Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Slot ends Klopp’s dreaded pre-season ritual but it’s more bad news for Liverpool

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The first day of pre-season was often a dreaded one for the members of the Liverpool squad during Jurgen Klopp’s time.

Day one of the summer schedule brought with it the punishing lactate test, which was the infamous drill overseen by former fitness guru – or infamous drill sergeant, if you asked the players – Andreas Kornmayer.




The exercise saw the players complete numerous laps around the perimeter of the pitches at the AXA Training Centre before having their blood samples measured. According to EKF Diagnostics, training to improve a player’s lactate threshold is one of the most effective “performance markers” used by football teams.

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The point of the drill was to measure the maximum intensity at which a player can compete before suffering from high levels of lactate in the blood, which causes fatigue. James Milner, prior to his departure, was usually crowned victor before Mohamed Salah took the crown last summer.

Andy Robertson’s first memories as a Liverpool player are shaped – and scarred – by his experience of the lactate acid test in the summer of 2017, shortly after he signed from Hull City.

Speaking in an interview with Open Goal in 2018, the left-back detailed how the gruelling examination caused him to be sick on the first day of his Liverpool career as he struggled to keep pace.

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