Jürgen Klopp is at the center of criticism for his latest request. The German coach, after reaching the semi-finals of the EFL Cup on penalties (5-4) after drawing three-way against Leicester at Anfield thanks to a late goal from Minamino, demanded changes in the format of this same cup.
The coach spoke frankly about the burden of the calendar and called for a semi-finals also a one-off match in this ‘first’ Cup competition on the English calendar. “I think it would be better if a game was played. Obviously, what I say does not matter. If there are two games, we will play them. But, really, it would help if it was just one game. Lor the only thing I get with this is to leave headlines. It never gets (the message) to the right place. Tomorrow we have a meeting but it is with the Premier League not with the EFL. I’m not sure if they will be there or not, “said the coach.
His plea was in favor of the health of the players and to request the reduction of the schedule in order to avoid injuries. “I’m not talking about the health of the players for this year, I’m talking about six years or more. If what I say helps, I will say it much more often. If it doesn’t help, just another headline will be created. I said it before, I would prefer the semifinal to a single match. The draw makes us play at Arsenal’s home. It’s fine. We will go there and play. We will see who is better and we will go for it. I do not see that anything is going to change for now, “he said.
His argument against this traditional format has led to several criticisms and, as expected, he focused attention without the change looking like it was going to take place. Alan Brazil and Ally McCoist, from the morning show talkSport Breakfast, charged hard against the Liverpool manager’s requests. “You forgot the word ‘tradition’, Jurgen. Stop trying to change it, silly! “, Wielded Brazil. McCoist continued in the same line defending the preservation of the format as it is a tradition in the United Kingdom. “We’ve been doing it for years! It’s an integral part of British football,” he said. A soccer of the islands that does not seem to receive very well the changes proposed by the German.
During this Christmas and if the pandemic situation allows it, Liverpool will have a good load of games. On January 26, on Boxing Day, he will host Leeds at home and on January 28 he will play again against Leicester, but in their stadium. Before the typical Christmas season ends, you will have two confrontations that will define your options for two titles: on January 2 against Chelsea in the fight for the Premier and, 48 hours later, the first leg of the aforementioned EFL Cup against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.