LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz reacts to his side's first and equalising goal ruled out for offside during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz reacts to his side's first and equalising goal ruled out for offside during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool’s draw against Nottingham Forest had the watching media calling Andoni Iraola‘s side “unconvincing” and in need of depth beyond the wings.
Liverpool have started the season with two successive 2-2 draws, having yet to assume the lead in 180 minutes of Premier League action.
Bradley Barcola will soon arrive in a £123 million deal, but it is not only the supporters who believe the club should not be wrapping up their transfer dealings
There were plenty of honest assessments from the watching media after Saturday’s match.
Agreement Bradley Barcola is not the fix for all of Liverpool’s issues
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The Guardian‘s Andy Hunter made mention of the club’s new billionaire investors watching on, and that “sturdier foundations” are needed beyond Barcola’s arrival:
“Some of the billionaires behind Liverpool were present for the opening match of Andoni Iraola’s Anfield reign but were given more food-for-thought than the feast they might have been expecting.
“Nottingham Forest were full value for the second 2-2 draw of Iraola’s tenure as Liverpool demonstrated they need sturdier foundations as well as the decoration of £123m Bradley Barcola.”
Richard Jolly, writing for the Independent, hit the nail on the head when it came to Liverpool’s narrowed focus on wingers at the cost of other “malfunctioning” departments.
“If it promises to be fun, at times his Liverpool can be both fast and flawed. Yet this underlined the size of his task if Iraola is to succeed his way. Liverpool had more defensive difficulties, with a susceptibility to the counter-attack again apparent, but with variations on a theme.
“He suggested the fourth official’s board was malfunctioning. So, though, was his defence.
They look in need of bolstering, though Liverpool are instead adding a winger for a nine-figure sum.”
The “fundamental issues” still at play were echoed by the Daily Mail‘s Ian Ladyman, who stressed that “some pace and some depth” remain at the top of the to-do list:
“Liverpool do need some pace and some depth, though. The lack of both cost them dearly last season and though Munoz has given them some go-forward down the left here, there was a desperate bluntness about much of their first-half football.
“The arrival of Barcola will lend Liverpool pace and star quality. It will not solve fundamental problems that have carried over from last season to this.”
Liverpool journalist David Lynch posed pertinent questions ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, asking if the club will give Iraola “the tools he currently appears to be lacking?”:
“Liverpool rescue a point again but they have some huge decisions to make in the final days of this window. Do they truly believe Andoni Iraola only needs time to get more out of this flawed squad? Or will they act and give him the tools he currently appears to be lacking?”
BBC Sport‘s Sam Drury, meanwhile, sought to look forward and stress the need for patience:
“With a new manager, a new system and relatively new stars tasked with leading this new era at Anfield, patience was always going to be needed at Liverpool this season.”
Liverpool remain “unconvincing” across the pitch
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It was not all doom and gloom at Anfield, but there are concerning profiles that make the squad Iraola inherited require more work than perhaps even he originally realised.
Hunter noted that patience for Jeremie Frimpong is in “short supply,” just one year on from his arrival:
“Patience in Frimpong is in short supply at Anfield judging by the exasperation that greeted his poor crossing and defensive toils. Iraola would replace both of his full-backs before the afternoon was over.”
The full-backs were also a focus for Ladyman, with optimism remaining for Milos Kerkez but not so much for Frimpong:
“New Liverpool central defender Jeremy Jacquet looks an assured footballer but Iraola’s team continues to be failed by its full-backs.
“One, Milos Kerkez, may yet be a Liverpool player. The other, Jeremie Frimpong, looks as though he never will. He was poor at Newcastle last week and truly pitiful here. He is a trier, but then we all know one of those don’t we?”
The Telegraph‘s Dominic King ultimately surmised Liverpool as “unconvincing” and “second best,” but noted they are at least “undefeated”:
“Liverpool, as was the case at Newcastle, lacked rhythm and understanding and they were second best for much of the game against a Forest team who were looking to make their first mark under their own new manager, Oliver Glasner.
“Liverpool remain unconvincing – but at least for Iraola they remain undefeated.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring his side's first and equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring his side's first and equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Drury, meanwhile, sought to focus on a positive from the match, with Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak impacting the scoreboard:
“That Wirtz and Isak were each involved in a goal was certainly a positive, though. They hold the key to Liverpool having a successful season and, quiet as Isak was otherwise, there will be few complaints if the goals keep coming.
“Wirtz was brighter, albeit still with room for improvement, but then that could be said of the whole side.”
The general consensus among the media, however, is that Liverpool are not at the level they need to compete, with Ladyman concluding:
“Put simply, Iraola’s team continue to look two or three levels below where they need to be.
“Last season under Arne Slot, the 2025 Premier League champions were accused of being slow, boring and with a tendency to self-harm. To a degree they still are.”
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Nottingham Forest FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo in the line-up before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Nottingham Forest FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker (R) protests as referee Samuel Barrett awards Nottingham Forest a penalty during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Nottingham Forest FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 29, 2026: Liverpool's Víctor Muñoz celebrates on his debut after scoring his side's second and equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)