ReactionJarell Quansah: We are ready to attack the season
The Reds completed their programme of pre-season friendlies with an Anfield double-header on Sunday, as Sevilla were beaten 4-1 and a goalless draw with Las Palmas was played out.
Those results followed the three victories overseen by new head coach Arne Slot during the summer tour of the USA.
And Quansah – who played the full 90 minutes against Sevilla – told Liverpoolfc.com: “That’s what pre-season is for: building performance, getting fitness. I think everyone feels quite sharp now and we’re ready to attack the season.
“I hope it [the win over Sevilla] was a good show for the returning crowd. That’s what we wanted to show, we wanted to show the hard work we have put in during the past four or five weeks. Yeah, good to get a 4-1 win in.
“I think the style of play the manager likes to play is very attractive, we can score some unbelievable goals. And it will get better and better hopefully. That’s what we’re striving for.”
Slot’s first competitive fixture is a lunchtime kick-off at Portman Road on Saturday, which will get Liverpool’s 2024-25 Premier League campaign under way.
On the Dutchman’s vision for how he intends his team to play becoming clearer with each match played, Quansah added: “It’s always going to be [like that], it’s not going to click straight away.
“He’s got a lot of new ideas that we have to get used to. Obviously a lot of the lads have played under the last manager for quite a while, so it’s a lot of adaptation.
“But it’ll come slowly but surely. There’s still a lot of work to be done on the training pitch and we’ll continue to do that.”
The centre-back went on to outline the players’ determination to be a more solid proposition defensively in 2024-25.
“We’ve just got to keep building. Obviously the unit is still coming back together and we’ve not had many minutes together,” Quansah said.
“We’re still adapting to a different playing style and things like that. I think the clean sheets will come and I think we need to prioritise that this season.
“There were too many games last season where we conceded cheap goals, and we can’t really start games going down, it’s not what you need when you’re pushing for titles. To set the foundations and keep clean sheets is how you win leagues.”
The comprehensive win versus Sevilla was capped by a fine Kop-end finish by Trey Nyoni, and Quansah has been impressed by the teenager over the summer.
The No.78 stated: “He has stepped up this pre-season and showed a lot of quality. Because of some of the players returning from internationals [later], he has been able to step up and really show his confidence. You saw that today in the finish, it was unbelievable.
“It [being involved in pre-season] helped me so much [last year], just to be given the opportunity and different things like that. Just to build confidence for yourself and show you can play at the top level and show you can play with men.
“I think it can give a lot of lads inspiration, to see what some of the lads are doing.”
Interview'We can't take our foot off the gas' - Caoimhin Kelleher previews Southampton v Liverpool
Play nowCaoimhin Kelleher birthday quiz: Can you get 9/9?
FeatureClinical Harvey, Robbo's 'bullet' and Danns shock - things spotted in Friday's training
MatchSouthampton v Liverpool: Team news
MatchStats: Mo Salah chasing Robbie Fowler record against Southampton