'We expect Pepe to sweep up'

The Reds use a high defensive line and expect Reina to act as a sweeper behind the back four - just like Bruce Grobbelaar used to do.

All 30 goalkeepers on our books from U9 level up are trained to play this way, with the Academy hoping to mould an archetypal 'Liverpool goalkeeper'.

Achterberg told Liverpoolfc.tv: "The way we play is with a high line with Pepe sweeping up. When balls get played into space, the goalkeeper can sweep up. That's the way we work with every goalkeeper to try and create a goalkeeper for the first team.

"There aren't too many who could play for Liverpool with the way we play. We expect him to be half a sweeper and there aren't too many 'keepers who could do that job.

"That's always the way Liverpool have played. There are some other teams around the world: Barcelona play like that, Real Madrid do, and Ajax used to play this kind of football.

"This is why we try to put the same training sessions through the whole of our system. It would be great if we could produce a goalkeeper who plays like Pepe.

"I'm a bit obsessed to try and improve everything and create the best atmosphere between the 'keepers and the staff, and also with the goalkeepers in the Academy."

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Achterberg is the most senior of five goalkeeping coaches at the club, and he ensures reports are made on each stopper after every game they play - no matter what level.

So are we close to producing the next Pepe Reina?

"There are decent 'keepers in the Academy," said the Dutchman. "It's difficult to say how they'll keep progressing, but at the moment there are a few who are progressing well, and we all try to work in the same way.

"The first-team sessions are copied at every step down. We obviously change the speed but the rest, the movements and the way we train, is the same, because we're trying to create a 'Liverpool goalkeeper' to suit the way we play."