The (pre)Season is Upon Us!
I hope you enjoyed your summer of frolicking in the sun, because it’s almost time to park your ass back in front of the tv/computer. The lads (well, some of them) are back in action again tomorrow! Sure, it’s the first pre-season game, which amounts to almost nothing more than a mere exercise, but it’s still a match. It’s the first step in the 08/09 season. The first step towards… well, I’ll hold off on the predictions for a few more weeks…
When the Reds travel to Tranmere Rovers tomorrow (10am EST… methinks) , it should feature Andrea Dossena and Philipp Degen in their first run-outs in the red shirt. Rafa has also said Gerrard and Voronin (seriously, try to contain your excitement for the ponytail) will likely see some action. But, what I most enjoy about the pre-season is getting a good look at the youngsters. While the level of competition is nowhere near actual league standards, it’s still enjoyable to see what the young guns have to offer.
The rest of the pre-season schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, July 16 — vs. FC Lucerene
Saturday, July 19 — vs. Wisla Krakow
Tuesday, July 22 — vs. Hertha Berlin
Wednesday, July 30 — vs. Villarreal
Saturday, August 2 — vs. Rangers
Tuesday, August 5 — vs. Vålerenga
Friday, August 8 — vs. Lazio
All the those matches, with the one exception of the Lazio affair, are away. I believe the first three on that list take place in Switzerland as part of the team’s training camp, but then the boys take their show on the road. Should any of these matches show up on proper television (Gol TV, I’m looking your way), I’ll let you know. But, as always, keep an eye on LiveFooty and SopCast.
Now, some odds and ends on the news front…
It’s being reported that Newcastle have agreed on a fee with LFC for Danny Guthrie. The 21-year old midfielder spent last campaign at the Reebok Stadium for Bolton, but in all reality, wasn’t going to feature in a relatively crowded Liverpool midfield.
Robbie Fowler has apparently linked up with Blackburn after former Red teammate/new manager Paul Ince offered him a chance to earn a contract during their pre-season training. Good to God still playing, but don’t get too excited yet. He still has to prove himself, stay healthy, and actually produce on the pitch. I love him, but I’m not bullish on the prospects.
Crouchie has officially joined Portsmouth. A tidy bit of business. Good luck, Peter.
The Brazilian invasion continues as GK Diego Cavalieri has officially been signed.
