Month: December 2020

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expects to see a response from his players after reminding them they “don’t live in dreamland”.

The Reds boss admitted the squad was angry after failing to dispatch struggling West Brom as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Anfield despite dominating possession.

Despite having the majority of the ball, their opponents had more shots on target – three to two – and Klopp felt that was partly due to Liverpool failing to reach their usual high standards.

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“We don’t live in dreamland and just win football matches because we want to win them – we have to work for it and we have to play for it and we have to finish the situations off,” he said.

“These kind of things, what the boys are able to do. That’s it.

“In the end, we just drew a Premier League game, that can happen. It can happen against West Brom, they had a new manager (Sam Allardyce) and they played in the first half a system I didn’t see a lot in my life, a 6-4-0 or whatever.

“That’s completely fine, they have challenges to stay this kind of disciplined for the rest of the season.

“We have to be disciplined as well, in a different way. We have to do both, being offensive, active, creative and defend. That’s what we have to do and we could have done that better. That’s it.”

Klopp said he was not concerned about it becoming a longer-term issue and believes they can put things right on Wednesday against Newcastle, another team who are struggling for results on a four-match winless run.

And he is confident they will move on quickly from their West Brom frustration.

“I am not the first day in the job,” he added after seeing his side fail to win in the Premier League for the sixth time this season, as many times as in the whole of last-term’s title-winning campaign.

 

“We should have won the game, or we wanted to win the game and we didn’t, and now we are all ‘depressed’ or whatever.

“The boys are more angry than anything else because they know that it was not perfect, but that’s it and now, of course, we have to play the next game in three days.”

Klopp is expected to make changes for the Newcastle game, with the first coming at centre-back after Joel Matip was forced off with a groin problem.

Nineteen-year-old Rhys Williams, who did so well deputising during the central defensive crisis of October and November, replaced him against the Baggies and looks set to retain his place at St James’ Park.

With James Milner and Xherdan Shaqiri returning to the squad after several weeks out injured and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain getting more minutes as a late second-half substitute, Klopp has options at his disposal.

“Joel is injured and it’s not the first time that a centre-half is injured,” said the manager.

“It’s of course not good, especially now as he was in a really good shape again, but we cannot change that. We just have to accept it and carry on.”

 

Paul Scholes thinks Bruno Fernandes is a “better” player than he was after making a huge impact at Man Utd since his arrival in January.

Fernandes has helped transform Man Utd since he joined from Sporting Lisbon a year ago, with the Red Devils more of a threat going forward thanks to the Portugal international.

The 26-year-old contributed eight goals and seven assists in the second half of the Premier League season last term and he’s already on 10 goals and six assists this campaign, with Man Utd five points off leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

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“What he’s doing is phenomenal, really,” Scholes told United’s official website. “I think if you look, since he’s been [here], United would be top of the league if they won their game in hand, with more points than Liverpool, which is strange to think really because they’ve had such a bad start to the season.

“Well, you thought it was a bad start to the season, but they’re still right in there and I think they can only get better. The numbers he’s produced are just ridiculous; let’s hope he carries on.”

Scholes won 11 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues during his 20 years with the Red Devils and is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation.

However, the Man Utd legend claims Fernandes is a better player than he was due to his goals and assists contributions.

“He’s better than me. He’s different to me,” Scholes added. “He scores more goals than me, he creates more goals than me.

“I’d like to play with him, probably behind him would be alright – but no, he’s been sensational, a big difference.

“I think before he came to the team, United could hardly create a chance with some of the stuff they were playing, but now they look like they can score three, four or five goals every game.”

 

Frank Lampard has warned his Chelsea players that he will make changes for the visit of Aston Villa in response to what he felt was their worst performance of the season at Arsenal on Boxing Day.

The Blues lost 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium, their third consecutive Premier League away defeat, and Lampard fumed after the game that his side had under-performed, especially in the first half.

They have a chance to rectify their insipid performance almost immediately as Villa travel to Stamford Bridge on Monday evening.

The tight turnaround means Lampard was likely to shuffle his pack any way but he hinted that others could miss out as a result of the Arsenal game.

Timo Werner struggled once more and was hauled off at half-time, while Christian Pulisic had little to no impact, with the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Kai Havertz and Olivier Giroud pushing for recalls against high-flying Villa.

“There will be some changes and I knew that anyway,” Lampard said.

“I’m certainly not going to bang the drum about the turnaround after our performance (at Arsenal). It’s not the important point.

“But to play two games in two days we have to make changes anyway. Some of them will happen now because of how the game went and people will have to come in and inject the energy and the personality of our normal performances.

“The reason we went so many games unbeaten was because of that, so we’ve come off that and we must come back on it quickly. Some of it is maybe where we are at as a squad.”

Lampard again insisted the early-season form which saw pundits back Chelsea for the title was premature as he continues to search for the right formula following a summer of heavy investment.

“People wanted to talk us up as title contenders – I never accepted that was the case because we are not there,” he added.

“That takes time to build and days like Boxing Day are certainly ones that we have to learn a big lesson from – everybody, myself included, because when I see that in the first half I don’t like it so it can’t happen.

“I learn about the players and the players have to learn about themselves. Some of them are young and some of them are new to the Premier League and these tough times are things that we will have to go through.

“I don’t think this season was ever going to be a plain sailing, winning every week. We got confident and we got into a position where we were not losing games and winning a lot of games.”

WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross has once again updated the Q&A section of his website. The following are some new highlights:

On calling the legendary Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat matches: “It was a honor to call them back when play by play was in fashion. Working w/ Bob Caudle was a privilege. Flair & Steamboat were….legendary. I was at right place at right time.”

On if he feels Tito Santana is underrated: “Tito was a great in ring talent. I don’t know who has underrated him. He was a star.”

On whether or not Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania was the match of the year: “Thanks for your take. I have no dog in this hunt. There weren’t an overabundance of great matches in WWE in 2013 IMO “

On Jeff Jarrett leaving TNA: “I’m not connected to TNA or Jarrett or to what their relationship together was or has been lately. I don’t know what his departure means to TNA. TNA has many fixable issues. I wish Jeff and his family well.”

On the overrun during WWE RAW on Monday’s: “Enhances the TV ratings minute by minute numbers.”

On a dream match at WrestleMania between Shawn Michaels and Sting: “At the right place at the right time it would have been terrific. A main event. The ship’s sailed on that one or so I think.”

On the possibility of the War Games concept being used by WWE: “Highly unlikely. I don’t see it happening. It wasn’t a WWE creation and the blood is a no-no.”

On Drew McIntyre’s future in WWE: “It’s all about the creative and the production and execution of such. Any one can be made to be relevant in the fictional world of pro wrestling.”

On the importance of Steve Austin during the Attitude Era: “In the Attitude Era, it was Stone Cold who was the straw that stirred the drink. But he was surrounded by some great talents as well.”

On the possibility of Brock Lesnar vs. Batista in 2014: “If both are around with enough TV availabilities I’d say it’s possible. It would be a nice attraction.”

On if the Hardy Boys would ever return to WWE: “I’d say never say never but I’d also guess it would likely be a long shot. Sometimes long shots come through.”

Check out more JR Q&A online at JRsBarBQ.com.

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