Liverpool 2 Crystal Palace 0 [Asia Trophy]

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?

 

Published by

John Pearman

Editor of the only remaining Liverpool fanzine, Red All Over The Land. On sale outside Anfield on match days. Started this Fanzine in 1995