Liverpool FC Thread #157 :- LFC. This means more.

[NI KI]

Jürgen Klopp is likely to once again make wholesale changes to his team at half-time of Sunday’s International Champions Cup meeting with Borussia Dortmund.

The boss opted to make 10 or 11 substitutions after 45 minutes of each of Liverpool’s four domestic friendlies before they flew out to the United States on Saturday.

The Reds’ first ICC assignment will see them face Dortmund in Charlotte, North Carolina, before they then take on Manchester City in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Manchester United in Ann Arbor, Michigan. All three matches are live on LFCTV and LFCTV GO (restrictions apply).

But with the game versus the Bundesliga club arriving a little over 24 hours after Liverpool landed in America, Klopp explained that he will probably field two separate teams in each half for the final time during this pre-season.

The manager, though, will not involve Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane or Marko Grujic against Dortmund. That trio are among his 29-man squad in the US, but only began pre-season training on Friday following their participation in the World Cup.

Georginio Wijnaldum is yet to feature in Liverpool’s friendly programme due to a minor muscle strain, and the Netherlands international will also miss the encounter at the Bank of America Stadium.

“We need to have a look now at the session and then talk to the boys and all that stuff,” Klopp said during Saturday’s pre-match press conference.

“But it looks like we will maybe change again in half-time completely [for] the last time maybe, but like I said, we have to settle [in America] first and foremost.

“Then of course so far we’ve trained a lot, big intensity, long sessions, all that stuff, but I think so far we came through quite well and now the challenge for us is to involve the three new players [Salah, Mane and Grujic], plus Gini Wijnaldum who couldn’t play so far, in the next few days.

“They can maybe play at least a few minutes in the last game [versus United], but it’s different intensity for all the boys. We want to show the 100 per cent of the moment [against Dortmund]. It will not be our 100 per cent, but the 100 per cent available I want to see and that’s it.”

Klopp continued: “The games have shown different things so far - especially in the last game [versus Blackburn Rovers], in the second half it looked really like football. I saw a lot of things we did in training in all the games and I want to see that again.

“We need to be back on track as quick as possible, that’s how it is, but I cannot force it. We have to do what we have to do, and then you play the games and you work with the games. You analyse it and hopefully give the right information and then you make the right step in the next game.

“These three games in a very short period are a challenge for all the teams involved, with the travelling between and all that stuff, but pre-season is a summary of challenges.

“You have difficult circumstances. It was very difficult in Hong Kong last year, but we came through, we played football and that’s what we’ll do again because the season is not waiting for us. It starts on August 12 and we need to be ready.”

[NI KI]

Jurgen Klopp refuses to rule out future Christian Pulisic move - but admits Liverpool face one problem

Jurgen Klopp admits he would like to bring Christian Pulisic to Liverpool and refused to rule out a future move - but concedes he is at the right club to continue developing with Borussia Dortmund.

Pulisic was a youth player during Klopp's time at Westfalenstadion and the Reds boss has retained an interest in the player, and even had a bid for the young American rejected in 2016.

Still just 19, Pulisic has nevertheless developed into one of the Bundesliga club's most prized assets, and is considered one of the Europe's finest attacking prospects.

The teenager winger has been watched since but is likely to remain at Dortmund, but has just two years on his deal remaining, with his contract expiring in 2020.

Yet while Klopp admitted he is a fan of the player, he insisted he remains a Dortmund player - and that is where he can continue to progress for now.

Klopp will be handed another close look at Pulisic on Sunday when Liverpool meet Dortmund in Charlotte on Sunday in an International Champions Cup pre-season fixture.

When asked about the chances of the US international joining Liverpool, Klopp said: "He has a contract at Dortmund, no? That’s the first problem.

"I like Christian, I've known him since he was a kid. He's still not really old, he’s a fantastic player, and it’s deserved people think highly of him in America. In Germany it’s the same. If he wants to play in England or whatever one day then for sure he has the chance to do so but he’s at a really good club for his development at this moment. It's really good to be at a club where they know him already.

"He had not his best season last year but he was still a decisive player but it’s important in that age group that there’s no rush. He still has 14 or 15 years to play in his career and that’s good and he wants to be the best Pulisic he can be. For this, there is still space for development.

"If - at one point - he will join us, I don't know.

"I like him, it's not that that could be the problem, but we respect contracts still and there’s no market I know about at the moment. We did our business and Dortmund are doing theirs. All good."

Speaking on Liverpool's interest two summers ago, Pulisic insisted he wasn't thinking about a transfer to Anfield.

“I have respect for Klopp and I know him – he was very welcoming to me here – but I was never really thinking about going to Liverpool,” Pulisic said in March 2017.

“Dortmund have given me everything. If I work very hard here I will play and I love this club.”

[NI KI]

Meet the Liverpool Academy stars looking to impress Jurgen Klopp during pre-season tour

The anticipation is building in America ahead of Liverpool’s first game in the International Champions Cup.

And you can be sure that is matched by the players in Jurgen Klopp’s squad going into the matches with Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Yes, they may ‘only’ be friendlies, but the chance to perform at grounds as imposing as the Bank of America Stadium (75,523), the MetLife Stadium (82,500) and the Michigan Stadium (107,601), in front of the club’s fanatical Stateside support, is something the players are sure to relish.

And you can be sure that among the most excited members of the travelling Reds party will be the five youngsters who are experiencing an overseas tour with the first team for the first time.

Curtis Jones, Rafael Camacho, Nat Phillips, Kamil Grabara and Caoimhin Kelleher are members of Klopp’s 29-man squad and they will be hoping to play some part in Sunday night’s opener against Dortmund in Charlotte.

And, ahead of that clash, we give you the lowdown on the five.

Curtis Jones



The 17-year-old has long been regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the club’s academy.

But his development has come on at a rapid rate since the turn of the year.

He made his debut for the U23s in January and by the end of the season was training regularly at Melwood.

Jones, who scored 18 goals for the U18s and U19s during the 2017-18 campaign, was also named on the bench for the Merseyside derby with Everton at Goodison Park in April.

The city centre-born midfielder has featured in every first-team friendly so far this summer and after the 0-0 draw with Bury was praised by Klopp, who said: “Curtis is like the others, like Ben Woodburn the year before or Trent Alexander-Arnold.

“It’s good for us but it’s not about showing up once or twice, it’s about making the right decisions.

“Physically he’s a little bit ahead of the others because he’s obviously taller, and there’s a lot of body he can swap into muscle. It’s good for the moment.”

Rafael Camacho



The Portugal U17s international enjoyed a similarly encouraging season to Jones in 2017/18.

There was an U23s debut, regular training sessions and substitute appearances for the first team, and a glut of goals – 14 in total – at U18s and U19s level.

Camacho, who was signed from Manchester City in 2016, has also played in every friendly so far this summer, with his best performance coming in the 3-2 win at Tranmere, where he opened the scoring with a composed finish.

The 18-year-old is a winger by trade, but he has shown his versatility in pre-season so far by also playing full-back.

Camacho said: “The boss is asking me to do a job as a right-back for him. He wants to see me defending-wise and I’m just trying to do my best to help the team.

“(I want) to impress and give everything everyday to show the boss and help the whole team and show I can be a part of this Liverpool squad and go from there.”

[NI KI]

Nat Phillips



The Bolton-born defender is the ‘oldest’ of the U23s players involved on the tour at the age of 21.

Phillips is already making up for the time he lost for a large part of the 2017-18 campaign with a back injury.

On his return to full fitness he was named U23s captain by Neil Critchley and, like Camacho and Jones, was part of the 24-man squad for the Champions League final with Real Madrid in Kiev.

Phillips got game time against Tranmere, Chester FC, Blackburn Rovers and Bury this month, and he told the ECHO on Saturday: “A big goal for me over the past few weeks was getting on the tour. When I found out I was coming to the States, I was buzzing. There are three brilliant games over here.

“It’s a great opportunity and it’s all happened so fast on the back of the last few months of last season.”

Kamil Grabara / Caoimhin Kelleher

With Danny Ward gone, and with Simon Mignolet and new number one Alisson not linking up with the first-team squad until after its return to Merseyside, Klopp has named two teenage goalkeepers to back up Loris Karius in America.

Grabara is a Poland youth international who is set to become Liverpool’s third-choice senior keeper if, as expected, Mignolet leaves the club.

The 19-year-old, who joined the Reds in the summer of 2016 from Ruch Chorzow, made his first appearance in pre-season earlier this month, keeping a clean sheet against Bury.

Kelleher then replicated that feat at Blackburn on Thursday after coming on for Karius.

The 19-year-old Republic of Ireland international has been on Liverpool’s books since 2015 and has featured regularly for the U18s and U23s.

[NI KI]

[NI KI]

Pep Lijnders steps up for Jurgen Klopp as coach fills the Zeljko Buvac role in Liverpool squad

The influence of Pep Lijnders was clear as the Liverpool players were put through their paces in the searing heat of Charlotte.

The Dutchman, who was brought back to the club by Jurgen Klopp this summer, was in the thick of it, barking orders and ensuring standards remained high.

Lijnders has clearly taken on greater responsibility alongside Peter Krawietz in pre-season in the continued absence of first assistant coach Zeljko Buvac.

Liverpool insist the situation is unchanged with Buvac - he remains a club employee and has been away since April due to 'personal reasons'.



However, the ECHO understands that the Bosnian Serb won't be returning and his 17-year working relationship with Klopp is effectively over. His exit is likely to be confirmed over the coming weeks.

Klopp isn't looking to make any further additions to his backroom staff with Lijnders filling the Buvac void.

Prior to a short stint as a manager in his homeland, Lijnders was the Reds' first-team development coach - the key link between the Academy and Melwood - but this time around he has yet to be given an official job title.

Lijnders is a popular figure among the players and highly respected. Ben Woodburn was coached by him at Kirkby before they both made the leap to the senior set-up.

The Wales international wasn't surprised that Klopp moved swiftly to bring him back to Liverpool after he parted company with NEC Nijmegen in May.

"Pep is so enthusiastic and his football brain is crazy," Woodburn told the ECHO after walking off the training pitch in Charlotte.

"He knows so much about football. You can see on the pitch how much he wants to be there and I think it pays off and shows with the squad on the pitch.

"He was the link between the first team and the Academy when I was coming through. He's the same now as the season I had with him when was our under-16s coach. He's helped me so much."

[NI KI]

Liverpool begin their pre-season tour of the United States with a clash against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday night.

Jurgen Klopp meets his former club in Charlotte, North Carolina, before big-game clashes with Premier League champions Manchester City and Jose Mourinho Manchester United.

After four games in the north west against Chester, Tranmere, Bury and Blackburn, Liverpool's participation in the International Champions Cup will represent a significant step up in quality of opposition.

But just who has the most work to do Stateside?

Here are three who will perhaps be aiming to impress more than others.

Gini Wijnaldum



Gini Wijnaldum has curiously found his future the subject of speculation this summer.

The Netherlands international has seen some stern competition arrive for a place in the Reds' midfield with the summer arrivals of Naby Keita and Fabinho, which could perhaps explain the rumour-mongering, to an extent.

It is not that thought that the Reds are open to selling Wijnaldum, but his place in the Reds' engine room has come under serious threat with the additions of Keita and Fabinho.

The energetic Dutchman is a favourite of Klopp, but the Reds manager has a wealth of options available to him now in central midfield and a good showing in the States will offer a timely reminder of his talents.

Wijnaldum returned late to pre-season alongside fellow Netherlands international Virgil van Dijk, but with captain Jordan Henderson still on holiday after his World Cup exertions, the former Newcastle star has a chance to stake a claim to be part of a new-look midfield this coming campaign.

Divock Origi



Divock Origi has failed to light the blue touch paper so far this pre-season.

The Belgium international had been ideally positioned to make his mark and stake a claim to become Roberto Firmino's first-choice understudy in the No.9 role.

With Dominic Solanke still learning the game at just 20 and Danny Ings yearning for a new challenge, Origi was placed alongside Daniel Sturridge as the men primed to offer Firmino some competition.

And while the injury-plagued Sturridge has so far grasped his chance with sharp displays and three goals, Origi has struggled.

A loan spell at Wolfsburg failed to work out for the forward and he's spent the pre-season campaign so far looking largely unmotivated and disjointed.

Perhaps a step up in class will see Origi awaken from his slumber, but it is a big few weeks for the 23-year-old.

Joel Matip



With Dejan Lovren currently enjoying a well-earned rest after his World Cup exploits with Croatia, Joel Matip will surely be afforded ample opportunity to prove he can strike up a defensive partnership with Virgil van Dijk.

It was Matip who made way in the Liverpool side when Van Dijk arrived for £75million back in January, but the next few games will be a chance to show that he can work alongside the most expensive defender in football history.

Lovren is likely to miss the Reds' opening game of the new season against West Ham on August 12, leaving Matip in pole position to be Van Dijk's centre-back partner for the next few weeks.

A dominant showing in the United States could cement that place further.

[Teoheseow]

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[NI KI]

Originally Posted by Teoheseow

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[NI KI]

Alisson Becker will begin his Liverpool career by joining up with the squad for the training camp in France.

The goalkeeper, who completed his transfer from AS Roma on a long-term contract on Thursday, will be part of the group that departs for the continent later this month.

Meanwhile, fellow new signing Xherdan Shaqiri is set to join his new teammates in New Jersey on Tuesday.

Jürgen Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com: “Shaqiri will come the day after tomorrow directly to New Jersey and Alisson will come with Roberto Firmino and will be a part of the second camp in Evian.

“That’s good that we’ll have them all together, apart from the semi-finalists of the World Cup.”