Pre-Season Shorts - Atletico Madrid 1 Liverpool 1

1) That was desperately (and predictably) dull. I knew it would be, partly because we played 24 hours earlier and partly because we were playing Atletico, who are the most well drilled, game strangling bastards in Europe.

2) Danny Ward didn’t have too much to do but he looked alright. He was quick off his line early on to snuff out danger, and he made a stunning save that counted for nothing because they scored from the rebound. He was crap on the pens though, instead of bouncing up and down rattling the crossbar, maybe next time watch the taker and try and guess the right way? Just a thought.

3) That was a terrible goal we conceded, and I don’t know what the two centre backs were doing. When the ball went over Milner’s head, the two Atletico forwards ran into the middle anticipating the cross, while Klavan and Gomez stood and ball watched. Not good enough that. Van Dijk can’t get here soon enough because these two are next in line when either Lovren / Matip / both pick up their inevitable injury in September.

4) Adam Lallana’s hair is a long way from being ready for the new season. We’re not going to see it at its best level until November / December time at the very earliest, and possibly not until the second half of the season. That’s assuming he has the patience to wait. I can see him not holding his nerve and getting it cut before we play Watford.

5) Speaking of hair. Antoine Griezmann, what the hell is that on your head, son? You can tell he’s bezzie mates with that Pogba arsehole.

6) That defender for Atletico, Giminez, I don’t like him. He looks like a big dope, a Spanish Phil Jones. Big dopey face, dopey haircut, dopey tattoos. El Dopo.

7) I’ve never seen it happen before, and I doubt we’ll ever see it again, but the ref made a good decision in awarding a pen but also booking Divock Origi for a dive. Very strange, but technically he was right on both counts. Can’t really blame Origi too much for feeling like he had to take a tumble, because usually if you stay up you get nothing.

8) Hendo’s pen was disappointing, especially as at one time he was supposed to be our regular taker (remember the pantomime when Balotelli took the ball off him that time?). I would have been fine with him being next in line behind Milner, but not gonna lie, this has shaken my confidence in him. Firmino took two good ones, my boy Grujic was as cool as a cucumber and Ryan Kent’s was nice too. Origi’s was well placed but I still don’t trust him one bit and fully expected him to miss.

9) If we don’t get Naby Keita - and it doesn’t look likely now - I hope we don’t go and sign some other midfielder just for the sake of it (yes Oxlade-Chamberlain, I’m talking about you). We’ve got Marko Grujic, my boy, and he’s ace. He’s not going to be first choice, but get the lad some time on the pitch as we’ve got a potential diamond there.

Dave Usher

@theliverpoolway