Klopp demands a return to basics

Liverpool (Reuters)
Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp urged his team to get back to basics, as they prepare to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday, in the FA Cup third round replay, after a humiliating 3-0 loss in the English Premier League against Brighton.
Cup holders Liverpool drew 2-2 at home against Wolverhampton earlier this month, after Hwang Hee-chan scored the equalizer in the 66th minute, and were lucky to get away with this draw after the referee canceled a late goal for Wolverhampton due to offside.
And if Liverpool beat Wolverhampton, they will face Brighton again, who scored three goals against the Merseyside team in both league matches this season and dominated from the start in the victory on Saturday.
“Football’s problems are solved by football’s mechanics,” Klopp told reporters on Monday. “The team should have played better against Brighton. The match shouldn’t have been so difficult.”
“We have to play aggressively, close the spaces and put pressure on the opposition. We have to defend better. In many moments the spaces are too big and we have to defend hard. We have to go back to basics, that’s what we have to do”.
Klopp said Liverpool would put together the strongest squad possible against Wolverhampton.
He added: “Wolverhampton is going through a good period, and is playing well at home. He won the match at the weekend 1-0 at home against West Ham United. It will be a difficult confrontation.
“Not all the players who played the last game are ready for various reasons and we will make changes. We want to win the game.
“I can say to the players who lost at Brighton, you put us in this situation. Let’s see how we get out of it.. I will make decisions and we will make changes, it makes sense.”
The German coach, who previously indicated that Liverpool were unlikely to sign more players in the January transfer window, said his team was not weak.
He added, “We are also looking at the matter in the transfer market. The club is not stubborn and does not think of keeping the current squad until 2060.”
“If the solutions are there, doable and available, of course we will buy players. We have a squad that is under-performing but I can’t blame anyone else. I have to take responsibility. That’s my responsibility.
“Our squad is not small. Of course we have to strengthen the squad but is this the right time to do it? I can’t judge very well because of the situation we are in now”.