Liverpool’s Marie Höbinger Acknowledges Evolution Under Coach Gareth Taylor
Liverpool midfielder Marie Höbinger expressed admiration for the team’s transition to a possession-based playing style since Gareth Taylor’s appointment as head coach last summer. Taylor has implemented a significant change in Liverpool’s approach to the game, which has taken time to fully integrate.
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In her comments to WSL Full-Time, Höbinger praised Taylor’s impact and is optimistic about the team’s progress in the current season. “It’s amazing to have him and his assistant coaches,” she stated. “The way they see football and coach football is completely different to everything I’ve experienced before. They have a great reputation and their style of football is popular in women’s football. Everyone knows him and it’s just amazing to learn from him and the other coaches.”
Höbinger noted the impressive transformation that has shifted the team towards a possession-based style. “We’ve had a year of adapting and a full pre-season and I think you’re going to see a very different team to last year,” she added.
However, her own development has faced challenges due to an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury suffered early last season. Despite this setback, she remains optimistic about her evolving role in the team under Taylor’s coaching. “My role under the Beardy [Matt Beard] Liverpool team was very different to what it is now, and I feel like a completely different player coming back from injury. For me, I think this is a new start,” she explained.
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Höbinger conveyed her enthusiasm for the possession-based play, saying, “I love the style we play, and I think it really suits me. I’m just so excited to learn from the coaches.” She shared that her recent training has been constructive, as she gradually acclimates to the intensity of the game again.
“My role is going to change a lot. I want to bring the elements I brought before, just a little bit differently,” she noted. Höbinger is now back in training and has observed significant improvements among her teammates during her recovery period.
She remarked, “We all feel in a good place with the coaches and the new identity and playing style that we have. The coaches are very good and it’s a competitive, high-standard environment.” Höbinger recognized her teammates’ growth, stating they have become different players over the past year.
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Looking ahead, Höbinger outlined Liverpool’s objectives for the upcoming season, emphasizing a need to control matches and increase scoring. “Something that was obvious last year was that we struggled to score goals, so I think we’ve really set the focus on controlling the game and scoring goals. That’s been a big focus for us and very important for winning games,” she explained. “We believe the new players will bring fresh elements to our attacks.”
“It remains our goal that if we play well, we win games, but we also want to enhance our attacking strategy. That’s going to define the Liverpool team this year,” Höbinger concluded.
Liverpool’s new campaign in the Barclays Women’s Super League begins with a match against Charlton Athletic on September 6, 2026.
Liverpool midfielder Marie Höbinger says that she has been impressed with the evolution of the team’s possession-based football under head coach Gareth Taylor.
Taylor was appointed The Reds’ new boss last summer. His arrival brought a very different playing style that has taken time to implement.
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When speaking to WSL Full-Time about Liverpool’s new identity, midfielder Höbinger hailed Taylor’s impact since arriving on Merseyside last summer and she believes that the club are ready to progress this term.
“It’s amazing to have him and his assistant coaches,” Höbinger said. “The way they see football and coach football is completely different to everything I’ve experienced before. They have a great reputation and their style of football is so popular in women’s football. Everyone knows him and it’s just amazing to learn from him and the other coaches.
“It’s impressive how they’ve transformed us into the possession-based football team that we are now. We’ve had a year of adapting and a full pre-season and I think you’re going to see a very different team to last year.”
Höbinger’s development under Taylor has been hindered by an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury that she sustained in the early stages of last season. The midfielder says that her role in the team will be different in Liverpool’s new playing style but believes that the coaches will really help her thrive.
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She said “My role under the Beardy [Matt Beard] Liverpool team was very different to what it is now and I also feel like a completely different player coming back from injury. For me, I think this is a new start and I do feel like a new player a little bit, coming back into training and still finding my role.
“I love the possession-based football that we play and I think it’s something that really suits me. I’m just so excited to learn from the coaches.
“The last few weeks have been so good, I’ve been coached so well and I feel like I get better every week. I’m finding my feet again, getting to know my body in that level of intensity.
“My role is going to change a lot. I want to bring the elements that I brought before, just a little bit different.”
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Höbinger is now back in training following her injury. The player says that she can see how much her teammates have improved during her injury lay-off.
She said “We all feel in a good place with the coaches and the new identity and playing style that we have. The coaches are very good and it’s a very competitive, high standard environment.
“For me, coming back in, I can see how much my teammates have improved over the year; they’ve become different players.
“Everything is very positive, everyone is very excited. We are still building but we are in a very good place.”
Going on to discuss targets for the upcoming season, Höbinger said that Liverpool want to control games and score more goals.
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She said “Something that was obvious last year was that we struggled to score goals, so I think we’ve really set the focus on controlling the game and scoring goals. That’s been a big focus for us and very important for winning games. It’ll help us a lot and I think we’ve brought in players who will bring new elements to the attacks.
“It’s still the motive that if we play well, we win the games but then we also want to add the element of going forward more and scoring goals. That’s going to be the Liverpool team this year.”
Liverpool kick-off the new Barclays Women’s Super League season with a fixture at Charlton Athletic on 6 September 2026.
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