5 things we spotted from Liverpool's training ahead of Nottingham Forest fixture
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Rush The Kop or go back to LFC Live.
The Liverpool squad appeared in good spirits ahead of the Reds' next fixture in the league against Nottingham Forest.Following Sunday's draw to Newcastle, Andoni Iraola's side will be hoping to improve on what was a lacklustre performance, with old patterns from last season still showing.So, what did we notice during Tuesday's training session?5 - All three goalkeepers look sharpAlisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman looked on top form on Tuesday. Each keeper pulled off some wonderful saves during training.The Reds were plagued by goalkeeping injuries, with both Alisson and Mamardashvili having spells on the sidelines, which left Woodman starting in key matches during the business end of the season.Many will be hoping Liverpool's number 1 can remain fit to play throughout the year, while the Georgian goalkeeper may have to be content with featuring in the domestic cups.Whatever the situation, Liverpool have three reliable goalkeepers that they can call upon.4 - Importance of 'fringe' playersAs the end of the transfer window approaches, squad depth becomes a more vocal conversation.
The Reds have faced criticism online for a lack of depth across the squad, but the accumulation of wingers is a sign of where Iraola expects the most wear and tear to occur.Nevertheless, Liverpool are low on numbers across midfield and defence, especially with the departures of Curtis Jones and Calvin Ramsay - and while Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Joe Gomez remain sidelined.As a result, 'fringe' players like Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliot, James McConnell and Federico Chiesa (amongst others) will be important as the competitions and games ramp up, in order to keep the first team as fit as possible.Elliot trained particularly well on Tuesday, but it remains to be seen how he will feature in Iraola's plans for the season ahead.3 - Confident KoumasLewis Koumas seems to have impressed Liverpool's Basque head-coach this summer. The Welshman featured several times across pre-season, and made his Premier League debut against Newcastle when he came on in the 78th minute.Liverpool's number 67 showed real tenacity and desire to win the ball back if the Reds were out of possession.In training, he was exactly the same - constantly harassing 'senior' players and trying to win back possession.
He constantly beat his defender, and scored some nice goals with both feet. Liverpool's number 10 was instrumental in Argentina reaching the final in America, even if they fell at the final hurdle.His introduction at the weekend added more stability into Liverpool's midfield, and his return to the side means there will be some good competition for spots in the middle of the park.With more positional discipline, Mac Allister may be Szoboszlai's midfield partner for the foreseeable future, especially in games where the Reds will need more cover against counter attacks.In training, the Argentine was full of confidence, scoring some nice goals - even chipping Alisson from distance.