Well. The Community Shield went to Crystal Palace after Liverpool failed to score enough penalties and allowed the Eagles back into the match after taking the lead in the fourth minute. It was a disappointing result, although not without it’s silver linings. Three of the new signings had productive showings, including opening new accounts with Liverpool and showing why we paid so much money for them. A loss is a loss, though, and the feeling is tough to carry into the start of the new season.
The club website spoke to captain Virgil Van Dijk about the result, and the plans to bounce back starting on Friday.
“Obviously mixed [emotions],” said Van Dijk following the match.
“First of all, disappointed that we didn’t win the Community Shield. That’s what we came here for. There were opportunities to do so, opportunities to avoid it as well. But the reality is today we’re losing.
“It’s the end of our pre-season today as well so we have to be ready now, work our socks off to be ready for Bournemouth.”
Of course, losing isn’t a new experience for anyone on the squad, especially losing some silverware, and Van Dijk acknowledges that, even with the new additions to the team.
“We all have plenty of experience, winning and losing. What kind of impact it should have is that we realise we need a couple of things that we have to improve as a team if we want to retain the title, which obviously will be a very big job in itself,” Van Dijk continued.
“We have a recovery day tomorrow and then we fully focus on Bournemouth, which will be a very tough game. But I’m really looking forward to the start of the Premier League.
“Friday at home with our fans, we know it’s going to be emotional obviously with everything that is going on and happened.
“But I’m really looking forward to it.”
The captain did have some positives to talk about, it wasn’t entirely dour. Both goals scored in regular time came from two new additions, Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong, and the former even scored in outrageous fashion by nutmegging a Palace defender to really announce himself in England.
“It’s never easy to come from a different country and I think he has settled in pretty well,” Van Dijk enthused.
“With his goal it was good to see, it was important and hopefully many more to come.”
Liverpool have a chance to reset themselves from this little stumble on Friday and hopefully the recovery and training puts them in the best mindset to do that.