Liverpool’s pre-season preparations resumed against Greuther Fürth, with Jürgen Klopp continuing an experiment from the Reds’ first game. This is what we discovered.
FÜRTH, MS TECHNOLOGIE-ARENA // Liverpool’s German training camp concluded with their second pre-season friendly of the summer against Greuther Fürth. Jürgen Klopp used the 4-4 draw to put a huge number of his players through their paces.
After been denied seconds earlier, Luis Daz opened the scoring midway through the first half with a well-taken finish. A mix-up between Adrián and James McConnell resulted in the hosts equalizing immediately after the restart, before a brilliant Darwin Nez double appeared to have given the Reds another win on the road.
Fürth, on the other hand, came back with a goal from Lukas Petkov and a brace from Armindo Sieb to take an unexpected lead. However, Mohamed Salah came on late to ensure the Reds averted loss.
There was still no trace of Jordan Henderson or Fabinho, who are both on their way to Saudi Arabia, and there was another significant absence from the team.
Dominik Szoboszlai sat out the game after picking up a knock in training, but Alisson Becker returned to the starting lineup after missing the first game of the summer against Karlsruher.
The starting XI was much more familiar, with Conor Bradley continuing at right-back and Trent Alexander-Arnold returning to midfield, while Ben Doak took Mohamed Salah’s normal slot in the side as Diogo Jota was named ahead of Nez after his two goals last week.
Here are six things Liverpool.com saw as the game progressed.
Transfer hint?
Klopp resumed his Trent Alexander-Arnold experiment from the first game against Karlsruher, starting the academy graduate in the number six role in midfield, with Conor Bradley filling in at right-back.
Much has been said about Alexander-Arnold’s suitability for a permanent midfield post over the years, and it appears that Klopp has warmed to the concept in recent months. With Fabinho and Henderson obviously out of the picture, now is the time to look at Liverpool’s number 66 in a more advanced starting position.
And his new job, however brief, comes at an opportune moment, with recent reports claiming the Reds are contemplating a bid for Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich (via Fichajes).
Whether or not the claim is true, the German international would be excellent for the hybrid role in the future, and would provide an additional option as Liverpool searches for a replacement for Fabinho. Perhaps Klopp has just indicated his current transfer priorities.
Another midfield option
Pre-season is, of course, the time to try new things, and Klopp is clearly taking use of the opportunity.
In the second pre-season game, Dominik Szoboszlai was rested in favour of Cody Gakpo, who started as a number eight.
It’s a role that the Netherlands international is familiar with, having played it against Brentford during the final run-in last season and seems to be a good match.
And he once again demonstrated his adaptability by defending the ball in his own half in order to create space further forward and allow Liverpool to attack.
It’s no surprise that Gakpo is regarded as the ideal succession to Roberto Firmino, and he demonstrated why, regardless of position, he should be in the starting lineup for the upcoming season.
Salah’s long-term successor
Liverpool will hopefully not have to consider selling Mohamed Salah anytime soon, but fans would feel a lot more at ease if the Egyptian king had some backup.
Given the work needed in midfield and defence this summer, it appears doubtful that Liverpool will pursue another forward in the transfer market, which means Klopp may have to look closer to home to help Salah, and he may already have his long-term successor in place.
There is a lot of buzz surrounding Ben Doak at Anfield, and you can see why in Germany. The former Celtic kid looked like a great livewire on the right, and if his end product wasn’t quite on point, at 17, he’s got plenty of time to improve.
With Liverpool competing in the Europa League next season, chances for some of the club’s younger players to stake their claims may come, and in Doak, Reds fans will have something to look forward to.
Pressing machine in full effect
Among a slew of issues last season, Klopp lamented his team’s pressing efforts in particular as he summed up why they were suffering.
“It’s a general problem, not a midfield problem,” he told ECHO. “Defence begins at the front; if you don’t defend there, the midfield has no chance.”
Part of the problem was undoubtedly caused by the unavailability of Luis Daz and Diogo Jota for the majority of the season – Pep Lijnders doesn’t call the latter a ‘pressing machine’ for nothing.
And we witnessed just what kind of influence the pair can have when they’re on the field, pressuring their German opponents to make mistakes at the back and producing opportunities out of seemingly benign situations.
Granted, they will have tougher competition, especially once the season begins, but the early indicators are promising.
Kelleher reminder
There were a few raised eyebrows among Liverpool fans when Caoimhn Kelleher was not added to the team, given the rumours surrounding his future.
After Alisson and Adrián missed the game against Karlsruher, the ECHO’s Ian Doyle calmed fears by explaining Kelleher’s absence on social media, reporting it was’simply a matter of playing time being divided around’.
Those nerves would have jangled again just after the start of the second half, when Adrián’s bad pass to James McConnell resulted in Fürth equalizing.
The Spaniard later made amends by initiating the move that resulted with Darwin Nez putting Liverpool back in front, but there is no question that if Kelleher is to leave, Liverpool will need to find a new number two for Alisson.
Second-half craziness
When Darwin Nez’s double put Liverpool 3-1 up shortly before the hour mark, it appeared to be a settled conclusion.
Fürth, on the other hand, had different plans, as he startled Liverpool with three quick goals to put the Reds down, leaving Klopp to reconsider his transfer objectives.
Although Joe Gomez was playing at right-back here, the second-half mayhem demonstrated that Liverpool cannot afford to ignore upgrading its defensive alternatives for too long.
The focus may be in midfield, but the Reds once again proved why a new center-back is required to provide support to Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté.
