SO, we’re off again. Well, almost. Even though it’s only a friendly I’m almost as excited about Liverpool’s friendly against Preston as I usually am about opening day.
Without a proper tournament I feared this would be a long summer, and even though the U21 Euros and the Confederations Cup took most of the edge off it just can’t beat club football – competitive or not.
I have so many questions going into these upcoming pre season friendlies the next few weeks; both in terms of players and tactical aspects there are many things I look forward to learning more about before we get down to business mid-August.
What I’m looking forward to immediately is to see the new boys in action. Simon Mignolet is obviously well-known for most of those who follow the Premier League closely; he’s a very good goalkeeper with the potential to become top class, and we all know about his ability. Still, we don’t know how good he will be for Liverpool FC. Playing for Sunderland and playing for Liverpool Football Club requires a slightly different set of skills, at least in terms of mentality.
Kolo Toure is one of those players who seem to have been around forever, but for some reason I haven’t really paid much attention to him the last couple of years when watching a Manchester City game. It will be interesting to see how his presence affects the rest of the defence, and also the midfield.
Then there’s our two new Spaniards, Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto. I watched Celta Vigo’s final game of last season where Aspas played as a lone striker, and I thought he looked like a good player. Technical, intelligent, mobile and able to spot a pass – his skillset suggests he will be used up front or behind the striker, and I’m curious about which position Brendan Rodgers intends to use him.
As for Luis Alberto, I have no idea at all about where and how he will be used; I suspect it will be at the apex of the midfield, but it can also be as more of an inside left forward.
Which brings me to the tactical aspects: How will our shape look? Who will be the crucial third midfielder that balances the team; will he be a link between midfield and attack or will he be more of a traditional midfielder? Will we push our defensive line higher and be more compact?
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I’m not expecting to have all my questions answered during the next weeks, as pre season is more about fitness than anything – but I’m still hoping to see some indications about what we can expect to see from LFC when the season starts.
The one thing I’ll be looking out for from now and towards the start of the season is the collective tactical understanding within the team – both offensively and defensively. I’m hoping to see us continuing to develop our attacking game and keep creating an identity; I want to be able to spot a certain combination of pass and movement – a trigger if you will – that indicates this is something we have been working on in training.
There were signs of this during the last few months last season, and I want to see us build on these things. Hopefully our new signings – both the ones we have bought and the ones haven’t yet bought – can build relations to their new teammates sooner rather than later.
Then there’s of course the defensive bit. I mentioned triggers in relation to our attacking play, and I think it’s equally important to automatise defensive triggers. Every player must know when to press and when to fall back; when the front line press the rest must follow and vice versa.
Last season was a bit of a mixed bag in that department, leaving our midfielders with too much space to cover both laterally and between our lines because our defenders often sat too deep instead of stepping up when the front five or six started pressing.
We learned from this and adjusted by adopting a more counter attacking approach, but if we want to evolve in the direction I think Rodgers wants we need to be able to do both the possession game and the counter game. Hopefully this is high up on the ‘to do’ list; for me it has more to do with pushing up the defence than getting a more athletic defensive midfielder.
So, there’s my hopes and expectations. I left out ‘dreams’ and ‘fears’ on purpose, because…well, it’s just pre season, right..?
I’m on Twitter @ChristerEikrem if anyone is into that.
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Liverpool 4-0 Preston hopefully aspas and Albert score aswell as ibe if he plays and toure
To carry on were we finished last season, 71 goals scored and plenty of clean-sheets too. Without Suarez in May we still smashed in the goals, he scored 32% of our goals but 68% were scored by the other player’s. We are miles away from a one man team, Coutinho, Gerrard, Suarez, Borini, Downing, Aspas, Alberto, Sterling and Ibe are a massive attacking threat. Even ‘If’ Luis goes we get £40m+ to spend, as well as the £20m from FSG, as the out-goings have paid for our spending so far!!!
Yes but look at the teams we got results against, we struggled more so than ever before to compete against the big teams, that is a fact. I don’t understand fans using the last few games against very poor teams as a measuring stick, when we came up against a team who were up for it (Everton), we struggled and almost lost. We need Suarez, more than he needs us, that is a fact, and no amount of spin will convince me that we are a better team without one of the best players in the world, other teams fans laugh at us for saying such deluded things, and I can see why.
Suarez goes we buy a new striker just like LFC always has done, need I say more???
Not this time . No top striker will come now the state we r in . Certainly not one of Suarez class
Is anybody going to bite my head off if I mention darren bent if suarez goes? Villa want 5m. If he doesn’t want stupid wages where is the risk? Scores goals wherever he goes. If his fitness is good and he’s over his injuries I don’t think it would be such a silly move
We beat only poor teams and they were meaningless matches so there was very little pressure. Basically apart from the Everton game they were like friendlies
Depends, is “Suarez” staying or going?, what about “Reina”?, are we making any “real” signings, apart from the young unknowns we have already signed (not saying they will be bad players, as I do not know enough about them to say if they will be money well spent). Its really hard to get excited about the new season when we as fans don’t yet know what team we are going to be putting out onto the field.
preston will beat liverpool 1:0 at the end of the match.but top four is our priority.ynwa
Come back later????……………………LOL.
as much as I support rodgers and his team its so frustrating they are too slow in decision making all our targets are slipping under us first mkhitaryan,alderwilderd ,delfuenso,now even jorginho is under everyone radar. what is happening even southampton and norwich are outbidding us no matter how good u are you can do nothing. without proper material wake up recruitment commettee
1-1 gona be a tuffy
Stop believing the papers!!!………………get a grip!!!
Who is fooling who? Coach or owner? We’re still far from that priority (top 4). Get Papadopoulus,a good defencive midfielder and change their orientation to put on winning mentality,be aggressive upfront. I love Liverpool but am very disappointed of been sluggard in the market. Last season we lose Clint Dempse and Sigurdison tn Totham now it is Wanyama to Southampton, Henrick M to Borrusia D. Anyway red is my blood, my wishes for us is to have best season. YNWA.
5-0 Will b a good start 4 us, hopfully our new signins should be able to prove dereselve beyond reasonable doubt.
Can someone tell me the price for carrol. Lfc will score by 7-2. YWNWA
Lol . Just shows how little u know
Am not one to criticize but with the system BR chooses to play we really are in need of a more athletic defensive medfielder , nothing wrong with Lucas but he doesnt have the pace to stop counter attacks …..
Having just watched Luis Alberto play , he doesnt look like a premier league player . No way – too lightweight
Good start. 4 goals some good performances
Impressed with : Coutinho , Ibe , Flanagan and Sterling
Not impressed with : Allen , Alberto and Borini
early dayz for sure but aspas n alberto don’t look much cop. coutinho is de man for sure
First pre season, not a bad result for a team that started training not more than a week. But lets be honest,we still need reinforcements. Need to be more ruthless in finishing off apponents. Ericson,Shaqiry, Bernard, Elderweirald and Yilmaz will be excellant addition to this team. And BR need to kick that buck toothed, two faced Uruguayan out as soon as possible. He keeps spitting on everyone involved with LFCs face and dare to say that his progress suffered here. Ungrateful #%*hole.
BR shold give more time for coutinho,sterling & sturigge to play,kick out Uruguayan Luis Suares and try to bid for more and competent young players.