Once the squad list, including substitutes, was read out, Klopp didn't linger on tactics. They had drilled those relentlessly over the past three days. The shape, the triggers, and the transitional were all now part of the players' muscle memory. Every run had been rehearsed. Every pass lane calculated. There was nothing more to refine on the training pitch.
So instead, Klopp shifted his focus. His voice changed. It dropped slightly in volume but gained some more weight. The kind that could settle into your chest and stay there.
On cue, the room quieted, the air pulling tight.
"It's not just about systems anymore," he said, stepping forward, his arms relaxed but his eyes sharp. "You know your roles. You know the drills. But if we're going to be great this season, truly great, it won't come from tactics alone. It's going to come from here."
He touched a closed fist to his chest.
