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HockeyBhoy
2027-28: Pre-Season, Part One
We would play a total of eight friendlies, not including the Community Shield. Of course certain games would see us field a second string outfit but the main thing is to get the match sharpness ahead of the big kick-off on 7 August.
Pre-Season Game 1
Our first game was a test in itself, against one of the best teams in Argentina: River Plate. With this in mind, I fielded a very strong line up. Considering it was mid-season for the hosts, a crowd of almost 42,000 were attendance. Yet we were there not to make up the numbers as I wanted the team to have some serious tests as well as ones that we would be expected to win.
Playing the 4-2-3-1 formation which the board seem to like us playing, we took the lead in the sixth minute when Facundo Agüero tripped Romelu Lukaku in the penalty area as the big Belgian raced onto a Mateo Kovacic through ball. Thomas Lemar stepped up and drilled the resultant spot kick home. We had a second midway through the first half, when some cracking work down the left from Kieran Tierney saw him plant a cross onto the head of Lukaku who thumped it home.
The win was secured in the 68th minute, and deservedly so, when a low cross from substitute Andrew Robertson was tucked home at the near post by Jonathas Mello. A very pleasing start to the pre-season against high quality opposition.
Pre-Season Game 2
We travelled back to England 24 hours later, and would play our second pre-season game on the following Wednesday. That next game would be in the Black Country as we faced a West Bromwich Albion side that many pundits have tipped to be in the promotion race from the Championship this season. The side was changed to give others a chance to show what they can do, Trent Alexander-Arnold captained them as I completely changed the starting eleven.
The much changed squad took the lead after 26 minutes. Patrick Roberts, who had turned down a move to newly promoted Stoke in the summer after we had agreed a £11.25 million fee, was fouled 25 yards out and you thought nothing was on. However, tell that to Frenkie de Jong as the Dutchman produced a moment of magic to curl the ball around the wall and into the roof of the net: the Albion keeper had no chance.
A second arrived four minutes before half time when Robertson picked out Ben Woodburn in space on the edge of the six yard box. The Welshman dug the ball from underneath his feet and provided a simple finish into the net. We could have more but we had to settle for two. It was very pleasing considering there were a lot of new faces in either the starting eleven or on the bench.
The following day, we would fly out to China for a three-game tour.
HockeyBhoy
The agreement is with Japanese J1 League side Kashima Antlers and Reds Chairman Didier Delcroix was in Tokyo to sign the deal. The Chairman had this to say about it:
HockeyBhoy
2027-28: Pre-Season, Part Two: The Chinese Tour
So it was off to China for a three game tour which would be useful in developing our brand there. I took the entire first team squad plus some of the promising youngsters. Everyone would get some kind of game time in those matches. Winning would be nice to continue but getting those all important match minutes was the priority.
Pre-Season Game 3
We opened the tour in the city of Guangzhou to face the city's second professional club. Again we agreed to adopt the the 4-2-3-1 formation against our opponents, and it was a forgotten man of sorts who stole the show as if to prove a point. That man was Patrick Roberts, and the former Celtic winger would score a superb brace as we made it three wins from three.
In the 13th minute Roberts opened the scoring when a Rodri shot ricocheted into his path and he hit it first time into the bottom corner. Yet the exuberant home support were making a noise to will their side on, and they had every reason to cheer when Neylton Rodrigues equalised nine minutes later on a counter attack that caught us out. We regrouped and refocused and regained the lead four minutes from half time when that man Roberts thumped one in from 25 yards out following good work by Jonathas Mello.
The lead became 3-1 three minutes into the second half. Mo Salah flighted in a free-kick that caught everyone out but Ben Woodburn and he blasted one from close range into the roof the net. In the final minute we added a fourth when the ball found its way to Leander Carstensen who placed a low shot into the net.
Pre-Season Game 4
We travelled to Shanghai for the second game of the tour to face their Chinese Super League side. To keep the squad fresh, I changed the starting eleven which meant a start for 17 year old French midfielder Jacques Chaput and the youngster certainly didn't look out of place in the 76 minutes he played. He could be one to watch this season and I might be tempted to start him in a few Carabao Cup games.
All the three goals came in the first half as we played our hosts off the park. We took the lead in the 19th minute when a superb cross field pass from Chaput found Carstensen who pulled the ball back for Adán to side foot home from six yards out. A second goal came in the 31st minute when Eduardo Venegas, fresh from his Gold Cup exploits with Mexico where he won Player of the Tournament, latched onto a deflected shot to place his low drive into the far corner past the stranded keeper.
As the rain continued to fall, we got our third in first half injury time. Frenkie de Jong picked a square pass from fellow Dutchman Jeroen Heerkens, advanced forward then placed a shot across the keeper for 3-0. Game killed off in one half. After it was pretty much cruise control but we had to play with ten men from the 49th minute when Daniel Ballard was shown a straight red for a last man foul. The Northern Irish internationalist got a few choice personal words after his dismissal but accepted he was in the wrong and he had let us down.
Pre-Season Game 5
We finished the tour with a game in Beijing and of the three, this was the hardest of all as we had to do something we hadn't done before in the previous four games. That was, come from behind to win. The home side went ahead in the 27th minute when the impressive Hui Ruiqi finished well after some good home play. The home support inside the Workers Stadium went absolutely bananas. It was a real cauldron of noise from the first minute to the end.
We levelled matters two minutes from half time when Josip Radosevic brought down Roberts who was again showing how much he wants to have a first team spot. Thomas Lemar, back from injury, stepped up and made no mistake from the spot. Both sides tried to get the lead and it looked that it was going to be a draw when we scored a dramatic winner in the final stages. A swift break started with Woodburn before the Welshman switched it wide right to Mello whose low cross was met by Venegas to slot home at the near post.
A hard earned win, but we're now five from five in pre-season.
As we boarded our flight back to the UK from Beijing Capital International Airport 24 hours later, news broke that the Club had accepted a £77 million pound bid from Arsenal (rising to £100 million) for our Spanish striker Adán. Now it was up to me to see if we wanted to sell the 26 year old or not. Whilst it would provide extra transfer funds, the downside was that I was possibly selling a player with his best years to come and boosting the firepower of a rival. A tough decision to make,
HockeyBhoy
Hope this is only a blip and we can continue this superb career again soon.
Everything else on the laptop works fine.
*** UPDATE 29/08/2021 ***
Game still isn't loading, feeling this might be the end. Hope you have enjoyed it if it is.
In the meantime, please follow my FM20 story which is still active: Have Coaching Badges...
HockeyBhoy
We will be back again shortly.
HockeyBhoy
2027-28: Pre-Season, Part Three: Continuing Preparations
The first of those friendlies came just 24 hours after arrival back, a trip to Highbury (not the Arsenal version) to face Championship side Fleetwood Town. Bearing in mind bigger tests awaited, a side of youngsters and the odd experienced head ventured the 59 miles north to lock horns with the Cod Army.
Pre-Season Game 6
Captained by new Brazilian central defender Juan, a second-string Reds side strolled to a 2-0 victory at Highbury. The Reds opened the scoring on the half hour when young central midfielder Sidney Guiste swung a ball out left and behind the home defence. it was brought down by Welsh forward Ben Woodburn who took a touch before drilling a shot across the keeper and into the far bottom corner. Simplicity as its best.
Three minutes before half time, the lead was doubled. Another ball over the top, this time from Patrick Roberts was brought down by yet another newcomer from Brazil: 19-year-old Jonathas Mello. The teenager took a couple of touches before placing his shot into the bottom corner. There were a raft of changes in the second half, giving both home and visiting fans a chance to see some of the much recognisable names in the Liverpool squad.
Three days came the team's prestigious home friendly, a visit from Serie A giants Milan.
Pre-Season Game 7
Almost 52,000 fans attended Anfield on a showery Sunday afternoon to see the Reds take on Milan. The 18-time Scudetto winners brought a strong squad which included Italian internationalists Gianluigi Donnarumma and Alessio Romagnoli. In fact, it was the latter in Romagnoli who scored the only goal to decide the contest. That goal came after just five minutes when Reds Spanish central defender Jesús Vallejo was a bit too physical in his challenge on Jakub Reznicek resulting in referee Taylor Calver pointing to the spot. Romagnoli stepped up to place the perfect penalty out of the reach of Allisson.
Both sides had chances to increase the number of goals in the game, Reiss Nelson going close twice for the Reds whilst Adrien Rabiot was always at the heartbeat of the Rossoneri's attacks. So. the game ended in a home loss which will have dented Liverpool's confidence a bit with the FA Community Shield just a matter of a week away.
After the game, Duell was asked for an update on the possible transfer out of Adán. The update was short and sweet:
HockeyBhoy
2027-28: Who is in the squad?
First Team Analysis
GOALKEEPERS:
DEFENDERS:
MIDFIELDERS:
FORWARDS:
OUT ON LOAN ALREADY:
+ - Not in Premier League 25-man squad due to restrictions
** - New signing for season
HockeyBhoy
It will return at some point though.