Pre Season Tour thread

[Daffy Duck]

Is Downing in the squadra?

[BigChief]

Yes he was Liono

[Assassin]

The behind closed doors game Tuesday is against Newcastle

[Mostar]

Liverpool Goals Pre-Season 2013/14



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgpiEoQdNuI"]Liverpool Goals Pre-Season 2013/14 - YouTube[/ame]

[SB]

Liverpool Goals Pre-Season 2013/14



Liverpool Goals Pre-Season 2013/14 - YouTube

Sweet on the eye.

[Shaggy]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-0-celtic-1-5699112

By James Pearce

Dublin defeat highlights work still to be done

12 Aug 2013 07:46

If there was a danger of complacency creeping in after a pre-season when Liverpool had swept all before them then the ‘Dublin Decider’ could prove to be a valuable exercise.

The Reds’ 100% record bit the dust in the Irish capital as they fluffed their lines in the dress rehearsal for next weekend’s Premier League opener against Stoke City.

Six straight wins against admittedly limited opposition on a gruelling 22,000-mile world tour had provided a succession of positives for Brendan Rodgers amidst the turmoil of the Luis Suarez saga .

Yet at the final fence Liverpool stumbled badly to leave the manager with much to ponder ahead of the start of his second campaign at the helm.

Of course friendly results have little significance but the manner in which Rodgers’ strongest available line-up were beaten by essentially a second string Celtic side was enough to puncture the party atmosphere among Kopites.

How Liverpool failed to cancel out Amido Balde’s early strike at the Aviva Stadium will remain a mystery. They dominated both possession and territory but there was no spark in the final third.

Too often the wrong option was taken and a succession of promising openings came to nothing. Frustration grew and ultimately they lost their way alarmingly.

This was a contest which laid bare the need to further strengthen the squad before the window shuts if the owners are serious about competing for a Champions League spot this term.

Rodgers has been after a left-back all summer and Jose Enrique’s error-strewn display on Saturday merely demonstrated why. The manager hopes to wrap up a deal for Granada’s Guilherme Siqueira.

During a summer when Liverpool to date have made a profit on their transfer dealings, Rodgers has been frustrated in his attempts to land top targets such as Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Diego Costa.

Trying to attract the best without the lure of European football is tough but the Reds clearly still require another attacking option.

Joe Allen is ill suited to the advanced central midfield role, operating in front of Steven Gerrard and Lucas Leiva. The Welshman has always looked more assured when he plays deeper.

Philippe Coutinho, who provided flashes of his breathtaking vision and ability to pick a pass against Celtic, is the obvious choice for that position which demands creativity.

The little Brazilian can have a greater influence on proceedings there but then that gives Rodgers the problem of who to play on the left flank.

Iago Aspas has caught the eye with four goals following his summer move from Celta Vigo but this was a very different test for him.

The Spanish frontman struggled leading the line against the physical might of big centre-back Steven Mouyokolo. He will need to toughen up if he’s going to be a success in English football.

Apsas was brushed off the ball far too easily and it was no surprise when he failed to emerge for the second half.

There was the welcome sight of Daniel Sturridge replacing him as the £12million man made his comeback from the ankle injury he suffered back in May.

Sturridge looked sharp and Liverpool simply can’t afford to ease him in gently over the coming weeks. With Suarez banned, Sturridge is absolutely crucial to the Reds’ hopes of making a positive start.

Kolo Toure produced another accomplished defensive display but the lack of depth at centre-back was exposed.

Andre Wisdom has bags of potential but is young and still learning his trade. What Sebastian Coates is still doing at the club is anyone’s guess and the injured Martin Skrtel remains out of favour.

How the Reds desperately need new vice-captain Daniel Agger back fit to line up alongside Toure against Stoke.

Rodgers had planned to sign a dominant central defender but with a deal for Schalke’s Kyriakos Papadopoulos failing to materialise that gap still hasn’t been filled.

A special bond exists between Liverpool and Celtic and it was fitting that they were reunited 36 years to the day since Kenny Dalglish left Parkhead for Anfield.

The mutual respect among rival fans was clear with the half and half scarf sellers doing a brisk trade. Two clubs united by one iconic anthem but it was those clad in green and white who provided the rousing late rendition.

They had good reason to toast victory given the fact that boss Neil Lennon had made nine changes following their midweek Champions League qualifier with only Emilio Izaguirre and Mikael Lustig retained.

Liverpool trailed inside 12 minutes. Portuguese striker Balde got the better of Wisdom and then enjoyed a slice of good fortune as his shot struck Simon Mignolet and looped up and over the line.

It was the first goal the Belgian keeper had conceded following his £9million move from Sunderland.

The initial response was encouraging. Coutinho, Stewart Downing and Glen Johnson were all denied by Lukasz Zaluska as the Reds carved Celtic apart.

Downing performed with the kind of intent which suggests as a motivational tool he should be told he’s surplus to requirements on a weekly basis.

West Ham are willing to pay £6million and Liverpool’s hierarchy are keen to off-load someone on £80,000 a week who isn’t guaranteed to start.

However, Downing would rather stay and fight and Rodgers must consider carefully whether he can really afford to lose another experienced player.

The longer the game went on, the more ragged Liverpool got as passes went astray. The introduction of Sturridge in the second half improved matters and he curled narrowly wide after a neat move involving Gerrard, Downing and Johnson.

Toure’s header from Gerrard’s free-kick was ruled out for offside and then Coutinho fired wide after a wonderful flick from Sturridge.

Considering he hadn’t kicked a ball in anger since May, the substitute’s impact was hugely impressive. Sturridge always looked the one most likely to restore parity as he sent one lob agonisingly wide before rippling the side-netting from 25 yards.

The phoney war is over but there is business that needs to be done if Liverpool are going to be capable of delivering when it truly matters.

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Mignolet, Johnson, Wisdom, Toure, Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Downing (Ibe 72), Allen (Henderson 58), Coutinho, Aspas (Sturridge 45). Not used: Jones, Alberto, Assaidi, Coates, Borini, Sterling, Kelly, Flanagan.

CELTIC (4-4-2): Zaluska (Forster 45), Matthews, Lustig (Fisher 45), Mouyokolo, Izaguirre (Findlay 65), McGeouch, Kayal (George 85), Irvine, Watt (Henderson 85), Stokes, Balde (Atajic 70). Not used: Herron.

REFEREE: Alan Kelly

[Shaggy]

0-0 v Newcastle after 10 mins

[RichC]

Big Dunc on his bin ?

Seems a strange friendly to have arranged tbh

[RedReet]

Any team news?

[Shaggy]

Pics from Luis Alberto's missus on Twitter

Dunno the team and neither does she.

[RedReet]

Any pics of her then to compensate?

[Shaggy]

1-0 Liverpool

[Reece]

I follow her too - she's quite nice eh

[Shaggy]

Someone reckons this is the starting XI

Ward

McLaughlin
Sama
Toure
Enrique

Texiera
Lucas

Alberto
Coutinho
Aspas

Sturridge

[RedReet]

Whenever I hear about ‘behind closed doors’ matches, I foolishly always imagined them in my head on a big indoor 5-a-side pitch. I now realise how stupid that is.