Klopp: “I don’t know if Chelsea can continue investing like this for 10 years”

Liverpool and Chelsea meet at Anfield tomorrow in Week 21 of the Premier League. In previous seasons, this would be a key fixture for both sides in their title race but this time, both are well out of the hunt. The Reds are ninth on 28 points, having played a game less than Chelsea, who are just one place behind in 10th on the same amount of points - 19 adrift of leaders Arsenal. The best that either of them can hope for this season is logging the final Champions League slot but even that is far from simple. They are both 10 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle going into the second half of the campaign.

In Friday’s press conference, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who on Saturday will rack up the 1000th game of his career, gave his thoughts on why both clubs have struggled this season - injuries being a major factor for both of them. He also gave an interesting take on how social media has created a legion of armchair managers - people who believe it’s their right to express an opinion - even when they don’t know the facts, or even worse, just to be contrary.

Chelsea seem to have similar problems to Liverpool this season, why do think that is?

When we did the analysis meeting and the list from other team and I saw the injuries, I think they are the only team with a similar injury list to ours. It’s tough, that’s the biggest problem - we can’t just go through it without... Honestly, Arsenal deserve to be where they are, they play outstanding football - top, top... but if you take away five players or three of the offensive players... nobody would think, ‘Oh, where are you?’ So that’s how it is. The injuries are a massive problem and Chelsea has had that as much as we have so I am not surprised that they aren’t doing so well but when you look at the games they’ve played, and they’ve lost quite a few in the last few weeks, but against teams in form - City twice, Newcastle - so it’s not as if you were expecting them to win 6-0 and send them home. It was a tough period. When we watch Chelsea, there’s still a lot of good football. But when you don’t take your chances and your opponents take their first ones, that’s a good sign that you are going through a bad period. I don’t sit here thinking ‘Thank God Chelsea’s coming, they have even bigger problems than us’ - no, no, I know how good they are. It will be the next tough game for us.

What does Liverpool need to get out of this rut?

Consistency, but in a good way. We have to defend at an incredibly high level, something we haven’t done often enough. Based on that, we can create chances. The game against Wolves game was a very good example. We did a lot of things that we have to do. We have to defend together - everybody. We have to show that we are ready for that all the time. That’s what we’ll try to build on now.

How do you see Graham Potter’s situation on the Chelsea bench compared to when you first arrived in Liverpool?

I was blessed because my English wasn’t good enough so a lot of things that were said I didn’t understand. Probably Graham’s problem is that he is English! I try to get used to the criticism and I don’t worry about anything else. If the owners aren’t happy they will tell you early enough so why should you worry? I didn’t think about these kinds of things, I was just working and tried to solve the situation. I know that Graham will do that. It’s a massive task to work for a big club. But in the best possible way, you ignore the size of the club. Just not thinking about it - that happens later. I knew how big Liverpool is bit you realized when you go abroad. There is a no advice I can give and Graham doesn’t need advice, he’s a fantastic coach, and has been for years and years but with that amount of injuries, that’s difficult... I don’t think you can compare situations when you come to a new club. I think for Graham, it’s been more difficult because Thomas [Tüchel] did a pretty good job. And when people start to compare, that’s not cool but I’m sure he’ll get through this, hopefully not tomorrow but he will.

How technology and social media has changed attitudes, criticism and opinions

So 20 years ago, 22 years ago when I became a manager, did we have smartphones then? I don’t know. It meant that there was much less information. I analysed football games on video or DVD - that’s how it started. When you wanted to know about what the outside world was saying, you had to ask somebody or read a newspaper... So it’s easy not to open a newspaper and if you don’t ask anybody, nobody can tell you. I never had a problem with that.

I am interested in opinions - in criticism as well. But from people who really care. People who are really in it as well. Everybody in this building can tell me pretty much everything - ‘Do you really think you did this right, that right...’ 100% because we all the same and we are all pulling in the same direction. But I am sorry to say, from all of you, I couldn’t care less. If it’s me sat here, or Pep Guardiola, it’s not a massive difference for you - same problem, same question, done. But you influence the outside world and that brings us back to social media... Oh my God... all of these people without any kind of knowledge are allowed to put in their six pence worth, their opinion... I remember a time when people had to write a letter to the newspaper! Can you imagine that process?! You’re not happy with something, so get a paper and realise you cannot write properly - that’s the first challenge, but you still do it, send it to the newspaper until they print it. I don’t know how long it took. Sometimes you read it and thought, ‘When was that?!’ So now it’s a second... I think the best advice from a perspective from a 55-year-old is ignore the outside world as long as they are not with you. Because they have no clue about your situation, why would you ask them?

What do you think of Chelsea's investment in transfers in this market?

Interesting. I can’t explain it, I have no idea. But if the numbers are true then it’s impressive.

I come from a time when we had no smartphones so when Pogba came for 90 million, it was ‘Oh, that’s ok...’ but believe me, in 22 years and 1,000 matches, that’s 2,000 press conferences, how much rubbish can you speak in these kinds of situations. But, I can’t see investment stopping in the future which means we have to do it as well. Not now, but in general, I believe in coaching, in team building... all of those things 100%. But, in the meanwhile, in the real world, the managers out there are really, really good - all of them, so many great managers out there. The believe in that as well, so if they start spending, properly spending, and we don’t, we’ll have problems. I don’t think Chelsea for example can do that for the next 10 years - I don’t know, maybe they can. Other teams will have ups and downs and we just have to try and be there.

Would you like to have had a similar level of investment this season?

We are in a good position, I know that sounds strange, because we’re not playing our best football. But in general, we are in good hands so we don’t get crazy - we really know about responsibility. We try absolutely everything to get us back on track and then go from there. When you build a team, you don’t have to build a new team every year. It’s not worrying that other teams can spend money, it’s a fact, and we have to react to that too but not just to that.