Liverpool are conceding too many similar goals in their matches this season and the players may need to get “back to basics” to tighten the defence to return to winning ways, manager Juergen Klopp said on Monday.
“When you spot a problem and think you have the solution, you expect the solution to be instant. That’s never the case in football,” Klopp told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League game against Rangers.
“We’ve conceded similar goals now. When the timing in our defending isn’t perfect we’re too open. So yes, we have to be more compact.
“Defending is an art and it worked for us really well for a long time. But with it not working, you have to go back to the basics... We can’t always start anew. If we can help the boys with ways to defend differently, we have to do that.”
Klopp compared the squad’s crisis in confidence to that of Cristiano Ronaldo, whose form tapered off and led to the Manchester United forward being benched.
“Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment is at the top of his confidence? It happens to all of us. Lionel Messi last season (at Paris St Germain) — pretty much the same,” Klopp added.
Bayern to rotate
Bayern Munich will field a heavily-rotated line-up against Viktoria Plzen, coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Monday as he casts one eye on their crucial Bundesliga clash against Borussia Dortmund this weekend.
Bayern are already without regulars Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Mueller after they tested positive for Covid19 over the weekend while Lucas Hernandez and BounaSarr are out injured.
Today’s matches
⚫ Bayern vs Viktoria Plzen (10.30pm IST)
⚫ Marseille vs Sporting (10.30pm IST)
⚫ Porto vs Leverkusen
⚫ Club Brugge vs Atletico
⚫ Ajax vs Napoli
⚫ Eintracht vs Tottenham
⚫ Inter vs Barcelona
⚫ Liverpool vs Rangers
All matches at 12.30am (Wednesday) unless otherwise mentioned. Live on Sony Sports Network
