.

Liverpool put in a good performance to beat the current Serie A leaders ahead of their crucial Premier League fixture against Tottenham on Sunday.

Klopp’s men now have three matches left before the World Cup break with a League Cup clash against League One Derby County sandwiched in between Premier League fixtures versus Spurs and Southampton.

On the momentum of beating Napoli, Klopp told BBC Sport: “Sunday is a big game for us and difficult as well. We cannot be picky with points and games, we have to go for it.

“We know Tottenham are well organised, defending with a high level and counter attacking. We saw their offensive power in the last two games when they had to chase. Spurs are in a good moment; we are prepared for a confident, strong opponent.

“We can’t just go there and circle them, forget defending. Nutmegs here, backheels there, it doesn’t just work like that. After Leeds I couldn’t have felt worse, but then you beat a team in form and that gives you a lift. It is normal.

“We will try to make sure we will feel like we did after Napoli.”

On why he is changing the system a lot this campaign, Klopp added: “Two reasons: the availability of players and because we are not as solid defensively as we used to be. You can always point the finger and say ‘this was not good, this was not good’, or you give the players a completely new textbook. That is what we tried; it is s new chapter, you don’t pair it with the last one.

“My main job id to help the boys do what they do in the most confident way.”

On the Reds’ defensive improvements against Napoli, Klopp continued: “We didn’t concede a goal in that game by an armpit, it is margins. That is how it is. Napoli are making things look easy right now; the challenge was to deny them and we did that.

“We did that, now we have to do it again and again and again. It is a different game. Napoli is an offensive team, it is not clear how Tottenham will get into this game. When they chased the game, it was an obvious change of approach. Before that, it was well organised and defensive. We have to expect both.”

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