Liverpool’s pre-season has been full of new signings and eye-catching tweaks, and with only 270 minutes of friendly action before the season opener, here’s what we’ve learned so far.
Liverpool’s pre-season ventures have taken them to Preston and Asia so far, with a return to Anfield and a trip to Wembley still to come ahead of the Premier League opener on August 15.
Arne Slot has used the depth of his squad so far and we can expect to see him push players closer to the 90-minute mark with Bournemouth‘s visit on the opening day looming.
With new signings and promising youngsters involved thus far, here are eight things we have learned from pre-season to date.
Don’t discount Dominik Szoboszlai from the XI
Florian Wirtz‘s signing triggered debate over what role Dominik Szoboszlai could expect in the coming season, with his place in the XI seen as under threat.
But it can be easy to forget the industrious, dirty work that the Hungarian completes alongside his time on the ball – snuffing out counter-attacks and tirelessly covering the ground.
He offers what Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister do not and was key to Liverpool’s title success, and he’s shown so far this summer that that has not changed.
The added competition for places ought to do his game no harm, though.
Jeremie Frimpong fast and versatile on the right
There is certainly more to Jeremie Frimpong‘s game than his pace, but it is eye-catching when he gets the motors running and propels down the flank – few will be able to catch him.
We have seen him at right-back and on the right wing so far, an expected role and one he will be tasked with throughout the season – versatility that we know appealed to Slot.
His cross for Trey Nyoni‘s goal against Yokohama offered an exciting glimpse at what is to come, but his battle with Conor Bradley for the starting position will be one to watch.
Liverpool’s full-backs narrow and high
Pre-season always poses an interesting time for any tactical tweaks and changes, and Liverpool’s investment in their full-back department will make for changes.
What we have seen so far is that in possession the full-backs sit inside the wingers but are positioned higher when the team are in possession, enabling them to cover the half spaces.
This has seen, against Yokohama, for example, Ryan Gravenberch drop between the centre-backs in a move we saw at the backend of last season.
With Liverpool’s creative hub no longer coming predominantly from Trent Alexander-Arnold, we will see overlapping runs from the new dynamic full-backs and threats from all angles and positions.
Early Hugo Ekitike signs are promising
We have only seen training glimpses and 45 minutes of friendly action, but it has made for encouraging viewing when it comes to Ekitike’s prospects at Liverpool.
He looked physically capable and comfortable on the ball, showing positive early connections with his new teammates – there’s not much more you can ask for this early on.
It will be intriguing to see how quickly he can establish himself in the XI, especially if Liverpool pull of their move for Alexander Isak.
For now, there is plenty of promise when it comes to the new No. 22.
Rio Ngumoha a serious contender for left-wing option
It is hard to fathom that Rio Ngumoha is still only 16; he plays with the fearlessness and confidence of a seasoned professional.
He has been a revelation and while Slot has underlined that he will need to find “consistency” to establish himself as a senior player, he’s shown he can be an option on the left.
If Luis Diaz is not directly replaced, his pathway into the team appears attainable, and there is no reason why we should not see the teenager relied upon throughout the season.
A new centre-back must be signed
With Joe Gomez sent home early from the tour with an Achilles injury, it underlined how precarious the club’s centre-back ranks are.
As it stands, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are the only two fit senior options after Jarell Quansah signed for Bayer Leverkusen – it’s left Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo filling the gaps so far.
It is far from ideal, as we know all too well how quickly one or two injuries can force the unlikeliest of combinations in the heart of defence, there’s no need for a repeat.
There’s confidence the club will invest, with Marc Guehi remaining the leading candidate, but the sooner the better.
Too open on the counter-attack
You can only read so much into pre-season with certain players missing and others in positions they are unlikely to feature in moving forward, but how open Liverpool were on the counter-attack was not lost on Slot.
“We got counter-attacked too much,” he said after the defeat in Hong Kong, adding, “we were a bit too open once in a while on the counter-attack.”
Milan found plenty of joy once they turned the ball over, exposing Liverpool’s high full-backs and showing the Reds were not effectively set up to stop them.
There is no doubt this will be worked on in the weeks to come as Slot will not accept it being that easy for the opposition to get a shot on goal.
Florian Wirtz is a game-changer
The £116 million deal left little doubt over how game-changing Wirtz will be for Liverpool, but what we’ve seen so far suggests the club have landed themselves a diamond.
What has shone in his outings so far is how calm he is on the ball, that he rarely seems to feel under pressure and each move or pass of the ball is delivered with intent and quality.
Liverpool’s No. 7 will be a delight to watch this season and you sense those around him will only be better served by his presence.
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