After Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Brighton, Jurgen Klopp met with his players to ensure that the “right information” would stick throughout international competition.
Prior to the second international break of the year, the Reds had a hit-and-miss week that included a simple 2-0 win over Union SG and a 2-2 tie with Brighton.
Before the Merseyside derby at Anfield on October 21, the majority of Klopp’s team will now depart for a number of qualifications and friendlies.
He acknowledges that against Brighton, Liverpool was “only [at] 80%” in a number of crucial areas, but he believes that a “little talk” in the locker room will give the team the “right information” to bring back.
“I believe that things are typically going well. But today, I believe we missed a chance,” he said to Sky Sports at the AMEX.
“It’s not like we sit here and say, Oh, finally a point at Brighton! That’s a little disappointing, and we don’t feel wonderful.
“We set high standards for ourselves.
“But now that the boys have left, and I’ve had a little conversation in the dressing room, we are leaving with the correct knowledge, and when we return, we can prepare for the following really crucial period once more.
“In the next four weeks or so, there are several upcoming games.
“Things are fine, but before we can play football, it is crucial that all of the boys return healthy. It would also be beneficial for the wounded boys to return.
“As is the case, we will battle for everything.
“Today I saw the boys fighting, just in crucial situations we need to play more football and in other crucial situations we need to be more precise defensively,” the player said.
“These two areas, where we were only 80% or less effective, cost us the outcome.”
Between their return from the October break and their departure for internationals once more in November, Liverpool play seven times, including four in only 11 days.
Starting off with three winnable home games — against Everton, Toulouse, and Nottingham Forest — Klopp’s team must perform well right away.
The players share that sentiment, as Alexis Mac Allister demonstrated in his interview with LFCTV.
“We are Liverpool, and we know that we have to be up there,” the midfielder stated.
“I believe the start of the season was positive, but we also realise that we have room for growth and development.
“We aim to achieve that. We shall return after our current foreign break.
“We’ll keep putting forth the effort to triumph in football contests. That is what we desire.”