Live TMW
3.55pm – Soon Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool midfielderjoins his coach Slot for the press conference on the eve of the Champions League home match against Bologna.
4.01pm – Mac Allister’s press conference begins.
You raised your heads.
“The reaction was very important for us and I think it was good. We worked on certain details, which we hadn’t done very well in the last matches. We all talked about it together, we knew that they hadn’t been the best matches and we aimed to win that one after, as it happened.”
You are first in the Premier League.
“I could say many things, but we have to demonstrate and not talk. We have a fantastic team and we will try to do our best to win every match. Then in January-February we will see if we are able to win a trophy.”
Is it true that you play too many games?
“I think there isn’t much to add other than that we love playing football. Yes, we are tired because there are so many games but I just think that we need greater communication between the parties, players and coaches, to be able to move forward and pursue what they ask for the players”.
Are you comfortable in your new role?
“My position is a little different, but at the same time, given the structure, we have a lot of freedom. I can play as a 6 or 10, the important thing is to feel comfortable with the idea during the match. I’m having fun and I hope tomorrow we will demonstrate the level of our football.”
How to manage pressure?
“We have a strong team, good players and manager. We are Liverpool but we know that we must always prove that we are capable of winning.”
Luis Diaz, his friend, is in shape.
“He knows how important numbers are for a striker and I’m happy that he can score goals and assists. For us it’s fantastic, I think he can still grow in the way he plays. The key is to be concrete, I hope he continues to show during the season what a wonderful player he is.”
How is the transition from Klopp to Slot going?
“Between Arne and Jurgen there are the same principles. I don’t think the difference is big, we have certain concepts that change and that we are trying to improve. This is the main difference… Not much to add. All the midfielders are important, the competition will make us better.”
What is the Champions League for you?
“A dream. For some it is a surprise, but against Milan I made my debut in this competition. My dream is to win the Champions League, when you play for Liverpool you know that you have strong teammates…”.
Does anything change in the preparation for games with Slots?
“The games come quickly, we never prepare as much as we would like. He is a fantastic coach, you can see it from the way he speaks. We understand what he wants from us, the most important thing for a coach is to convey the idea he has to the players. And There is always room for improvement.”
What opponent is Bologna?
“To be honest I haven’t seen a single match of theirs this season. I know that the manager was at Fiorentina because my friend Nico Gonzalez played with him. I think it will be a tough match, we expect a physical challenge and we have prepared well “.
How much do Liverpool need to improve?
“We know that there is always something to improve in the performance. And when you have a coach and a team that understands and implements it, it is always positive. We can use the quality of our players even more and be as good in defense as Arne wants” .
How did you see Chiesa?
“From the day he arrived you could see that he was very happy to be here. He shows in every training session how strong he is, we expect a lot from him, he can be important for us. I’m sure he will fit in well.”
4.13pm – Mac Allister’s press conference ends.