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Pre-season reflections

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keniget

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I'm presuming it's done now given that the season starts next weekend.

So, what do we think? Are we ready?

The main thing that sticks out to me at the moment is the squad effectively being split into two for the Helsinki and Swindon games. It seems very unusual and odd given that at this stage you're surely aiming for unity and cohesion. Just me?

Upsides:

Lallana, Milner and a few others have had good seasons. Gomez has surprised and impressed to the point where he's a first team consideration (at least amongst fans). All of our strikers have grabbed a goal or two, which always helps according to footballing mythology.

Downsides:

A fair few key players have come back late and potentially a bit further behind the rest when we need them to be on their A game from day 1. Our pre-season schedule, as mentioned above, seems to have been a bit weird (and easy).
 
Origi is way too raw.
Ings is no good.
Ibe will be this years supersub.
Markovic is going on loan somewhere in the next 6 months.
4-3-3.
Clyne looks quality.
As does Gomez. We got a bargain there.
Milner will be player of the season.
Our defence is still shot.
We've mostly forgotten that Mignolet is no good, but he'll remind us soon enough.
And whichever FSG representative told Brodge to shut the fuck up from now on at the end of season review is owed a pint.
 
Ibe goes from strength to strength.

Another missed opportunity for Ilori. Will he be packed out on loan again?

Ings is the new Lambert. Cheap but pointless.

We have too many decent players who simply won't play enough games. The squad is bloated therefore by definition planning has been poor and money wasted.

We have loads of great players aged 18-23. The potential is there.
 
The Firmino bandwagon has started to roll.
I am happy to welcome all aboard.
 
Is it possible that the split squads for the two weekend games were for commercial reasons and some how we had given a commitment to field strong sides in both games.
Not ideal if true.
 
Everything hinges on Firmino and Benteke I reckon.
Rodgers is still Rodgers, the team is the same team, so the problems would be all the same, we'll concede stupid hopeless goals, we'll trail vs weak teams, we'll have problems recouping from mistakes during games,
So if the new players could drag us through enough games we'd be alright.
 
We have too many players - that's my first thought. And it's very difficult to come up with a cohesive long-term plan that suits all of our players.

Given the pressure that Rodgers is under, he's bound to try and stick with whatever produces results in the short-term rather than what may be beneficial for the long-term vision of the squad as a whole. And that concerns me.
 
I'm feeling very positive about:
Clyne, Gomez, Milner, Coutinho, Firmino, Lallana, Ibe, Benteke.

The fitness doesn't too marvellous, and we've not looked that clinical infront of goal, but I expect that to change when we start playing full strength lineups.

The defence will be better this season, as we've got 2 fullbacks that can defend, and the CB's and goalkeeper will have more experience of playing with each other.

Looks like we're going 433 (which is good), but I'm not sure if that will change when sicknote ever comes back.
 
We have too many players - that's my first thought. And it's very difficult to come up with a cohesive long-term plan that suits all of our players.

Given the pressure that Rodgers is under, he's bound to try and stick with whatever produces results in the short-term rather than what may be beneficial for the long-term vision of the squad as a whole. And that concerns me.


I have similar thoughts / fears as above and also mentioned by Peter.

The only practical way out of this is to have two teams - one for the league and one for the cups and to try and stick to it as much as possible.

For example, Can, Ings, Origi, Markovic, Bogdan, Gomez, Illori and Tex (if they stay) play in the Europa League and domestic cups. Always. Give the young players who need that game time and development a chance.

The rest play in the league. Give them / us a chance to finish 4th rather than kill themselves trying to compete on all fronts.

One or two can swap interchange as needed of course but the core of each side needs be relatively consistent.

I'd love for us to do this similar to the way Barca treat the Copa Del Rey.
 
Yep, it would be to the benefit of both competitions if we were to approach it like that, however when it comes to the week of the games, it'll be too tempting for Brendan to bring your Firmino, Benteke and Coutinho's into the squad if it's an important Europa League game, defeating the entire point.
 
Positives:

Ibe looks ready to be in and around the first team offering is a bona fide outlet wide (as opposed to our usual narrow wide forwards)
Clyne looks top class, a massive improvement, and links up well with Ibe
Ings and Origi have at least scored in pre season
Firmino in his brief appearance yesterday seemed to confirm the general hope that he'll offer a mix of quality skill and Suarez type industry
Milner's hit the ground running as expected
Gomez is a nice surprise and might just prove an unexpected immediate upgrade Moreno
Coutinho looks set to continue his upward trajectory
Benteke scored a goal of real quality yesterday and looks more suited than most feared albeit in limited evidence
We've blooded a number of uber promising young players in pre season
Texeira links ready to be around the first team right now
Rodgers seems intent on less bluster


Negatives :
It looks likely Lovren will oust Sakho from the first 11 despite a shaky pre season
Still no dm cover for Lucas
Moreno has looked to struggle
Lallana and Markovic don't look add promising add those coming through
I'm not entirely convinced by the 433
 
At a guess I'd say it's all down to fitness & integration.

Sakho was injured towards the end of the season.

Can & Firmino back late, Benteke not trained much with 1st team - Coutinho was supposed to have returned in excellent condition.

Moreno wasn't as far down the pre-season prep during the games in Australia.

I'm sure there's probably a very good reason, for it all - and if Rodgers is making calls based on what might be better in the long term, rather than to dave his neck in the short term, then surely that's a good thing?
 
We played a similar set up of games before the 2013/14 season which saw us win the first 3 games.
But the big difference seems to be at least one game more against better opposition with the team that will start next weekend.
That makes me worry if we're ready.
That would have happened if Anfield wasnt closed for football in pre season.

Positives:
Clyne, Milner, Lallana, Ibe and Benteke/Ings/Origi getting of the mark and getting some goals. More energy and high pressing combined with more direct passing makes me believe we'll be more enjoyable to watch this season.
The introduction of O'Driscoll and focus on defensive organization will hopefully see us defend much better.

Negative:
Should have had at least one more game against better oppostion
We clocked up the most travel miles in the entire league. Will that effect us in the start of the season?
Some players have come back later then others and might take a while to get going
Rodgers picking Lovren over Sakho

Stoke lost 3-0 to Porto yesterday and didnt look good either fwiw. Arnautovic is injured and they've lost N'Zonzi.
3 straight losses in the last friendlies suggest they've got their own problems.
 
Not everyone did all that travelling & pitch time was spread out to minimise possible fatigue.
 
Lucas had a pretty bad pre season it's a pity because he's basically our only defensive midfielder unless we are planning on playing Can there and sticking with it.
We still look short in the defence and Ming as our number one keeper still doesn't inspire confidence.
We're going to need to score shit loads of goals to get top 4.
 
Lucas had a pretty bad pre season it's a pity because he's basically our only defensive midfielder unless we are planning on playing Can there and sticking with it.
We still look short in the defence and Ming as our number one keeper still doesn't inspire confidence.
We're going to need to score shit loads of goals to get top 4.

I won't say Lucas was really bad but certainly he hasn't looked too sharp in the pre-season, and it's not like Firmino who was obviously holding back. He looked even slower on the turn than usual, though I thought he was better in the last game at Swindon.

Anyway, I think both Allen and Lucas shouldn't (and hopefully won't) be getting new contracts (both expire in 2017), and at least one of their places will then be taken up by a bright young one from the U21s. Lucas and Allen aren't bad players, but there's good reason to start planning for their replacement - Allen, while I like his ability with the ball, is just too lightweight and injury-prone, while Lucas looks like he's going down the slippery slope as injuries start to pile up. Hopefully in a season's time, at least one or two of Williams, Chirivella, Rossiter, Brannagan and Teixeira will be ready to step up and claim a spot.
 
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Regards the Lucas / Allen slot, it'd have to be Chivarella or Rossiter imo. I'm sweet on Chivarella as a very technically able dm type. He'd need to toughen up a bit though.
 
It just seems like a bunch of players. No longer LFC for me. If another manager came in he'd surely buy a new spine for the team. A top keeper, a centre back pairing and a commanding central midfielder. There are some good new players there but I just hope I'm pleasantly surprised once the season starts, because in my eyes this pre-season has been alarmingly laid-back and aimless. I wish I cared more but I've never cared so little.
 
I'm the total opposite. Last season at this stage I was still convinced we were gonna splash zillions on a top striker as it was obvious what was gonna happen if we didn't. This season is gonna be ace, the signings are all boss.

Stoke just got wellied by Porto and Shawcross and Bojan are out. We're gonna win... 3-1. Then we're gonna batter Bournemouth and be headed to Arsenal top of the league and full of confidence. It's our year.
 
Surely the purpose of the back to back weekend games was to give as many of the squad as possible a run out. As for the quality of the opposition faced, sure we've had a fairly easy time of it this pre-season but perhaps the idea was to get a few easy wins under the belt to restore some confidence after a shocking end to last season. Didn't we play Utd and City last pre-season? Look what good that did us come the kick-off.
 
We have too many decent players who simply won't play enough games. The squad is bloated therefore by definition planning has been poor and money wasted.

We have loads of great players aged 18-23. The potential is there.
I totally agree with that top line - and feel we cannot afford that sort of waste while already starting at a disadvantage. As for the youngsters, I also like what I see, but fear seeing much of that potential wasted as a result of the bloated squad - and too many players who we've invested significantly in and who the manager is going to want to give priority.
 
Origi is way too raw.
Ings is no good.
Ibe will be this years supersub.
Markovic is going on loan somewhere in the next 6 months.
4-3-3.
Clyne looks quality.
As does Gomez. We got a bargain there.
Milner will be player of the season.
Our defence is still shot.
We've mostly forgotten that Mignolet is no good, but he'll remind us soon enough.
And whichever FSG representative told Brodge to shut the fuck up from now on at the end of season review is owed a pint.

Summed up pretty much. still think rogers hasn't a clue and we're undercooked ahead of Stoke game
 
It just seems like a bunch of players. No longer LFC for me. If another manager came in he'd surely buy a new spine for the team. A top keeper, a centre back pairing and a commanding central midfielder. There are some good new players there but I just hope I'm pleasantly surprised once the season starts, because in my eyes this pre-season has been alarmingly laid-back and aimless. I wish I cared more but I've never cared so little.

Moribund times.
 
perhaps the idea was to get a few easy wins under the belt to restore some confidence after a shocking end to last season. .


Too much gets read into the tour. It's planned months before the end of the season, and months before we know for sure who'll we'll be signing. I think more and more managers are getting thoroughly pissed off with the way the commercial part of their club dictates the football side every summer.
 
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