Gregor Robertson noticed Jurgen Klopp reading the riot act to one Liverpool player over an unflattering moment in the lead-up to Wolves’ goal on Saturday.
Although the Reds ultimately prevailed 3-1, they fell behind to an early Hwang Hee-chan strike and were lucky to only be 1-0 down at half-time, so lethargic was their performance in the opening 45 minutes.
The ex-Rotherham defender – who now contributes as a writer to multiple publications – was speaking on the The Game Football Podcast when he voiced his reservations about the Merseysiders; not least over that insipid first half at Molineux, which had the manager raging over one moment in particular.
Robertson said: “There are still massive questions about the balance in the midfield for me. They were woeful [before half-time]. There was no energy, no bite, and no cohesion.
“[Klopp] berated Cody Gakpo just before Wolves scored the opening goal. It was a long throw and he threw a leg at it and they broke away and scored the opener.”
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Although there was a prolonged passage of play between the throw-in referenced by Robertson and the goal from Hwang, Gakpo will nonetheless be disappointed with himself for not doing more to try and retain possession in that moment.
Whereas the likes of Alexis Mac Allister only arrived back from South America two days before the Wolves game, the Dutchman’s international week ended the previous Sunday and he had a relatively short trip back from Ireland, where he scored as Netherlands won 2-1 in a Euro 2024 qualifier.
The forward therefore ought to have been among the fresher Liverpool players to have started at Molineux, although he more than redeemed himself with the equaliser to spark the eventual comeback after half-time.
That Klopp reacted so angrily over Gakpo in the lead-up to Hwang’s goal illustrates the standards that the manager demands, with any moments of laziness simply not tolerated by the boss.
Thankfully it didn’t cost us in the end on Saturday, but hopefully the 24-year-old will have learned from it and can build upon the form which has seen him score in each of his last three games for club and country this month.