Liverpool left St James’ Park with a point after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Newcastle, but Andoni Iraola will know there is plenty for his side to work on.
The Reds showed character to come back from behind, but there were also some familiar concerns that need addressing quickly.
Here are my five biggest talking points from the game.
1\. Munoz looks a real threat
One of the biggest positives was Daniel Muñoz.
The Colombian looked dangerous whenever he got forward and showed exactly why his attacking ability could become such an important weapon for Iraola.
His involvement in winning Liverpool’s penalty was particularly impressive, with his excellent play creating the opportunity for the Reds to get back into the game.
Liverpool need players who can provide something different in the final third, and Muñoz certainly looks capable of doing that.
He could become a very important player for Iraola.
2\. Liverpool can dominate possession but still lack creativity
This was probably the biggest frustration.
Liverpool had plenty of the ball and were able to control large periods of the match.
But possession doesn’t automatically equal chances.
Too often, Liverpool moved the ball from side to side without producing enough in the final third.
That’s something Iraola has to solve.
The Reds need more players willing to take risks, run beyond defenders and try to unlock compact opposition.
Otherwise, Liverpool can have 60-70% possession and still struggle to create enough.
3\. Liverpool need more from Wirtz and Isak
Two of Liverpool’s biggest attacking names need to have a greater influence.
Florian Wirtz showed flashes of his quality, but Liverpool need him to become the player who makes things happen.
He needs to receive the ball in dangerous areas, create chances and influence games more consistently.
And then there’s Alexander Isak.
His return to Newcastle was always going to attract enormous attention, but Liverpool need more from their No.9.
A striker of Isak’s quality needs service, but he also needs to find ways of becoming involved when the service isn’t perfect.
Liverpool spent an enormous amount of money on these attacking players.
They need to start seeing the rewards.
4\. Liverpool are far too vulnerable on the counter
This is probably the biggest concern coming out of the game.
Liverpool can dominate possession, but when they lose the ball, they can leave themselves exposed.
Newcastle showed how dangerous that can be.
Iraola wants his team to press aggressively and commit players forward, but there has to be a balance.
You can’t allow opponents to break into huge spaces every time Liverpool lose possession.
The Premier League is full of teams capable of punishing that.
This has to be fixed quickly.
Otherwise, Liverpool will continue to find themselves in matches where they dominate the ball but concede cheap goals.
5\. Squad depth is a major concern
And finally, the issue that has been hanging over Liverpool all summer.
Squad depth.
There is plenty of quality in the starting XI, but the drop-off when Liverpool need to make changes is still concerning.
Liverpool are expected to compete on four fronts.
Premier League.
Champions League.
FA Cup.
League Cup.
That’s an enormous workload.
And injuries and suspensions are inevitable.
Iraola needs more options, particularly in the wide areas and potentially in midfield.
If Liverpool are serious about competing for everything, they cannot afford to have a squad that becomes significantly weaker when a couple of key players are unavailable.
A point gained — but plenty to improve
There were positives from the 2-2 draw.
Liverpool showed character.
They came back from behind.
There were encouraging performances, particularly from Muñoz.
But there are also warning signs.
Creativity needs to improve.
Wirtz and Isak need to influence games more.
The counter-attacking vulnerability has to be addressed.
And, perhaps most importantly, Liverpool still need reinforcements before the transfer window closes.
A point at St James’ Park isn’t a disaster.
But if Liverpool want to challenge for major trophies this season, they need to be considerably better than this.
The good news?
It’s only the first game.
Iraola has time to fix it.
But he needs to start quickly.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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