TLW

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." View full article

Sander Westerveld believes Arne Slot will not be overawed by the challenge of following the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp. The former Reds goalkeeper who made 75 appearances in a two and a bit season stint at the club is close friends with the man who has been identified as the next manager. Westerveld and Slot played a season together at Sparta Rotterdam in the 2007/8 campaign and speaking to The Telegraph (per the Echo) he believed the 45 year- old had the ability to be a top-line manager. “When I played with Arne at Sparta, you could see that he would become. He was a leader, a No10 midfielder and someone who would change tactics by himself. “I spoke to him this morning and he just said it is not a secret that Liverpool wants him but that he could not say anything. I hope it will happen." The member of the 2001 treble winning squad said that the ability of Slot to work within a budget means that he would be well suited to the financial model implemented by Liverpool! “The job he has done at Feyenoord makes him the perfect fit for Liverpool… When he signed for Feyenoord they sold the best player, Steven Berghuis, to Ajax and they didn’t have lots of money to spend. Everyone said it would be difficult, but Arne said: “No, no, I will make this happen.” A year later he became the champion of Holland with this team and that is why I think there are similarities with Liverpool. “Liverpool have a lot of potential in the squad, and we don’t have the money that Manchester City have to spend, so I think he will get all the potential out of the players.” Westerveld said another benefit is the way that Slot looks to plqy his Football. “He plays in the same style as Jurgen Klopp: sexy football, forward pressing and the percentage of ball recoveries in the opposition half is the highest in Holland. When he loses the ball, he wants the ball back in three seconds. But while Klopp brought success to Liverpool on the pitch, what truly made him special was his ability to strike up relationships with his players and just as importantly the fanbase. Westerveld believes that Slot carries a similar trait. “His personality is perfect for Liverpool. He is a good fit because he is not only the manager of a team, he can manage a club and the fans. “He is an intelligent guy, he is a good analyst and when you see his press conferences, he speaks good English and is very respectful. “You will not see Arne being like Erik ten Hag was in his recent press conference. He is a respectful guy like Pep Guardiola and he is an ambassador for the club. “You need to be a special coach to coach a special club and I think Arne is that.” View full article

It might be the fixture that divides a city but Jurgen Klopp admits that he will not miss everything that surrounds the Merseyside Derby. With the time rapidly ticking down on the tenure of Klopp at Liverpool, questions often arise regarding what certain fixtures have meant to him during his time at the club. With the games coming thick and fast and with Liverpool still in the hunt for a Premier League title, Klopp has often said there will come a time for in depth reflection, but at this stage he mind his focused on more important things. Klopp comes into his 19th and final fixture against Everton having only lost game which came at Anfield behind closed doors during the Pandemic in 2021. While Liverpool remain unbeaten at Goodison Park under Klopp, there have only been two wins to go along with five draws. Speaking to the media ahead of the pivotal clash, the manager gave a insight into how energy sapping the occasion is (per the Guardian). “Around the derby is just pressure. “The pressure is higher so why should the joy be higher? You win it, great; but why should I miss the pressure around it? This time, when you’re really playing for something, that’s the pressure. But when you are both not in a great moment, it’s the one game you definitely have to win. That kind of pressure – why would I miss that? It’s not enjoyable.” Klopp broadened his discussion to include the overall role of a manager, a true indication that his upcoming sabbatical from the game is vitally important for his own mental wellbeing. “ Everyone else can only watch it and think: ‘Oh my God, it looks exciting.’ But somebody has to make the decisions, somebody has to do this, somebody has to do that. So many people always visit me around the games and say: ‘We will not see that any more or that any more,’ and I just want to tell them – I work all the time while you just watch the games. "I’m constantly in it. Even when the game is over I can’t switch off. It’s not great to be in this situation all the time. Maybe other people enjoy that more than me. But that’s something I definitely will not miss.” “I had my last European game last week [against Atalanta]. Yes we didn’t go through and you can make a big story of it being my last game but I just tried to figure out how I felt, and it was nothing. It’s not like I felt I would never have a European game again. If that would be the case, then I wouldn’t stop it.” Klopp is the first to admit that it takes many contrasting styles to win a Football game and not every manager is blessed with a team full of technical quality, but that does not mean he enjoys the physical nature of some specific fixtures. "(The Derby) used to be [the most physical game],” he said. “At the beginning I remember I showed the players videos of [Jamie] Carragher in the derby and Stevie [Gerrard] where he got red cards – I love one, and respect the other a lot. That’s what people expect, that if you get a red card against Everton it’s fine. It’s not, it’s absolutely not, because we want to win the game and it’s the only reason why we go there. “At the beginning there were a few situations where I thought it was over the top. Since then it has become a bit settled and I hope it stays like this because it should. At the beginning I thought: ‘Wow, that’s what they are allowed to do?’ and I didn’t get that. "But I had to learn all these things over the years. Everything that makes it a really special football game, with all the ups and downs in a game and the good and bad, I’m fully in for it. When it goes over the top, I’m absolutely not.” View full article

Trent Alexander-Arnold admits things will be completely different once Jurgen Klopp departs the club but that does not mean that the team cannot challenge for honours next season. For many young players who have come into the Liverpool lineup in the Klopp era, he is the only manager they have had in senior Football. The lessons learnt under the German’s tutelage will keep them in fine stead for the rest of their career, but just like life in general, time waits for no-one and they as individuals and the team in general will soon move onto a new era. It is always an uncertain time when a new manager comes in as they will have their own methods that they want to implement and some players will not suit that system. While it is way too early to predict the incomings and outgoings during the upcoming summer transfer window, Alexander-Arnold is upbeat and optimistic personally about what lays ahead for this squad as he told The Overlap podcast per The Echo. (Previously) I’ve been on the fence with regard to my feelings on a new manager coming in. It’ll be a completely different situation and it’s going to be weird to then turn up to pre-season, having to adopt a new playing style. "Whereas now, without anything getting said to me, I know all the manager wants me to play, and I turn up to pre-season, I know to jump there, I’m to press there, but for this summer, my next preseason will have a completely different message. “It’s going to be strange, but I think I like the idea of a new challenge for the team, the players and the club. The way I look at it is of course the manager is going to come in and change the way we play and it'll be a different type of culture and new messages.” Despite the change in who is on the touch-line, the full-back says there is no reason why the standards would drop amongst the playing group, and that desire to keep pushing themselves to achieve ultimate success is ingrained in their psyche. "As players, the mentality and eagerness to win - not the pressure, but the internal pressure on ourselves and the demands to win things and be in a title race next season no matter who the manager is - that's what we expect from ourselves. "Of course results might not go our way but as long as that mentality is there - not that it doesn't matter who the manager is, but as long as the dressing room has got that desire that we're going to win, we're trying to win things, it's not a 'transition season', the manager comes and within his style of play is that winning mentality - that's how the transition needs to happen." View full article

Mo Salah has detailed how valued Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez are within the Liverpool camp. The two 24 year-old forwards came to the club last season, a campaign which was marked by its inconsistency on a overall team level. Despite the fragile confidence level of the team, both Nunez and Gakpo performed adequately in their debut campaign (Nunez 15 in 42 appearances) while Gakpo arrived midway through the season from PSV when the Reds were suffering a true crisis of confidence and given those circumstances he produced a respectable 7 goals from 26 appearances. Having that sort of introduction to a new league may have been a daunting one for some players, especially when the Jurgen Klopp era has been sprinkled with ultimate success. In a results sense, it has been a much smoother transition for the duo this season as the Reds have all to play for both in the league and in Europe. In terms of personal development Nunez in particular has looked to harness an all-round aspect to his game and has produced 13 assists along with 18 goals in 45 appearances. Meanwhile, Gakpo has scored 14 goals in the same amount of appearances, the main difference being that the Dutchman’s versatility quite often sees him played in various positions and has led to the question being asked just where can Liverpool get the best out of him, and indeed if he fits the way the way that Klopp wants to play. And a fair bit of that impression has to do with personal traits, Nunez the Uruguayan street fighter, ‘captain chaos’ embracing the contest like it is a life or death situation. Meanwhile Gakpo is much more laconic and languid and plays his own game at a much more serene pace, sometimes described as in slow or still motion. But regardless of what we may think of fans, the only thing that matters is the impression he gives to the coaches and teammates. Salah has seen plenty of players come and go during his time at the Reds, and speaking to Astro Supersport (per the Echo), said both of their output is highly regarded. “Cody doesn't get credit because the fans I don't know if they really understand his game or not. But he is a very, very clever player. I admire the way he thinks, it's very, very good. He is young and wants to learn, he asks a lot of questions. “Darwin is a key for us as well. The way he plays, the way he opens space for us, it's very good. But he doesn't get a lot of credit because once he misses a chance, opposition fans start to jump (on him) and Liverpool fans start defending him and he's inside that mess. But for me, he's one of the best players on the team." To achieve the success that this team deserves for their efforts during this season, it has to be a whole lot more clinical in the final third that what we have seen in recent games. And to that extent, the likes of Gakpo and Nunez have pivotal roles to play from now until the end of May. View full article

Caoimhin Kelleher has had to bide his time but he is now showing the footballing public the great qualities he possesses as a goalkeeper on a consistent basis. There is often no middle ground being a keeper, you can either be the hero or the villain. where all fingers are pointed. It is a harsh predicament and for those who are not yet established as a number one option, quite a cutthroat occupation as any mistake could quite easily see them lose their spot in the first team and in some cases there is no way back for them. And for those who serve as backups to the senior keepers, there is lot of sitting idle on the bench on matchdays observing proceedings. For those Liverpool supporters who have closely observed Kelleher since making his senior debut for the club in September of 2019, one thing has clearly stood out which is his unflappable nature. No matter the occasion, be it playing under the bright lights at Anfield, on the European stage or at Wembley Stadium facing a penalty shootout in a Cup final, the emotional state of Kelleher emotional state never seems to change. As the Irishman said (per the Echo) that is just in his nature. “I don’t know why, it’s just my personality. “I am quite relaxed off the pitch and on it, I trust in my ability - and I’ve always believed in the ability I have. “I suppose I take that belief with me and try to show my personality out there. It’s important that you have the ability to stay level-headed as a goalkeeper because you need to make good decisions in a split-second. “You need to be able to stay calm if you are to make those right decisions. I don’t get overly nervous for games. That’s just my personality. I’ve always been quite calm - and it’s worked out well so far.” The hamstring injury to Alisson Becker has allowed Kelleher to get the run of games he has craved and vindicated his decision to stay with the Reds despite many clubs showing interest in the 25 year-old over the recent seasons. “It’s obviously been really good for me to get this run of games. It’s what I have been working for, to get this opportunity to play a run of games and get that rhythm. There’s been the added bonus of winning the Carabao and now going for more trophies. “I am playing football at the highest level, going for the major trophies - and that’s what every player wants to do. I am really enjoying myself. The feedback I get from Ali and the coaching staff has all been quite positive. They know when to talk to me and when to just let me do my own thing. I know they’re always there and always positive with me. They also leave me be.” “There were obviously discussions (last summer) because I wanted to play as much as I can. It was clear that because of the circumstances I was in, that I had to stay. Obviously I got this big opportunity, which can always happen. The manager did say that anything can happen like that” True to the personality of Kelleher, he is not looking too far ahead in terms of the impending departure of the manager who has played such a role in his senior career, or a potential Europa League final in his homeland. Instead his one and only focus is in his words ‘to right the wrongs” of three weeks ago. “It’s nice for us to be going back so we can right the wrong of that defeat. It’s the sooner the better for us. Maybe in the second half we weren’t as clinical as we should have been. We made a lot of chances and should have put the game to bed - and when you don’t do that then anything can happen. “There was a feeling that we should have had it won. We were also a bit disappointed in our overall performance so we want to go back there and do much better. You need to take your chances." View full article

Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk has spoken about the hurt that the squad felt after their heartbreaking extra-time defeat to Man United in the FA Cup. Three weeks down the line and the league leaders are preparing themselves to meet their bitter rivals at Old Trafford once again and very keen to extinguish those bitter memories. The cup defeat will arguably go down as one of the more infuriating in recent times as for most of the game, it seemed like the visitors were in control only for defensive sloppiness and lack of a clinical finish in the final third costing them dearly. What added to the frustration from a fans point of view was that it was another game that this vastly superior outfit failed to clinch a victory at the home of their beleaguered rivals. But the beauty of Football is that it produces an opportunity to correct the record and that will occur tomorrow afternoon. And going by comments from Van Dijk (per the Echo) they will carry that loss with them. “Of course it is still fresh, it was very disappointing, losing is never good. Especially the way we lost that day, it's something that hurt in the 24 hours after the game. “You want to go to Wembley, you want to go and play that semi-final, but we had to quickly switch to the national team. “What do we need to do better? Win the game! They started the game well and got the crowd behind them and it gave them a push. Conceding the goal was disappointing but after that we controlled the game and scored two good goals and could have done better. "But we kept them alive and they made use of it in the best way possible. That's credit to them but we are going there on Sunday to turn it around and make sure we get the three points.” While the general consistency of Liverpool this season has been impressive, one thing they do need to rectify if they want to lift the league trophy is May is their record against other members of the current top six. It currently sits at one win ( vs Aston Villa in Early September) four draws and two defeats. With the fixture tomorrow along with games against Tottenham and Villa to come, it presents an opportunity to rectify that. And you sense that is what Van Dijk is referring to when he mentions not focussing on the one opponent as to him and the team in general it is just one more hurdle on the way to potential glory. “We want to win every game, that's the focus at Liverpool. We know how much it (Man United fixture) means and how big it is for the outside world but for us we are in a phase that we can't lose points so we are going there in order to get the three points. “We have only one goal going there, to try and win the game, and we're going to give everything and we need everyone at their best. I think [composure] is key. In nervous moments, the crowd could get nervous, you want to rush things, that can be part of the game. "The difference-maker will be being calm and making the right choices but still be full of aggression and going for it. I think we've been showing it already for a very long time that we have that quality and we have to keep doing it." View full article

Conor Bradley believes that his versatility is a reason why he can stay in the team once Trent Alexander-Arnold returns to full fitness. The Northern Irishman has been one of the revelations of the campaign for the Reds making 18 appearances in all competitions to date this season and not looking out of place one but, be it at a packed Anfield, in the Europa League or at Wembley in a League Cup final. While the brilliance of Alexander-Arnold is undisputed, there had been a fear that if he was out for a sustained period through injury, the field of back-ups in the squad was quite shallow. Joe Gomez has shown to be a dependable figure when asked to play that role but he is a central defender by trade. Calvin Ramsey was thought to be someone that could blossom into the role but unfortunately for him, successive knee injuries put pay to any momentum he would have wanted to build and presently he is barely making the bench on loan at Bolton. Misfortune for one player is an opportunity for another and Bradley has grabbed his with aplomb from an outstanding season on loan at Bolton last season. So well has his progress been that Bradley is now seen a very important member of the first team set-up. The question was posed to the 20 year-old (per The Echo) whether there is a way he can keep his spot in the starting X1 once Alexander-Arnold returns from his own knee injury. Yes, possibly,” . “Trent is an unbelievable footballer and I think he could play pretty much anywhere. It is a difficult one (vying for the same position). It is a blessing in a way because I can learn so much off Trent. He has had a similar pathway to me coming through the academy. “There are so many things I can take from him, the way he plays football, the way he conducts himself everyday and how hard he works. “It’s difficult obviously coming into one of the best teams in the world and trying to break through and prove that you’re good enough to play every week.” The academy graduate knows you have to be flexible enough to make the grade and he outlined where he thinks he could be of additional use to Jurgen Klopp in this pivotal time of the season. “I think it is massive to be versatile. It helps the manager to pick you when he knows you can play in certain positions . “I played as a winger all the way up through youth football and when I was deployed to play there the other night for Northern Ireland, I really enjoyed it. “It took me some time (to adapt). I was Under-18s when I got moved back and I didn’t really know what I was doing to be honest, but I think I’ve learned quite quickly how to play the full-back role. “Obviously when you’re playing for Liverpool, you may as well be a winger when you’re playing full-back. You get so much of the ball, in so many attacking scenarios. You get a lot of joy playing higher up. “I’m still learning my trade, but I think I’m a bit better than I was (at full-back), definitely. I enjoy the challenge of playing new positions and learning about them. It is really good and really important to learn about them and be good at them too.” There seems to always be a certain time in a mind of a young player when he reaches that moment that sees him undaunted and unaffected by the big stage, where they deserve to stand alongside the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Mo Salah among others. Bradley talked about that exact moment for himself. “It was probably that (Chelsea at Anfield) game where I thought, ‘Right, I can do this’. I just need to be consistent with it and try and do things like that as much as I can. That was a big moment for me where I realised that this is possible for me and I can do it. “My friends were over for the game so they were back at my apartment after the game and I just remember saying to them, ‘What’s just happened?’ It was like crazy. I just couldn’t believe what was happening to be honest with you.” There are sacrifices you have to make especially when you graduate from the academy and aim to progress into senior Football. For many young players, that means going on loan, and it can go one of two ways. While many struggle to adjust the highly physical nature of the Championship and League One, for others like Bradley, they thrive and it sets them on their way. "That time (at Bolton) moulded me as a player. It is a tough, gruelling league, League One and for me to get 53 games under my belt was really good for me. To get a couple of goals and a couple of assists, too, was good for my confidence. “It helped me to know I could play ‘men’s football’ and so coming back to Liverpool I was ready to go. It was just unfortunate that I got the injury, but when I came back, I was just focused on trying to do my best and luckily I have had some opportunities.” View full article