Philippe Coutinho Details 'Freedom' of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool Tactics and More

Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho has shed a light on the tactics new manager Jurgen Klopp employs and the importance of the work the squad puts in on the training ground, praising the amount of freedom the manager gives them on the ball.

In an interview with the official Liverpool FC magazine (h/t Chris Shaw of LiverpoolFC.com), the Brazilian highlighted the difference in philosophy between attack and defence and the importance of pressing:

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He asks for us to play with as much freedom as possible when we have the ball, but when we lose it we are asked to recover it as quickly as possible.

We press very high with the intention of trying to make the other team lose the ball close to their goal. If we do it right, and win the ball back in these areas, it gives us a better chance to score.

The most important thing is that it is imperative for the team to press together. This is what we have been trying to do and this is how we are developing as a team.

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Just a couple of weeks into his tenure as Reds manager, Klopp's impact can already be felt around Anfield. Liverpool were undefeated until the 2-1 loss against Crystal Palace and have played a far more exciting brand of football than they did in the last few months under Brendan Rodgers.

Nikolai Alexandrov/Associated Press

The Reds are putting more pressure on their opponents when they have the ball, and in possession, passing seems to be a lot quicker. Coutinho himself has also looked much improved, scoring three goals in his last two matches, per WhoScored.com.

Perhaps more importantly, Klopp has brought a sense of positivity and hope to Anfield that hadn't been seen since the 2013-14 campaign. The fans adore the former Borussia Dortmund boss, and it seems the players do as well. Footballer-turned-pundit Stan Collymore thinks it's obvious to see when you watch them play, writing for the Daily Mirror:

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And you can see already that Klopp’s players are ­delighted with the smiles they’ve been getting, the ­happiness he has brought to the club, the pats on the back and the little quips.

They’re delighted with their new manager and they’re showing it out on the pitch.

I really noticed it when Liverpool went behind against Chelsea last Saturday – it was the first time in an age that I’d seen them go 1-0 down, but not worry.

They had an absolute belief they could get back into the game and that they were the better side.

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All of that is meaningless if the results don't follow, however, and so far, Klopp has done a solid job in that department. The Reds still sit miles out of the Premier League's top four, but given the huge tactical shift the squad is currently going through―and a wave of defensive injuries―that was to be expected.

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This is where the training sessions come into play. Klopp has little time to get his players up to speed and teach them the kind of football he wants them to play before the holiday period. The vast amount of matches teams play in that period will often make or break a campaign, and it's pivotal Liverpool have transformed into Klopp's squad by then.

Per Coutinho, he and his team-mates know all too well how important every training session is:

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I have to learn whether it is right to play a fast ball or a pass along the ground, depending on who I am playing the ball to.

The training sessions are very, very important for this adaptation process to happen. We work on this every day in training and the sessions are very intense.

If we’re not doing it right, or something isn’t working, we do it again and again until we get it right. The more you train with your teammates, the more you learn about each other and this is important for the team to do well.

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The Liverpool faithful would love for their team to finish in the top four this season, but that seems like an impossible task, even for a manager like Klopp. The squad still needs several key additions, and it will take time for everyone to get used to Klopp's methods and tactics.

Laying the foundation for next season should be the Reds' top priority, as well as a strong showing in the Europa League. If Liverpool can progress to the knockout stages, they'll have the opportunity to work out the final kinks before those all-important matches begin. If Klopp's side is ready by then, a run to some silverware and a Champions League ticket would be a very real possibility.

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