Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders stated that the Reds didn’t get the right balance in the 2-2 draw against Chelsea.
The Reds squandered an early two goals lead in the first half of the game as Mateo Kovacic and Christian Pulisic’s goals canceled Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah goals.
Speaking after the game Lijnders who was on the touchline in the absence of club’s manager Jurgen Klopp said that they didn’t get the right balance as they were unable to hold on to the ball for long.
“I don’t think the problem was defensively. We corrected a few things at half-time, but I think the problem was we didn’t keep the ball for long enough in many moments when we went to their half because that’s the moment they have to push wing-backs back in and that’s the moment where we can really also rest with the ball.
“This balance was not right today, but again, you can always do things better in a draw. We are happy, we take this point because it’s a positive point in a very difficult situation.
Lijnders claims they should have controlled the game when they were 2-0 up as they were dangerous in their attacks but they were unable to avoid Chelsea’s two goals.
“We should have controlled the game better. We had moments already before the 2-0; we were lethal in our counter-attacks. In the moments we played, we really connected well and we were quick in mind, thought about the next pass.
“The way we opened up spaces was incredible and we used these spaces really well in the whole game – maybe sometimes the last pass, maybe sometimes a better timing with our movement in behind to create even more. Overall, I can speak a lot about tactics and all these ideas but for me [the feeling is] pride because we could have come here with a lot of excuses, the team could have come here with a lot of excuses, but they fought with all they had.
“Getting a result away at Chelsea is always good, it is just we could have avoided it better if we’d played more football, more often better football in their half and they would not have had that many situations. We could have avoided these two goals with better defending.”
Liverpool are behind Manchester City and Chelsea on the league table but the assistant manager said the title will be decided on the last day of the game.
He added that they are in a difficult situation but they still need to focus on themselves and treat every game like a final.
“It’s never boring with us. We never look at others. A title race is only decided on the last matchday and there are so many points to collect. We have this difficult situation and you never know if the opposition will get a difficult situation.
“We have to focus on ourselves, that’s how we always did it, that’s how we got into the position we are, that’s how our team developed, how our team is in this moment in time. We only focus on the next game to make it a final and give everything we have and with this we become better.”
Meanwhile, Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita will be off to represent their respective country in the upcoming AFCON.
With Covid and injuries affecting the team Lijnders believes the boys that are gone will come back stronger and hope the absences of the African stars won’t affect the team.
“You can try to plan it but you can never prepare it. It is not a worry because we have faith in the boys we have and a few boys are coming back as well. We know that certain players can play more offensively as well, they have been playing in midfield but they can play more offensively as well.
“I just told the boys as well that Naby, Mo and Sadio: that they should try to win the AFCON because it is a prize to catch and the careers are never long and they deserve to fight for each prize.”
Source: Liverpoolfc.com
