Pre-Season Shorts - Athletic Bilbao 1 Liverpool 3

1) The first half an hour was quality, but then as soon as the tempo dropped we looked ropey as hell at the back up until half time. This is our big problem really. When we play at our pace we can beat absolutely anybody. When that pace drops off, as it inevitably does at some point, we can just look bang average. That intensity and manic style is what makes us good, but it's impossible to sustain it over a full game, let alone a full season.

2) Moreno isn’t going anywhere is he? Hell, he might even start at Watford if Milner is used in midfield. How have we got to this point? It’s mad. At the beginning of the summer we thought we were getting Naby Keita to strengthen the midfield, we knew Moreno would be off and we’d be getting a left back to provide cover / competition for Milner. Yet somehow Moreno is not only still here, he seems to be Klopp’s new blue eyed boy and Milner is being talked about as our 'new midfielder'. Hey Jurgen, May 2016 called, it wants its two big problems back.

3) Roberto Firmino has looked razor sharp in pre-season even if he hasn’t been scoring much from open play. His movement and link up play is great and makes life so much easier for Mané and Salah. I expect a big season from him, and letting him take penalties is probably a good move as anything to help his goal tally should be welcomed, as it’s the one real knock anyone could have against him as a centre forward. If he's on pens, he'll get over 20 goals this season without breaking sweat.

4) Throughout pre-season I’ve been pointing out what a difficult few months are ahead for Adam Lallana’s hair as he navigates his way through that difficult 'in-between stage' as he transitions from short hair to long. Those of us who’ve been there know what a trying time this is, but it’s even worse when you’re in the public eye and not able to wear a hat. So let’s just say the news that we won’t see Lallana for the next three months due a ‘thigh strain’ did not surprise me too much. All a little too convenient that. Bet he's counting the days to his big reveal in October though, when he runs onto the field as a sub and everyone goes “WHOA!! Is that Lallana??”. He'll be like a new signing, and if Klopp's post match comments are anything to go by, that looks like being the closest thing we're going to get to any more of those.

5) Dom Solanke has been the biggest plus from pre-season. This is not a kid who is going to spend much time in the under 23s as he looks ready now. He reminds me so much of a young Diego Costa, and if he turns out to be anywhere near that good Chelsea will be kicking themselves. He's not ready to start every week but there’s definitely something there. He comes alive in the box and seems to be able to find space easily. He can finish too, especially with his head. The goal he scored against Bilbao was quality. He pointed to where he wanted the cross and then he planted a header into the corner. He also did really well for the assist on Woodburn’s goal too.

6) Speaking of Woodburn, that was a lovely goal from him. Nice first touch and a great finish with his weaker foot. He looks comfortable in midfield and playing a season there in the u23s this year (sprinkled in with the odd cup game for the first team) should do him the world of good as he learns the position properly.

7) What do we do about Origi? He was already behind Firmino and Sturridge, but Solanke looks to have flown past him too with what he’s shown so far. Origi is just so frustrating, as every now and then there’s a flash there but too often he’s just not doing enough. He missed a great chance in the first half that would have capped off a brilliant team move, and then he put a header just wide soon after. Solanke is burying those kind of opportunities, and unless Origi ups his game I don’t see how he even makes the bench this year. And if Ings comes back at his best level he’ll be behind him too. The fitness records of Sturridge and Ings might mean Klopp can’t afford to sell Origi, but I don't think this year is going to be much fun for Divock.

8) We can’t go into the season with what we have at centre half. Klavan and Gomez aren’t strong enough back up for the first choice pair, and many would suggest the first choice two can be easily improved on (well, one of them anyway, sorry Dejan). I like Gomez, he looks really good in these games, except for when he doesn’t. There’s one or two moments every game where he does something a bit lax. It’s understandable as he’s only 20, and not many 20 year olds can play centre back for top teams because this is what they do, even the good ones. In an ideal world he could go out on loan and make those mistakes playing for someone else, but can we afford to do that? Not unless we sign another centre back, and even then we might still need to keep Gomez as cover. If nobody else leaves on loan, our u23 side this season are going to be like the ‘Arsenal Invincibles’.

9) It might take Andrew Robertson a few months to get completely up to speed. He's good going forward but defensively he'll need to put some work in, and from what I've heard from those who have watched the training sessions, the rest of the squad are fitter and stronger than him. This probably explains why Moreno is still circling around the bowl and hasn't been flushed yet.

Dave Usher

@theliverpoolway