Liverpool and a host of other clubs have decided to take a bit of a break from the wintery conditions in England and are conducting their own pre-season camp in warmer climates.
The Reds have moved base to La Manga in Spain for a bit of rest and relaxation. And Jurgen Klopp was looking to recharge the batteries of a side that had fallen by the wayside in recent weeks.
The Merseyside club got a chance to travel away as they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the fourth round by Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield. And a lack of game time meant they were able to pack up and leave.
Klopp did speak about fixture congestion but getting knocked out of the FA Cup at an early stage certainly is detrimental to the tournament and also is an issue that fans don’t take too lightly.
While there are clubs that have taken the competition seriously, such as Manchester United and Chelsea, a number of Premier League clubs getting knocked out in the early rounds does take the sheen out of the competition as they look to either continue their charge for a European place of stay free from relegation.
Michael Gray, the former Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland defender highlighted this issue and stated:
“After the long slog of Christmas and the January period, managers are now looking at the spare FA Cup weekends as the chance to go away.”
Gray did add that traveling away from the country does have its perks and it can help in the bonding of the side.
“A break means you can get away from the rigmarole of going into the same training ground, doing the exact same thing you do on a weekly basis.
“When you are abroad, you eat and train together.
“It allows January transfer window signings to get to know their team-mates better.
“Training abroad gets sunshine on the body and helps the muscles to recover.
“It could prove the difference between relegation and survival.”
Liverpool will be hoping that a break in sunny Spain will help them for their next game which is against Leicester City at the King Power stadium.
The Reds did perform well in their last game as they comfortably defeated Tottenham and without any other distractions, the only thing they can achieve is a top four finish. Leicester were defeated in a frantic encounter earlier in the season and if the Reds play in the same manner, we could be in for a fantastic game.
