Jürgen Klopp’s reaction after Karlsruher 2-4 Liverpool Let’s keep going’

Jürgen Klopp saw a number encouraging signs from Liverpool during Wednesday evening 4-2 win over Karlsruher SC in Germany.

The Reds got off to a winning start to their pre-season schedule courtesy of Diogo Jota’s brace in extra time in BBBank Wildpark.

Darwin Nunez had put the visitors ahead in the first half, but tries from Lars Stindl and Sebastian Jung either side of the break gave the Bundesliga a 2–1 lead.

Cody Gakpo evened things out midway through the second period before Jota scored in the 92nd and 93rd minutes. Read on for Liverpoolfc.com’s post-match interview with the manager…

In the game…

Yes, obviously the training was good and you could see it was intense for the guys. In the first half I liked the start and a few other things, but then we got a little stiff and didn’t play as well as we could. The start of the second half, when you respect the formation, when you are calmer… I already said to the guys in the second half after 20 minutes: “I think you made twice as many passes from the last line in the half-spaces than in the entire first half.” While we wait, give Trent the ball, let’s see what he can do – and it doesn’t make sense. But it’s okay, it’s only just begun, that’s how it is. But then you realize, “Okay, no, it doesn’t quite work that way.” But you could see in the second half what Cody, Diogo, Macca, with the kids left and right, they could do there. James on the six with Kosti, frankly it’s a delight, the kid has never played this position in his life. Yes, last line, fine.

So we win a game 4-2, but of course you can also lose it. They were good, well organised, but they scored two world championships, right?
Oh! Alright then.

But obviously it’s nicer now [that] tomorrow the guys have their first day off since we started, so let’s use that to recover and then we’ll go again. Yes I loved it and the atmosphere was good too. Karlsruher, everyone obviously liked the new stadium – that’s how it should be.

When you try new things in devices like these…

Look, in the first half, it was clear that the new guys – the kids and Dom – were the best in counter-pressing. So they obviously say, “Oh my god, the boss said this and that” and leave. They all have to do this. It’s not because it’s my idea, just because we have to do it together. I really liked Dom especially when he was half gone, he looked really good, Bobby did really well, Conor Bradley was great so those are all positive signs. Let’s move on, let’s move on. It’s not a crucial game for the season – we know that – but we did it and as far as I know nobody is struggling.

Speaking of strikers who score goals…

You have to ask them, but I’m pretty sure they’d be quite happy with that; I’m happy enough, so it’s okay. Yeah we could have scored [in] the first half, I’m pretty sure this was a pen on Diogo, wow. Everything is fine. We must have problems in pre-season, we had them, we got over them today, good. No injuries, 45 minutes in everyone’s legs, let’s keep going.