Pre-Season Shorts - Leicester 1 Liverpool 2

[tlw content]

1) Coutinho in that deeper role is twice the player he is when he’s in the front three. He seems to score more goals when he plays in midfield (it would be interesting to see the numbers on that, but it feels like he scores every time he plays deep), he's more consistent and he can still do all the things he does from the left wing, plus a whole lot more. He was pulling all the strings and pinging balls to the full backs, and the pass for Salah’s goal was class.

 

2) Salah looks like he’s going to be just like having another Mané. All the things Mané gave us last season, Salah is going to give us that too. Mané not being fit yet is the biggest downer of pre-season as I can’t wait to see both of them on the field together.

 

3) Klopp getting into it with Bobby Madley was hilarious.

 

4) The absolute kip of the Leicester assistant manager. If he wasn’t in football he’d start his days with a good old English fry up in his “local caf” before doing free weights in front of the mirrors in the gym. He’d spend his afternoon in the Wetherspoons in his overly tight, fitted white shirt, having the barman deliver drinks to any small group of young ladies in there with the message “these are from the gentleman at the end of the bar”. When they look over, he smiles, showing off his bleached white gnashers, and makes his pecks jiggle up and down.

 

I may be doing him a complete disservice and he could be the nicest guy in the world, but he looks like a goon.

 

 

 

5) Rihad Mahrez looked like someone who badly wants out. Every time he got the ball he just tried to dribble past people, and usually he was stopped in his tracks fairly easily. I think he’s a quality player and I’d be happy for us to sign him, but there’s a reason why no-one has swooped for him yet and it’s probably an attitude thing. 

 

6) The goal we conceded was terrible and there were some other bad defensive lapses too, as Vardy got in behind a little too often for my liking. Karius generally did ok though and was quick off his line quickly on a couple of occasions, but he also got away with a dreadful clearance after Matip put him under pressure with a slack backpass.

7) Despite the mass use of subs in these games, Flanno didn’t get on until the 83rd minute. That doesn’t bode well for him at all really. Fair play to him though, he was having none of those ‘trophy lifting shenanigans’ that some of the others engaged in. * looks disapprovingly at Karius and Klopp * Ben Woodburn also looked fairly sheepish about the whole thing, which tells me that the Academy are doing a good job of teaching ‘the Liverpool Way’.

 

8) I just don’t see where Origi fits in anymore. Our forward line is going to be blistering speed out wide and then a number nine who drops off and links play. Firmino and Sturridge fit that mould, Solanke looks like he can do that too, but Origi is a bad fit now and it would probably make sense to cash in on him and sign another wide player as cover.

 

9) If we sign Keita, competition for midfield places is going to be off the charts. Keita, Lallana, Coutinho and Wijnaldum battling for the two box to box spots, and Hendo and Can as the number six options (with Gini maybe getting the odd run out there too). Where does that leave my boy Grujic though?

 

10) With Robertson now on board I thought this would be the last we’d see of Moreno. Then Milner went off with a knock so maybe not, he might yet still get another runout or two in pre-season. It says a lot about his football though that the only reason for keeping him around is the fear that after Lucas moving on, Coutinho might become unhappy with all his mates leaving him. Might be worth signing another Spanish / South American squad player or two, or keep Moreno and change his job title from 'footballer' to 'club jester' or 'Phil's comfort blanket'.

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[The Golden Eel]

Fucking hell, is that Michael Appleton?! Did he always look like that?

[Creator Supreme]

It is Michael Appleton, until I saw his name in your post I'd forgotten he had binned the Oxford managers job off to be number 2 to that Shakespeare helmet!

 

Edit: And in the words of HMHB "He's on the 'roids!"

[Anubis]

 

 

Coming to a badly-acted Essex gangster movie near you....

 

 

 

 

Where does that leave my boy Grujic though?

Studs deep in Zaha?

[Bjornebye]

I met Appleton when he was in charge at pompey and he was nowhere near that big. Fucking tiny if anything. jesus wept who blew him up? 

[Dr Nowt]

On 8).

 

If we do get our main targets this window, I reckon next summer will see at least 2 if not all of Sturridge, Ings and Origi leaving one way or another, with that position properly focused on then.

 

Likely won't of course, but suspect that's the plan.

[King Kenny 86]

Despite being the best thing on the pitch by a mile lil Phil had that look of a troubled mind. Not to many smiles.

If it is to be let's let's screw Barcelona now and use the cash and move on.

He looks conflicted which may see us getting one more season.

[s(k)aturation]

If it is only to be one more season, let's hope it's a Suarez one.  Or one better.