Liverpool’s pre-season tour reaches its conclusion this weekend as the Reds take on Leeds United in Chicago.
After encouraging wins over Sunderland and Wrexham, this will be Andoni Iraola’s final opportunity to assess his squad before the team returns to Anfield for friendlies against Monaco and Como.
So, what should supporters be looking out for?
More Minutes for the World Cup Stars
The biggest talking point will undoubtedly be the return of Liverpool’s World Cup contingent.
Supporters will be hoping to see:
● Ryan Gravenberch
● Florian Wirtz
● Alexander Isak
● Jeremy Jacquet
all receive valuable minutes.
After returning later than the rest of the squad, this feels like the ideal opportunity for Iraola to begin integrating them into his system before competitive football begins.
Iraola’s Tactics Continue to Develop
We’ve already seen glimpses of what Iraola wants.
Aggressive pressing.
Quicker transitions.
More direct football.
Liverpool have looked noticeably more intense than they did for large spells last season.
Against Leeds, expect that identity to become even clearer.
The players are beginning to understand the system, and this game should provide another step forward.
A Stronger Test
Leeds are likely to offer Liverpool a sterner examination than Wrexham.
They possess Premier League quality and should provide a much better indication of where Liverpool currently stand physically and tactically.
Pre-season results are never the priority, but the quality of the opposition makes this a useful benchmark.
More Opportunities for the Youngsters
One of the highlights of pre-season has been Liverpool’s academy players.
Rio Ngumoha, Trey Nyoni, Kieran Morrison, Josh Abe and Ifeanyi Ndukwe have all taken their opportunities.
Even with senior players returning, don’t be surprised if Iraola continues giving youngsters meaningful minutes.
Several have already shown they are capable of competing at a high level.
Defensive Questions
With Joe Gomez injured and Jeremy Jacquet only just returning to fitness, Liverpool’s defensive depth remains under the spotlight.
Supporters will be watching closely to see:
● Who starts at centre-back
● Whether Jacquet is deemed ready to feature
● How Liverpool cope defensively against stronger opposition
It remains one of the biggest areas of focus before the Premier League season begins.
Fitness Over Results
Above everything else, this is still about preparation.
Iraola will want players building rhythm, improving their understanding of his system and avoiding injuries.
Winning would be nice.
Seeing Liverpool continue to develop their identity would be even more important.
Reasons for Optimism
There is already a different feel around Liverpool.
The intensity has increased.
The pressing looks more coordinated.
The squad appears to be buying into Iraola’s ideas.
If those trends continue against Leeds, supporters will have even more reason to be optimistic heading into the new campaign.
By the final whistle in Chicago, Liverpool fans should have a much clearer picture of what Andoni Iraola’s team could look like when the Premier League season gets underway.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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