The mistakes Klopp accepted in defeat to RB Salzburg

Jürgen Klopp explained the lessons Liverpool can learn from their pre-season defeat against Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. The Reds were beaten 1-0 by the Austrian champions as Benjamin Sesko’s strike in the first half separated the sides, despite Klopp’s men creating several chances, particularly during the closing stages. 

Post-match, the manager assessed his team’s efforts on the night at Red Bull Arena and detailed the improvements required defensively and offensively. 

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Mistakes

He said: “First half we made too many mistakes, which they could use. We had good moments as well, we could have scored obviously in the whole game like four or five goals at least. Didn’t do that because we were in the first half – if you want to talk about football – we were too open, we were too wide, we were not connected enough in moments when you lose the ball. Then everything is open, it’s like a motorway, and with their speed that’s how they had their chances, especially when you lose simple passes where nobody can react really. They scored their goal and the last half an hour was like a thunderstorm, we were really like a truck. But we didn’t finish the situations off. Obviously we should involve that in our game as well and then it will be fine.”

"We played the game out of full training. We had to make a lot of changes – that’s fine, I take that. But what I can say: it’s really at least average to lose a game. That’s why we were all animated in the last situation with the possible penalty. In the Premier League I go definitely in the stands for the things I thought and said! But that was it now for the rest of the season with complaining about that. But in that moment it was such a clear penalty; it would have been nice if you get a result for the effort. No, for Salzburg it was definitely no friendly. For us not as well. Salzburg had these kind of harsh challenges, but they do really well; all respect to Salzburg, they do really well."

Opportunity for young players

“Yeah, it was not only the young players, we made it. All the boys can do much better, it’s not about that. We played in the first half against a team who might play Champions League, they have to qualify probably but they might play. And it’s a tough task for the line-up we chose. How I said, they do extremely well and we played in their cards. When you play football but you are not connected, you lose the ball, it means there’s always space to use for the counter-attack. And that’s what we gave them. And that’s what we have to learn. That’s what we know but in the first half maybe we didn’t know it good enough and that’s why we conceded the goal.”