A common spectacle in every Liverpool match is watching Jurgen Klopp dash in the locker room just as the halftime whistle blows. But what makes the Reds’ halftime routine so important that the German can’t miss any second?
Liverpool have oftentimes been different teams in each half. In 20 of the 46 games so far this season, the Reds have scored all of their goals in one half and none in the other. In the opening fixture, Liverpool put four past Norwich in the first half but scored zero in the second—the exact opposite happened in the 4-0 victory against Southampton.
So, how can so much change in just a mere 15 minutes? Well, in a recent interview, assistant manager Peter Krawietz revealed a little bit of insight into what goes on during the crucial intermission.
The German described the halftime talk as ‘the end product of the whole process of analyzing during the week.
"Krawietz further explains: “We try constantly and this all leads to our match plan and our preparation for the game, and then, of course, we, the coaches, check constantly during the first half of the game if our plan is working, if our ideas are working, if the players find the solutions we wanted if they are able to play in the way we want them to and in the way we agreed before.”"
To help identify the solution problems, Krawietz is often seen jotting down notes. His attention to detail is arguably the best among the coaching staff, which is why he was dubbed ‘The Eye’ by Jurgen Klopp.
After around 35 minutes of note-taking and observation, the trio of Klopp, Krawietz, and Pep Lijnders all get together and discuss solutions and talking points to present at halftime.
As they finish their brief discussion, Krawietz then heads into the dressing room five minutes before the half ends. There, he is greeted by Liverpool’s match analysts Mark Leyland and Harrison Kingston.
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As they finish their brief discussion, Krawietz then
Together, they find clips of the match to help show the players the problems from the first half. Because this process starts around the 40-minute mark, whatever happens after doesn’t make it to the halftime talk.
But of course, Klopp also has a say in what clips to show, which is why he is always in a rush to the dressing room. The time between the whistle and when the players arrive is very slim, so every extra second is valuable to the German.
When he arrives, the group finalizes what snippets to show and what to say to the players. According to Krawietz, the manager has just a small window of time to talk to the team, so he tries to make sure the information is delivered in four or five minutes.
Typically, the talks are about possible improvements rather than opposition analysis. Krawietz describes this style by saying it’s one that’s heavily focused on problem solving.
Credit should also be given to the players. Without their ability to quickly digest information and adapt, the efforts from the coaching staff would all go to waste.
"Krawietz was full of praise for the first-team when he was asked about their importance to the system: “You can create the best ideas on a tactics board, they can be brilliant, but if the players are not able to cope with these ideas or are not able to realize them on the pitch, it doesn’t help.”"
This process is critical to the success of the club. So, the staff try to replicate it no matter the conditions.
With all of the close attention to detail as well as the efforts from the staff and players, it’s clear to see why Liverpool are at the top of the footballing world.