Djokovic overcomes early wobble and injury worry to reach 10th final
Jurgen Klopp sees the time as a troublesome opponent for Liverpool as he tries to rebuild his Anfield empire, promising trophies and success lie at the end of the tunnel.
The Reds manager is well aware that his job demands positive results and this season continues to be a struggle for the team who nearly hit a staggering quadruple last season.
In addition to EFL Cup and FA Cup victories, Liverpool came close to winning the Premier League title on the final day while losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid.
This season has been tough by comparison and the prospects for trophies aren’t as obvious as Liverpool are out of the EFL Cup, mid-table in the league, and face a rematch with Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League.
They also have a tricky FA Cup fourth round game at Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.
Klopp highlighted the difficulties Liverpool have encountered when it came to reconfiguring their front three after Sadio Mane left for Bayern Munich, with injuries biting and Darwin Nunez understandably taking time to adapt to the likes to reconcile Mohamed Salah. Dutch striker Cody Gakpo, a January signing, is also finding his way.
Klopp said Liverpool’s long-standing attacking trident of Mane, Salah and Roberto Firmino is “a well-bored machine” but time is ticking and there is a need to refresh the front line.
The problem was finding a similar connection and with physical ailments causing players to miss games, the manager’s job becomes complicated as he attempts to encourage a new bond.
“Of course it’s not cool. But that’s why I’m saying we can’t wait to be at our best again, win 5-0 and go into the next game,” said Klopp. “We have to work hard. Nobody wants to hear it, but we have to do it. A few other options will be back in two or three weeks. We will have more options and we can mix it up.”
Since losing 3-0 in the league to Brighton earlier this month, Liverpool have beaten Wolves 1-0 in the FA Cup third round and drawn with Chelsea.
Klopp suggested Liverpool’s main problem isn’t a lack of goals from Salah, even though the Egyptian has just seven in the domestic league this season.
“The only problem in life that we have is always the time,” Klopp assessed the conversion process. “Nobody wants to invest time there. The situation isn’t perfect, but the basis of the last two games is something I can work with.”
The ex-Borussia Dortmund coach explained: “Usually you have a real base to build on and we actually don’t have that.
“Here in this building, we’re 100 percent ready to work through that. I wish everything would be easier again, we would already qualify for the finals at the end of the season, but unfortunately I’ve experienced other things in my life and not all of them have been super positive.
“The only thing I know is the better and clearer you behave in our down moments, the better it gets in the up and high moments afterwards because you have to be respectful, you have to show the right things , you have to criticize, but not to be angry.
“You have to go through there and then there is light at the end of the tunnel, there are finals and there are trophies at the end of the tunnel. Not now.”
