I’m not Pope of football tactics, says Kop boss
THEY call it England’s El Clasico, but the last two instalments on Merseyside have been an affront to that title. Liverpool v Manchester united should be the game that stops the nation, but the only thing that has been stopped in this fixture at Anfield in Jose Mourinho’s two visits is the tempo, his desperation not to lose illustrated in one startling statistic.
united have had forwards such as Wayne rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcus rashford, romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial at their disposal, but all they mustered over the course of those 180 minutes were two routine shots on target.
An image comes to mind from the fixture in october 2016. Liverpool were attacking the Kop but across the 18-yard box there were four blue shirts blocking the way and another two sentries on the flank, meaning united played a back six.
Given how they have struggled this season — and given how much Mourinho could do with avoiding defeat — there must be a chance he will throw a blanket over the contest once again, regardless of his declaration that united are going to Merseyside to win.
‘But that’s football tactics,’ said Jurgen Klopp when asked if he was expecting a frustrating afternoon.
‘I’m not the Pope of tactics telling people what they have to do.
‘It’s like France (at the World Cup). Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba… the players they had were unbelievable.
‘But did they play bam, bam, bam like Spain? No. They went for the result.
‘Didier Deschamps did everything right. As a manager, you have to do what you think is right.’
The tone of the answer gave an insight into Klopp’s frame of mind.
usually before the biggest games, he can bristle at such enquiries if he feels there is an invitation for him to give a headline, but he was relaxed.
A big weight was lifted from his shoulders when Liverpool beat Napoli on Wednesday to progress to the Champions League knockout phase, and it could be that achieving one target is the catalyst for an increase in their standards.
But will it be the catalyst for a season of promise to be transformed into a season of high achievement?
Mourinho, you sense, is irked by the plaudits Klopp gets given the German has no trophies at Anfield to show for his work.
‘Do I have to win?’ Klopp asked. ‘What I have to do is make the best of the things the club is offering me. If people say the Champions League campaign last season was not a success because we didn’t win the final, then I cannot change that.
‘Was it the successful finish? No. But the ride was brilliant. Going to the final was fantastic. But in all departments of life, if only the best counts and effort doesn’t, then life is s***. You can do whatever you want but I’m not as smart as Einstein, so I will never be him.
‘I love the challenge. Make the best of it.’
Yet the indications are that success is creeping closer. on this weekend 12 months ago, Klopp had conceded that the title was an infeasible objective. Now he is preparing Liverpool for their most significant push for the biggest prize in a generation. First, though, he must deal with united.
‘We are not somebody,’ said Klopp. ‘We are Liverpool. We have to deal with situations. And that is what we will do.’