Category: Uncategorized

Friendly matches can sometimes be deceiving but there were signs again against Hertha Berlin that Liverpool have an abundance of attacking options the like of which we haven’t seen for many a year. The Germans had a decent season last time around but it’s hard to gauge what level they are currently at but nevertheless in the first half, in fact for an hour Liverpool looked a class above them and the three goal margin after that time could well have been doubled. Solanke scored again and if nothing else he seems to know where he should be when in and around the penalty area. Wijnaldum got on the score sheet even though we weren’t playing around the fields of Anfield Road but the icing on the top of a delicious cake was the third goal scored by Mohamed Salah.  It must have had just about everybody of the red persuasion purring. The Coutinho pass and then the finish – look it was a friendly but class is class. Salah does look value for money but defenders in the Premier Division can be a bit brutal so we shall have to wait and see. However, the Brazilian Magician and our new recruit almost seem telepathic. All that remains is to see is if the club can hold their nerve as the drumbeats from Barça get ever louder. Robertson did a decent job on his first appearance and although it’s not a hard task, he does look a better bet than Moreno. When I looked at the defensive line-up I admit to having a cringe or two but we got away with it and Gomez didn’t do a bad job. However I thought Matip looked ill at ease at times and this is an area that should have been sorted by now. We can’t go into the new campaign with Lovren, Matip and Klavan as our choice of central defenders. No doubt Bayern will be a different quality; it’s their ground, their competition and we should learn a lot more from the games in Munich than we have done anywhere so far.

Jürgen finally wins a trophy so let’s rejoice.  The game against Leicester was typical of a pre-season game.  The first half was something akin to entertaining with three decent goals and some good football from both sides.  Our attacking play at times was sublime although maybe we did occasionally try to overdo the simple things but that’s nit picking I suppose.  Salah’s goal was the result of quality football and the finish oozed class.  As for Coutinho’s strike, well we’ve seen it all before and hopefully we’ll see it again – just hope those pesky rumour spreaders go away.  Of course what quality we have in attack we don’t have at the back and more sloppy defending that must have Jürgen pulling his hair out gave Leicester the opportunity to get a cross in that was headed home in good style but it’s the same old story, our defence is just one step away from a problem.  The second half was in total contrast to the first and although we gave Leicester a couple of sights of our goal we basically controlled the game but never looked like scoring although Grujic did go close.  Too many changes and they’re happening all the time so there’s rarely any flow.  I can’t remember Sturridge even having a genuine sniff at around the penalty area.  However, that’s what these sorts of games are like but at the finish we did win a trophy, the Hong Kong Liverpool masses seemed happy enough and if anyone could decipher Jürgen’s after match comments get in touch.

Good news we are taking orders for our HAPPY NEW SEASON cards which were a success last year. There are two types and to buy just click on the link. POST FREE!!!!!!

 

Before the wonderfully named Premier League Asia Trophy got started I got the impression Jürgen looked and sounded like someone who’d planned to go to the South of France but had to make do with a week in Southport during the rainy season.  Instead of the usual pre-season training most of the time seemed spent watching the rain falling.  When the game against our latest bogey side got underway the pitch had already been played on in the opener between Leicester and WBA so there’s always the thought in the back of the mind about players getting knocks; especially the fragile ones but thankfully Daniel Sturridge and company got through seeming unscathed.  Even though these are only gloried practice matches were the result is meaningless if you don’t win but a confidence booster if you do, I was concerned when I saw Moreno still in a Liverpool shirt – yet another new one.  The first half wasn’t much to get excited about and that’s one thing I didn’t do – get excited but the second half was slightly better mainly because we scored twice.  Dom Solanke’s effort would have been worthy of a song of joy at any level and Origi was in the right place at the right time to seal a place in the final – more songs of joy.  I think the younger lads show more in these games than those who know they’re in the reckoning and Woodburn in the first half certainly caught the eye as did Ryan Kent on a couple of occasions in the second.  Thought Grujic was doing his best to get sent off but that apart a bit more pleasing on the eye than the Wigan show.  It must have also been hard for some of the squad to cope with a Crystal Palace team trying to play football!  Leicester in the final on Sunday!  Will Jürgen’s Cup Final luck finally change?

 

Wigan Piers: The days when every player reported for pre-season training at the same time have long gone and from what I gather Emre Can has only just started his holiday and is probably negotiating the price of a sun bed instead of talking a new contract.  The news that Mohamed Salah would get a run at Wigan probably meant even more travellers made the short trip to the Rugby League capital of, er Wigan.  The turnout was around 13,000 – more than Wigan got for a Rugby League game the night before – and most of the crowd were Liverpool fans.  They got to see Salah score right on halftime to level the game up but apart from that it was typical match practice stuff with the second half being somewhat less exciting than the first.  A one-all draw was about right.  I know they say it’s all about fitness but if anybody at Anfield or in Boston thinks we can get by with a make do and mend defence again when the real stuff starts I hoped they watched this because we can’t and the clock is beginning to tick.  I think there’s a bit of frustration around and not only amongst the support.