Liverpool came from behind to beat Yokohama F. Marinos 3-1 in a pre-season-friendly in Japan on Wednesday. Here we investigate some of the big points of their performance …
Rio's great talent takes him to the first Liverpool team
Rio Ngumoha. Remember the name. Those who have viewed his cameo and astonishing solo target on Wednesday will have it for their thoughts for days. This was the moment that a 16-year-old announced himself as a talent that was worth storming the plans of Arne Slot.
There was a feeling that the Liverpool -Baas then tried to play the performance of the teenage wing and talk about “learning points” for the rising star. But his process cannot be denied.
From his courage on the ball to his technical skills with it to the pace and perseverance that repeatedly brought him into dangerous areas and defenders, Ngumoha showed how he went from an academy talent – signed from Chelsea last summer – given a chance for a tour for a player now to a player who now drugs to a player who now.
Ekitike addicted during the break in frustrating debut
Liverpool supporters who coordinate on Wednesday-friendly in Japan would have been enthusiastic to see the name of Hugo Ekitike on the team magazine for the first time after his recent £ 79 million relocation of Eintracht Frankfurt, but they will not have learned much about their new striker after a largely anonymous 45-minute show.
The Frenchman worked nicely early with Mo Salah, showed an impressive first touch before he was met on the name rule, and almost came out of the stamp during his debut with a brutal attempt at heeuling when he tried to accompany Conor Bradley's cut in the Near Post.
The 23-year-old, however, remained largely high in his role as a no. 9 and tried to pin the Yokohama center backs, while she only occasionally drove to the canals in a largely frustrating and incident-free first period.
Ekitike was addicted during the break instead of the man he has to replace in the attack, Darwin Nunez, although that was less a judgment on his first half display and more a pre-planned decision of lock as the Reds boss tries to carefully introduce the attacker into his starting line-up. Richard Morgan.
Patience required with the record purchases of Liverpool
Florian Wirtz received a useful 64 -minute runout in the Yokohama International Stadium, covered by scoring his very first goal for Liverpool to bring the visitor level just beyond the hour of their last summer friendly in Asia.
That level was taken well and showed a lot of calmness, although it is fair to say that the new record purchase of the club produced a mixed display in the intense Tokyo Heat on Wednesday evening.
There were a number of nice first details of the playmaker, which on different first half occasions dangerously connected to Salah to the right of the forward line of the Reds, as well as some characteristic silky dribbles of his No. 10 berth.
However, it is understandable that Wirtz sometimes looked rust, because he continues to be acclimatized to both his new teammates and the environment, while the Bobbly-Pitch in Yokohama did not help him either.
The more playing time the German, who was responsible for most Liverpool set pieces, gets the champions, the more we will see for sure why Arne Slot was so willing to break the bank to take him to Anfield.Richard Morgan
Quiet night for new Reds No. 2
Giorgi Mamardashvili has not been shy to make it clear that he was not at Liverpool to act as Alisson's Back -Up this season, and forced with the Brazil -International to leave the summer tour through Asia prematurely to return to his home -reasons for private reasons.
The Georgian had replaced Alisson for the second half of the 4-2 loss of the Reds for AC Milan on Saturday, but was involved in a disastrous mix on the back with Kostas Tsimikas.
However, Mamaardashvili was much less busy in this 90-minute training against Yokohama F. Marinos, and only had to produce one excellent diving saving to claw a goal bound header in his nearby post just before half-time.
And that full stop showed exactly why Reds Scouts wanted to sign the 24-year-old, who was harmless for the opening goal of Yokohama, before he immediately lent him back to Valencia last summer, and why they also see him as Alisson's long-term successor at Anfield.richard Morgan
Nyoni Bulkt and builds up
Trey Nyoni justifies some sympathy and has seen what his winning goal would have been in the turning victory of Liverpool, overshadowed by the stunner of Ngumoha. But his own steady progress is clear.
Nyoni was the clear young thing in the preseason last summer. A few performances in the FA Cup and a few more in the Carabao Cup followed last season, and he became the youngest player of Liverpool ever in the European competition with his Champions League arch against PSV.
Now, clearly full and building experience, he sees more physically present in midfield. His eruption in the box to convert the fine cross of Jeremie Frimpong, showed sharpness and good movement. “As everyone can see, he is very fit,” said teammate Wataru Endo afterwards. “Today, in the last match against Milan, he showed himself very well.”
At this pace it will not be long before Nyoni has his moments in the spotlight. Peter Smith
Bradley and Frimpong show their strengths
The arrival of Jeremie Frimpong this summer raised the question of whether it would be the Dutchman or Conor Bradley who took on the cloak to be the successor of Trent Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool. On Wednesday they showed their different attributes and how both major assets can be for the coming season.
Bradley got the nod to start and took offensive positions in the inner area. That enabled Mohamed Salah to stay broad and create for his teammates, while Bradley was also involved in coupling movements with the Egyptian to find Hugo Ekitike.
Frimpong was one of the changes in the second half and his peach of a cross before Nyoni showed how he has been such a big hit for Bayer Leverkusen in recent seasons, just like his characteristic dart in the box for another intersection at the attempt.
He caused real problems against a tiring and changed defense of the opposition. With Salah Off, Frimpong operated in a wider role than Bradley had earlier in the game.
Who will replace Alexander-Arnold? Maybe Bradley and Frimpong can do it between them in different ways … Peter Smith