Jurgen was pleased with how his players responded to going a goal behind
While many fans allowed themselves the rare opportunity to hope for a Liverpool win over Chelsea today, few would have predicted the fashion it came in.
After going a goal down after just a handful of opening minutes, Liverpool responded in a way we’ve not seen for many years, not letting Chelsea’s early dominance halt the early progress under Jurgen.
A goal just before the break, a real battle in the second half and two more goals from – again – Coutinho and a Christian Benteke strike from the bench saw Liverpool bring the three points home in impressive fashion and really could have got a few more.
And manager, Jurgen Klopp, was delighted with his players, claiming that the points were a result of hard work and the players keeping their composure at both ends of the pitch.
Speaking after the game (via Liverpoolfc.com), Klopp said: “We didn’t have the best start in the game. We needed a few minutes to come into it and Chelsea made their goal – one of those strange situations where there were four against two in the corner and they made the cross.
“They made their goal but we stood in the game. We had our moments, we played football and our build-up with short passes – what we want to do – was very good.
“They tried to make high pressure but we could play in the spaces between. So we could change the situation a little bit and I think in the first half we deserved it.
“Of course, it’s dangerous because of the quality of Chelsea with the counter. But we controlled these situations; not perfectly, we showed the guys a few situations at half-time where we had to protect our situations better. We made a goal and deserved the draw at half-time.
“In the second half it was an open game, we got a little bit more of the game and made our goals in two perfect moments for us. Shoot at the right moment, don’t shoot at the wrong moment, take the ball to a better situation and then shoot. A little bit of luck, of course, but I feel it was deserved.
“At the end, we had to work hard but that’s normal if you want to win at Chelsea. We had to work hard and that’s what we did.”
On that, the manager is not wrong: Liverpool worked hard to make their own luck and came away, from a notoriously tough place to even pick up a single point, with all three and thoroughly deserved the win.
The Reds showed real backbone and a fighting spirit that’s been missing for some time at Chelsea and it’s clear to the manager that his message is starting to get through to the players. Particularly after letting in a soft goal at home to Southampton last week.
He continued: “Their reaction was much better.
“In life like in football, you have to make mistakes and then you can talk about it, you can work on it and change it. Or you don’t know it’s a mistake or that you will react like this when it happens.
“I haven’t known the team long enough that I can imagine all of the reactions of my team in specific situations. We made this fault [against Southampton] and spoke about it.
“It’s not possible to train that part of football. But you can change things and that’s what they did today.
“That reaction is very important for us because in the Premier League it’s not possible that in each game you’ll go into a 3-0 lead and play easygoing. You have to fight, that’s what we did today. And you have to solve your problems in the game and that’s what we did today too.”
How pleased were you with the result today and can this win be the catalyst for Liverpool to mount a strong push up the table now?
