Winning football matches in the final stages of a match is not the aim, but when it becomes a habit, as it seems to be doing for Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool side, it is certainly not a fluke.
Darwin Nunez’s 99th minute header at Nottingham Forest caused a storm of controversy at the City Ground on Saturday and while the home side had every right to be frustrated at their demise, it was just another example of Liverpool fighting until the very last second to win.
It was the 18th example of the Jurgen Klopp era of the Reds winning a game in second-half injury time, more than any other team since he arrived on these shores. If one theme above all could sum up this title side, it would be the hunger, faith and fighting spirit to never give up.
After a victory in leafy Austrian Linz on the banks of the Danube in September, Klopp was asked whether the ‘Mentality Monsters’ are back. That’s the self-proclaimed phrase he once used to describe an older version of his team. He laughed and declined.
Sorry, Jurgen, you were wrong. This team are mentality monsters. Whether it’s that nickname or the ‘Liverpool 2.0’ that many use, the Merseyside club have shown that psychology is a central aspect underlying the battle for four trophies.
Darwin Nunez scored a win for Liverpool against Nottingham Forest late on Saturday
The forward headed Liverpool into the lead in the ninth minute of stoppage time at the City Ground
Jan Frodeno is one of the people Liverpool has brought in to talk to the players
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The trip to Forest was far from their best and won’t top any list of performances of the season, but in terms of the context of the win, with an injury crisis and the timing of the goal, it was the biggest win of The season. campaign.
“With our team situation, it’s super tough,” he said. ‘Four games in eleven games. How the boys fought through that is really special. We knew we weren’t going to come here and knock them out of the stadium. We knew we had to fight through this and the boys did that.
‘If you had asked me 12 days ago if we could win all four, I would have said ‘No’. But my boys made it happen. It’s on par with all the others (for the biggest win of the season), but today it was Aston Villa-esque.”
That refers to a famous victory on the way to Liverpool’s first-ever Premier League title in 2019/20, when the Reds were 1-0 down at Villa Park until two late goals, in the 87th and 94th minutes, put the game away turn his head. . “Rescue mission,” read the headline in Mail Sport.
As far as big wins go this season, only a 2-1 win over Newcastle in August completes the drama, as 10-man Liverpool drew inspiration from super sub Darwin Nunez with two late goals. Sounds familiar? That felt more like a case of Newcastle crumbling; Forest had everything to do with Liverpool’s class.
After a forgettable season last year in which the Reds finished fifth – even that was boosted by an 11-game unbeaten run to end the campaign – Klopp and his staff placed an emphasis on psychology and nurturing a winning mentality again.
That team, which dropped points in 19 of 38 games, was not much different from the team that won 92 points the season before. Klopp is said to have admitted that they were probably mainly burnt out and mentally bruised from the battle against Manchester City, and often from defeat.
And to prevent another Blue Moon from rising over Manchester, the Liverpool boss enlisted the help of several blue sky thinkers. One guest was Jan Frodeno, the German triathlete who has won an Olympic gold medal and three Ironman world championships.
General Manager of Saatchi & Saatchi Kevin Roberts spoke about creating a winning culture
Liverpool’s late win at the City Ground could be one of the most important of the season
Frodeno, a friend of Klopp, came to a pre-season camp in the Black Forest region of southwestern Germany to give a talk on psychological resilience, overcoming mental barriers when fatigue is present, plus the hunger to remain at the elite level. several years of sports.
Liverpool also invited businessman Kevin Roberts, former CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, to talk to coaches about fostering a winning culture around the training base. Roberts has also lectured to the England cricket and rugby teams through his Red Rose consultancy arm.
Surfing champion Sebastian Steudtner has previously given lectures on dealing with stress in uncomfortable situations, such as being 1-0 down… or riding a 25-metre wave? Last month, Klopp also entrusted a group of neuroscientists, Neuro11, for sessions on staying calm during games.
The outsourced motivational speakers have undoubtedly been important, but take nothing away from Klopp and his close allies, such as Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, who discussed this season before their departure as ‘The Last Dance’, one that they will give their all for glory.
The unplanned departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho caused some panic in the transfer department, plus the departures of much-loved figures Roberto Firmino, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but it gave the squad a much-needed fresher and younger look.
Virgil van Dijk has emerged as Liverpool’s ultimate captain this season
Van Dijk has stepped up as the ultimate captain, while vice-skipper Trent Alexander-Arnold has been an important role model for younger stars. Five Liverpool players captain their national team, including Andy Robertson, Wataru Endo, Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai.
A grueling preparation included three sessions a day, a program led by fitness guru Andreas Kornmayer to ensure top fitness, but downtime was also written into the timetable, with players encouraged to relax together.
That gave time for the likes of Robertson and Ibrahima Konate, described as a ‘class clown that everyone loves’, to create a series of summer games during their time off. Many tasks included trivial things like ‘taking a selfie with Mo (Salah)’, but it helped promote a friendly and relaxed culture.
Whether it’s the multitude of psychological sessions, Klopp’s motivational team talks or just an innate winning DNA, Liverpool certainly found an extra gear somewhere in the 99th minute at Forest. Nunez’s goal may not be the best, but it is the biggest of the season.
