BRENDAN Rodgers has been overseeing pre-season training in the US for the past couple of days as the Reds prepare for their first pre-season tour match against Toronto FC on Saturday.
A squad of thirty-four have made the trip across the pond and have been taking part in double sessions at Harvard University, the club’s tour base in Boston, in an attempt to impress the man in charge and force their way into his plans for the coming season.
Speaking to lfctour.com, Rodgers outlined some of the things that he’d be looking for from the players.
“It’s the application, the desire to want to be in the side,” he said. “There is a long way to go yet and we’ve got a big part of our preparation left, but the early stages have boded well for a number of players, because they’ve shown real appetite and a thirst to learn.
“They’re a really unified group and the young players are really trying to impress and show they can be in and around the first team.
“It’s also a credit to the senior players. Jamie Carragher, 34 years of age, has led by example. He’s still putting the miles in on the field and being a great example off it. Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger – all of them have been fantastic.”
Rodgers is primarily concerned with fitness for the time being, however, he and his staff are beginning to drive home some tactical messages to the group.
“That won’t kick in, really, until later on when the group is together,” Rodgers said. “But in terms of a lot of the pressing work we’ve done, they’ve showed up really well.
“We’ve talked about possession and the importance of possession and I’ve seen great improvements in that in a couple of weeks.
“Their understanding and management of the game will improve as time goes on, but the most important thing [right now] is the physical condition and that’s looking very good.”
You can catch up with Neil on Twitter @Neil1980 or on his blog http://itsallinthegameblog.wordpress.com/
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if we look at the way rodge set up swansea, two of the three up top were out and out wingers. we are still very light in wingers. a bit worried that downing is our only out and out winger, assuming bellamy may also be on his way. raheem can provide back up but surely we need at least two top wingers. who are they going to be? dempsey and allen are not wingers, in thie mould as described so i really cant see why interest in them is a priority. also the cant really see suarez or borini as wingers. borini played in the center for swansea and will be used as back up to suarez in the center position. wingers priority but who?
hve you ever seen suarez play for uraguay?
thats the question. seeing how rodge sets up his teams wingers are out wide, not inside forwards as with uruguay.
Luv Rodgers
He’ll never have time for a date though. Sorry.