In a game that will definitely count in a few months time, Liverpool will aim to put the anger and numbness of the weekend’s result behind them on today’s trip to LASK. 

The Austrian outfit are still a bit of an unknown quantity in Europe, with the current edition of the Champions League being only their third appearance. Well versed Reds may also remember them from our Europa League run in 23/24, where they were comfortably swept aside 7-1 over both fixtures in the group stage.

Truth be told, there is a clear gulf in quality between the sides, and it should be a comfortable outing for our lads. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things we can look to do, and analyse as a litmus test for tougher fixtures going forward.

So with that in mind, here are some things to watch out for and some things I’d like to see in this fixture: 

Low Block Test:

Given the vast differences in ability between the two sides, I think it’s fair to assume that LASK may look to sit in a low block at times, with Liverpool dominating the ball. Low blocks are something that Liverpool struggled with a lot last season, with Slot’s infamous complaints about the style feeling almost inevitable every bad result. 

Similarly, Iraola’s Bournemouth had similar issues at times last season, with Iraola also admitting his feelings on them previously:

"When I'm on the bench and everyone is in a low block, really compact, 10 players behind the ball, I don't feel very comfortable."

Iraola to The Guardian in 2024

So with these things in mind, we could see if we’ve made any improvements in this regard. The 0-0 draw at home to Fulham showed that our attack is not quite fully clicking together yet, and this sentiment can only be exacerbated by our current injuries. A good attacking performance against LASK could show us some promise, and inject some much needed confidence into some of our attacking players.

A Welcome Game For £100m+ Stars

Speaking of confidence, two players who could do with a boost in this sense are two of our nine-figure-costing trio, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola. While both have shown in flashes what they are capable of, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that more should be expected of them given their fees and reputation. 

Wirtz had a brilliant moment to set off a counter attack after a City corner with a brilliant line-breaking pass to set Gravenberch free, yet his performance was marred by several incidents of mishit passes and poor touches. 

Barcola, meanwhile, created the best chance of the game from a Liverpool perspective after carrying the ball forward and playing in Koumas. He also excelled defensively with three key challenges helping to win the ball back and ease the pressure on Kerkez. 

With that said, though, he was visibly lacking on confidence in multiple moments, seemingly refusing to use his best attributes and run at Matheus Nunes, which ultimately slowed promising attacks down.

A strong performance from either of both of these two, especially if they get a goal involvement, should definitely help them to feel more confident after getting the proverbial monkey off of their backs.

Youth Chances:

Given the level of opposition, there could be a good opportunity to allow some younger players and fringe players to get a decent run out. One player I’d definitely like to see start this game is Trey Nyoni, who could come in alongside Ryan Gravenberch and give Alexis Mac Allister a rest. 

His key attributes like composure and ball playing ability could help him grow into the mould of a progressive midfielder that we desperately need to try and unlock players like Wirtz. And valuable European minutes should do his development no harm. 

Another player I’d like to see start this game is our very own Duracell bunny, that being Lewis Koumas. He put in an impressive shift against City, and his level of pressing is a delight to watch, but unfortunately the level of opposition was just too high for him at this stage of his development. A game against a team like LASK, however, could be a prime opportunity to announce himself on the European stage.

I expect a fairly routine result for the Reds here, and hopefully this can leave us in good stead ahead of a very tough game against Brentford at the weekend. I’ll go with a 3-0 away win for my prediction. YNWA!