Jürgen Klopp met with the media Friday morning to discuss the Reds' upcoming match with Luton Town. The boss discussed his first visit to Kinilworth Road, preparations for the game itself and the positive attitude within the squad.
Worth The Trip
Kinilworth Road is one of the most intimate and unique grounds in the EPL. Since the club competed in non-league football as recently as 2009, their ground is small and you actually have to walk through someone's house to access part of the stands. For his part, Klopp is looking forward to paying a visit.
“I'm eight years here and it's one of the grounds I've never been [to] before, honestly I do [look forward to it],” he said. “All I need is a pitch, an opponent and us there. I don't know exactly how many of our fans can go there but they will for sure take all the available tickets. I'm really looking forward to it, it's exciting and I love the story. I don't really know but I don't think anybody expected Luton to get promoted last year; they did an exceptional job there.”
Looking At Luton
As Klopp alluded to, no matter the ground there is still a football match to play and you can be sure the Hatters will be up for the occasion.
“We will probably face a low block, that means we have to deal with that. We will probably face set-pieces with quality, that's why we have to make sure we are ready for that,” Klopp said. “All these different things. It's Luton but it's not the first time we will face a team who will play that way probably. That's what we have to deal with and that's what we will prepare the boys for. They (Luton) knew it will be tricky so they want to get everything out of this season so that means point by point, surprise here, take the points there and try to stay in the league – and that's the team we will face. It will be interesting but it will be difficult.”
Positive Energy
It's no secret that Liverpool are off to a much better start than last season, so it comes as no surprise that there are good vibes around the club even when superstars have to share minutes.
“The good thing is we have really only smart players, that means they understand they cannot play all the games. It's not, ‘I want to play Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday.' That's just not possible but everybody sees [it that way] as well, and that's how a smart footballer should think and our boys do that,” Klopp said. “I'm positive about the team – but it's so early. I'm so happy that we have a really good team together, which I like, but look at the other teams, they are really good as well. A lot of really good teams out there and it's the Premier League and it's not about celebrating the moment and being relieved that we kind of can play football again, stuff like this. No, it's really about digging into the season, use the full potential of this group, get everything out of it and then let's see.”
LFC Globe Verdict
This is a match I have had circled on my calendar since the Reds' schedule dropped. Like Klopp, I too am looking forward to seeing Kinilworth Road, even if it is watched on TV from across the pond in America. Klopp knows that the Hatters will settle in and scrap, trying to secure a point. He also seems to enjoy the positivity buzzing around Liverpool again.
Key Quotes
“I'm really looking forward to it, it's exciting and I love the story. I don't really know but I don't think anybody expected Luton to get promoted last year; they did an exceptional job there.”
“I'm so happy that we have a really good team together, which I like, but look at the other teams, they are really good as well. A lot of really good teams out there.”