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Football

26th Sep 2015

Siege mentality taken to new heights at Liverpool

No more free rides

Patrick McCarry

The days of seeing Lucas Leiva passing the ball sideways for free are over.

Liverpool are set to install a new ‘privacy screen’ at their Melwood training ground in the coming weeks.

The 4.5 metre screens will be moved into place for training sessions in the 48 hours before matchdays. The move is to guard against social media leaks of formations and players in line for starts.

According to Liverpool Echo, the club applied to Liverpool City Council to put up a screen around one of the pitches – next to Melwood Drive and Crown Road.

Planning permission was granted in April but the screens, placed upon an L-shaped structure of green posts, will be ready within the next fortnight.

The paper report that Brendan Rodgers has been the driving force behind the proposed curtain of secrecy.

The Reds boss feels opponents are learning of his tactical plans [ie: what place Adam Lallana will occupy on the bench, or what wing Danny Ings will play on] well in advance of matches.

In the past, fans were permitted to peer over the walls if they used bins, ladder or cars as height boosts.

It is believed that the screen will not be in place all week so fans may get lucky if they chance their arm and show up for a session.

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