Anfield is set for the first home game of the 2023/24 season as Bournemouth come to town on Saturday afternoon.
Liverpool have their first home match this weekend, and with the absolute circus surrounding transfers the last number of weeks it can't come fast enough. Wataru Endo has joined from Stuttgart in what looks like a solution, although potentially not long term, to shore up defensively in midfield and add some bite and steel where it so obviously lacked for much of last season and in last weekend's opener away to Chelsea. His addition to the squad alongside the early summer signings of McAllister and Szoboszlai gives cause for optimism, although that doesn't remove the sense that the squad feels slightly undercooked with a shallowness in squad depth on Trent's side of the defence, at centre back and the absence of a younger, and perhaps more versatile, defensively minded no.6. Quite a bit to (hopefully) get completed before the transfer window shuts at the end of the month.
In last weekend's opening league game away against Chelsea, a lot of Liverpool fans were disappointed to only come away with a point, which is a positive given the size, cost and depth of that Chelsea squad. Even though the basis of their acquisition is questionable, they had the talent and skill to put Liverpool to the sword, but the Reds were generally resolute in defence, despite the obvious gaps appearing from midfield which opened up many opportunities for Chelsea. I see the point as a solid start with the opportunity to build upon it and move forward with optimism.
Bournemouth are the visitors on Saturday afternoon, who themselves had ex-Red Dominic Solanke to thank for salvaging a point on the opening day against West Ham. Andoni Iraola was a surprise managerial appointment in the summer, and his attacking philosophy will mean that Liverpool can't assume it will be eleven behind the ball from the Cherries as one might expect from lesser opposition. Indeed, defenders Marcos Senesi and Max Aarons were both substituted in the West Ham with cramp, a sure sign of an intense pre-season of training from the new manager. In defence Ukranian Illya Zabarnyi arrived in January and he will be a key player for them this season, as will David Brooks through whom a lot of their positive offensive play is funneled. Justin Kluivert arrived from Roma over the summer, and it will be interesting to see if he has what it takes to impress in the Premier League.
For this game I see little change from the Chelsea starting eleven. Bournemouth do not offer the same threat up front, and that is why I see the same starting lineup with the exception of Nunez stepping in to replace Jota. It is time for the Uruguayan to prove to doubters and believers alike that he has the ability to establish himself as one of the great Liverpool and Premier League strikers.
Christian does see more changes, saying 'It was a rollercoaster of emotions during the first game, but I didn't think we did that good of a game. We need to step up and the Gakpo / Jota was the key to why it wasn't clicking. Robbo struggled on the left so I would give Tsimikas a game this time and the game could be a very different one'. Christian picks the following lineup:
Anton has gone for more change than most, bringing in Elliot for Jota, and retaining MacAllister at the no.6 role. His selected team is as follows:
And so that's the thoughts of our writers, different opinions but all with the same goal as Liverpool fans: a win, momentum and to set a marker for the rest of the season.
Up the Reds.
Paul Collins
LFC Fanatic
Twitter:@IrishRedDubai
No comments:
Post a Comment