Jurgen Klopp challenges Liverpool stars: We have to open our chests, run and fight, play like our best dream

By Jack Gaughan for MailOnline

Published: 06:53 EST, 15 October 2015 | Updated: 12:02 EST, 15 October 2015

Liverpool's under-performing stars have been told to break the shackles, be braver and 'play like our best dream' as Jurgen Klopp ruffled feathers before his Premier League bow. 

Klopp, who takes charge of his first game at Tottenham on Saturday lunchtime, wants the Reds to play an expansive brand of football in a quest to arrest the dip in results to have preceded his arrival. 

Liverpool have scored just eight goals in their first eight games, and Klopp said: 'We play against a very good Premier League team in Spurs. They are fine tuned. We know how they want to play. 

Jurgen Klopp gave his first pre-match press conference as the new Liverpool manager on Thursday

Jurgen Klopp gave his first pre-match press conference as the new Liverpool manager on Thursday

Klopp - his usual effervescent self on Thursday - wants 'to see fun' in the eyes of his Liverpool players 

'I want to see that they like what they do,' the German said before his first game away at Tottenham 

The country's football media flocked to hear Klopp speak at Thursday lunchtime before his first game

The country's football media flocked to hear Klopp speak at Thursday lunchtime before his first game

'I know how I want to play. At the end it is only football. Now we have to open our chests, run and fight and shoot.

'We have to play like our best dream.

'I want to see more braveness. I want to see fun in their eyes. I want to see that they like what they do.

'The bravery is to make mistakes. This is a fantastic game, football. We all love it because it can be spectacular, fast, hard.

'But it doesn't work without faults. We all, as human beings, think about them, but it's not important to think about how many mistakes you make.

'You can always get better, if you accept that mistakes will happen. It's not the biggest thing in the world.

'We have to be compact, close together tactically, and if you are close then you have options to play with and who can support you. You don't always have to try the most risky ball if you are compact.

'You have to run, to fight, until the moment, and then bang you take it.' 

Joe Gomez has been ruled out for the season after sustaining a cruciate knee ligament injury

Joe Gomez has been ruled out for the season after sustaining a cruciate knee ligament injury

Liverpool have endured woe in front of goal this season (pictured Divock Origi against Sion)

Liverpool have endured woe in front of goal this season (pictured Divock Origi against Sion)

Brendan Rodgers oversaw a chastening defeat against West Ham United earlier this year

Brendan Rodgers oversaw a chastening defeat against West Ham United earlier this year

Klopp arriving at Melwood in high spirits on Thursday morning ahead of his first pre-match press conference

Klopp arriving at Melwood in high spirits on Thursday morning ahead of his first pre-match press conference

One player who Klopp will be without for the foreseeable future is Joe Gomez, who faces a season out with a serious knee injury sustained on England duty. 

The new manager hasn't enjoyed the benefit of a full week's training with his squad given the international break. 

'We’ve had some problems,' he added. 'The players were with the national teams. It’s a little bit different because I don’t know so much ab out the players. You’re always nervous.

'We didn’t have perfect information in the case of young gun Gomez.'

Klopp took charge of his first full training session on Wednesday and rejected assertions that he needs to oversee an overhaul at the club.  

'We had three very good training [sessions] – the boys are really willing to listen, to understand what we want. It’s not the time to change so many things,' he added. 

'I watch football at all times, learning things about my new players.

'Everything will be better if we’ve worked together for six weeks but it’s not a perfect world.' 

Klopp took his first full training session with the Liverpool squad on Wednesday morning 

Klopp took his first full training session with the Liverpool squad on Wednesday morning 


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