Liverpool 1:0 Olympiacos, Pre-In Game-Post Game Thread

How do you win this "cup"?

This year’s format will consist of two groups of four in a round-robin format.  Each team will play a total of three matches in group play and the two group leaders will face off on August 4 in the final at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. 

so there would be an extra friendly, sort of, two days after the Milan game - if we finish top of our group, which would involve beating City and probably Milan too.

I heard it's 2 points for winning in pens, which happens if the scores are level after 90 minutes. 1 point to the losers of the shootout.

it's kind of cool, this tourney, and if it hits Australia over the coming years I'll definitely still be thinking that. it's also good to play 'senior friendlies' before the Champions League, especially considering we don't have qualifiers (and that should be the aim, to never be in those qualifiers, really. My old man and I were saying during the game that it's good for Olympiakos especially because they absolutely never have to go through the qualifying rounds, finishing on top every season.

If Enrique stays fit we could very well see Flanno start on the right this season.

I thought the team looked well in the first half. F**k, Lazar is quick. Plenty of
promise from Sterling and Ibe too. Oh man how I'd love Ibe to progress like Sterling.
He hasn't got Sterling's eye for goal but he can put the fear of god in defences with
his pace.

Seems to me we have a front line loaded with pace. More than we ever had, that I
can remember. I quite like the idea of Henderson and Can pressing like mad too.
Only downside being the absence of Lallana for the start of the season.

Really hope Lovren is the leader that Brendan thinks he will be, because defensively
there is no leadership. Not from Mignolet and not from our CBs which will need to be
rectified if LFC are to improve on last season.

I don't think we'll replace Suarez's attacking contributing, how the F**k could you?
I do think if we plug up the leaking defence then we may not suffer as much.

Just Luis' presence in itself puts the fear in opposition teams. We will not be the same attacking force without him; however, we can and should be a little better balanced this season. DS looked isolated last night. At times there were two even three players on him every time he got the ball. Add Suarez into the mix and with his movement, gaps are being created everywhere. We have lost the best attacking player in the world so it's safe to assume we will not pose that same threat as before. This can only point towards one thing - our defence. It's a real cause for concern and if we don't improve defensively next season, we could be in for a torrid time. We need a top RB and LB. Get in Ricardo Rodriguez or Marcos Rojo. Enrique isn't good enough, nor is Flanagan just yet, and Johnson is dire.

Just Luis' presence in itself puts the fear in opposition teams. We will not be the same attacking force without him; however, we can and should be a little better balanced this season. DS looked isolated last night. At times there were two even three players on him every time he got the ball. Add Suarez into the mix and with his movement, gaps are being created everywhere. We have lost the best attacking player in the world so it's safe to assume we will not pose that same threat as before. This can only point towards one thing - our defence. It's a real cause for concern and if we don't improve defensively next season, we could be in for a torrid time. We need a top RB and LB. Get in Ricardo Rodriguez or Marcos Rojo. Enrique isn't good enough, nor is Flanagan just yet, and Johnson is dire.

Enrique looked boss so I'm gonna have to disagree there, I'll leave it at that.

Enrique looked boss so I'm gonna have to disagree there, I'll leave it at that.

Against a pretty weak attack. Made no attacking contribution whatsoever and doesn't help us play it out of defence. He's not awful defensively, but we could certainly improve on him. He ought to be our 2nd choice LB. As for RB, I'd actually get shot of Johnson and find a top replacement for him. Would have Flanno as 2nd choice. Just my opinion.

We also need to think about getting shot of Kelly and Coates too. Not good enough.

What day this week do we play again, does anyone know?

Against a pretty weak attack. Made no attacking contribution whatsoever and doesn't help us play it out of defence. He's not awful defensively, but we could certainly improve on him. He ought to be our 2nd choice LB. As for RB, I'd actually get shot of Johnson and find a top replacement for him. Would have Flanno as 2nd choice. Just my opinion.

We also need to think about getting shot of Kelly and Coates too. Not good enough.

No probs, I was impressed with Enrique, I won't talk about Johnson because even my family know how much I despise the player, I can be harsh.

No probs, I was impressed with Enrique, I won't talk about Johnson because even my family know how much I despise the player, I can be harsh.

Genuinely don't know how he even gets into training every day let alone the team. I'd love to see us drop Johnson. Maybe BR values his attacking side but if late that has been pretty dire too.

Genuinely don't know how he even gets into training every day let alone the team. I'd love to see us drop Johnson. Maybe BR values his attacking side but if late that has been pretty dire too.

We played well last night, Johnson isn't and was never worth 17.5 million all them years ago *wtf* and because of the money  he's rated, that's why I shy away from Marquee signings, because if we get one and they turn out to be sh*t for us, they will still be in the starting 11 because we paid the massive fee.
My logic.

All of our defenders are living nightmares. Quite surprised we didn't concede, but then again Olympiakos don't possess the most potent attack. Few things to note:

- We are in a dire need of a top LB and a top RB.
- Daniel Sturridge looked isolated up front as a lone forward.
- Emre Can is looking like a beast. Could turn out to be our best signing.
- We played frighteningly like England. Predictable sideways passing at a slow tempo (pre season to blame)
- Markovic looks insanely quick. He'll be a nightmare for slow defences.
- Coutinho should never be deployed on the left again, even in pre-season.

All that said, it was a pre-season game. There are only two genuine concerns of mine - lack of quality at LB and RB and the fact Daniel Sturridge could well be a marked man next season given his best ever strike partner now plays his trade in Barcelona.

Agree with virtually all of that. I think RB is a more desperate requirement than LB though, as the thought of having Glen for the entire seson fills me with much more dread than having Enrique at LB!

Wednesday people


Liverpool's next game is in New York on Wednesday when they face Manchester City. The English champions beat Milan 5-1 in their opening ICC game on Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Wednesday people


Liverpool's next game is in New York on Wednesday when they face Manchester City. The English champions beat Milan 5-1 in their opening ICC game on Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Hopefully the same will not happen to us.

Hopefully the same will not happen to us.

he he heh as if

It's on lfctv from 2pm according to my sky box (often wrong tv listings)
for those without lfctv free stream-
http://www.coolsport.se/liverpooltv.html

It's on lfctv from 2pm according to my sky box (often wrong tv listings)
for those without lfctv free stream-
http://www.coolsport.se/liverpooltv.html

Looking at Sky listings it says its a midnight KO.
Official LFC website says the same. 

Looking at Sky listings it says its a midnight KO.
Official LFC website says the same. 

I meant yesterdays game v Olympiacos, just in case anyone wants to scrutinise our players and all that.
On my sky box it says the match Liverpool v Olympiacos (2pm), I wouldn't be surprised if it's wrong because it always is.
So I'm trusting you more than my sky box now, peace.

We kept a clean sheet despite having Johnson and Toure at the back can only be a good sign for the season ahead!

Was I the only one who was shocked by how small our squad was yesterday?

On the pitch we had Sterling, Sturridge and Markovic.
On the bench Ibe, Coutinho and Lambert to replace them. We won't challenge for anything with such a bench. Borini and Lallana are out, what if another player gets injured. We need at least another striker and a really good attackig midfielder.

I was really disapointed by Allen.

Skrtel was Boss and Coates looked good, he seems to be more agile and quicker. I had high expectations from him, I hope he lives up to them this season! Robbo might be a decent cover after all, but he shoud prove his worth, it's now or never. Same for Kelly.

The feeling i get from watching more and more of us in pre season, premature it may be is we will take a more Chelsea like style approach. Aim to be solid from the back and let teams come at us but then sucker punch them with a rapid counter attack.

Personally it would annoy me to see, but if it is what is needed to get us winning the league f**k it, i think with the spirit of our current players a more defensive approach would benefit us as we have naturally gifted attacking players, so if we can become solid at the back and make our defensive unit a brick wall, we'd be very difficult to beat.

I was really disapointed by Allen.

Personally Allen was a breath of fresh air when coming on for me, yes he misplaced a pass and missed a good chance at the end BUT whenever he got the ball he swiveled and looked to play a positive pass and was always running on in an attacking sense, as solid as we were in the first half we didn't have that in the second we did. I enjoyed his eagerness to get the ball and push us forward.

The feeling i get from watching more and more of us in pre season, premature it may be is we will take a more Chelsea like style approach. Aim to be solid from the back and let teams come at us but then sucker punch them with a rapid counter attack.

Personally it would annoy me to see, but if it is what is needed to get us winning the league f**k it, i think with the spirit of our current players a more defensive approach would benefit us as we have naturally gifted attacking players, so if we can become solid at the back and make our defensive unit a brick wall, we'd be very difficult to beat.

Personally Allen was a breath of fresh air when coming on for me, yes he misplaced a pass and missed a good chance at the end BUT whenever he got the ball he swiveled and looked to play a positive pass and was always running on in an attacking sense, as solid as we were in the first half we didn't have that in the second. I enjoyed his eagerness to get the ball and push us forward.

It'll be a mix of what you said about a Chelsea approach and our flamboyant attitude last season, I reckon.

It'll be a mix of what you said about a Chelsea approach and our flamboyant attitude last season, I reckon.

Yeah, when Rodgers took over i slowly expected us to play pass and pass and pass style football, and the media love to bang on about how that's Rodgers style of play but more and more it has been us containing teams and then looking to attack but we don't attack freely and carelessly. When we attack we look to cut straight through the oppositions defense in our counter attacking play.

I was at this game last night! First time ever seeing Liverpool in person, so obviously by far and away my favorite football experience. I don't think I'll ever forget singing You'll Never Walk Alone at the top of my lungs with a bunch of fellow Reds.

It was kind of funny in the sense that we didn't play very hard at all or look to get forward much in the first half. That said, when we decided we wanted to get forward, we looked dangerous.

In terms of the new guys, Can and Markovic look like they're going to be big players for us this season. Markovic has a great work rate and damn can he turn the corner once he cuts inside. Can keeps it simple, good touch, and is pretty damn imposing when he's running at a guy. Positions himself off the ball very nicely as well.

Yeah, when Rodgers took over i slowly expected us to play pass and pass and pass style football, and the media love to bang on about how that's Rodgers style of play but more and more it has been us containing teams and then looking to attack but we don't attack freely and carelessly. When we attack we look to cut straight through the oppositions defense in our counter attacking play.

One thing I've learnt like you is that we can't expect the norm from Rodgers, I wouldn't be surprised if he went any way tactically.
The tika taka was painful, then it was heart in the mouth last season, I think a blend may be in the future, including a strong defensive approach.