Jurgen Klopp has said that assistant manager Peter Krawietz believes that it’s important for Liverpool to lose ‘the right games’.
Speaking to beIN SPORTS after The Reds had gone down 1-0 to Inter Milan at Anfield, Klopp said he obviously wasn’t happy with the loss.
But he likes to remember Krawietz’s words of wisdom on the rare occasion that his team do taste defeat.
“As my assistant always says, Pete Krawietz, the art of football is to lose the right games,” said Klopp.
“I still don’t like it but tonight it’s ok because we went through.”
Klopp, and Krawietz, are absolutely on the money. After winning the last 12 on the spin (including the penalty shootout victory over Chelsea), Liverpool were always going to lose sooner or later, that’s football.
The fact is that if there was ever a game that The Reds could afford to lose, it was this one. Having brought a 2-0 lead from Milan back to Anfield, they had margin for error.
Due a defeat
Of course football doesn’t just work on the law of averages. Just because Liverpool lost this one, it doesn’t mean that they won’t lose again in the near future.
The games come thick and fast and before you know it, one loss can turn into two and then three.
Having played so many games in such a short space of time, it looked like Liverpool just ran out of steam a little last night.
Hopefully the defeat is the kick up the backside they need to reset and go on another winning run.
The Reds were actually unbeaten in the last 15. Klopp’s team hadn’t lost since the 1-0 defeat against Leicester City in December.
The reverse against Inter was only their third loss in 44 games so far this campaign. All have been by a one goal margin. That’s mightily impressive.
We go again
Klopp and his team hate losing. As the manager said post-game, he had to remind the players that they’d actually got through the tie last night and should be celebrating.
But it’s still hard to shake off that losing feeling. The squad will have to pick themselves up and be ready for another big game on Saturday lunchtime against Brighton & Hove Albion.
If Liverpool were due a defeat last night, the Seagulls are due a win having lost the last four. They’ve only scored once during that sequence and are definitely due a goal.
With Manchester City reinstating their six-point lead last weekend, defeat isn’t an option for Liverpool. They’ll be hoping the law of averages swings back in their favour on Saturday.
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