Liverpool 2019-2020: Let's Talk About Six, Baby

67YAZ

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Whatever disappointment there was following a record breaking 2nd place in the EPL has been washed away by winning the Champions League. The overwhelmed looks of joy and release on the players and coaches alike said it all. What Klopp has done is nothing short of amazing given the rollercoaster of the FSG years up until his hire.

And as such, signing Klopp to a new deal is high on Liverpool's priorities these days. There's also talk of extensions for Origi and Milner. Origi is still only 24, so I would not be surprised if he turned down a deal in hopes of walking on a free next year to a side that would put him in the starting XI. There were rumblings that Milner might have wanted a return to Leeds if they were promoted, but not t'was not to be..

Major expiring contracts - Sturridge, Moreno, & Bogdan.

Likely on the way out - Clyne, Mingolet, Grujic

Cloudy futures - Harry Wilson had a super season at Derby and is attracting a lot of interest, will be some push and pull between Liverpool & his agents over a new deal/loan/transfer. Karius had a disastrous season in Turkey, so he's coming back with even less value than last summer. I don't think Lovren will be happy spending another year as a rotation option and have to think Klopp will let him explore the market. And then there's poor Adam Lallana, whose career has become a train wreck of injuries, and is heading into his last year; maybe a loan would serve all parties well.

Young'uns who we might see some of (or maybe not) - Rhian Brewster, Ben Woodburn, Ki-Jana Hoever

Needs - A back up for Alisson. Cover at left and right full back. A 4th CB if Lovren leaves. A young attacker to mix in with Salah-Firmino-Mane. Maybe a young midfielder if the right player is available at the right price.
 
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SoxFanInCali

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Fixture list is out!

August
Friday 9 – Norwich City (H)
Saturday 17 – Southampton (A)
Saturday 24 – Arsenal (H)
Saturday 31 – Burnley (A)

September
Saturday 14 – Newcastle United (H)
Saturday 21 – Chelsea (A)
Saturday 28 – Sheffield United (A)

October
Saturday 5 – Leicester City (H)
Saturday 19 – Manchester United (A)
Saturday 26 –Tottenham Hotspur (H)

November
Saturday 2 – Aston Villa (A)
Saturday 9 – Manchester City (H)
Saturday 23 – Crystal Palace (A)
Saturday 30 – Brighton and Hove Albion (H)

December
Wednesday 4 – Everton (H)
Saturday 7 – Bournemouth (A)
Saturday 14 – Watford (H)
Saturday 21 – West Ham United (A)
Thursday 26 – Leicester City (A)
Saturday 28 – Wolverhampton Wanderers (H)

January
Wednesday 1 – Sheffield United (H)
Saturday 11 – Tottenham Hotspur (A)
Saturday 18 – Manchester United (H)
Tuesday 21 – Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)

February
Saturday 1 – Southampton (H)
Saturday 8 – Norwich City (A)
Saturday 22 – West Ham United (H)
Saturday 29 – Watford (A)

March
Saturday 7 – Bournemouth (H)
Saturday 14 – Everton (A)
Saturday 21 – Crystal Palace (H)

April
Saturday 4 – Manchester City (A)
Saturday 11 – Aston Villa (H)
Saturday 18 – Brighton and Hove Albion (A)
Saturday 25 – Burnley (H)

May
Saturday 2 – Arsenal (A)
Saturday 9 – Chelsea (H)
Sunday 17 – Newcastle United (A)
 

67YAZ

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Aside from the standard English clusterf^%*# of games around the holidays (4 in 12 days), that’s a remarkably balanced fixture list. Derbies and top-6 matchups are pretty well distributed. No complaints.
 

SocrManiac

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Fine with me. He seems to have really bought in to the role and by all reports was a great teammate.
 

SocrManiac

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Ings is officially owned by Southampton. Nice piece of business- bought him from Burnley, saw him tear his ACL, let him feature a few times, and sold him for a profit.

That said, they should just have asked Southampton for a credit memo for whoever they snipe next.
 

SoxFanInCali

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A month and 5 days after the Champions League Final, the team had their first training session for the new season today. 16 players were involved, including first teamers Milner, Fabinho, Matip, and Gomez, guys returning from injury-plagued seasons like Lallana and Oxlade-Chamberlain, and many youngsters hoping to make an impression. New signing Sepp Van den Berg was also present.

Mane scored against Uganda to put Senegal into the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations, but Salah and Egypt are out after losing to South Africa. Naby Keita was already back in Liverpool after picking up an injury during the competition, but is expected to be cleared to train later this month.

Alisson and Firmino will get a 3 week break following tomorrow's Copa America final before joining back up with the squad.

Shaqiri picked up a calf injury in the Nations League game against England and will not be available immediately. Given that the entire front 3 will be recovering from international duty for a few weeks, there should be plenty of opportunities for Rhian Brewster and Ben Woodburn in the early friendlies coming up.

First friendly is Thursday 7/11 against Tranmere Rovers, followed by one on 7/14 vs. Bradford City. The first games against a "name" side will be 7/19 against Dortmund at Notre Dame Stadium followed by Sevilla on 7/21 at Fenway.
 

SocrManiac

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I ended up with three extra tickets to Fenway if anybody's looking. Section 42 (supporters' area). $70/ea face. I'll absorb the other $35 or so in charges.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Link to the Tranmere friendly

http://architana.xyz/tranmere-rovers-vs-liverpool/
Nice finish by Nathaniel Clyne 6 minutes in, was found with a great ball by Rhian Brewster

Wilson finds Brewster at the far post for the 2-0

Yasser Larouci has been exceptional for an 18 year old at LB

Third goal, another for Brewster, off a rebounded Milner shot

Curtis Jones with a tidy finish off a Ben Woodburn back-post cross for the fourth goal

Matip with a long ball over the top to Origi - outstanding first touch to control it and takes it around the keeper for goal 5

Here's the Origi goal: https://streamable.com/04141

Paul Glatzel got the sixth goal, but looks like he has to come off - final sub for Liverpool is their third keeper, may have another Shamal George situation on our hands.

Tranmere pulled one back but it was flagged for a marginal offside... harsh

Indeed, Dan Atherton (3rd keeper) will come on in Glatzel's place

Atherton has now apparently injured one of Tranmere's CBs as he headed the ball out for a Liverpool corner
 
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SocrManiac

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Having some second thoughts about the heat and direct bake in the sun, 4 hours in the car (after 8 yesterday coming back from Bar Harbor). Talk me into this.
 

Granite Sox

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Best chance to see the Reds in Boston... opportunity for photo with the Champions League Cup... LFC alums mingling with the fans... several mainstays may/will feature... early evening start will see things a little bit cooler by kickoff... YNWA!
 

PedroSpecialK

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Gnagnon’s challenge on Larouci was shameful. He should get supplemental discipline on top of his straight red today.

Tackle:

https://streamja.com/g4rZ
Apology on Twitter - seems sincere enough but I have a hard time buying it given it was a friendly and how hard he bitched to the ref about being sent off:

https://mobile.twitter.com/Gnagnon_39/status/1153100792221577216
Edit: really like Van Dijk, Robertson, and Henderson confronting Gnagnon post-match but not sure why Lopetegui has him sitting there

https://www.reddit.com/r/LiverpoolFC/comments/cg6oqv/virgil_robbo_and_hendo_confront_gnagnon_after/
 
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teddykgb

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I tend to think we make too much of these situations when we ascribe intent to things in slow motion but my goodness that one was silly and obvious. You can’t even imagine a scenario where that was a reasonable challenge gone wrong, it’s just an assault
 

SocrManiac

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The injuries that EPL squads are racking up look like they’re pressuring clubs to reevaluate the preseason tours.
 

bosox4283

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The injuries that EPL squads are racking up look like they’re pressuring clubs to reevaluate the preseason tours.
We all know that money drives the preseason tours, but I have to think that sooner rather than later one team, because of the risk of injuries and the interruption in training, will just scrap the whole thing and stay in Europe.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Playing on baseball diamonds and surfaces like Gillette / FedEx is ridiculous

I don't think that played into Clyne's injury but it surely did with Asensio and Loftus-Cheek last year at Gillette
 

Mighty Joe Young

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Playing on baseball diamonds and surfaces like Gillette / FedEx is ridiculous

I don't think that played into Clyne's injury but it surely did with Asensio and Loftus-Cheek last year at Gillette
Add to that the competition has seemed to fail to comprehend the concept of “friendlies”

Wijnaldum suffered an horrendous two foot diving tackle last night that could easily have been a straight red. Numerous other examples as well.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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16 y.o. Fulham winger Harvey Elliott signed. He was the youngest player to ever start in the EPL at the time of his debut.

Considering that Citeh, Arse, and Spurs have improved their squads, it’s a little concerning that we’ve only signed two 16 y.o.
The problem - and this has been much discussed - is how to improve a team with no obvious weaknesses? Coming into this window there seemed to be obvious needs at LB cover, a versatile forward and a Mignolet replacement if he forced a move.

Now it’s looking liking Mignolet will stay .. Klopp seems to really like Brewster and doesn’t want to import any roadblocks to his development. So that leaves LB cover .. I can’t see them spending 40m+ on a backup LB .. there was a rumour today they may be interested in Dani Alves .. which makes a lot of sense (despite his wage demands, he’d still arrive on a free)

Edit: Alves is a RB .. so maybe not.
 

Clears Cleaver

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and another absolutely crap performance. TAA has been downright horrid this preseason, and without the pressure from the forwards the defense has been exposed

yes, I know they re friendlies. but look a the way they played last year and the confidence they built versus the trash they've put up this year...they were lucky last year to get to 97 points. unless winning the league is not a goal, I don't see how you don't try to improve the team
 

67YAZ

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and another absolutely crap performance. TAA has been downright horrid this preseason, and without the pressure from the forwards the defense has been exposed

yes, I know they re friendlies. but look a the way they played last year and the confidence they built versus the trash they've put up this year...they were lucky last year to get to 97 points. unless winning the league is not a goal, I don't see how you don't try to improve the team
Today’s starting attack - Gigi, Ox, & Origi. So it doesn’t worry me that they don’t look great today...it worries me that there’s no one to rotate with Salah & Mane.

The new kid Elliott got his first appearance today. Seems like he has a surplus of confidence.
 

Pesky Pole

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Honestly this is my biggest worry. One injury to Salah or Mane and who’s the backup? Brewster? Wilson? Shaqiri?

I know Ox should be the answer but he’s looked awful the last three games.
 

67YAZ

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Honestly this is my biggest worry. One injury to Salah or Mane and who’s the backup? Brewster? Wilson? Shaqiri?

I know Ox should be the answer but he’s looked awful the last three games.
The first half of last season, Shaqiri was great coming on to play the right wing in a 4-2-3-1 with Firmino at the 10 and Salah up top. But then Shaq ended up stapled to the bench, so who knows.

Ox was very strong as a never-stop-running wide midfielder. He doesn’t have the skill level to replace Mané or Salah.

Wilson looks like a fine player. I don’t know if he’s that level of quality yet. I figured another year on loan, possibly a bottom half EPL side, is in the cards.
 
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Mighty Joe Young

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Much better showing today against Lyon (3-1).. goals from Firmino, an own goal and a long range stunner from Harry Wilson .. everybody got a runout .. and just about everybody impressed.

So Liverpool/Klopp seem to have a couple of decisions to make concerning Harry Wilson and Ryan Kent.

Klopp indicated no more loans for Ryan Kent .. so they’ll probably sell him (He’d love to go back to Rangers but it’s unlikely they can afford him).

Wilson has looked pretty good in preseason and may stick around .. Klopp indicated on the weekend they’d only loan him to another Premier League club (does that rule out a Budesliga or Seria A, La Liga loan)?

Another intriguing acquisition is Harvey Elliot .. he was really good today in a brief cameo .. at one point trying to dribble past the entire Lyon team in the box.

Play time’s now over .. with the sort-of friendly Community Shield on Sunday and the opener Friday week against Norwich.
 

67YAZ

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Don’t think the Community Shield deserves a thread....

Firmino looking ferocious, Salah feisty through wasteful, and the midfield....has anyone seen the midfield? Really hoping Keita steps up this season and provides the attacking thrust he had at Red Bull.

That said, City are amazing. I don’t see how this squad loses the league this year. Considering KDB put in all of 11 EPL matches last season and City still hit 98 points, I don’t see how they finish with less than 90 and won’t push for 100.
 

teddykgb

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Martin Atkinson is wasting no time ensuring us all that we're going to continue to have refs on display all season. Giving out a card to Pep in the f'n community shield lol