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Liverpool have already brought in Roberto Firmino and Danny Ings, and with Christian Benteke expected to undergo his medical either today or tomorrow and complete his move to Liverpool shortly thereafter, it’s clear the club have made a priority of adding goals this summer.
"It was clear we need to score more," said manager Brendan Rodgers when asked about Liverpool’s summer recruitment strategy. "But I wouldn’t want that to be taken to men the other side isn’t important. I believe our defensive organisation is critical to allowing our attacking talents to flourish."
For Rodgers and the team this year, it appears that defensive organisation will be as much about the forwards and midfield as it will be the defence. The manager is setting out a high press as a priority this year, which on the surface sounds like a return to the fireworks of the 2013-14 season.
That side wasn’t exactly defensively sound, but it was certainly focused on pressing high and hard, attempting to force turnovers and relying on a talented attack to turn those into goals often enough that any resulting gaps at the back didn’t especially matter by the time the final whistle blew.
"You’ve seen it on tour already, the idea of our pressing game," said Rodgers. "The intensity to get the ball back quickly, we can do that when we have all the tools in the squad to score goals. A few years ago we needed to improve our goal tally and we did that. I feel it was the same this summer."
New striker signing Danny Ings scored his first goal of pre-season against Adelaide on Monday, impressing in a late run-out that likely helps to establish him as third on the depth chart behind Christian Benteke and—when fit—Daniel Sturridge. So far, he has been one of the most pleasant surprises of pre-season.
Roberto Firmino, meanwhile, is expected to start training at Melwood on Wednesday alongside countryman Philippe Coutinho and, if his deal gets done in the next 24 hours as expected, Christian Benteke.
