Liverpool have been picked aside in Napoli and their excessive line, once more, attracted consideration after the Italian facet sliced by way of the crew, however the set-up isn’t the difficulty, it’s the dearth of strain.
Jurgen Klopp‘s facet are at the moment unrecognisable, and the 4-1 defeat at Napoli felt prefer it had been brewing for a while after a dismal begin to the marketing campaign.
Liverpool have been 3-0 down at halftime, the dearth of strain on and off the ball inconceivable when you think about the id of this facet has lengthy been related to depth.
The efficiency positioned the excessive line underneath the microscope as soon as extra, a tactic that has served the Reds nicely of their bid to show the ball over and create goalscoring alternatives.
That’s the end result when it’s going nicely, however when the crew is disconnected and with out sustained strain, the opponent can have free rein, as Napoli did on Wednesday night.
The shortcoming to shut Napoli down made the excessive line a “threat” because the Reds weren’t compact sufficient to deal with their risk, however Klopp insists the “downside isn’t the excessive line,” it’s the strain acts, or lackthereof.
“We have been by no means compact. I can not bear in mind a state of affairs the place we have been compact. We had not one counter-pressing state of affairs in 60 minutes, in a recreation the place we misplaced a whole lot of balls,” Klopp defined.
“Simply because we have been too distant from every part. Meaning too extensive in possession, we don’t push up with the final line, the midfield isn’t related.
“The questions now, as a result of I do know the boys need – they need to win soccer video games – and the questions why they don’t do, that’s clearly my job to determine that out.
“The excessive line is simply a threat if we don’t have strain on the ball. If now we have a excessive line and we don’t have any strain, sure, then it’s a threat – but it surely’s normally not the case.
“The issue isn’t the excessive line. We want the excessive line to be compact. The issue was we by no means get shut sufficient to place the opponent underneath strain.”
“Till Thiago entered the pitch I can’t bear in mind one counter-pressing state of affairs. The reply for that is we have been simply too extensive,” Klopp advised BT Sport, a damning evaluation.
Liverpool are removed from their greatest, however the supervisor mentioned it greatest when he advised reporters: “In case you are not enjoying exceptionally nicely you’ll be able to nonetheless defend on a very excessive degree, you must be capable of do this.”
