Pre Season Friendly Thread 18/19
- Thread starter BaZ87
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Comfortably the better side throughout the game - the other difference between the two halves is we took our chances in the second half. Not sure if I'm happy with the Sturridge and Shaqiri goal's though. Sturridge has given me hope that he's not finished and Shaqiri's now going to try that every week - their goals are only going to lead to disappointment in the long run.
Despite what I've said above, I refuse to get excited by Sturridge. He cannot or will not sprint anymore. I think it was the Dortmund game where Solanke played a throughball towards him and you automatically thought he's in here but Sturridge just gave up on it. His technical ability and finishing is still there but he's never going to be close to the player he was.
You think? I'm far from convinced and that's not to say he'll be benched most of the time but I think he'll be one of a number of options in midfield as he's been ever since Klopp arrived.
Keita is the only one I can see being close to a certainty in the side, mainly because he's the only one of that type of midfielder we have.
Another decent performance from us. Being pre-season it's always difficult to judge but we looked sharp in attack today.
We really could have done with another couple of games before the season kicks-off because you can see the difference Alisson brings to the side in terms of playing out of the back. We were much more willing to knock the ball about and invite teams onto us - today everything went to plan but in a proper game, with greater intensity that's going to come under more pressure and we could be at risk in the early weeks of the season as we learn to adapt to that.
I just think with our midfield options, other than Keita (and that may have been different had Ox been fit), we don't have anybody that stands out over the others. We could go with Fabinho, Keita, Milner one week then, Fabinho, Hendo, Keita the next and then Hendo, Gini, Keita the next without there being any fundamental difference in how we play nor any noticable change in quality. It's only really Keita, with his driving runs and creativity, that we lack alternatives for.
We really could have done with another couple of games before the season kicks-off because you can see the difference Alisson brings to the side in terms of playing out of the back. We were much more willing to knock the ball about and invite teams onto us - today everything went to plan but in a proper game, with greater intensity that's going to come under more pressure and we could be at risk in the early weeks of the season as we learn to adapt to that.
Agree that in tougher games we may go with both him and Fabinho but I suspect it'll be Fabinho sitting and Henderson in the more advanced role. It's easy to sometimes forget that Henderson wasn't/isn't a natural sitting midfielder - he was very much a box to box player and has the energy and intensity in his game to play similarly to how we see Milner & last season Can played in the more advanced midfield role. I've not sure Fabinho has what it takes, from a physical point of view, to play in the more advanced roles and lead our pressing. Hendo definitely does.I can't see Henderson playing over Lallana or Gini against park the bus type teams, doesn't score or assist enough for that imo.
I think he'll play the Alonso role against the stronger teams though with Keita and Fabinho playing similar roles to Gerrard and Mascherano.
Edit: Mo
I can't recall him having any issues with his heel since the season before last so hopefully it's something behind him.
He's never been that previously, in fact I always got the feeling Klopp preferred Can to him when he had the option of choosing between them, particularly in the bigger games. One thing with Klopp though is that he doesn't just pick his favourites - if you get your chance in the side and you play well then it's your spot to lose. We've seen that with Can/Hendo before and particularly at LB last season - it took Robertson an age to get his chance in the side but he took it with both hands and Moreno struggled to get a look in after.There will be some rotation now I guess but imo Henderson is one of the first names on the team sheet when fit. Nice to have some options in there.
I just think with our midfield options, other than Keita (and that may have been different had Ox been fit), we don't have anybody that stands out over the others. We could go with Fabinho, Keita, Milner one week then, Fabinho, Hendo, Keita the next and then Hendo, Gini, Keita the next without there being any fundamental difference in how we play nor any noticable change in quality. It's only really Keita, with his driving runs and creativity, that we lack alternatives for.
I'm half serious. He's fast becoming a bit of a cult hero with his dodgy clothes, Bob Marley songs and pistol celebration thing he done for our TV channel. And I know it's just pre-season but he's impressed with his performances.
I know he had his issues at Stoke but in the least patronising way possible, I think he realises that he's at a big club now, that he can't get away with what he could at Stoke and probably most important of all, he looks like he's thriving playing with better players. If pre-season is anything to go by then I think we might see him feature more than I probably expected when we signed him.