Academy column: Embrace the Anfield experience on Monday
In our latest Academy column we speak to U23s coach Mike Garrity, who is hoping the young Reds can showcase their talents in their first appearance in front of the Kop on Monday night when Arsenal visit Anfield at 7pm GMT.
It’s fair to say all of us can’t wait to play at Anfield for the first time this season when we host Arsenal on Monday night. We didn’t get the chance to play there last season because of the building work that was going on with the Main Stand, so any time we can play at our first-team stadium is a real privilege and an honour for us.
With Michael Beale having left the club this week, myself and our head of development analysis Tim Jenkins will be taking the team on Monday. Tim is a great guy who does a terrific job, and from our point of view it’s business as usual and that is the message we have relayed to the lads. We wish Mick all the best and our job now is to keep pushing these lads forward like we have been doing and keep progressing.
We go into this game on the back of the 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League Cup on Tuesday night, and we feel it’s a game we could easily have won. Our overall performance was anything that you would want from your team and the only thing missing was getting the winning goal. They scored first against the run of play but what really pleased us as staff was the way the players responded. In the second-half we basically played the whole 45 minutes in their half and I don’t think as a coach I’ve ever been involved in a game that was so one sided as that one. Cameron Brannagan scored a great goal to get us level and we tried so hard to get the winner but just couldn’t find the goal. Credit to West Bromwich Albion who defended really well and their goalkeeper made some outstanding saves but if we look at the performance then we can’t fault the lads.
It was encouraging Sheyi Ojo played the full 90 minutes. We spoke with Sheyi at half-time and said we needed a little bit more from him because he has got a lot to give, and on his day he can give any player or any team a problem with his pace and power. What we have got to understand is he has been out for most of this season and is just coming back. He played 65 minutes on his return to action against Leicester City and the 90 minutes on Tuesday will have been of big benefit to him. In the second-half we saw Sheyi at his best and he was beating defenders for fun, getting some great crosses in and causing all sorts of problems. The more minutes he gets now will make him stronger because he is a big talent.
We have got some very exciting players in this team and we want the players to embrace the Anfield experience on Monday. Some of the lads like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ovie Ejaria and Ben Woodburn have experienced that with the first-team recently which has been a wonderful boost for everyone at the Academy, because that is our ultimate goal to see players progress to the first-team squad. For a few of the lads who will take to the field on Monday this will be their Anfield debut and what a moment that is for any player that pulls on the red shirt. It doesn’t get much better than that and you need to enjoy it and take that opportunity and express yourself. Whenever you play for Liverpool there is an opportunity. There is always people watching your every move and with it being at Anfield and against a good team like Arsenal it just goes under that microscope a little bit more. I think the key for the boys on Monday is once they are out there on that pitch, enjoy it and just put it out of their minds where they are playing, don’t be nervous and just concentrate on playing our normal game.
We have a lot of respect for Arsenal and they have always had a good reputation for producing some outstanding young players but our focus as always will be on what our team can do on the night. It was back in August when we produced a fantastic performance to beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates. Going into the game on the back of two defeats, the lads did us proud that night and got our season going. If we can play with the same intensity and the same freedom on Monday night then hopefully we can’t go too far wrong.
Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to wish Mick [Beale] all the very best for the future. He is a great guy, a great coach and I have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside him. Myself and Mick were two like-minded people who saw the game in the same way. We both enjoy developing players and it really is a special feeling when you see them get a chance at first-team level.
If you would like to support the U23s at Anfield on Monday night tickets are available to purchase in advance from the ticket office.
The Kop will be open and tickets are priced at just £3 for adults and £1 for children, young adults or over-65s.
Season ticket holders and members can gain admission free of charge but need to secure their ticket in advance from the ticket office. The ticket office will be open on Monday ahead of the game for you to buy tickets.