Liverpool boss to weaken team ahead of Thursday’s Europa League game
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that there will be wholesale changes to his team’s starting lineup against Swansea
Liverpool play Swansea City in between their two matches against Villarreal and the feeling is that there will be full squad rotation and today, Jurgen Klopp confirmed that notion.
“To be honest, that’s what we are working on all the time. You have a starting line-up and we always try to keep the rest of players confident too with little talks, with little signs or whatever – especially with training. I’m pleased with [them] and for them because Bournemouth was impressive [and] Stoke was impressive, so that’s very important for us. That’s what I said after these games, these are the best signs Liverpool can get and hopefully we can do it again like this because it’s really not probable that we start with the exact line-up like yesterday, it wouldn’t make sense.
We have to make a few changes, I have no idea how much in this moment, and then we have to try everything for Swansea to beat them – that’s the only target for this week and nothing else. I’m pleased with the development of the players, but that’s what they have to do. We can give advice, we can give training sessions, we can give a lot. But at the end, it’s a decision of the players. Our decision is done and we say ‘OK they are more than good enough to play for Liverpool’ and then it’s up to the players to show it and perform. That’s not too easy with no rhythm, so hopefully we can go on like this.”
“It was good but it has to be good in the future too – that’s up to the players too. If you are 18 or 19 years old and you make one Premier League game and in the next game you are not even in the squad, if you then lose confidence [then] it is a big mistake. Hopefully we could explain good enough to the players that it makes no sense – take the chance you get and work as hard as possible that it will happen more often in the future. 18, 19 or 20 years of age – there’s still a career for 15, 16 or 17 years if you are a good professional.
It’s not too important how often you play, it’s more important how you play [and] that’s what we try to give them as information – stay patient and, in the same moment, be greedy. That’s maybe something like a challenge, but it is possible and, until now, they have done well.”
Liverpool play Swansea tomorrow lunchtime before hosting Villarreal in a massive clash on Thursday in the Europa League.
By Ben Kelly – @benkelly_10
