Liverpool are now down to their final days in Germany with their behind closed doors friendly against Greuther Furth on Monday one of their last training sessions in Jurgen Klopp’s homeland.
The Reds have had a grueling eight days in Baden-Württemberg – 60km from where Klopp grew up – as they stepped up their preparations for the new Premier League season.
New boys Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai are still getting to know their team-mates after arriving on Merseyside this summer. But the futures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are seemingly set away from Anfield.
Many predicted changes this summer, but few could have imagined the seismic shift Liverpool’s midfield is about to undergo. But while speculation surrounding Henderson in particular has dominated the headlines during their away season, Reds boss Klopp and his players have continued to work hard on the training pitch.
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And here are some of the things we spotted from the club latest Inside Training Video.
Mohamed Salah strapping
The Inside Training videos give fans and journalists alike the chance to try and dissect every detail of Liverpool’s pre-season preparations. And one player that many keep an eye on is of course Mohamed Salah.
This summer, Salah has put in an extra shift to get in top form for the upcoming campaign. Late night and early morning gym posts on Instagram have been frequent in the offseason, and as always, he looks in great shape.
While injuries are a cause for concern throughout the fixture calendar, there will be some concerns from Liverpool supporters after the latest pictures and footage emerged showing Salah with a strain on his right hand. However, there has been no formal reason why he now has the bandage and it has not been enough to keep him out of training.
Trent Alexander-Arnold tips
Much of the conversation surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold in recent months has been about whether he should play in midfield or remain a creative full-back.
He thrived in a hybrid role towards the end of the last campaign as Liverpool recovered to qualify for the Europa League. and dDuring the intense session on Saturday, both Alexander-Arnold and fellow right-back, Conor Ramsay, were used as floaters during the small-sided pressing exercises.
The pair drifted in the middle, linking plays from back-to-front and vice versa. This is possibly a hint as to the role that either player could have for the 2023-24 season. Could we see the foundations being laid for both the England international and the Northern Ireland international to play the hybrid role going forward? We will see.
Stefan Bajcetic steps up
There has been no better sight this pre-season than watching Stefan Bajcetic step up his rehabilitation program.
The Spaniard fell victim to the injury curse in Liverpool’s midfield last term. An adductor problem forced the youngster to undergo surgery to fix the problem.
With question marks remaining around entrances, exits and who will replace whom, it is a positive sign to see Bajcetic increase his intensity ahead of his comeback.
Schmadtke on the phone
With the transfer window in full swing, the next Liverpool arrival is top of mind for most fans. And during the latest session, the club’s new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke can be seen sitting in one of the dugouts on his phone.
Recently talking about We Are Liverpool podcastKlopp noted that Schmadtke has been particularly impressed with the squad he is trying to add to.
He said: “Obviously Jorg Schmadtke is here and he’s seen a lot of football over the years. He’s really impressed, really impressed with the quality and the intensity of the training sessions.
“For us who are always around, I can see differences when it’s bad or really good, but I expect a lot.”
Well, Dominik Szoboszlai
One of the biggest concerns that emerged on Saturday was the absence of Szoboszlai.
The Hungarian missed Saturday’s session with a minor ankle injury and will not feature against Greuther Furth, which is a shame given his promising performance against Karlsruher.
Already, fans are noticing a blossoming friendship brewing between Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz. During some midweek shooting practice, the pair could be seen enjoying laughs and happy moments together.
Jurgen Klopp follows along
Throughout the sessions, one of the prominent voices that can be heard is Pep Ljinders, Klopp’s assistant.
Vitor Matos, the club’s elite development coach, may be an unfamiliar face and name to those who watch Liverpool. But he was also very involved in the press exercises.
Klopp, meanwhile, was further away in a viewing box which has been installed on a cherry picker. Throughout various sessions, the equipment is visible in the background with someone occupying it in what appears to be an analytical capacity.
Klopp was not so high up, but he overlooked the proceedings as the team took part in a three-on-two attacking exercise.
The German can be heard shouting a message of support for 17-year-old Lewis Koumas as he puts his mind to some of the Reds’ established defenders.
A chaotic exit
The Inside Training videos are never shy of gimmicks and soundbites. And this one is no different.
As the players leave at the end of the session, Andy Robertson can be heard talking to one of the support members of the squad.
His Reds teammates ride off on their bikes, but Robertson asks, “Darren, anyone [golf] buggies free mate? If there are keys in there, does that mean they are free?”
Before Curtis Jones jokingly tries to protect Salah, the 22-year-old shouts: “If you need security, let me know.”