Jurgen Klopp knows Liverpool have work to do in the transfer market, having foreseen their difficult season, but felt powerless to prevent it.
Having come so close to winning an unprecedented quadruple last year, claiming two cups and finishing as runners-up in both the Premier League and the Champions League, this campaign has been very different for Liverpool.
The Reds are down in eighth in the league, out of both domestic cups and on the brink of exiting Europe having lost 5-2 at home to Real Madrid on Tuesday.
It is anticipated the Merseyside club will be busy in the market at the end of the season, with Jude Bellingham reportedly a top target, and Klopp did not deny that as he detailed the ways in which his team must improve.
"I don't say everything around us is bad, is wrong, not at all, but most of the things are not right as well," he said. "That's how it is.
"We know we have to improve. We know we have to change things. We will. We have to do something in the summer, that's clear. For now, we just have to go through this and fight back."
Klopp was later quizzed on his mention of the need to "do something in the summer" and launched into a long answer explaining why this season has been so difficult for Liverpool, how they must work ahead of the transfer window and their plan to first "make the best out of this season".
Confirming the intention to do business in the window pre-dated this difficult stretch, Klopp said: "We are not that dumb that, 'today wasn't good, now we have to change'. It was clear, it was always clear.
"This team has a wonderful history, but the way this club is led is not by splashing the money or whatever, have a look if it works out or not. Our transfers always have to be on point.
"That makes it really tricky. We cannot make four transfers before we know who leaves the club, stuff like this.
"Last year, I knew it would be tricky. That was one of the main reasons why I signed a new contract, so people are not on top of all that and have to discuss 'then he leaves next year'.
"It's not because I'm that great – it would be the same situation with another coach, then it's 'bring Klopp back'. It's about the club and the stability.
"Last year was not the season for a big change. We played until the last moment, and if you want to change at this club, we cannot bring in players and then realise nobody wants to leave. It doesn't work like that.
"It was not possible to start it early, because we had final after final after final, played until the last moment of the Champions League final. Then we have a short break, then we have injuries, then the World Cup.
"So, with all the problems we knew we would have, this came on top.
"Now we are in it. I know it's too long, for me it's too long, because I have to face this press conference. Believe me, I don't like to talk about it all the time. I have to think it all the time – that's not as bad as to talk about it, to be honest, because I don't have to read it the next day.
"That's the situation. Now people are not happy. We try to fight through and make the best out of this season, that's the idea, and staying as good a person as you can.
"The better you behave in a moment like this, the better times will be after it and the more useful the bad times are.
"They have to be useful, because otherwise they are useless. Imagine that in all our lives if we had not learned from our failures or learned from when things didn't go well. We would not be the same people. We have to learn from this well, and we will.
"Now we are in this heated atmosphere, where we lose a game and it's 'everybody out', we win a game, 'give him a new contract'. I'm too old for that.
"We have to make our own plans, and that's what we do – but based on the way this club needs it. It's different to other clubs. That's how it is.
"It worked out so far, and we'll have to see if it will work still or we'll have to adapt. That's something for us in the offices, when we're not on the training pitch, and for my conversation with the owners."
Al-Khaleej 0-1 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo misfires on return as Laporte nets winner
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from suspension but failed to find the net as Al-Nassr secured a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Saturday, with Aymeric Laporte coming up with the decisive goal.
Ronaldo was in action for the first time since being sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 Saudi Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier this month, with his initial two-match ban being reduced to one on appeal.
He missed three good chances as Al-Nassr threatened to fall further behind runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, but former Manchester City defender Laporte spared his blushes by nodding Marcelo Brozovic's deep free-kick into the bottom-left corner with 68 minutes gone.
Al-Nassr remain nine points adrift of Al-Hilal at the summit in spite of their win, with Jorge Jesus' team unbeaten through 28 games this season as they close in on a record-extending 18th title.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo misfires on return
Ronaldo was presented with the Saudi Pro League's Player of the Month award for March ahead of kick-off, having scored four goals in three league appearances last month.
However, his sights were off on Saturday as he failed to net despite three of the visitors' four big chances, as defined by Opta, falling his way. He led all players on the pitch for expected goals (1.27 xG), shots (five), shots on target (three) and touches in the area (nine) without reward.
Huddersfield all but relegated from Championship while League Two play-off spots decided
Huddersfield Town saw their relegation from the Championship all but confirmed after a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City on Saturday.
The Terriers avoided a defeat that would have seen them relegated on Saturday, but even a win on the final day over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town will not be enough unless they overcome a huge goal difference of 15 goals with Plymouth Argyle.
Birmingham remain in the other relegation place and now must beat Norwich City to stand a chance of staying up with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers also still in danger.
At the other end of the table, the Canaries dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, leaving the door open for Hull City, who face Ipswich Town later today.
Salah: There will be 'fire' if I speak after Klopp clash
Mohamed Salah refused to talk to the media following a touchline clash with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, saying there would be "fire" if he spoke.
Liverpool's Premier League title hopes are hanging by a thread following a 2-2 draw at West Ham on Saturday, and much of the discussion after the game centered on a flare-up between Salah and Klopp in the latter stages of the contest.
Salah, dropped from the starting XI for the visit to the London Stadium, was involved in a furious confrontation with Klopp prior to being substituted on, with the pair having to be separated by Joe Gomez and Darwin Nunez.
Following the game, Salah made a comment as he walked through the media area, refusing to conduct interviews with the press.
"If I speak today there will be fire," Salah stated as he refused to discuss the incident.
Klopp was also not very forthcoming on the confrontation after a draw which leaves his team two points off leaders Arsenal and a point behind second-placed Manchester City having played at least a game less than both of their title rivals.
When asked about the Salah dispute, Klopp told TNT Sports: "I'm not in the mood to talk about that to be honest or look at that at all."
Klopp has just three games left of his Liverpool tenure, and despite the success he has endured at Anfield, including a Premier League title and Champions League glory, it's at risk of ending in a damp squib.
Klopp hopes his team can avoid that disappointing conclusion by finding their form again over the remainder of the campaign.
"We had to win here, we knew that, and we didn't," Klopp continued. "Now we have a little bit more time between now and the next game.
"We try to get the boys ready again and we will go again."
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