Liverpool have been continuing their pre-season training in the US, with hands-on coaching and a focus on taking advantage of transitions.
With a new head coach at the helm, every minute of this summer’s training footage is being pored over by supporters hoping to find hints about what the new era could entail.
While we aren’t privy to everything that goes on behind closed doors, the videos that have been shared by the club have given a small insight as to what to expect from Andoni Iraola‘s side.
Andoni Iraola adopts a hands-on approach
CHICAGO, USA - Monday, July 20, 2026: Liverpool's new head coach Andoni Iraola arrives in Chicago ahead of the start of the club's pre-season tour of America. The team play friendly games in Nashville, New York and Chicago as they prepare for the start of the new 2026/27 Premier League season. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Monday, July 20, 2026: Liverpool's new head coach Andoni Iraola arrives in Chicago ahead of the start of the club's pre-season tour of America. The team play friendly games in Nashville, New York and Chicago as they prepare for the start of the new 2026/27 Premier League season. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Like Arne Slot before him, Iraola will very much assume the role of ‘head coach’, working with the players on the training pitch rather than leaving it to assistants.
The Basque coach was seen in the middle of small-sided games, giving instructions and leading the exercises.
This may change as the season progresses, but for now, he wants to be at the centre of the team’s preparations for the campaign ahead.
An emphasis on transition
Among the key changes we expect Iraola to implement is a more direct style of football; Liverpool should attack and with greater speed and directness.
The exercises in training indicate that he is already focusing on optimising the Reds’ chances in transition.
One clip saw the squad playing small-sided games of two-touch, encouraging the ball to be moved on swiftly from player to player.
Another session in Chicago saw a game of attack vs. defence across two pitches set up back to back.
When the attacking team had a shot, every player bar one from the attacking team ran into the adjoining pitch where the opposition will try to score.
Each time an attempt at goal was taken, the ball was quickly switched to the one remaining player on the other pitch, meaning the teams, especially defenders, quickly raced across to get back in position to block the shot.
The smoke has cleared over Chicago
In the days before Liverpool’s visit to Chicago, smoke clouded the city and residents were asked to stay inside or wear masks.
This was due to smoke from wildfires in Canada reaching the city. Thankfully, the wind has changed direction and the skies were blue for Liverpool to train in recent days.
Harvey Elliott and Jeremy Jacquet’s knee strapping
Eagle-eyed viewers of LFCTV‘s latest training clips will have noticed Elliott and Jacquet were both training with strapping on their respective right knees.
Jacquet missed the end of last season due to a shoulder injury from which he has now recovered, while Elliott played very little football at Aston Villa.
Both players returned the week before the rest of the senior players to complete extra fitness work in advance of pre-season properly beginning.
The strapping shouldn’t be anything to worry about and is likely to simply be extra support, a common strategy to manage the load of footballers’ knees.
Liverpool’s youngsters are fully involved
With several of Liverpool’s internationals who played in the World Cup yet to return, Iraola is relying heavily on the academy’s brightest prospects to make up the numbers on Liverpool’s US Tour.
The youth will believe they are doing more than making up the numbers, though, and from the small amount of training footage we have seen, they are more than holding their own.
The 18-year-old striker, Josh Sonni-Lambie looks particularly sharp, as does James McConnell who didn’t feature last season due to injury.
Stefan Bajcetic is also proving a popular member of the squad, but he is not yet fully involved in team training, instead running on the grass to build up his fitness.
Liverpool Pre-Season Tour Squad
Goalkeepers: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Davies, Hall
Defenders: Gomez, Jacquet, Ndukwe, Kerkez, Tsimikas, Frimpong, Chambers, Ramsay, Scanlon, Ndiaye
Midfielders: Szoboszlai, Jones, Elliott, Nyoni, McConnell
Forwards: Ngumoha, Chiesa, Morrison, Wright, Abe, Koumas, Sonni-Lambie
Travelled with injury: Jaros, Leoni, Bradley, Endo, Bajcetic, Ekitike
To return later: Alisson, Van Dijk, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Gakpo, Munoz, Isak
Goalkeepers practice their accuracy
One of the big criticisms of Giorgi Mamardashvili last season was his poor kicking.
While this will no doubt have been identified as a weakness by Slot’s staff, the new goalkeeping department are making sure to continue work on this area.
The goalkeepers, Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman – he has just signed a new three-year contract – Harvey Davies and Bailey Hall, could be seen practising their first-time passing, redirecting the ball into small goals.
After the exit of Xavi Valero, Liverpool have just appointed Spaniard Alejandro Rosalen as their new head goalkeeping coach – he has previously had success at Napoli and Fiorentina.
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, March 28, 2026: Liverpool's Jürgen Klopp punches the air after the LFC Foundation match between Liverpool FC Legends and Borussia Dortmund Legends at Anfield. The game ended 2-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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CHICAGO, USA - Thursday, July 23, 2026: Liverpool's Stefan Bajcetic departs the team hotel in Chicago on day four of the club's pre-season tour of America. The team play friendly games in Nashville, New York and Chicago as they prepare for the start of the new 2026/27 Premier League season. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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