Pre-season Friendlies - Summer 2023
- Thread starter Robbo
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Caporegime
Hes not bald or Brazilian so he will get a lot of yellow/red cards from what I have seen.
How is that Kim Min Jae looking for Bayern. Looks a bit lumbering in the few minutes I have watched.
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Caporegime
Spoiler, they aren't. Defensively you still look very frail.
Caporegime
Have you strengthened your defence? Last season it was dire at times. If you haven't I can't see much changing.
Caporegime
Good that we’ve spent the summer and preseason working on our defensive issues.
Massive improvement only conceding 6 goals to German second division teams and another 2 today.
High line and a back 2 FTW.
Massive improvement only conceding 6 goals to German second division teams and another 2 today.
High line and a back 2 FTW.
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Caporegime
I have a guy. Full England international. Speaks pretty good English. £40m?
Been an interesting preseason so far, I almost get the impression that Salahs role will change this year to be more provider than finisher. Seems in preseason that he is the one setting up Jota/Diaz/Gakpo/Nunez rather than being the scorer himself.
It's tricky with Fabinho gone so suddenly, it's kind of ripped the centre out of what Klopp was hoping to do with his new system.
I still reckon that Trent works best as a right back inverting to higher up the pitch, so if we have a box in possession he's one of the advanced two, not one of the deeper two, which may mean playing Alexis or Jones deeper together with a Fabinho replacement. The worry is who that replacement will be. I think Lavia has the potential to be a great player, but he's not a destroyer in the same way that Fabinho was, even at half-speed last season.
I think Jones would be a mistake in that position, I dont think he has the right mentality for the role, he's too much of a forward thinking player to play the defensive role. I wish I could find more footage of this Andre guy we've been linked with to see what he's like. I'd be happy at this point to walk away from Lavia because Southampton seem to be playing silly games but theres not a lot of time now to get someone in. I'm wondering if we shouldnt just drop the Lavia idea and go back in a bit more forcefully for Gravenberch or Thuram
The way I see it is that you have one destroyer and one deep creator when you play a box. Jones and Mac Allister (or Trent) can play the deep creator role. My concern is that Gravenberch and Thuram are both similar to that - they'll drive from deep but not be significantly more destructive than players we already have. Similarly, Lavia is more of a deep creator as well. Which is also a role that Thiago can do, actually.
The most appropriate player we've been linked with is Doucoure imo. I like the look of Sangare at PSV as well. And obviously Caicedo although that's all gone quiet.
Jones is playing there as a needs must. He could play there against lesser opposition when we're going to dominate possession or if we played with two sitting midfielders (as he did at the u21 euros) but you're not going to see him in the 6 much, if at all moving forwards. The system we're playing is always going to leave us somewhat exposed at times but it's not the midfield that causes me most concern but Robertson at LB. When City play this system they end up with a back 3, we end up with a back 2 because Robertson at LB doesn't tuck in and become a CB (allowing everybody to nudge over to the right) but he plays just as he's always played, bombing forwards like a wingback. And while we all want perfection, it's worth noting that most of the goals we've conceded have been when we've ended up with a makeshift side out, with kids and or players playing out of position.
Anyway, Mac Allister is fine. Klopp said it was just a knock and he could have played on if needed.
Anyway, Mac Allister is fine. Klopp said it was just a knock and he could have played on if needed.