Jurgen Klopp reveals Liverpool players plotted Gini Wijnaldum’s opener
Jurgen Klopp revealed a half-time plot was behind the training-ground move which led to Liverpool’s first goal against Cardiff.
Liverpool’s players spent the half-time break working out how to make the most of the space Gini Wijnaldum had been given from corners before the interval, Klopp told Sky Sports, and 12 minutes into the second half he duly finished off a low, swept delivery from a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner.
Klopp said: „When you have the ball so much and you lose it from time to time, you have to be careful, and especially with their set-pieces, we defended really well, created a lot of chances.
„For my favourite goal, number one, we had different routines, but the boys decided at half-time to do it – I loved that – because the space was open for Gini and we scored it from a fantastic cross.“
Goalscorer Wijnaldum, speaking to Sky Sports moments after full-time, added: „We trained for it, but the ball was coming high in the first half.
„I was so free in the first half I told Henderson to tell Trent to put a low ball in, I got onto it and it was a good finish.“
After a nervy start, Liverpool gradually ground down Cardiff to return to the top of the Premier League table with just three games remaining.
„It was very difficult. I’m happy we have some experienced footballers here, because on a very dry pitch, against some very deep defenders, it’s not a joy,“ said Klopp.
„In the first half, we created three of the best chances in the whole season, we didn’t finish it but we had to stay patient.“
Despite Cardiff’s position inside the relegation zone, some 54 points behind Liverpool ahead of kick-off, Klopp stressed the importance of preparing to face a physical approach in south Wales, and was delighted with his players’ attitude to a chalk-and-cheese opponent compared to those they faced in Porto in midweek.
„Today we played with a proper diamond, because we can’t avoid the long balls they play, and the big strength of theirs is winning the second balls,“ continued Klopp.
„Bobby is usually our chaser, getting on the goalkeeper, but that would leave us a little problem in that pocket around their number six. We wanted him deep in that position, so offensively he had all the freedom he wants, and we pushed Jordan Henderson higher to have two 10s as well as two higher wingers.
„Coming after the Porto game, it was so different, what you have to talk about, that’s why I’m so happy the boys delivered so much of that.“
Klopp’s preparations were not limited to just their opponents; having correctly predicted Cardiff’s ground staff would not water the pitch during the warm-up, he demanded Liverpool’s Melwood training ground be left dry on Saturday for their final training session ahead of the game.
„Yesterday we didn’t cut the grass at Melwood, and didn’t water it. That was clear it would happen here. It’s just how people do it,“ Klopp explained.
„It helped, because it’s so difficult, if we were surprised by it when we came here that wouldn’t have helped. So yesterday we trained one hour and 10 minutes after the pitch had been watered.“
Soccer Accumulator Bonus
Our fantastic Euro Soccer accumulator offer gives you the chance to earn a bonus of up to 100% on accumulators on the top domestic leagues in Europe along with the group and knockout stages of the Champions League.
This offer applies to returns on pre-match accumulators of 3 or more selections on Full Time Result or Result/Both Teams To Score markets for the English Premier League, Italian Serie A, Spanish Primera Liga, German Bundesliga 1 or UEFA Champions League.
The maximum bonus that you can receive is ˆ100,000 or currency equivalent. The bonus will not apply where a stake has been fully Cashed Out. Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, the bonus will be calculated based .on the remaining active stake. If a qualifying bet is edited .using our Edit Bet feature. The bonus will be calculated based on the new stake. Where a bet has been edited to include or amend a selection for an event that is In-Play, the bonus will no longer apply. Double Chance bets or combination bets with bonuses. Such as Lucky 15’s or Lucky .31’s do not apply for this offer.
If your bet is successful, we will add the following bonuses to your returns:
Bet Type Bonus
14-folds and upwards 100% bonus
Terms and Conditions
Applies to straight pre-match accumulator bets on the Full Time Result or Result/Both Teams To Score markets for UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, Italian Serie A, Spanish Primera Liga, German Bundesliga .1 or Australian A-League matches. Maximum bonus ˆ100,000 or currency equivalent. Soccer Accumulator Bonus does not apply to Double Chance bets or combination. bets with bonuses such as Lucky 15’s, Lucky 31’s etc.
If any selections are postponed/void then the bonus will still apply, but the percentage bonus added will reflect the actual number of winning selections. For example, an 8-fold accumulator with 7. winners and 1 postponed match will receive a 30% .bonus to returns.
The bonus part of your returns will be added to your account within 24 hours of your final selection having played.
This bonus will not apply where a stake has been fully Cashed Out. Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, the bonus will be calculated based on the remaining active stake.
If a qualifying bet is edited using our Edit Bet feature, the bonus will be calculated based on the new stake. Where a bet has been edited to include or amend a selection for an event that is In-Play, the bonus will no longer apply.
Where any term of the offer or promotion is breached or there is any evidence of a series of bets placed by a customer or group of customers, which due to a deposit bonus, enhanced payments, free bets, risk free bets or any other promotional offer results in guaranteed customer profits irrespective of the outcome, whether individually or as part of a group, bet365 reserves the right to reclaim the bonus element of such offers and in their absolute discretion either settle bets at the correct odds, void the free and risk free. bets or void any bet funded by the deposit bonus.
In addition bet365 .reserve the right to levy an administration charge on the customer up to the value of the deposit bonus, free bet, risk free bet or additional payment to cover administrative costs. We further reserve the right to ask any customer to provide sufficient documentation for us to be satisfied in our absolute discretion as to the customer’s identity prior to us crediting any bonus, free bet, risk free bet or offer to their account.
All bet365 offers are intended for recreational players and bet365 may in its sole discretion limit the eligibility of customers to participate in all or part of any promotion.
.
