Match Day Thread 2023 Pre Season Matchday Thread

You surely realise by now that I just refuse to judge players in pre-season?

Pacheco looked top quality one year. Voronin another. Means nothing, all about fitness.

 

Don't remember that?

But yeah, I think I remember seeing Bruno Cheyrou absolutely boss a pre-season game at Anfield once and thought he was the new Platini. The next game he looked like he didn't want to get his boots dirty.

 

Voronin scored quite a few goals in his first pre-season with us. Fans got a bit over confident (the much younger and naive me included) for the upcoming season where he was terrible

 

Klopp post match interview, he looks like he's not his usual self, obviously got other things on his mind ....

 

Why whats he said ?

 

He hasn't said anything but he looks lost, is the only way I can describe it.

 

probs feels betrayed

 

the most important thing is who is there and who is committed.

if you.got stabbed in the back by your captain of 8 years you.might not be on your game either

but I detect a certain level of hunger to do better about the squad and those who go the extra mile will stand out imo.

trent will take the armband and drive the team imo. just watch there for a lot more intensity that last year.

 

I don't see that.

Virgil will be cpt with Robertson and Alisson as VC's imo

 

tell you what I see.

I see a lad who went off, played for engeelund took less than a week off and trained himself to be ready.

trent is coming back with a different attitude.

forget the hair stuff, watch the intensity.

 

TAA taking the armband and being the new local lad captain leading club to glory is a lovely story. But from the outside he doesn’t look like a leader. However dofferent once in the dressing room.

I think vvd will be captain the next few years at least, he’s always been captain when Hendo Milner haven’t been around and is a clear leader in the team.

the armband shouldn’t make a difference really, need leaders all over the pitch but maybe TAA will see it as a challenge and want to up his game to take on that added responsibility and push himself

 

VVD personally would be my last choice as captain. He is too laid back by half.

you want a rabid dog who'll be on the refs case from minute 1 to minute 90 and you want someone who will be the voice of manager in dressing room.

Controversially i never really bought the gerrard as an amazing captain stuff. I thought he had a tendency to drop the head if he didn't really believe. Especially see hodgson and end of rafa. A lot of folk talk about him driving and inspiring but the captains armband is not about being the best player IMO.

its really about discipline and control. Its about chirping away at the ref as the rules allow. Its not about handing tickets out or doing interviews.

I really do not see vvd as a captain and keeping that dressing room tight and motivated. I think mo would be better at it on a daily basis but he is that self involved (and he is lets face it) that probably people wouldn't take it from him long term.

 

I understand what saying about Gerrard but also there are many ways to lead. Gerrard was a leader by example. He commanded respect because of his ability and it being his club. Players wanted to play well for him and that drove them on.

Don’t agree on vvd. Think he’s been the organiser and is more than willing to shout at players if they are ****ing up.

Grand scheme of things, klopp and the players know who the leaders are and who commands respect and will pick the appropriate person based on that

 

He was voted by the rest of the team to join the leadership group wasn't he a season or so back?

 

I just think captains do more i nthe dressing room daily than on the pitch.

They set the tone for everyone to be at the business. Managers and coaches cannot do that.

 

I always felt that Gerrard was given the captaincy to keep him happy and make him stay. He led by example of course, but I didn't feel he was the right personality at all.
Btw, if you really want a rabid dog then there's only one option.

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Virgil won't be around for another 3 years. No way. The Virgil now to the Virgil of 3 years ago is incomparable. His 30s don't look like they'll be good to him. He'll be in his mid-30s in 3 years' time: even without the injury, speed-merchants at 6'4"+ go backward after 30, just look at Rio.

He still has a mountain of experience to pass on, and he's a superb leader (natural captain), but both for us and Holland there are legitimate questions being asked since that first game last season against Fulham, and the tardy, lackadaisical effort to block Sancho a couple of games later at Uniturd. He has an important role to play this season (and next), but we need Colwill now, not next year (disappointed to see Gvardiol going to City without a bid from us as well, considering he spent the whole WC saying he wanted to play for Liverpool).

 

100% agree. Robbo is my pick (but it'll be VVD)

Carra was the true captain, not Gerrard.

 

Lucas and Kuyt were the leaders for me

 

Alonso, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Agger, Reina, etc were all leaders too