The Liverpool Thread

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dilakh2 said:
I worry about Isak not because of talent but you cant go into a season with one striker let alone one who needs there game time managed.
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Yeah mate the quality is undeniable. But can’t stay fit for a prolonged period. Poor securely because he’s been like that throughout his career. It’s a gamble on huge money I can’t see paying off
 
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Pig enclosure. Explains a lot.
 
What happened there lol. Went to sleep at 2-0 woke up for work 2-4 😮 from reading various match/Pool fan reports seems lack of depth and struggling to deal with set pieces and keep up the intensity for 90 mins cost you in the second half.

Really surprised how slow you’ve been in the market tbh. Especially it being glaringly obvious where your short. And knowing how intense a coach the new guy is. Not getting more depth in quality already
 
Even with the usual caveat that was only an extended training session/ half-baked kick around, that was a totally bizarre game of football to end what’s been a very good US tour. L’pool superb and utterly dominant first half to go in 2 up. L’pool absolutely woeful second half to lose 2-4. But a really beneficial game of positives to take, and negatives to work on, nonetheless.

Let’s get the negative observations out the way first. ❌

One half of the Soldier Field pitch looking like a ploughed field. Dry and cutting up all over. I didn’t think we’d do worse than the mess of a pitch in the Bronx last week on the makeshift baseball pitch. But this topped it. No coincidence all 6 goals were scored in the semi-decent half. Whoever signed off on that at L’pool wants severely F!!!!! 🤬

Which leads, as the other 2 games this tour, to the ridiculous money grab that’s put both player safety at risk. And lead to lower crowds due to the massively extortionate ticket prices. They SERIOUSLY need to reevaluate future tours and not just grab the most appearance money on offer. Make these games accessible to ALL in these Country’s, the main thing for the local support to actually see the Reds live. And give them a decent surface to watch it play out on. That won’t put player safety at risk. 🤬🤬

Both Liverpool and the American organisers have failed badly on both counts. ❌❌

The entire second half-
I don’t know if two hard weeks graft of two-a-days at the physical intensity Andoni runs at finally caught up with them the last 45, when they just wanted to be back home again, but that was an abysmal second half from pretty much everyone. Tired legs just went. And tired minds followed with mistake after mistake. I mean it was mostly kids like who won’t be anywhere near the first-team squad this season. (And Chiesa who’ll do well to be here at all.). And Leeds did the reverse and got stronger the second half with their subs. But that was the preverbal game of two halves and very bizarre to watch.

No standouts that last 45, but a note on Curtis who continued his real poor form all 3 games. And he ended up with the captaincy this time after his embarrasing hissy fit in public against Wrexham. Yet still failed to not only impose himself again this tour. But completely lack the graft required even at this stage. I really thought Andone would be the spark to reignite his passion. But it’s becoming more and more apparent it had nothing to do with Arne and he just no longer wants to be at the football club.

The one area we were totally set in was midfield. We might well need another body in there now if Curtis gets his wish to leave before the deadline. ☹️

Set-piece defending needs a lot of work still as has been evidenced all three games. But then you take into account the goalie and defence will be wholly different, along with a new coaching staff’s ideas there, so no biggie.

And to add to the bizarreness of the second half, just what the F were Leeds doing half-time keeping us waiting about EIGHT minutes on the pitch before they reappeared? And just what the F was the ref. doing allowing that? This wasn’t the WC Final lads. No half-time show here. 🤦‍♂️

As far as the positives go ….. ✅

The whole of the first-half-
Best 45 minutes of the tour by far. Super intensity with the high press all over the pitch, and everyone pushed on so the half was mainly played in Leeds last third. Really quick transitions again the length of the pitch. Really fast start for the third half in a row. Leading to an early goal. Width held again keeping the pitch as big as possible. (Barcola is going to absolutely tear this league up playing in this system. With this attacking freedom the widemen have to just go at lads and exploit space. Picture perfect Iraola winger. 😍). And superb interchanging again on display in midfield, in and out of possesion, as they all move up and down through the levels covering each other. It’s fascinating to watch what Iraola does and how he approaches it out of possession in particularly without the need for a traditional DM. Instead using the press, cutting off lanes, and being totally front foot to just go all out attack then other way in transition. The double pivot of complete midfielder 8’s both ends is tiring just watching them. Never mind actually playing the role. But man is it fun to watch.

Too many individual standouts to go through them all. So here’s a few personal favourites-

Frimpong continued what has been a really good tour for him. Some of the criticism has been bizarre to me, when the likes of Rio have undone a lot of his good work with their natural naivety his side. The little triangle (something else that’s been a very noticeable, and welcome, return under the Basque), that side of him, big Dom and Morrison, worked superbly. And Isak and Wirtz were looking to bring him into play well too. We most definitely still need a right full given we don’t know how long Conor will be out. But Frimpong looks more and more like a great fit/ option the way Iraola pushes his FB’s on. Similar to what made him such an attacking output monster at Leverkusen. Capped by a brilliant assist to a brilliant team goal.

I thought Rio, back on the left, was much better than the first two outings. Again, the triangle there of he, Nyomi (the standout player of the tour by a distance. Man is he ready to step up and play a major part this season)/ Wirtz, and the overlapping Kerkez, was proper flowing. Really good decision making where he has been, naturally for a kid, ball hogging. Let’s have more of that please mate as you develop and gain experience.

And the main two Isak and Wirtz. Showing just why we paid the money when they have the freedom and are the attacking focal points like this. Alex’s movement, touch and speed, along with his pressing, was markedly better now he’s had a good run with the National team and is effectively having a proper pre-season through that. And the tactical freedom Wirtz has in the 10 role is a joy to behold. What he’s been crying out for and what made him one of the Worlds best at Leverkusen. There’s a reason we paid the money we did. For the top level talent they are. These two are going to be phenomenal this season under the Basque. Book it!

All in all, as bizarre as it played out, as is typically pre-season games, a really beneficial run-out with a lot of positives. And a lot of things to still work hard on the next 3 weeks back home before Newcastle.

We are where we should be at this stag, under a completely new coach with completely new ideas. And you can see the improvement in both understanding and intensity with each passing friendly.

And with more senior players now set to join the party, and what I’m personally convinced will be 2 or 3 new additions aside from Barcola, we’ll be in a great position and sound come opening day.
 
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Theatre of Dreams83 said:
Gakpo would be a huge loss for you guys imo. Even if you get Barcola who I think is not even better than Gakpo.
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Different horses for different courses. Gakpo is an inside forward who doesn't contribute much to the buildup, but at his best he can be a decent goal machine. What we need right now more than anything in the side is an injection of pace, especially with the full intensity Iraola wants from his forwards. Barcola will provide that and more.

Gakpo for me is much maligned by fans the same way Luis Diaz was and we all saw how that turned out at Bayern. However, how do you turn down the money being banded around for a very one-dimensional player in Gakpo? We need bodies, especially with Ekitike out but im not sure management would turn down 80-plus, which is being mooted for him, and the ridiculous contract we gave him would be off the books.
 
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