Pepijn Lijnders Gives Training Update As Restart Preparations Continue

Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

The coach is thrilled to be back at it, but knows there’s a lot of work to be done.

With group training recommencing and a restart date on the horizon, Melwood has come to life once again. Mentality is slowing shifting from ‘maintain conditioning’ to ‘beat Everton’ and assistant coach Pepijn Lijnders took time to brief the official site on how the preparations are coming along.

Getting the band back together, according to Lijnders, was, “Really good, really special and really important. The period with the small groups was to prepare our boys for a “normal” training week; from the first day, we tried to give them a mental landscape.”

The team began with four-person group training, which the coaching staff tried to make as meaningful as possible for the players.

“I never thought you could do so much with only four players, we made it as specific possible - Pete, Vitor, Andreas and Conall did a tremendous job,” he continued. “But to be honest, it was all about energy, energy and energy again, because I really think in the end energy wins from each tactical idea. Combining both you become unstoppable… [laughs]! It’s great to have them all back, with their jokes, their attitude and their character. This is one of the most special groups of players we will ever work with. But we will have to prove ourselves again and earn everything again.”

Lijnders puts heavy emphasis on the team re-learning their trademark style of play and focusing on not losing the intensity that defined every game Liverpool played this season.

“Each session, we have to show who we are, why we are like this and where we want to be different than any other team in this league. It’s how Jürgen said it, it’s a dream that fans could recognise us, our way, and that these fans feel and live our identity. When we reach these levels of concentration in training we will be absolutely fine, so that’s the target each day again,” he said.

“I can’t wait to see us play again.”

With less than 20 days until the league is set to resume, it’s safe to say that we all feel the same way.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com