Liverpool supporters agree that Andoni Iraola’s changes can’t just be a one-off against Tottenham if the team are to halt the Anfield flatline.
After a fourth consecutive draw at home in the league, Iraola must seriously rethink his midfield plan if Liverpool are to gain any consistency this season.
The visit of Tottenham in the Carabao Cup is a good opportunity to bring squad players in. And if they perform, they have to be given a chance in the Premier League.
Here, Sam Millne (@sam_millne), Abigail Rudkin (@rudkin_abigail) and Adam Beattie (@beatts94) discuss what went wrong against Fulham, the Anfield atmosphere and what needs to change going forward.
Before we get onto the solutions, what was the biggest issue against Fulham?
Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. Picture date: Saturday September 12, 2026.
Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. Picture date: Saturday September 12, 2026.
ADAM: The most concerning trend for me is that we’re getting further and further away from being able to call Anfield the fortress that it was not so long ago.
Home wins used to be taken for granted, and this should have been as close to a sure thing as you can get in the Premier League if you’re serious about challenging.
Not only did we not get the basics right, but it felt like we could have played another 90 minutes and not found a winner, which is a worry against a side low on confidence like themselves.
There was a lot of talk about boredom last season, but that one was right up there.
ABI: I think the biggest issue was a lack of intensity, passing sideways and backwards!
It didn’t seem like the team knew the plan. Some players even had issues, at times, making five-yard passes.
SAM: There was plenty wrong with the performance, but the thing that stood out most to me was the midfield’s inability to make quick, forward passes.
While we would like Liverpool to play every game at 100mph, blowing teams away, that isn’t realistic, especially with the squad Iraola has been left.
If the Reds are to achieve some kind of consistency this season, one of Mac Allister or Nyoni needs to be on the pitch at all times to help dictate play.
What did you make of the atmosphere around Anfield?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool supporters head for the exit and they leave before the end of the game during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended in a goal-less draw. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool supporters head for the exit and they leave before the end of the game during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended in a goal-less draw. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
ABI: I think the lack of energy from the team is going to cause the atmosphere to flatline.
It’s hard to get into it and try and excited when the game is so slowed down and we’re seeing a lack of togetherness, as well as questionable decision-making on the pitch.
ADAM: The atmosphere was pretty dismal throughout, but it wasn’t helped by the players doing something stupid nearly every time we saw a glimmer of momentum.
Leaving early isn’t something I ever really do, but the lack of genuine threat on the Fulham goal was telling and compelled a lot more than usual to call it early, despite us chasing a goal.
That said, we saw during the early Klopp days what can happen if we stick with them.
If dodging traffic is more important than the game itself, is there much point going in the first place?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended in a goal-less draw. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended in a goal-less draw. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
SAM: I agree with Adam and Abi in different ways here.
While the team has to offer encouragement on the pitch – this wasn’t the case on Saturday – there is still an onus on supporters to actually support, especially with a new manager at the helm.
There will always be some who leave early for various reasons, but the sheer numbers heading for the exits against Fulham was a damning indictment of the Anfield ‘support’.
What would you change against Tottenham?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's Trey Nyoni during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. Monaco won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's Trey Nyoni during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. Monaco won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
SAM: Trey Nyoni has to come in, and I think it will be for Szoboszlai who has started all five matches this season.
I expect Wirtz, Isak and Van Dijk all to drop out too, leaving room for Lewis Koumas to start. It would be great if Danns could start up front, but he may not be fully fit to do so.
Barcola could do with staying in team as Liverpool try to get him sharp.
ABI: It’s a tough one because Kostas struggled massively, but a game in the cup, where the manager may not want to risk his main starting 11 players, he may have to start again. It really does depend on what the manager wants to prioritise.
He may have to look at this game against Spurs as a massive game to try and get the crowd up and raise the intensity. We probably need to try and get Gakpo back starting for this team as quick as possible, so I think we’ll see him come in.
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)
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)
ADAM: I expect and hope it will be quite heavily rotated on Tuesday.
It was painfully obvious we’d played a game three days earlier and the last thing we need is to give ourselves more excuses for Bournemouth.
Our issue, though, is that the squad isn’t big enough and that might mean relying on youngsters against Premier League opposition.
It would be good to see Jayden Danns involved to some degree, aside from that I expect it will be a mixture of fringe players and a couple of senior lads who could benefit from the minutes.
I love a day out at Wembley as much as anyone, but there are more pressing matters currently!
And would you stick with those changes beyond Tottenham?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended 0-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended 0-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
ABI: It’s hard to know how I’ll feel about certain players to come up against Bournemouth until I’ve seen how we perform against Spurs in the cup.
I just want to see high-intensity, silky football again! Get Gakpo back starting and possibly use Barcola on the right.
ADAM: I’d be putting Mac Allister back in personally.
The Gravenberch-Szoboszlai midfield pairing clearly isn’t working and that isn’t a great place to be given our limited options.
Elsewhere, Cody Gakpo has done enough in his early starts to earn his spot back when fully fit, leaving Munoz to be a live wire off the bench.
Left-back is a worry. Can Ronald Araujo play both full-back positions at once? How long until the January window again?
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 15, 2026: Liverpool's Hadyn Murray-Holme during the U18 Premier League match between Manchester City FC Under-18's and Liverpool FC Under-18's at the Etihad Campus. Man City won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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PARIS, FRANCE - Wednesday, March 5, 2025: Liverpool's Diogo Jota during the pre-match warm-up before the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg game between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool FC at the Parc des Princes. Liverpool won 1-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, May 20, 2023: Liverpool's James Milner applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Aston Villa FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)