Jurgen Klopp says his revamped Liverpool squad possesses “a special quality” which was lacking last season as he insisted: “This is my team now.”
The Reds boss has welcomed seven new signings this summer and off-loaded those who didn't feature in his plans.
Klopp's first pre-season was always going to be a crucial period and he's been delighted by what's been achieved so far at their California training base.
“If you have seen them in training, there is a special quality that we did not have last year,” said Klopp, speaking prior to the news about Loris Karius' broken hand.
“New players have to bring in their quality. But it doesn’t mean they have to play all the time.
“Their quality can be brought on to the pitch or it can push all the others on to the next level.
“If one player pushes 11 from last season on to the next level, imagine what that will mean? That's how it works.
“Of course it’s my team, my squad now. We will see what happens before August 31, but after all the transfers, this time it is my team.
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“There are no players probably who are here any more who I don’t want.
“There are no transfers I didn’t want, we have not sold anyone I didn’t want us to sell.
“What they’ve done so far is more than okay. It is a different situation to last year.”
Key to Klopp's plans is building a sense of togetherness and unity in the squad.
A lack of respect won't be tolerated, underlined by the manager's decision to send Mamadou Sakho home in disgrace earlier this week after repeatedly breaking club rules.
“I want a special team spirit,” he added.
“It looks like I want to create a bunch of friends or something.
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“Yeah, they like each other by the way so that's not a problem but it's not like that.
“I just think when people work together and back each other and respect each other in a special way everything carries more worth. It's better.
“You should try to do it. If in the end one, two or three of them aren't involved to the same level then we might have to accept that.”
With Liverpool competing on four fronts, they ended up playing 63 matches in all competitions last season with time on the training field in desperately short supply.
With no European football on the agenda in 2016/17, Klopp's first full campaign at the helm promises to be very different.
There will be much more time to work with his squad between matches and the manager has vowed that they will make it count.
“We have to be prepared,” he said.
“Last year it was clear. In the week we played let’s say Dortmund or Man United then at the weekend a team who fights for the league.
“It’s so different with a game every three days, although of course teams who are successful have to deal with that. We did our best. It wasn’t perfect but not too bad.
“This time we will play on Saturday or Sunday and then have seven days before the next one.
“We have to use that time and we will do. We believe in training, I have always said that.
“It’s intense - a lot of tactics, a lot of possession game, a lot of common defending, all this stuff.
“We enjoy this together, it’s nice for the players. It’s real training to bring the quality of these players together.
“This time is not for a holiday. It is to get each little advantage you can in a season.
“We have 20 games less this season but I'd say the possibility for 50 sessions more. We have to use it.”
Liverpool face AC Milan in the second game of their US tour at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on Saturday night (3.05am kick-off in the UK).
Watch ALL pre-season games LIVE on LFCTV & LFCTV GO visit www.liverpoolfc.com/watch