Five Things Learned From Liverpool’s Preseason Wins Vs. Helsinki, Swindon

Liverpool finished its preseason preparations with two games in two days over the weekend. Here are five things we learned from the Reds’ final warm-up games against HJK Helsinki and Swindon.

Nathaniel Clyne and Jordon Ibe can be a dynamic duo

Fullback Nathaniel Clyne and young winger Jordan Ibe dovetailed superbly on the right throughout the 2-0 win at HJK Helsinki on Saturday, with the pattern being set as early as the sixth minute. Jordan Henderson’s floated cross-field pass was superbly controlled by Ibe, who then bamboozled the defense, ultimately enabling the foraging Clyne to get a shot away. Theirs was an umbilical relationship as they attacked in tandem (on numerous occasions the England fullback was actually further forward), and pressed like hungry wolves together, never giving the HJK players a break, snapping and forcing the Finns into mistakes.

Ibe’s direct running at defenses will result in dread for the opposition; Clyne’s support will compound this and make it increasingly difficult to deal with. The fullback was happy to overlap or cut inside and, as the game progressed, Ibe became more and more prominent, relentlessly taking defenders on and getting his crosses into dangerous areas. Even as the game entered its final moments, and with the Reds playing keep ball, Clyne, looking like an Olympic sprinter, was prepared to set off on another lung-busting run towards the opposition box in anticipation of a pass.