Klopp Talk: "I’d Have Taken An 8-7!"

While many of the same defensive problems were on glaring display on Tuesday night when Liverpool beat Hoffenheim 2-1, the thrill of victory has the way of glossing over plenty of ills. The Reds are now set to bring two crucial away goals back with them to Anfield.

Klopp believes the team acquitted themselves well, despite leaking a goal in the dying minutes, just as they did over the weekend against Watford.

"I think it helps completely when you think that two-and-a-half hours ago, if somebody would have told me we’d win tonight I would’ve taken each result, even an 8-7," Klopp said after.

"So I’m happy about the result, yes. I’m not happy about the goal they scored. I think they deserved a goal over the 90 minutes with their effort, but I also thought we played defensively really well because it was actually the plan to let them play in the spaces which are for us, not dangerous, not interesting and they have a specific style of play which is very good and really difficult to defend, so I thought we did really well and caused them a lot of problems with this.

"Yes, they had their moments, especially with diagonal balls when they changed a little bit their style of play, and because we gambled a bit on both offensive wings, leaving Trent and Alberto alone so they could cross."

While this may be "actually the plan" from Klopp and his coaching staff, it’s clear that more work has to be done — and preferably new personnel brought it — to work out the kinks. Otherwise we’re in for another season of clean sheets being few and far between.