Q&APress conference: Alexis Mac Allister previews Reds' Champions League tie with Bologna
The midfielder answered journalists’ questions at Anfield ahead of his team’s first home match in this season’s competition’s league phase on Wednesday night.
Read a full transcript below.
On Liverpool winning four consecutive matches since the defeat against Nottingham Forest…
I think for us it was very important to see the way we react and I think we did it very well. Of course we worked on certain details, let’s say, but what we didn’t really like [about] that game was the way we finished it. So yeah, we spoke about that. Everyone knew it wasn’t our best game so we just tried our best to win the next one and that’s how it was.
On whether the Reds are ‘better equipped’ to challenge for both domestic and European honours this season…
I could say a lot of things but we have to show it: it’s not about talking, it’s more about showing it. I think we have an amazing team, as we had last season as well, so we will try our best to win every game we play and then in January/February we will see if we are capable of winning a trophy.
On players’ workload generally…
I don’t think there is much to add [to what other players have said]. The only thing I can say is we all love playing football and, yes, we are tired and there are a lot of games but the only thing I could say, or I want to say, I think, is that we need more communication between all of the parties: between players, managers and everyone. I think that is the easiest way to go forward and that’s the only thing, I think, that the players ask.
On the enjoyment he is taking from his football this season…
Yes, maybe last season I played most of the year as a six so my position is quite different but at the same time we have a lot of freedom. We try to have a structure and know where our teammates are going to be, but we have freedom as well and sometimes it could be just Ryan [Gravenberch] as a six or sometimes it could be a double six and Dom [Szoboszlai] as a No.10. So, it changes a lot during the game. What I can say is that I feel really comfortable and I really like the idea, so I am really enjoying my football and hopefully tomorrow we can show it.
On whether the Reds are taking positive momentum into every game at the moment…
Yes, definitely. I think we have an amazing team, very good players, a good coach, and when you play for Liverpool you have to be up there. That’s what we try, that’s what we want, but at the same time we know it is quite early so there is still a lot of time to see if we are able to be in the title race.
On Luis Diaz’s form so far this season…
He knows how important the numbers are for strikers or wingers and I am very happy he is getting the goals and assists. He has been amazing for us and I think he can still improve and play the way he plays. I think consistency is key and hopefully he can show during the year what a fantastic player he is.
On the similarities and differences between the demands of Arne Slot and Jürgen Klopp on their midfielders…
I think between Arne and Jürgen the principles are the same so as I said, I don’t think there is a huge difference. I just think that now we have more of a structure and some patterns that we know and are trying to improve, so that is the main difference but apart from that there is not much to add. At the same time, we are just talking about Ryan, Dom and me but we have amazing players as well like Curtis [Jones], [Wataru] Endo, Harvey [Elliott]. All of them are very important and that’s what we want: to compete between us and to get better.
On whether he dreams of adding the Champions League trophy to the World Cup he won with Argentina…
Yeah of course, it’s a dream. For some people it was a surprise that I won a World Cup but made my debut against Milan in the Champions League [this season], so it’s quite crazy. But definitely it’s a dream to win the Champions League and as I said before, when you play for Liverpool you have to fight for it. We have very good players, a good team and we will see at the end of the season if we can win it.
On whether Slot has introduced changes to the way the team prepares for games…
Well now that the games come thick and fast then it is a little bit harder to prepare for the games as much as we want, but he is definitely an amazing manager. You can see the way he speaks, from the first day we understood what he wants from us, and I think that’s the main thing in a coach: try to get the idea he has in his players and I think we are getting there, but there is still room for improvement.
On what he knows about Bologna ahead of Wednesday’s match…
To be completely honest, I haven’t watched the games of Bologna this year. I know the manager from his time at Fiorentina because I have a very good friend, Nicolas Gonzalez, who played under him, so I know more or less what he wants from his team and I am pretty sure it will be a very tough game. I think we expect the game to be quite physical, so we have prepared for it really well and hopefully tomorrow we can show what we prepared.
On how much room for improvement he feels Liverpool still have…
As I say, I think there is room for improvement and we all know, for example, that the performance against Wolves was not the best but when you have a manager and a team that realise that, that’s a very positive thing. So, yes, I think we can improve a lot, we have to use the quality of the players much more and be defensively good because Arne wants to defend well and from there we can play the football we want.
On Federico Chiesa, who is set to miss Wednesday’s game due to injury…
From the day he arrived, you could see how happy he is to be here and that’s already a very important thing. I think he is showing in training how good he is so we expect a lot from him [and] we know he will be very important for us because he will compete against our players and I am pretty sure that he is going to do very well here.