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With the Euros finished it is time once more for football fans to start buzzing about pre-season matches and tournaments.  For Liverpool fans, whom have spent their last couple of preseason’s in the far east, the travelling Kop will travel across the pond in a lucrative summer tour of the United States.  The Reds will grace historic Fenway Park, take on Spurs in Baltimore and take on MLS side Toronto in Canada, before returning home to welcome the return of Sami Hyppia and Bayer Leverkusen.  Preseason tournaments aren’t just about the celebrity status and summer sun, as much as it may seem that way.  Pre-season matches are guides to the new season, and for many, can help get the season off on the right foot.  Every pre-season needs a guide, and here, is Liverpools :

 

1.)    Develop the Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez partnership.

Barring any transfer business which could see the Reds bring in a new striker or lose Luis Suarez, Brendan Rodgers first bit of business should be the continuing development of the Carroll/Suarez partnership.  Andy Carroll has enjoyed the form of his Liverpool (and England) career over the past three months, and his fitness, vision and mobility have begun to justify his Euro 2012 selection.  Many have envisioned a partnership in the mold of John Toshack and Kevin Keegan, and these four games could be key to getting Carroll and Suarez rolling before the real fun begins in August.

2.)    Call up the youth-squad!

Brendan Rodgers once said that if a young player is good enough, he will play.  Now, all of us know that there are many good young players throughout Liverpool Football Club, and the Premier League at that.  But how many managers will actually risk points in return for developing young players?  Not many, and I don’t believe Rodgers will do any different.  However, in pre-season, there are no points.  Raheem Sterling and Jack Robinson have seen Premier League action already in their young careers, and players such as Suso, Adam Morgan and Conor Coady are waiting in the wings.  It is players like Sterling and Suso that Kopites have been yearning for to be called up, and with a few of the youth players likely to be utilized throughout pre-season and in the cup campaigns, Rodgers could do himself a world of good getting the younger players match-fit and gelled into the team

3.)    Fix Jordan Henderson…he’s not a winger.

One of the many disappointments last season for Liverpool fans was Jordan Henderson.  Brought to Anfield for a hefty fee, many expected good things from the England U-21 captain.  Apart from two goals and a consistent fitness level, the return on investment was near nothing.  Many believe this was Kenny Dalglish’s tendency to deploy him on the right of midfield, rather than his natural central midfield position.  At 22, Henderson is still very young and was hardly talented enough to keep Dirk Kuyt out of his right-midfield place.  Many have dubbed Henderson the next big thing for both club and country for his exploits as captain of the U-21 side, but at the center of midfield.  Henderson does not have the pace or trickery to beat defenders on the right, so it will be up to Rodgers to see him placed in the center of midfield, or loan him out to a side in need of a central midfielder.  Henderson is still young and a bright prospect for Liverpool, but a loan spell could do him good should Rodgers see fit

4.)    Sort out tiki-taka and do it quickly

Last season saw Kenny Dalglish reign his first full season as Liverpool manager since being appointed in January of 2011.  His first full season saw Liverpool play, at times, amazing and beautiful pass-and-move football.  His first full season also saw Liverpool waste one too many chances in front of goal, at times seeming almost afraid to win ugly.  While at Swansea, Rodgers had his side playing some of the most beautiful football in the country, and secured the Welsh side an 11th place finish in the Barclays Premier League.  While tiki-taka is more or less the “Liverpool Way”, Fenway Sports Group (FSG) will no doubt want to see beautiful football translate into points and not just false gratification.  Rodgers big obstacle will be securing the players that fit into his style and finding a way to finish off each pass-and-move with a pass-to-the-back-of-the-net.

5.)    Win the fans over early

Following the departure of the King, many Kopites fell into disbelief at the way FSG was running things at the club.  Brendan Rodgers was appointed manager following a couple weeks of interviews and numerous Dave Whelan comments and was handed a three-year contract.  While the contract is short and precise, the goals of his term are not so simple.  Dalglish brought Liverpool the clubs first trophy in six years and delivred them to an FA Cup final, but was subsequently sacked for various and numerous reasons.  Rodgers will need to win over the Kop quickly, and (almost) more importantly, FSG.  John Henry is not afraid to pull the trigger on employee contracts, and those of his players as well.  Rodgers must get his players and Liverpool firing quickly.  With Champions League football becoming harder to attain for all clubs, the battle for fourth place has never been tougher.  Without Champions League football, Liverpool are just another “cup-team” or a fourth-place combatant.  Brendan Rodgers has said it will take time for him to adjust Liverpool in his vision, and he will need to win over the grace of the Kop to be allowed that time.

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