It’s not going to be one of Jurgen Klopp’s more pressing problems. But it was just another example of Liverpool’s well-laid plans for the upcoming season being jeopardized.
The revelation that the reconstructed Anfield Road stand will not be completely functioning until October was an unpleasant subplot as the Reds look to improve on their previous season’s failings, which saw them lose out on Champions League qualification for the first time in six years.
Indeed, rather than playing in front of the largest league crowd in the stadium’s history, Liverpool will face Bournemouth in their first home Premier League match on August 19.
“We will have 6,000 more in Anfield, and oh my God, I can’t wait for that,” Klopp remarked last week. “I had some of my best moments in the ‘old’ stadium, so let’s see what we can come up with.” Hopefully, there will be those who have been waiting for a ticket for 20 years and will scream their souls out.”
Wait, the Reds manager must, even if his players will be well-supported as they move on to the next part of their pre-season training.
Liverpool fly to Singapore on Thursday for a tour that includes friendlies against Leicester City on Sunday and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich the following Wednesday.
Having visited the Philippines just last year as part of a Far East tour that also included a trip to Bangkok, the Reds will know to expect a warm welcome from the country’s devoted fans.
The fans, on the other hand, may be forgiven for not knowing what to anticipate after a time of unforeseen turbulence in the Liverpool squad caused by the financial might of the Saudi Pro League.
Jordan Henderson, who scored the opening goal in Liverpool’s 2-0 triumph over Crystal Palace in Singapore a year ago, has joined Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq. On Wednesday, the 33-year-old declared his departure from the club in an emotional letter on social media.
Fabinho is also on his way to Saudi Arabia, with Liverpool and Al-Ittihad having finalized the arrangements of his £40 million deal. The Reds intend to use the earnings of those transactions to assist arrange a move for Southampton’s 19-year-old defensive midfielder Romeo Lavia, after the South Coast club rejected an earlier £38 million bid.
The lack of available defensive midfield options – 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic has yet to play as he steps up his return from a long-term adductor problem – means Klopp has no choice but to continue experimenting, with preparations further hampered by Liverpool taking no chances over the fitness of summer signing Dominik Szoboszlai, who turned an ankle in training – means Klopp has no choice but to continue experimenting. He is questionable for the encounter against Leicester.
The step up in quality of opposition from the first two friendlies against German second-tier sides Karlsruher SC and Greuther Furth will be instructive, with Trent Alexander-Arnold starting in defensive midfield in both games and Conor Bradley slotting into the inverted right-back role.
Could Liverpool give Alexis MacAllister a more withdrawn role? What about Curtis Jones, who excelled in a defensive role for England during their UEFA Under-21 Championships campaign? Is there any chance of keeping Cody Gakpo in midfield against superior teams?
With only one more friendly scheduled after Singapore – a match against promoted Bundesliga side SV Darmstadt at Preston on August 7 – fewer replacements are anticipated as Klopp works to narrow down the potential starting lineup for the Premier League opener against Chelsea the following Sunday. Nonetheless, minutes will be available for the fringe players and kids who attend, but not all of those who participated in the previous 10-day training camp in Germany are anticipated to travel.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will want to improve defensively after allowing six goals in two games, sparking renewed talk about the need for center-back reinforcement, though there have been no problems with a forward line in which all five senior attackers have already found the target.
Klopp has long praised Liverpool’s lengthy stay in the Black Forest. However, for various reasons, the travel to the Far East may suddenly be equally as crucial.
