The point of friendlies?

[kopdan]

Its more of a general question but I guess it is directed at LFC but what are the point of them.

Now i'm not stupid and sort of get the jist but if I use the example of England for a second, perhaps I will make more sense.

I'm not a follower of international football but watched with interest under Svens management and other before how the friendly games were handled. It was rare to see a full strength team out there for more than 30 minutes at times with managers choosing to make hundreds of substitutions to justify callups. For me it always made more sense to use the full team and blood a couple of players each time giving them a proper workout and allowing the team to gell a lot more. It was clear the england team hadnt gelled even up to the world cup with Sven not knowing what system worked despite all those minutes of friendly football.

Now take LFC. We have made some major signings, first team signings yet it seems Rafa has gone for the "shop window" approach and resisting the urge to play a proper team. Severl kids have been played which is fine but it seems to me that the likes of Diao, Pongolle and Traore are more match fit than the likes of Alonso, Gerrard and Crouch just before we start the season.

Personally I am one for playing your best team at all times and pre season for me is no different BUT during the few weeks before the season, I think its time to experiment with results not mattering. I would have had a much stronger squad out on the pitch allowing the new signings time to gel with the current squad and yes at times allowing some younger players to play but for me this pre season has been a strange one, almost not taken seriously.

Palletta is likely to play this year in the Prem yet I havent seen him play alongside Hyypia Riise or Finnan yet. And based on the goals shipped, perhaps we wont but surely pre season is a time to introduce new signings?

We have a qualifier coming up now and then the Community Shield where I expect a team to play together for the first time competively.

These trips away are fine and dandy but I expect to have gained something out of it.

Anyway rant over.

I hate friendlies

[red g]

they have been useful for the youngsters to get a bit of valuable experience, stupid idea of putting traore and diao in the shop window....the less they play the more likely we are to sell them I also think Yesterday shows howimportant Reina isto us,not just between the sticks but the confidence he gives the defence

I just hope this disastrous (cant remember i worse pre-season) has a galvanising effecton the time and we kick ass from wednesday.

[kopdan]

useful experience would have been playing alongside Sami, Finnan and Riise say, not alongside a makeshift rightback, Traore and Reina in midfield.

Do you see my point?

[red g]

I see exactly your point and having hobbs have to play with traore could scar him for life I suppose that if Hobbs could play with carragher/sami we could see how he adapts. Yeh see yr point playing Anderson on the right with Finnan behind, something we potentially may see. The likey hood of Anderson in the middle this year is minimal to say the least.

Pointless they may be, but at least they felt part of the squad though!

[kopdan]

lol they got play with CL winner Djimi Traore at least

[red g]

lol they got play with CL winner Djimi Traore at least

Something to tell there kids

[ronan]

while i do agree with you on certain points i believe using the england farce is not a good analogy.
the main difference for me being that A. sven had no clue as to what his starting XI should be where as im quite sure rafa does
and B. for the majority of englands friendlies is was all about looking at players in certain positions and not in building up their fitness.

in relation to last nights game in the starting XI that rafa put out he id exactly what you called for, an integrating of the new players along side established players.

now while it certainly wasnt our best XI out there on the pitch it was without doubt a very strong team.
i expect this team plus 1 or 2 changes will be what starts aginst haifa.
in rafas mind i believe we have 3 more friendlies, not 2 , before the start of our campaign to get everybody fit.
haifa ,chelsea and licoln will all be used to get that starting XI ready for sheff utd on opening day.

[PTP]

I know it wrong forum but i'm on my mobile. Just met rick parry in manchester airport. Kuyt deal on. More to follow when i get back. Ptp

[red g]

I know it wrong forum but i'm on my mobile. Just met rick parry in manchester airport. Kuyt deal on. More to follow when i get back. Ptp

good work

[Bob]

Its more of a general question but I guess it is directed at LFC but what are the point of them.

Now i'm not stupid and sort of get the jist but if I use the example of England for a second, perhaps I will make more sense.

I'm not a follower of international football but watched with interest under Svens management and other before how the friendly games were handled. It was rare to see a full strength team out there for more than 30 minutes at times with managers choosing to make hundreds of substitutions to justify callups. For me it always made more sense to use the full team and blood a couple of players each time giving them a proper workout and allowing the team to gell a lot more. It was clear the england team hadnt gelled even up to the world cup with Sven not knowing what system worked despite all those minutes of friendly football.

Now take LFC. We have made some major signings, first team signings yet it seems Rafa has gone for the "shop window" approach and resisting the urge to play a proper team. Severl kids have been played which is fine but it seems to me that the likes of Diao, Pongolle and Traore are more match fit than the likes of Alonso, Gerrard and Crouch just before we start the season.

Personally I am one for playing your best team at all times and pre season for me is no different BUT during the few weeks before the season, I think its time to experiment with results not mattering. I would have had a much stronger squad out on the pitch allowing the new signings time to gel with the current squad and yes at times allowing some younger players to play but for me this pre season has been a strange one, almost not taken seriously.

Palletta is likely to play this year in the Prem yet I havent seen him play alongside Hyypia Riise or Finnan yet. And based on the goals shipped, perhaps we wont but surely pre season is a time to introduce new signings?

We have a qualifier coming up now and then the Community Shield where I expect a team to play together for the first time competively.

These trips away are fine and dandy but I expect to have gained something out of it.

Anyway rant over.

I hate friendlies

You copied and pasted that from somewhere didn't you?!

Can you put that in five bullet points for me and i'll furnish you with a sensible reply. Thank you.

[kopdan]

.robmcready {
font:ironbru;
font-size:in ya face;
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display: if you have to;
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[dww]

I think friendlies have two main purposes:

1/ To get players as close to match fit as possible.

2/ To establish a pattern of play. Hopefully if the shape/philosophy of the team is well enough instilled in the entire squad they should have no problem slotting into the team.

Ultimately I think we have treated the games we have played more as fitness exercises. I would agree with you that by playing a few first team players in key positions it makes it easier to establish the way of playing which we want to carry into the season.

[Shaggy]

I know it wrong forum but i'm on my mobile. Just met rick parry in manchester airport. Kuyt deal on. More to follow when i get back. Ptp

Please don't take this the wrong way, as I appreciate what you're passing on.

However...presumably you're not mates with Parry? Why would he tell a passer-by in the airport that a deal for Kuyt was on?!

[Bob]

.robmcready {
font:ironbru;
font-size:in ya face;
color: tartan;
display: if you have to;
}

And i'm a, "programming geek". :whatever:

Neither misspelling my name or associating me with being Scottish will grate me.

Calling me a Dundonian on the other hand

[Bob]

Please don't take this the wrong way, as I appreciate what you're passing on.

However...presumably you're not mates with Parry? Why would he tell a passer-by in the airport that a deal for Kuyt was on?!

Perhaps he was holding his baggage to ransom.