Jurgen Klopp says nothing has changed regarding Liverpool’s transfer plans in January and he has full confidence that a change of fortunes can be earned with the current squad.
Hard work, better decisions and plenty of communication – that’s the boss’ plan to get the Reds through the recent rut which has seen the team fall from top spot and fail to score in four.
Injuries have hammered the Reds in the first half of the season, particularly in defence, but ahead of the FA Cup clash with Man United he has reiterated that he’s not expecting any additions in January.
Klopp said the players already at the club and available for action are the ones who count most for helping turning matters around and not signing anyone new is not the reason if results don’t improve.
“It would sound like an excuse and the last thing we are looking for is that,” he told reporters.
“We could have played better, made better decisions. That means we can change that and we believe 100 per cent we can change that with this squad.
“We don’t go and say ‘if we don’t get this and that we cannot perform’ or whatever.”
Klopp also doubled down on his assertion that the club is working together in harmony and he accepts that matters in the outside world have impacted on the ability to spend.
In addition, while a new defender might be entirely welcome, it wouldn’t magically solve all the problems – such as close to a one percent shot conversion rate in the last five league games.
With a global pandemic still stopping fans going to games, and thus harming the club’s financial prospects, it’s time to face reality and get to work with the areas which can be affected by the coaches and players.
“I’m not a five-year-old kid any more, and if I don’t get what I want I don’t start crying,” he continued.
“Most of the time in my life I didn’t get what I wanted, to be honest!
“I’m responsible for a big part of this football club but there are people responsible for the whole thing and I can’t make their decisions. I know they are with us and want to support us and they do.
“If we talk about a centre-half, yes it would help, 100 percent. Would we score more goals with a centre-half, I’m not sure. Would it give us more stability in other moments, probably yes. But it’s not about that.
“We have to improve the football in a decisive area with this squad, that’s my job. Not sitting here and being disappointed with some decisions. I’m not.
“We know what we would do in an ideal world but the world is not ideal and not only for us, so we have to deal with the situation and that’s what we do.”
The last time a Klopp team went four league games without a goal was back in his days with Mainz; this weekend it could be all-change for both teams in the cup, but Liverpool will surely go strong as they seek to end a winless run and simultaneously improve their silverware prospects.
And both those will have to be earned without new faces, from the looks of things.
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