It feels good to be excited about watching Liverpool again.
There is something different about this Liverpool under Andoni Iraola.
The football is aggressive, positive and attacking. There is a clear desire to take the game to the opposition rather than simply control possession and hope something happens.
And, as Liverpool supporters, that is what we want to see.
We want to watch a team that makes us jump out of our seats.
We want attacking football.
We want players running at defenders, creating chances and taking risks.
And under Iraola, Liverpool are starting to look like a team that wants to do exactly that.
There is still plenty of work to do, of course, but there is already a feeling that this Liverpool side could be genuinely exciting to watch.
The quality is certainly there.
Liverpool have an excellent starting eleven, with some outstanding attacking options and a midfield that looks capable of controlling games while also providing the energy Iraola demands.
The likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have added another dimension, while the likes of Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and the midfield options give Iraola plenty of attacking quality.
There is a lot to like.
But there is one concern that became particularly obvious against Atlético Madrid.
The squad isn’t quite as strong as the starting eleven.
Liverpool’s substitutes were unable to make the sort of impact you would ideally want when the game became stretched.
That is not necessarily a criticism of the individual players coming off the bench. It is more about the overall depth available to Iraola.
When you’re competing in the Premier League, Champions League and domestic cups, you need to be able to change a game from the bench.
You need players capable of coming on after 60 or 70 minutes and maintaining — or even increasing — the intensity.
Against Atlético, Liverpool needed that extra injection of quality and energy late in the game, but the drop-off from the starting players was noticeable.
And that could become an issue as the season progresses.
Liverpool have a very good first team.
But the difference between having a good starting eleven and having a complete squad can be enormous over a long season.
Injuries, suspensions, fatigue and fixture congestion are inevitable.
Hugo Ekitike’s long-term absence is another example of how quickly squad depth can be tested.
The encouraging thing is that Iraola appears to have Liverpool playing football that supporters can get behind again.
There is an identity developing.
There is intensity.
There is attacking intent.
And, perhaps most importantly, there is excitement.
After watching Liverpool become increasingly predictable at times last season, it is refreshing to see a team prepared to play on the front foot and entertain.
But if Liverpool genuinely want to compete for the biggest trophies, the squad will eventually need to match the quality of the starting eleven.
The Atlético Madrid game was a reminder of that.
Liverpool have the players to beat the best teams in Europe.
They have a manager who clearly wants them to attack and play with personality.
They have some outstanding new additions.
But they cannot afford to rely on the same core group of players for the entire campaign.
Iraola has made Liverpool exciting again.
Now the challenge is making sure he has enough quality behind his best eleven to keep that excitement going all season.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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