Pre Season Thread

[el matador]

We have to accept that teams will get at our back four easily while Gerrard plays the anchor role. Its hard enough playing with one dm but when its Steve its worse. He lets people run off him too easily like last season. Too many times he got caught too high up the pitch and there was a massive hole infront of the back four. For a dm hes behind the play too often for my liking.

We looked better when he went off but its only pre season. But those frailties are still there.

[Fredo]

So how does this work out? If we beat Milan on Monday we play again on Wednesday?

[Vermilion]

Glad i stayed up although bit tired now. Two new fullbacks & a CF are definitely a necessity. Between Enrique & Robinson, both got absolutely roasted by Navas. Kelly & Johnson on the other side were just as bad, Kelly has an excuse.. Johnson is just done.

Thought Sterling was outstanding, man of the match.. what a player! Coutinho has great approach play and technique, but his final ball & his shooting are pretty bloody frustrating!!! I thought Hendo had good second half & Can was very impressive. Hendo & Coutinho really need to get in the goals this season. I do worry about Gerrard, just hasn't look right since the slip, games passing him by & doesn't look right mentally. His whole body language is all wrong.. poor ****er said last 3 months was worst of his life. Hopefully he gets back to form soon.

Felt sorry for Lambert, just not mobile enough for the position and job he was asked to do. Don't know if we should be concerned about Sturridge, he hasn't played well for awhile now & his form dipped at the end of last season. In World Cup or in pre season he hasn't looked sharp either.

Anyways was great game to watch, attacking wise we were brilliant in the last 20.. that amazing goal by Sterling should have stood. Defensively we were an absolute shambles, although so were City to be fair.

He'll have it thrown in his face too this season form opposing fans. We really need to win a title to put this to bed for the lad.

Lets hope he go's from that slip....to scoring the goal that seals the title.......... for us obviously.

Football has a way of making this sort of thing happen too. Heres hoping.

[The_weatherman]

So how does this work out? If we beat Milan on Monday we play again on Wednesday?

Isn't Milan on saturday?

[Alex]

Milan is Saturday, and the final is the Monday.

It'd be quite nice to get to it, as we never seem to play Man Utd in a friendly match.

[baronvonskidmark]

Great game to watch and I got the same chuffed feeling as if we had won a league match - even though its pre-season.

It was incredible the amount of times our attack broke down through Allen and/or Enrique though. We desperately need a LB and Can already looks far superior to Allen.

Sahko was immense when he came on and his strength and composure on the ball really helped us. He's a great defender but also adds a lot to our attacks through his winning the ball and accurate distribution with it. Hopefully Lovren will add more of this.

Sterling - what can you say? Fantastic little player who will get better and better and will be crucial to us this season, especially if Markovic takes a while to settle in.

I agree with others that Gerrard seems a bit rusty - hopefully this can be ironed out in the next two (or three) games.

The other thing I noticed is that Sturridge also seems to be off his game at the moment. He is a great player, but if he has an off day he doesn't bring much to the team. Again hopefully this can be sorted soon.

Overall a fantastic preseason match. Come on you reds!

[RedReet]

For all the talk of our shambolic defence and for all the pre match predictions, I thought we looked pretty solid first half. You wouldn’t have thought it reading this thread, but I thought Kolo played well first half. Equally, bar being done for pace a few times, I can’t remember Enrique giving Navas too much joy, it’s wasn’t until Robinson came on that he found any end product.

Goals were obviously shambolic and there were massive holes second half, but considering it’s still pre-season with a make-shift defence, some of the reactions are a bit dramatic.

[Vermilion]

[Fierce]

Anyone seen any highlights? Sounds like it might be fun to watch

[chadrtc]

The most exciting thing was that in the last 20 minutes, we started to look like the crazy team from last season... City were hanging on at the end and only survived Raheem's worldwide due to an incorrect offside decision.

We could be in for another roller coaster ride this season!

[chadrtc]

Anyone seen any highlights? Sounds like it might be fun to watch

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22hap9_all-goals-manchester-city-2-3-liverpool-highlights-and-penalties-31-07-2014_sport#from=embediframe

[G]

United are playing Real Madrid aren't they? No guarantee they'll be in the final.

[el matador]

First half they were the better team by miles. Second half we were much better especially when can came into the midfield for Allen, and sterling came on for lambert. Sakho also looked very strong.

Last 10 mins man city were ****ting themselves but it was end to end all the way.

[Fierce]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22...om=embediframe

[The_weatherman]

First half they were the better team by miles. Second half we were much better especially when can came into the midfield for Allen, and sterling came on for lambert. Sakho also looked very strong.

Last 10 mins man city were ****ting themselves but it was end to end all the way.

I fell a sleep in almost after kick off I think but woke up at around 55 minutes. Thought we were good as you say but after seeing this, I look forward to seeing our new team this season, Henderson, Can, Coutinho and Sterling can give most midfields a fight I reckon, with Lallana and Markovic to come in as well. We have great depth now in midfield. Sakho was a rock and is we sort out the fullbacks and Lovren settles in we should be a much more difficult side this season.

Seeings Brendans comments about us trying three formations in the game also explains the team being a little bit disjointed, but the last 20 minutes or so we were excellent. Looking forward to see the team against Milan now.

Glad to see us playing some decent teams in pre-season as well.