We won't see Firmino or Benteke in Sweden.

[Mystic]

Edit - Fuck you SCM for not letting me edit the title to Finland before anyone noticed my cockup.

Rodgers names strong squad for Helsinki

30th July 2015
Brendan Rodgers has named a strong squad for Liverpool's weekend trip to Helsinki, where they will face HJK in a pre-season friendly at the Olympic Stadium.

The Reds' preparations for the new Barclays Premier League campaign are nearing their end, meaning Saturday's game represents a final chance for many players to stake their claim for a starting berth against Stoke City on August 9.
And the boss will be running the rule over a host of star names in the Finnish capital as his team take on Mika Lehkosuo's side.
Newly appointed captain Jordan Henderson, Brazil star Philippe Coutinho and in-form attacker Adam Lallana are among those set to feature.
The game will also provide a chance for fans to get a closer look at summer signings Nathaniel Clyne, Joe Gomez, Danny Ings, Divock Origi and James Milner, who have all been selected to travel.
They will be joined by Martin Skrtel in the travelling party, and the Slovakian defender has underlined the importance of earning a confidence-boosting win in this fixture with the start of the season so close.
He said: "I think the game in Helsinki is great for our preparation ahead of the new campaign; every single player is working towards the first game of the new season against Stoke City.
"This is going to be our final test and we will travel to Finland looking to get the right result and ensure we are confident going into the first game of the season.
"It has been a tough few weeks; we have been working hard on our fitness, doing the running and conditioning drills.
"It was great to get minutes on the pitch in Australia and Asia, as well as getting some good results along the way - and we are eager to carry on in this manner, in the next game in Helsinki, so we hit the ground running."

http://www.lfctour.com/news/latest-news/rodgers-names-strong-squad-for-helsinki

 

[Hansern]

"But the ECHO understands a decision has not yet been made on whether new boys Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino will travel to Finland."

 

[Mystic]

"But the ECHO understands a decision has not yet been made on whether new boys Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino will travel to Finland."

I hope they do, would like them to play at least a little bit before the season starts.

 

[Hansern]

I hope they do, would like them to play at least a little bit before the season starts.

Yep, a bit strange if they don't but they must be a bit behind the others fitness wise.
Hope they're added to the squad later.

 

[Skullflower]

We play on Sunday as well

 

[Hansern]

Forgot about that. Swindon I think

 

[mr_moo]

Also a XI away to Morecambe on Saturday.

 

[Ryan]

Balotelli, Borini, and Enrique left out of the squad. Apparently they've been training seperately from the main squad for parts of this week too.

Take the fucking hint lads.

 

[Wiberg]

Benteke will go. He has to.

 

[Frogfish]

Sakho & Skrtel have thrown their hats into the ring to be considered as our new striking duo :

[av]https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/CLNJKEYUkAAy6tA.mp4[/av]

[av]https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/CLNCHs5UMAAzd3L.mp4[/av]

 

[MaBigTip]

Mamadou is a boss. Hope he stays fit this season.

 

[Dreambeliever]

As long as Coutinho gets minutes I'll be happy.

We need him against Stoke.

 

[eecheerow]

16-man Reds squad departs for Helsinki

31st July 2015 Latest News

A 16-man Liverpool squad selected by Brendan Rodgers has set off for Finland ahead of Saturday's pre-season friendly against HJK Helsinki.


The match is set for a 5.30pm BST kick-off at the Olympic Stadium as the Reds continue their preparations for the new campaign.

And a strong squad including captain Jordan Henderson and five summer arrivals departed Merseyside on a short flight this afternoon.

Liverpool squad: Chirivella, Clyne, Coutinho, Fulton, Gomez, Henderson, Ibe, Ings, Kent, Lallana, Lovren, Maguire, Mignolet, Milner, Origi, Skrtel.

 

[eecheerow]

So... no Benteke or Firmino, which we knew. No Sakho or Moreno, no Lucas, Allen or Can, so there's no chance Rodgers is using this to give his Stoke starting xi a run out together before Sunday next week. Might not be a bad thing, but I know I would have had more of an eye on that fixture than has Rodgers.

 

[Hansern]

Picking Lovren instead of Sakho is just head shakingly stupid.
Starting the season with Lovren when he hasnt impressed so far this season just smells of stubborness from Rodgers.

 

[Buddha]

Good to see Chivarella in there. I've high hopes for him as our long term DM solution Busquets styleeeee.

 

[Mystic]

Picking Lovren instead of Sakho is just head shakingly stupid.
Starting the season with Lovren when he hasnt impressed so far this season just smells of stubborness from Rodgers.

I guess they'll be playing on Sunday which is just bizarre, seems like a stupid idea to separate the squad the week before the season starts.

 

[Hansern]

Good to see Chivarella in there. I've high hopes for him as our long term DM solution Busquets styleeeee.

Yep, he was one of the 10 top talents Marca listed up as potential stars and future internationals.

 

[Jack D Rips]

Most useless pre season ever

 

[Squiggles]

Why are we playing in Helsinki?

 

[Mystic]

Why are we playing in Helsinki?

Seems like an apt way to Finnish the pre season.

 

[mr_moo]

Picking Lovren instead of Sakho is just head shakingly stupid.
Starting the season with Lovren when he hasnt impressed so far this season just smells of stubborness from Rodgers.

Yep, the silly bastard

 

[gkmacca]

Yep, give Origi more time to really polish those premiership skills.

 

[Mystic]

Tony Barrett says Firmino and Benteke will play against Swindon, so fuckung weird to be sending them effectively with the B team.

 

[Frogfish]

BR Interview : notice his comments on the defence. I wonder if that was the main reason for the coaching changes this Summer ?

http://www.lfctour.com/news/latest-news/rodgers-on-helsinki-squad-strength-and-benteke

 

[FoxForceFive]

Did anyone else read that & think 'oh fuck, he just claimed benteke will be a bargain buy'?

He also seems to bizarrely imply (albeit abstractly) that benteke & sturridge could lay together or complement each other, when anyone who can read the game even a bit can see the opposite is true. If both players are fit & available, one sits one the bench, no question about it.

 

[Frogfish]

Did anyone else read that & think 'oh fuck, he just claimed benteke will be a bargain buy'?

He also seems to bizarrely imply (albeit abstractly) that benteke & sturridge could lay together or complement each other, when anyone who can read the game even a bit can see the opposite is true. If both players are fit & available, one sits one the bench, no question about it.

How the hell did I miss that ?!

 

[juniormember]

Did anyone else read that & think 'oh fuck, he just claimed benteke will be a bargain buy'?

He also seems to bizarrely imply (albeit abstractly) that benteke & sturridge could lay together or complement each other, when anyone who can read the game even a bit can see the opposite is true. If both players are fit & available, one sits one the bench, no question about it.

I'm pretty certain they'll be on the field together.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Did anyone else read that & think 'oh fuck, he just claimed benteke will be a bargain buy'?

He also seems to bizarrely imply (albeit abstractly) that benteke & sturridge could lay together or complement each other, when anyone who can read the game even a bit can see the opposite is true. If both players are fit & available, one sits one the bench, no question about it.

Until we see how Benteke plays with the team, I don't think that's a foregone conclusion. I guess we'll see.

 

[gkmacca]

I must have missed something, because I don't really get why he says Benteke won't be 100% for the start of the season 'because he's come back so late'. He's not been playing over the summer has he? So why hasn't he been training somewhere? I believe he reported back on time for the start of Villa's pre-season training sessions, so it's puzzling. I know a transfer is a distraction, but what's he been doing over the summer - sleeping and sunbathing? He's surely had a pretty similar summer to Sterling, who's already played several games for City. The way Rodgers talks about him you'd think the guy still needs to get started.