A Konversation with Klopp

AN ARTICLE BY DIMI

Klopp & Son

Embed from Getty Images

D : Evening Boss

K: Hello. Do I know you from somewhere?

D: Erm…No Boss. Why do you ask?

K: Only the players call me that.

D: Sorry Boss.

K: Let’s get 1 thing straight here Dimi. You either call me Jurgen or Kaiser of the Kop.

D: But , but….I never told you my name.

K: Ha ha ha ha… (Big booming Klopp laugh- picture it)

    You think I haven’t done my homework on you?

D: On me?

K: Yea. You’re that Klopp Kritik on 4KK aren’t you?

D: Me? I am a huge fan of yours.

K: Yeah? I have an alias on your site and I know everything that goes on in there….and also on the other dastardly one where there’s a constant meltdown.

D: (Oops… I think I’m in trouble here) thinking to myself

K: So what are you doing on 4KK?

D: Well we talk football, music, sport, politics, Covid, family etc….

K: Football? What do you all know about football? Hahahaha

D: Well we talk about the team, tactics,formations, players, transfers…

K: Ha ha ha ha ha…..Formations?Tactics? What do know about formations and Tactics?

D: (Me shitting in my pants, obviously) Well….We talk about how, how, how we attack , defend, take and defend set pieces, personnel, formation and substitutions…

K: Oh yes. Mr. Change the tactics guy….. Ha ha ha ha ha

    We play 433 …End of…..Next question

D: But Sir … You played 4231 at Dortmund…..

K: And….Does this look like my Dortmund team to you?

D: No….but…then why did you change that and primarily use the 433 here?

K: Have you seen the squad I inherited from BR? Ha ha haha ha

     You think there were 2 MF who could hold fort? Let alone 1?

    When I got that squad to train in the 1st 3 months they broke down more than my mothers Old car…..and trust me it broke down a lot until I got Michael Edwards to sort that ‘’Little problem ;-)’’

K: Why do you want me to change my 433 that has worked perfectly well for the last 6 years…

D: I don’t … I love the 433.., the heavy metal or concentrated chaos that Pep talks of.

K: Then what’s the fuss?

D: No fuss at all. I just thought that when we played teams that we couldn’t break down we could use it for 10-20 minutes as an in game change to 3 at the back or 4231 just to throw them off guard.

K: It’s not that easy. It changes the balance of the team

D: But if you could move from a 4231 to a 433 why can’t this be coached? There are times you bring in a 3rd CB to close out games or 4231 when we need a goal to win or draw.…

K: Fair point…but that’s only when I have the personnel at hand. A lot of times we miss lots of players, then it’s tough.

D: You can use Fabinho there?

K: That’s a failed tactic that I never want to use. Last season he was our 4th CB and the 3CB’s as you saw broke down and I had to play him and Hendo at CB and the whole structure fell apart.

D: So are you saying that you get it wrong at times? 😉

Me trying it on …..

K: Ha ha ha ha…..Ofcourse, I am human too ( Contrary to belief) And I am only right 90% of the time and you being the stopped clock that you are, are allowed to be right twice a day…;-)

     But we rectified that mistake this season by holding onto Nat and      bringing in young Konate.

D: The real Masterclass was your purchase of Thiago, Jota and Tsimi.. I always say that transfer window is so under rated…

Btw….Does that let me be right twice a day- everyday?

K: Hahahaha….And people wanted me to buy Werner, Mbappe, Haaland …..

D: Well..Are you?

K: You ain’t getting all the inside scoops, just yet Klopp Kritic..

K: So what else have you Kriticised me on?

D: Well, Divock Origi

K: Legend , Living Legend…What about Div?

D: Well , why don’t you play him centrally? I mean this season you have and Thank you but why has he almost always played on the left.

K: He just looks like Mane, just taller so I expect him to do what Sadio does for the team…. Alright I see your point…I am learning everyday too, you know…..

D: Can I please say something……

K: Alright….

D: I do think that you have changed tactics the last few games since those draws but even in those draws I did notice it wasn’t the 433 that we normally played with the high line, yes we set up as 433 but I saw Trent move into the MF a lot thus leaving that gaping hole on the right side and opposition teams loaded that side and taking advantage. We scored loads but also let in loads. Didn’t we?

K: It was that bloody Southgate’s fault. He kept stressing how Trent could play in MF and did for England and I wanted to show him a tactical masterclass by doing that and it backfired so it’s all Southie’s fault that we went down south and drew.

D: But I’ve noticed you’ve gone and tweaked it again the last few games and I think the balance is awesome.

K: What do you know about formation and tactics…..? ha ha ha ha

D: Well, I’ve noticed the 2 Cbs are closer to the GK and go wider than before instead of going higher up the pitch…

K: Go on…..

D: The Full backs are almost on the by lines creating a larger playing area which makes the opposition press more difficult and there are 2 MF dropping lower to receive the ball between the lines rather than the 1 who would be between the CBs at times… and the other MF plays higher making it look like a 10 at times so again although we are primarily 433 they are positioned differently

K: Never knew you had it in you… hahahaha…

Yes we actually have tweaked it giving the team more balance but you must understand we are able to do it now since Thiago returned to the team so that we have that creativity from the middle whereas those games I brought Trent into the MF I used him to create from MF. Now we create from everywhere, Virg’s long balls, Matip’s runs…

D: The squad looks the best it ever has, there’s so much of quality everywhere all the fringe players and academy lads have stepped up so great credit to you Jurgen, the coaching staff, medical team, physios, nutritionist, Recruitment team , tea ladies etc

K: I couldn’t do it without them. I hire the best people to make this team the best they are. Dr.Schlumberger coming into the rehab dept has helped us immensely, the throw in coach, psychologist and this season the new set piece coach and now Taffarel…They are all Boss.

D: Well,Thank you for the opportunity to have a chat with you, Jurgen

Any requests?

K: Yaaa…Change the name of your site to ‘’4 Korners of Klopp’’ hahahahaha….BOOM.

You may also like...