Liverpool fell to another preseason defeat in familiar circumstances, but Andoni Iraola knows the two things that are required with two weeks remaining before Newcastle
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has suffered another defeat
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has suffered another defeat(Image: Jorge Horsted/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola will know that pre-season results are meaningless, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t things to learn from Liverpool’s first home game with the Spaniard in the dugout.
That Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz scored, for instance, is a major boost. If the Reds can keep the pair fit and firing over the next few months, they will create and score regularly. They hold the keys, really, to determining Liverpool’s fortunes.
Young center-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe looked impressive too, while the likes of Cody Gakpo and Virgil van Dijk got the cobwebs out. The latter giving a penalty away is no concern; better now than when it actually counts.
Iraola will also know, however, that much more is still required. As good as they are — and given they cost a combined $325 million (£241 million), the Liverpool team will be built around them — Isak and Wirtz can’t shoulder the attacking burden alone.
New signing Victor Munoz, appearing for the first time at Anfield, looked impressive when he came on, while everyone knows how good Rio Ngumoha could be by this point.
Looking ahead a little, if deals can be done for, say, Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, that would make a huge difference in the forward line, but the clock is ticking.
Iraola looks on before the preseason friendly match between Liverpool and Monaco at Anfield
Iraola looks on before the preseason friendly match between Liverpool and Monaco at Anfield(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
The imminent arrival of Ronald Araujo can only be a positive in terms of adding numbers at the back, though, and, slowly, the holes are being addressed. The transfer work is ongoing.
Lewis Koumas, though he did well here, and Ndukwe, who starred again, will not be in the team at St. James’ Park and beyond. The latter doesn’t have the required work permit, while the former is not at the level to replace Mohamed Salah.
But aside from that, this was to start with somewhat resembling what Liverpool might end up looking like in a few weeks' time.
It was a big positive, then, that when Liverpool was playing well, things looked promising. Isak and Wirtz combined to good effect, and the team’s shape is coming along nicely.
Content Image
Content Image
As Iraola said himself post-match, though, the next step is to sustain it. Increasing fitness levels will help, but so too will more additions.
"I think it was quite similar to the game we played against Leeds," Iraola admitted. "I think we played a really good first half, especially the first 30 minutes, but right now, probably, we don’t have much more in terms of the level required."
That is a worry two weeks before the new season kicks off, but on the field, Liverpool's first-choice side is heading in the right direction. Off it, more numbers are required — but everyone knows that. More work is needed in both departments, with the lack of squad depth once again evidenced by a second-half turnaround.