Jurgen Klopp discusses the half-time statement that made a "significant difference" in Ajax's victory.
Liverpool needed a late Joel Matip goal to defeat Ajax in the Champions League, with Jurgen Klopp recognising an area for improvement during his half-time meeting.
During Liverpool's 2-1 win over Ajax on Tuesday night, Jurgen Klopp made a point of highlighting the Reds' drop in pressing.
The Reds, whose form is under scrutiny, won a late victory over their Dutch opponents thanks to Joel Matip's 89th-minute header. Liverpool were looking to rebound from last week's humiliating 4-1 loss to Napoli.
Ajax were always going to be difficult opponents, and Mohammed Kudus cancelled out Mohamed Salah's opener in front of the Kop to tie the game at halftime. Klopp mentioned how the hosts, who started with their usual high press, began to let their opponents off the hook.
Klopp stated: "Our high press was effective. The midfield press was excellent; it could have been better at times, but it was good overall. And then you concede, you're up 1-0, and you concede with the enemy's first chance, the equalizer. That's what I mean when I say it's typical, like a proper setback.
"The reaction was adequate, if not great. But we told the boys at halftime that after the goal, our pressing didn't look as confident as it had before. You only talk about a few yards or one harder sprint at these times. It's a small difference, but it's significant. "That's what we tried to do once more in the second half, and it was clear that we had to keep playing football because Ajax had to work hard to defend us today. You could see it right after halftime, a little more aggression from their side - little fouls, not harsh fouls, but disconnections like this. That is always a sign of 'OK, give us some time.'"
The three points move Liverpool into second place in their group, one point behind Napoli, who have yet to play their second game of the season against Rangers. The Reds certainly dominated the game, limiting Ajax to just one shot on goal.
"It was very necessary to show a positive reaction coming back from the horror show in Naples," said centre-half Virgil van Dijk. It will not be easy to reverse, but it is a move in the right direction... It was critical to win before the international break.
"We are not paying attention to what is going on around us. A lot of ex-football players who know clearly what we're going through say a lot to bring us down, but we know the last game was a disaster and this was a step in the right direction."
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