Pre-Season Shorts - Palace 0 Liverpool 2

1) Before I get to Palace... I didn’t bother posting any thoughts from the Wigan game on Friday as it was just incredibly dull and I couldn't be arsed. If I was to say anything about it, it would have been that Salah looked a bit tasty and that having three centre forwards on the pitch in the second half showed once again that such a tactic always works much better in your head than it does on the pitch. 
 
2) So the Palace game then. It was alright wasn’t it? Henderson is looking great so far, he was pinging diagonals all over the place in this game. I repeat what I said after Tranmere, if he stays fit I reckon he’ll be our player of the season. Over the years I've really grown to appreciate Hendo. He got the armband through default but he's a good captain. Hopefully he'll become a great one, but for that to happen he'll need to be lifting some trophies. 
 
3) The biggest concern I have so far about what I’ve seen in pre-season is Adam Lallana’s hair. It’s not good, I suspect he’s trying to grow it but he’s in that awkward in between stage where most of us would just wear a hat until it was ready to be unleashed on the outside world. Hard to do that when you have to play footy in front of millions of people though, and I feel for Adam. I have faith that he will emerge from this difficult time and be all the better for it, like Joe Allen did. 
 

 
4) Ben Woodburn might actually end up as a central midfielder in the long term. He looked good there, very comfortable and he fits the kind of mould Klopp seems to be looking for in his box to box midfielders, as Lallana, Coutinho are all converted attacking players too. I’m not sure he’s quick enough to make it in attack, but this role suits him as he’s a good footballer with an eye for goal. 
 
5) My boy Grujic doesn’t seem to know what a friendly game is. He was just running round booting people and getting on Bobby Madley’s nerves. I like that. Big fan of his. 
 
6) The 21st minute applause for Lucas was a bit much for me. He’s not dead, he just left, that’s all, and although he was a great lad, he wasn’t Steven Gerrard or John Barnes. I feel like this ‘round of applause in minute x’ thing is being cheapened now as it’s used for any old thing. I guess the Hong Kong fans just wanted to show their appreciation for him and I can understand that, as it’s not like they’ll get another chance to do it. 
 
7) It’s pre-season and I’ve been duped before, so I’ll temper this statement accordingly. Dom Solanke is going to be the best player in the league once he’s had a few months to get up to speed. 
 
8) Ok, I jest. I like him though, he does a lot of things well and has a chance to be very good. If he does turn into a player, it’ll be nice to have put one over on Chelsea. Probably worth tapping up a few more of their kids too, as they’ve got so many good ones who will probably be getting frustrated. Just don’t get caught though, knobheads. 
 
9) That orange kit, what’s the point of it? I mean, it’s too much of a clash with red for us to ever be able to wear it, so what’s the deal there? They’re going to do that annoying thing where they change the kit even when there’s no colour clash aren’t they? I hate that, I feel as though it’s tempting fate and asking for trouble.
 

Dave Usher

@theliverpoolway