Match Day Thread Pre-season

kents the best of them in u21. silson will be just behind him this year but really whether any of them are good enough is anothe rmatter

considering our CB and GK are playing for them and all... maybe this lot will pick one more player out of our lot to loan too.

 

our team should pick itself at this point... there is no way barring the lowish time can played today that our 11 should not contain firmino and benteke.

IMO

mingolet
clyne
skertl
lovern (cos jimmy hates him)
gomez (moreno is still not up to it)
Can
Minler
Henderson
Firmino
Coutinho
Benteke

the likes or ings, lallana, lucas, moreno might be on the bench but they are no where even close.

 

poor kid... got too good a hand on ojo drive... sad that...

 

hopefully ojo got the cockyness knocked out of him at wigan last year. the new hair cut is most appreciated.

match it with work rate now i say.

 

I hope we Tex more this year - classy on the ball.

Agree with most of the team apart from Gomez - Moreno was pretty good today bar one poor moment which stemmed from Lucas's mistake.

And there is no way Lovren gets in ahead of Sakho.

 

Think Benteke will score a few goals this season and without having a go at him, I loved how the youngsters came on and we saw more quick passing, and dynamic movement around the box.

Future bodes as well and I can't wait until Pedro and Tex become first team starters.

 

Goal! Swindon Town 1, Liverpool 2. Sheyi Ojo (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kolo Touré

 

Right now I'd play 4231
Clyne
Skrtl
Sakho
Moreno
Henderson
Milner
Ibe
Coutinho
Firmino
Benteke

 

Just got home.. How'd Benteke and Firmino play?

 

No keeper

problem is, that team is light in midfield with neither hendo or Milner the best defensively. Think Can needs to play alongside to offer that stability instead of Ibe who's pace could cause real issues on the break later on if needed

 

Firmino was good - some really good runs, and should have got an assist and won a penalty. Work rate was good as well.

Benteke was ok - few nice passes and scored a worldie. But he missed some very good chances.

 

Allen has a hamstring injury.

 

And fitting in with true Jimmy style - I'd sooner start with Kolo and Sakho. Much better unit.

 

Excellent Not too worried about him missing a few, get them out the way with in pre-season. As long as he's showing that he can fit in with our style, and getting in the right areas.

 

Wouldn't say he fit our style all that well but it was better than I expected. We played better when we played with Ojo as the striker - the youngsters were very good. Full of quick, short passing and dynamic movement.

 

With Tex and Can in the midfield, we finally saw the CM drive the team forward and getting the finding the attackers in good positions.

Tex can play great passes to bypass lines, and Can can carry the ball forward. Really good combination.

 

playing rush goalie.
Playing Can at the expensive of Ibe take to much pace out of our attack. He's been our best player in the pre-season, I don't see why he should suffer.
Who says that Hendo and Milner are no good defensively, they will just have to learn to defend better. Someone in the defence needs to start talking to them to ensure they are in position.

I think we're both struggling to balance our best attack with our best defence. I would really love to get Can in the team as well.

 

It's not as simple as that IMO. It's through coaching and neither have ever been coached to play such a role.

They are very good at pressing and putting players under pressure but they lack intelligence, spatial awareness and positioning to be good defensive midfielders. And to be honest, it would be a shame to limit them because their strength is supporting the attack.

 

If we play 4231 I think it hasto be this:

Mignolet
Clyne Skrtel Sakho Moreno
Henderson Can
Milner Coutinho Firmino
Benteke
​

Move Milner central if we need more solidarity in the middle.

 

They won't. .. not unless we sell coutinho... and not replace.

Teix is a lovely player but he needs to do more. He might get a few europa games
We will have to see.

They are all of a type. Ball hogs. They all need to release it faster and save the touches for the right area