Press conference part two: Klopp on unbeaten run, Konate and Thiago's fitness
In the second part of his pre-match press conference, Jürgen Klopp was asked about Liverpool’s current 23-match unbeaten run, the quick impact of summer arrival Ibrahima Konate and more.
The Reds welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Anfield on Saturday afternoon, hoping to extend their sequence of games without defeat – which currently stands as the club’s longest since 1989.
Read on for a summary of the boss’ latest media briefing…
On the 23-game unbeaten run...
We said it a lot of times, we had to find solutions last year and maybe we didn't do all of them right, that's how it is. When you are under pressure time-wise, you have to make the decision a few days after and stuff like this. I think in the moment when we started playing and trusting 100 per cent Rhys and Nat, in that moment all the other things fell in place as well and that's when we got stability back and that's when we were much more ourselves than before. Not losing at all [in] the games since then, you know that in moments we needed luck or whatever or a late goal or these kind of things. But in general we know when we are on top of our game, when we are difficult to play that means we have a chance to win the game – and that's what we try. Obviously we didn't win all of them – we drew a lot – but most of the draws were probably closer to a win than we could have lost the game, so that just shows.
But we feel really responsible for performing, I can tell you, and the boys do as well. It's not that we want to get through a game somehow. We want to be the best version of ourselves in these games and that's what we try all the time. It doesn't work out all the time but that doesn't mean before the next one we shouldn't try again. That's exactly what will happen again on Saturday and there's no guarantee that you then get any kind of results. But for me it's still the only chance to have the opportunity to get the result and that's what we try. But we tried it before the Real Madrid away game as well – it just didn't work out that well probably because of some poor decision of mine.
On whether he had any doubts that this team would 'rise again' after last season without making massive changes...
No, I didn't doubt it – but I didn't really think about it. You go now back again to the transfer business or whatever, it's always a mix of what you want, what you can get, stuff like this. But it was always clear last year – honestly, just you all forgot it – how massive a difference it is when you lose pretty much your whole defence in October pretty much, it was around about now I think. From that on, we had to turn around with injuries, with Champions League, with all the cup competitions and stuff like this. That's really a big problem but everyone expects you still to win all the games, 'You are still Liverpool. Come on, a few injuries, everybody has a few injuries' – but not on one position. That was our problem. So when we sort that problem, it was clear that we will be better again – and that's the situation now. It doesn't mean we will win because there's any kind of competition but it gives us a chance and we never needed more. I think in life it's really important that you stay calm when everybody is really excited and that's what we try to do – to try to make the right decision in these moments. We are happy with the squad we have but we have a lot of problems in the moment. Midfield players out, we had eight midfield players when the season started – now around about four in the moment, so it's not too cool. But there are always problems, we just have to try to sort them.
I don't know a solution for these kind of problems which you can buy in the transfer window, you say, 'OK, another four or five players and you will never have that problem again.' But you can never have the atmosphere in the squad, which is much more important. To win something with a squad with 40 players, that's just not possible because we have to keep the players happy – I'm not sure if it's the right saying – but the players need to see they have a chance to get into the team if they perform on their highest level. With 40 players, that's obviously not the case – and that's probably the only solution for injury crises when you have that amount players, so we cannot sort that. That means you have to take what you get, you use what you get or got and then play the best possible football.
On Mohamed Salah 'wanting to play every minute of every game'...
Yes, he wants but still never did it. But he wants that, that's true. To rest players against Brighton, that would be a crime actually. Brighton is much too good. They had a brilliant start. Yes, now the last few results were maybe not exactly like they wished for, but it's a real special game in the league. It's a real special game. If you didn't watch it yet, watch the City game back and you understand immediately what I'm talking about. None of them [the players want to be rested]. And if then, always then in other games – so it's never the game I chose when I rest somebody! For the player, it's never the game they want to get rested in.
On how impressed he's been with Konate...
Ibou is an incredible talent, obviously. So, he came really young to Germany and that's a tough league to play for a young centre-half. He did there incredibly well. He came over to England and when you see him, he's built for the Premier League. Physical-wise, he's a machine, has the speed we need, likes challenges, has a really good football knowledge, anticipating situations early, all these of kind of things. So, it's a package, a real good package. But how I said, we have now a bunch of really good centre-halves, to be honest, so we just have to make sure we use them in the right moments. No, I'm not surprised. You never know how long things will take but he's a really good boy, completely in the group here and that helped obviously, not only the French. He speaks really well English, which was a bit of a surprise for a French guy who was in Germany. But his English is really good, so that helped him with the group as well. So far, so good.
On waiting until after the international break to see Thiago Alcantara 'at his absolute best'...
Until we see him at his absolute best, probably. Because he needs now training and hopefully he can just train from now on. But we have three games in between now and then, so I would not rule him out for the next games if he trains normal. Then it's about, 'Is he ready to get minutes?' Maybe I get now downstairs or wherever, the sports science they tell me that yesterday everything looked like he could have done like 460 minutes, and then I say, 'OK, let's have a look if we can use him for tomorrow for a few minutes.' I don't expect that. The plan is actually that he has now really a block of a few days with proper, proper training on the pitch with the ball and with the team, plus extra training. So, we have Wednesday, we have then Sunday but after the international break I expect him 100 per cent to be back. But he wants to be back earlier – we have to see if that's possible.