**Liverpool might have lost 4-2 to Leeds United on Sunday but there was a lot of important lessons learned as Andoni Iraola gets set to lead the new era at Anfield.**
With the Reds’ Premier League season set to begin on 23 August with a trip to St. James’ Park to face Newcastle United, Liverpool still have plenty of work to be done on the training ground and at boardroom level to be ready for another gruelling campaign.
However, there is already a lot to be excited about with Iraola’s aggressive brand of football already inspiring excitement after a long season of negative football in 2025/26.
Iraola could promote McConnell and Koumas to the first team after impressive pre-season
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Journalist Alan Nixon reports that Liverpool youngsters James McConnell and Lewis Koumas have already impressed Iraola and are in with a shout of becoming full-time members of the first team.
Nixon wrote on _[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/ReluctantNicko/posts/liverpool-chief-165483343)_: “_Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has taken a shine to young pair James McConnell and Lewis Koumas in his first days in charge._
_“The pair are wanted by clubs on loan and have previously been farmed out for experience with varying degrees of success._
_“But Iraola may promote the pair to his first team squad and could involve them more after being impressed._
_“Midfielder McConnell and attacker Koumas seem to have come on since their time away from Anfield and are now getting serious respect.”_
One of the reasons Liverpool hired Iraola is his willingness to promote and coach youth talent
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When Arne Slot was sacked, [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cy823pj9v93o) reported that Iraola’s ability to take full advantage of the youth talent at Bournemouth helped motivate the decision to sign Iraola as the club’s new head coach.
Aadam Patel wrote for the BBC on 1 June: _“By the end of Slot’s tenure, there was a collective sense of frustration, particularly among academy prospects who felt they had been overlooked._
_“Liverpool are encouraged by Iraola’s ability at Bournemouth to get the best out of new signings and youngsters, with Alex Scott, Rayan, Junior Kroupi and Adrian Truffert brought on under his tutelage.”_
Liverpool now look set to reap the rewards of this decision already, with Trey Nyoni another that has excelled under his guidance in the early stages of Iraola’s spell on Merseyside.