I wrote a few days ago expressing my concerns over the lack of action our first teamers had seen this pre-season, and the lack of time that our new boys had been on the pitch together. Until the game against Valerenga on Monday night, we’d seen over 360 minutes of friendly action and seen far too little of our fist 12-14 players.
That all changed in Norway on Monday though, as the strongest side we’ve seen all pre-season was sent out and was 2-nil down after 20 minutes. Now, despite the title of the article, I’m not going to say ‘I told you so’. But we saw in the first 40 minutes why it was so important to have blooded our new players and the regulars as early as possible so that they could work their differences in style out of their systems and we could see a fledgling understanding grow amongst them.
What we saw in the first 30-40 minutes quite closely resembled a shambles, particularly at the back, where Robinson, Carragher, Agger and Johnson came together for the first time since the back-end of last season. Up into midfield and Adam, Henderson, Kuyt, Spearing and Downing looked as if they’d never laid eyes upon one another before. As I said: this was to only be expected. Had there been more playing time in Asia, Hull and Turkey, we’d have seen a much stronger, more cohesive performance from the Reds last night.
However, there were positives, particularly in the 2nd half as we saw an understanding begin to blossom in the midfield and Carroll became the focal point of a lot of decent stuff. Downing even contributed with a few corners and crosses that actually beat the near post/first man (Stevie G, take note). The back four (and later, the subs) started to work the stiffness out of their legs and minds and stopped conceding goals, whilst at the other end, we remembered how to put more than 2 passes together.
For Dan Agger, those two great goals can only improve his confidence in his ability after a pretty stop/start couple of years and hopefully he can push on from there against Valencia and carry it through to the beginning of the season. With the introductions now out of the way, we can only hope to see a much improved performance at Anfield on Saturday afternoon and a belated win against some decent opposition (because a Malaysian XI really doesn’t count) before we welcome Sunderland when the Premier League officially gets under way.
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Another disturbing fact about the game yesterday is that the Norwegian team, having four games in seven days, used mostly players from their second team. And they also borrowed four players from a local team on level three that had not even been training with Vålerenga before the game!
LFC will not recover in time for new season – and new owners will not make a decision re leaving Anfield – poor planning – poor players – poor effort
How can you review last nights game and not mention Aquilani?
His crosses resulted in the two goals that Agger put away, and he was a handful from the minute he came on.
He changed the game.
Aggers and Johnson’s first games back after injuries prevented playing in earlier games, Henderson on extended leave after U21 tournament therefore couldnt play in Asia, Downing signed whilst in Asia and Galatasary game too close to this one for many to play in both that hadnt had full preseason. So how exactly could they have played more together?!?!?
Oh and of course you know more than KD and his entire coaching and medical team!
Dreadful article
i agree….
the performances in pre-season have not been great, the over-reaction from so called fans and articles on the net were much worse. nothing constructive just moan moan moan sound like united fans. article absolute drivel.
We have a man u follower writing articles for liverpool. Tell me why he did not mention aquiliani 16mins beta than 70mins of henderson and c.adam
I can’t understand how a common held belief is that Aquilani is somehow a failure at Liverpool or that he is too “lightweight” for the Premiership. The guy oozes ability and has the creative ability that clubs pay a premium for, he just needs a run of games to prove his doubters (St John included)wrong. Chelsea are trying to pay £30m for Modric who is also a lightweight creative midfield player,and are said to be interested in Aquilani if they fail to land Modric! If Liverpool let Aquilani go they must be crazy,Adam has nowhere near his ability,nor his energy.Come on Kenny,open your eyes.
lets hope the management think the same way as us, but I doubt it. Kenny does not want him he has too many midfielders (which was our strongest position last season) just Downing would have been enough in this buying window. So now he has no choice but to sell and he isn’t going to sell the people he has bought, is he?
Aquilani wants to go, that can b the only reason, or at least I hope so.
pls help me tell Dalglish nt to sell nor load my man Aquilani dis is too gud.when he came d game changed.
I cannot believe that only us the supporters see how great Aquillani is.. he is by far our most skilful and creative midfielder… he oozes class, and makes it look so easy. he is the sort of player that would make a good team, become a great one.. it took him 9 minutes to change the game yesterday in our favour, i am sure everyone notices that every single one of his touches shows his great abilities, even his backheels wow spectators.. I agree if Aquilani was not our player we should have gone out and splashed atleast 25 million to get him.. without him we are going to have a mediocre season, especially with Gerrards niggling injuires might end up restricting him to way few games…. Keep him Kenny, it will be the best thing you ever do.
Babel???
@ judge,yes us the fans know more than KD!! You shuold be ashamed of your self defending crap performance like that,i guess you are probably that kind of person who thinks KD has spent wisely!! Well i have news 4 you, not every supporter is going to kiss Kenny’s ass if performances like the last 2 games of last season and the pre-season games continue to be like that!!
keep playing Football Manager and FIFA and telling yourself that you know more than KD. Its a complete ‘mystery’ as to why no football club, whether La Liga, Premiership or even Screwfix League East Div 3 havent snapped you up as the manager……
Stunned that so called fans can even write such comments… “yes us the fans know more than KD”. Just staggering.
So you are entitled to your opinion but nobody else is?
Hi Chambers
No no – not at all everyone has opinion but lets be a bit sensible about it. I made an original point of view that we shouldnt / couldnt judge the team in pre-season for the various reasons given – just my opinion. I then got told “I should be ashamed” and told that KD has made poor signings and that a fan knows better than a man whose played the game for years, lives and breathes it and has won 4 titles….! My 2nd email was thus in reply to that.
I personally think we have paid a lot of money for the players concerned. But I trust Kenny – he knows much more than I do and will have scouted them on a regular basis as opposed to myself who only see them once per yr at Anfield and on TV highlights. And Im hoping that Downing, for example, turns out like John Barnes did back in ’87. At the time I thought “oh god no” as believed he was overrated and overhyped but turned out KD was spot on. Fingers crossed!
As for Aqua, then I would love him to stay as dont think he has been given a fair crack of the whip. However I think that 2 things may prevent this (a) he wont be starting 11 and will want to start given his age and (b) not sure he really wants to be here (UK) so if his heart isnt it then it makes sense to raise some cash.
cheers
KEEP AQUA.. SELL RAUL… LOAN OUT SHELVEY SPEARING..
i find it strange how so many people slated aqua but now we are getting on like he is messi.
Ive always rated him, he needed time and games, his touches and one touch passing were actually too good for the players around him that never kept their eye on the ball enough then couldnt react quick enough to his quick passing.
I def wouldnt sell meireles and its hard to fit them all in the same team but i could see us using a 5 man midfield a lot this season
but on topic, this blog is silly, our problem is with our defence and there is no new players having to gel, they have played together lots of times so there is no excuse for all these goals left right and centre so how this guy is trying to make a point of the new players not having played together is beyond me, with 3 at the back we should be slaughtering teams like this
dont worry my friend…. aqua not for sale for this momment becauce he will play for liverpool even gerrard will fit. he will play alongside lucas..downing and kyut..
YESSSSSS !!!!…
AQUILANI NOT FOR SALE >> HE WILL GET NO 10,.. yesss!!!!!
surely KD can’t ignore the fans.
I will repeat what I said 14 months ago…Aquilani is class and a superlative talent for reading a pass!!!