Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has questioned the widespread criticism of Reds left-back Alberto Moreno while confirming the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Joel Matip are nearing full fitness.
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Klopp was critical of his team’s defensive efforts in the opening 4-3 victory at Arsenal and, after conceding a further two goals at Turf Moor, Liverpool have kept just two clean sheets in their last 13 league games.
“[Possession] is what we did well”, Klopp said.
The German has acknowledged there are areas of his squad that he could improve but says he is unsure if he will add another player to his ranks before the transfer window closes at the end of this month.
“The first goal came early and settled us down”, Vokes said.
“Possession has to lead to something and I don’t think they opened us up too many times”. That counts for something, and a lot more than what we had this time last season. While I certainly applaud the pundits who made the unconventional prognostications placing the Reds back in UEFA Champions League, I was not one of them.
“The first half was not for growing self-confidence and we lost timing and patience and it was not our best timing offensively”.
“I know we discuss this and we always talk about it”.
Not only did they lose, but the Reds fell by a two goal margin, which seems like it would be pretty hard to do when your opponent only has the ball for 19% of the game.
“So we have to get players who are available, some we think we can affect and shuffle our pack accordingly”.
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Time will tell as to whether or not Klopp’s decision not to sign a replacement for Moreno comes back to haunt him as the season goes on. “We passed the ball, lost the ball at the wrong moments”, he said. We know that if Alberto is injured we do not have a clear-left back, but we have other options. “But we did. Now we have to accept the result and carry on”. The former Newcastle midfielder also had just one shot on target in the entire game and that was one of the biggest issues for Liverpool, going forward they were absolutely wretched without any creativity whatsoever.
