Klopp: I feel a burden for the end of season failings

Jurgen Klopp says he feels a burden for the crippling slump in form which has seen Liverpool all but kiss their league title hopes away.

The Reds came into the clash with Everton knowing that they needed to build on the momentum of wins against Atalanta and Fulham if they wanted to keep go level on points with Arsenal who had demolished Chelsea the night before.

Under the German, his team have by and large risen to the task and played their hearts out from the first minute to the last, earning the name ‘mentality monsters’ for their never say die spirit.

So with everything on the line, Liverpool arguably produced the most soul destroying 90 minute display in the Klopp era.

The fact it came against Everton was great for the narrative writers who wanted to paint the picture of “little brother costing big brother the league.’

But that thought was largely secondary to those who hold this club close to their heart.

The key fact that in the heat of the title race battle, these players simply crumbled under the weight of expectations with the man who has help guide them to ultimate glory watching on helplessly.

As the weeks have gone on and closer to his departure. Klopp has shown signs of weariness and spoken in terms of a man that is in desperate need of a break from the game.

In the lead up to the clash at Goodison, he outlined his virtual disdain for the Derby despite only suffering one defeat to Everton in his Liverpool career.

Speaking ahead of the early kickoff against West Ham, Klopp again was more than forthcoming with his feelings over how things have quickly gone pear shaped as The Guardian reported.

“ I do (feel a burden). “It’s difficult to explain but I hated our game (against Everton). We were not even close to what we want to be. Somehow it happened that we didn’t see the positivity in the situation any more, that we have a good starting point, so let’s go and chase the others. But you can only chase in a positive way.

“You saw the game. It wasn’t the first [poor] one but it was the worst one. Crystal Palace wasn’t even close. I see two teams [Arsenal and Manchester City] who play really positive football and go for it. We can do that but we don’t in this moment. Who can I make responsible for that? It’s my job until the last day to make sure the boys feel that.”

The manager outlined his horror in what he was witnessing on Wednesday evening, his team virtually unrecognisable in every sense to what he is used too.

“The game was just horrible to watch. In Germany when the crowd is not happy with the team and think they are not fighting enough they sing ‘Wir wollen euch kämpfen sehen’ which translates as ‘We want to see you fight’. I was close to singing that! Never has one of my teams heard that ever. Never. I never heard them say my team didn’t fight because my team always went for it. And now, wow, how can that happen?”

The way that Klopp spoke in such a frank manner should not surprise anyone who has monitored him closely during his time at the club.

Basically he is like a guardian to these players, sure he may read them the riot act behind closed doors when they require it, but when it comes to the outside world, he would most happily take the blame than leave it with them to deal with.

It is just another element which what makes him so uniquely special and something so pure and honourable is impossible to replicate, so the squad will have to get used to another form of management when Arne Slot takes the reigns in the summer.

While the title dream is over, Klopp in is own way is giving his team another challenge to see whether they can rise to.

“We made mistakes before in other seasons but you have to fight against that.

But much more important is that you create a basis for most of the season until the finishing line is in sight and then you go for it. That should be the most positive thing. And we did that in the past, winning all the games [in the run-in] and now we can’t do it for a variety of reasons. Now we have to find a lineup, a way, to do much better at West Ham."