Coach relishing Rovers test

[RedReet]

2-0

Lovely ball from suso, lovely ball from ince and Amoo finishes it off

It's was a beautiful goal, two quality passes and a nice composed finish.

Suso.

[red g]

finished 2-0.

We played very well.

Suso is the real deal
Silva looks very promising if a tad erratic at moment.
Flanagan looks like a promising local lad to.
Amoo is quick

[Reece]

A Liverpool XI maintained their impressive pre-season form with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday night.

The John McMahon managed side created the better chances throughout the match and deservedly took the spoils courtesy of an own goal from David McNamara and a clinical finish from David Amoo.

The Reds had arrived at Prenton Park having already secured a Senior Cup double this summer and, with as many as seven players returning from first-team duty, they kicked off the contest in buoyant mood.

However, it was the home side who were first to threaten as Adam McGurk fizzed in a shot that Dean Bouzanis was forced to save inside 60 seconds.

The visitors responded and a marauding run from Amoo saw the winger surge from within his own penalty area before teeing up Nikola Saric 20 yards out, but the striker saw his attempted strike well blocked by a Rovers defender.

There was a vibrant style to Liverpool's attacking play in the early stages and on 12 minutes they put together a sublime move that should have resulted in the opening goal. A sensational pass from Suso allowed Tom Ince to power down the left and deliver a sublime cross that Saric seemed all-set to guide home, only to misjudge the flight of the ball at the last second.

It was a miss that was followed by a lull in the proceedings until Max Power drilled a shot straight at Bouzanis after a neat exchange with Ryan Fraughan on the half hour mark.

Back up the other end and a long throw caught the Rovers backline at sixes and sevens, allowing Ince to race through and crash a volley over the top from a tight angle.

Fraughan then lashed a 20 yard strike inches past the post before Saric saw his flicked header cleared off the line as the first 45 ended with a flurry of chances.

McMahon's half-time team talk would no doubt have seen him urge his charges to regain the composure that had seen them exert their authority in the early stages of the contest.

The introduction of flamboyant Portuguese star, Toni Silva was a sign of the coach's intent and the teenager could well have been celebrating the opening goal himself, had McNamara not stabbed Amoo's low cross into his own net soon after the restart.

It was an early blow for the hosts but they should have levelled immediately when Jay Gibbs contrived to guide a free header from a right-wing corner way off target.

It would be as close as they would come to threatening an upset as Liverpool stepped up a gear and started to play the more controlled football.

Silva almost doubled the advantage with a blockbusting strike that Joe Collister was pleased to see crash into his midriff, before the away side put together an incisive move that put them firmly in control.

Another great piece of vision from Suso sent Ince clear and when the winger unselfishly crossed for Amoo, the forward had the simplest task of slipping a first-time shot past Collister.

At this point the Reds were well in ascendancy and Collister had to be at his best to beat away substitute Alex Cooper's venomous long range strike.

To their credit, Tranmere kept plugging away and almost reduced the arrears on 70 minutes when McGurk flashed an effort wide of Bouzanis' far post.

But it was Liverpool's day and Suso could have capped a fine showing with a spectacular drive that came within a whisker of nestling in the left-hand corner of Collister's net.

Liverpool XI: Dean Bouzanis, John Flanagan, Jack Robinson, Victor Palsson (Alex Cooper 46), Andre Wisdom (c) (Conor Coady 60), Daniel Ayala, David Amoo (Michael Ngoo 77), Steven Irwin, Nikola Saric (Toni Silva 46), Suso, Tom Ince (Gerardo Bruna 70). Unused subs: Deale Chamberlain.

[-V-]

Suso looks the ****ing business. Amazing find. He's like a left footed Xabi ! Incredible talent for a boy his age. We could be onto a real winner here

[red g]

actually really reminds me of Fabregas, Seems to play further forward than Xabi did

[-V-]

I know what you mean because he seems quite fast and mobile but his range of passing and his vision reminds me of xabi

[red g]

I know what you mean because he seems quite fast and mobile but his range of passing and his vision reminds me of xabi

he just looks like a quality player, the ball he played to ince for the second was xabi-esque for sure

[Shaggy]

Suso looks the ****ing business. Amazing find. He's like a left footed Xabi ! Incredible talent for a boy his age. We could be onto a real winner here

actually really reminds me of Fabregas, Seems to play further forward than Xabi did

I know what you mean because he seems quite fast and mobile but his range of passing and his vision reminds me of xabi

He's like an amalgamation of Xabi, Xavi and Iniesta! Pure class. He totally ran the show in the 2nd half. His position was the 'classic no.10' as they say, but he comes pretty deep to get the ball at times.

Silva is exciting but looks typically erratic and dopey like so many wingers. Time to iron all that out though.

Suso is the star but most of that side have got something to work with. Ayala oozes class at that level, Wisdom looks a ****ing beast as does Coady, Flanagan is rock solid and Robinson played well after a poor start. Ince also had a **** start but showed glimpses of great potential in the 2nd half.

Exciting. I don't wanna go overboard but I think this is the most exciting crop of youngsters we've had for years. There's a big drop out rate and there's loads of work for them to do, but plenty of these have a chance to make it.

[Shaggy]

Also when the LFC TV commentator asked Aldo if Pacheco and Suso could play in the same side, it occurred to me - they could become a Xavi-Iniesta style partnership.

Seriously. They're both special young talents.

[red g]

Also when the LFC TV commentator asked Aldo if Pacheco and Suso could play in the same side, it occurred to me - they could become a Xavi-Iniesta style partnership.

Seriously. They're both special young talents.

from this 'golden generation' some of them have to make it for sure.

I thought Bruna was getting released though? has he been given a second chance?

[red g]

Also just seen Pepper in the youth team line squad....wasnt he released as well?

[BigChief]

Once Duran left I thought we'd have nothing creative in the middle barring Pacheco. But Suso has just shown himself as a future £80 million player for sure. So mature for a 16 year old. Not even 18, just 16. Potentially could be better than Wilshere/Ramsay.

Shame my man Cooper wasn't playing on the left. He should have replaced Ince there who is beginning to believe his own hype and lose his focus on what's important in trying to break through.

[red g]

Once Duran left I thought we'd have nothing creative in the middle barring Pacheco. But Suso has just shown himself as a future £80 million player for sure. So mature for a 16 year old. Not even 18, just 16. Potentially could be better than Wilshere/Ramsay.

Shame my man Cooper wasn't playing on the left. He should have replaced Ince there who is beginning to believe his own hype and lose his focus on what's important in trying to break through.

cooper came on in second half.

thought ince did pretty well today.

[BigChief]

cooper came on in second half.

thought ince did pretty well today.

Yes I know Cooper came on, was looking forward to seeing him.

But he wasn't played on the left, ergo his skills and sweet left foot were wasted. Ince did alright but I'm not as impressed with him so far this season as I was last. Same applies for Amoo who's quickly turning into another Babel (without the super tweeter).

[Shaggy]

from this 'golden generation' some of them have to make it for sure.

I thought Bruna was getting released though? has he been given a second chance?

Duran got released mate, you thinking of him?

Forgot to mention Bruna, he looked improved in his cameo. He's got all the skill in the world but needed to make better decisions and toughen up. His use of the ball was a lot better tonight.