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Adam Lallana: ‘It’s been a tough journey to full fitness.’

It certainly was not pretty, but Liverpool claimed another three points with a 1-0 win over Huddersfield to stay level with reigning champions Man City atop the Premier League table after nine games.

 

While it was a game lacking in memorable moments, there were a couple of noteworthy factors to come out of the contest.

 

In terms of the team as a whole, Liverpool registered a sixth clean sheet which sees the Reds set a club record for fewest goals conceded to start a league campaign (three in nine games).

 

While in terms of individual performances, there was pleasing news for Mo Salah and Adam Lallana, albeit for differing reasons.

 

The Egyptian maestro scored the winning goal in the 24th minute, which was only his second goal in six league games.

 

For most players, that is a pretty handy ratio, but for someone who seemingly scored in every game in 2017/8 it felt like a "form slump." as he did not look his normal self in and around the attacking third.

 

However the 25 year-old who registered 50th goal in English football with his strike against the Terriers' was not concerned in the slightest.

 

"It's a good feeling but I wasn't worried, I don't worry, in the end we got the three points" the Liverpool Echo reported.

 

The other player with plenty to smile about after the hard-fought contest was Adam Lallana.

 

The English international has had a wretched time in the past 12 months due to thigh, hamstring and groin injuries.

 

The midfielder only made 12 appearances in 2017/8 with his last start before yesterday coming on New Years Day against Burnley.

 

lallana1_600.jpg

 

Lallana started in place of the injured Sadio Mane against Huddersfield and admitted it had been a tough journey to full fitness.

 

"It's been tough" the Echo reported. "The first injury I had was probably the easiest to get back from. It's just been the constant setbacks that I've had since."

 

"At times you doubt yourself and you doubt your body, but I feel I'm in a really good place now and it was good to be out there.

 

"As a footballer, it's what you want to do, you want to play games and feel like you're contributing.”

 

Lallana played 69 minutes in an energetic display and his performance bodes well for more opportunities in the games ahead.

 

"It's a long season, it was only a few weeks ago where I was thinking: 'Where's my next game going to come from when I'm back fit?'

 

"You work hard over the international break and unfortunately, a few of the lads came back injured. That's when you need your squad.

 

"Throughout the course of the season, everyone is going to contribute if you want to achieve something special.”

 

Liverpool are looking to mount strong challenges domestically and in Europe this season.

 

With that in mind, it is imperative that experienced players like the 30-year-old and Daniel Sturridge stay fit and motivated, as Jurgen Klopp will certainly call upon them to play an important role for the side.

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Lallana can be a very good player but he spends far too much time over elaborating on the ball in midfield ( fair enough twisting and turning in the box where defenders are shit scared of bringing him down) and going into rash challenges where he inevitably comes off worse and then spends a few months in rehab. Rinse and repeat.

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2 minutes ago, magicrat said:

Lallana can be a very good player but he spends far too much time over elaborating on the ball in midfield ( fair enough twisting and turning in the box where defenders are shit scared of bringing him down) and going into rash challenges where he inevitably comes off worse and then spends a few months in rehab. Rinse and repeat.

This is where most of the problems are coming from with the team's attacking moves at the moment. Players are taking three touches with the ball, when the third touch should have been the pass to a player that has made a decent run into space. As a result of not receiving the ball, the runs become less intelligent and players then take extra touches instead and before you know it the players are running into dead ends and not passing to each other. Even if they do, the player receiving is no longer expecting it and the move breaks down.

 

Last season players were taking a couple of touches at the most - even the goal from yesterday was Gomez moving forward passing quickly to Shaqiri, he then took one, maybe two touches then passes quick to Salah and bang. Goal.

 

Pass and move, it's the Liverpool groove.

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3 minutes ago, Shooter in the Motor said:

This is where most of the problems are coming from with the team's attacking moves at the moment. Players are taking three touches with the ball, when the third touch should have been the pass to a player that has made a decent run into space. As a result of not receiving the ball, the runs become less intelligent and players then take extra touches instead and before you know it the players are running into dead ends and not passing to each other. Even if they do, the player receiving is no longer expecting it and the move breaks down.

 

Last season players were taking a couple of touches at the most - even the goal from yesterday was Gomez moving forward passing quickly to Shaqiri, he then took one, maybe two touches then passes quick to Salah and bang. Goal.

 

Pass and move, it's the Liverpool groove.

yep ,that's fair enough but Lallana doesn't give you that. Klopp needs to put it on the line to him.

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1 minute ago, El Rojo said:

If his name was Adam Smith and he was a Scottish economist from the 1700s and didn’t wear ripped jeans and do the floss you’d all be raving about him. 

Great player, he was. Had a knack for predicting the Scottish economy before, during and after matches. He knew how to repair jeans too, he just rarely bother to get them repaired. 

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He was absolutely boss the year of 2016 and when he played in the latter part of 2016-17. He simply cannot play in the front 3, even at his fittest he was dire there for us. Hopefully he can just stay fit for an extended period and get back to a decent level, he will be a good option to have with Ox out and Keita struggling more than previously anticipated.

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6 minutes ago, stringvest said:

He’ll be an automatic choice when fit

I doubt he'll remain fit. Got a touch of the Sturridge about him, maybe when he's down to the last year of his contract he'll be less injury prone.

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If he's fit, John Maynard Keynes gets the shirt every time for me.

 

But because of the controversy of how commentators would pronounce his surname, and to appear like a slick South American, he should have "Maynard" on the back of his jersey.

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2 hours ago, skend04 said:

Something has gone terribly wrong if Lallana is an automatic first choice after we have spent £100m on the midfield in one transfer window.

To be fair there’s one other spot alongside Keita and Fabinho. 

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