Jamie Carragher is not impressed with Liverpool's players, with the Reds having made a mixed start to the season under new head coach Andoni Iraola after taking six points from four games
Jamie Carragher speaking on Sky Sports
Jamie Carragher is not impressed with Liverpool's players(Image: Sky Sports)
Jamie Carragher has pointed the finger at Liverpool’s players for the club’s mixed start to the season, and insisted Andoni Iraola shouldn’t shoulder the blame.
The Reds have made an unbeaten start to the season under their new head coach, although they have been far from convincing so far. Three of their five games across all competitions have ended in draws, and they have taken just six points from their first four league games.
Saturday’s dismal goalless draw with Fulham brought fans back down to earth after encouraging signs in the wins over Ipswich and Atletico Madrid, with questions being raised about the makeup of Iraola’s squad.
Carragher though is not impressed with the efforts of the players at the Liverpool boss’ disposal, who he feels have an awful lot to prove after last season’s poor showing.
“I’m putting no pressure or criticism on the manager,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “It hasn’t been a great start, but we’re at the stage now with this group of players where, what we saw last season wasn’t acceptable for the club.
“They changed the manager on the back of what happened last season. What they were basically saying, the hierarchy at Liverpool, was ‘we’ve got great players, you’re not getting enough out of them’.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Andoni Iraola manager of Liverpool and Milos Kerkez of Liverpool applaud the fans after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Fulham at Anfield on September 12, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)
Liverpool has had a mixed start to the season under Andoni Iraola
“Okay, fair enough. So the new manager comes in, you can’t then say the new manager needs transfer windows. Every manager does, and he does, but the whole point of Liverpool changing the manager was that the last manager wasn’t getting enough out of those players.
“The new manager’s come in, it’s very early days, but these players have been really poor for a long time. Start of the season’s been really poor, and Liverpool haven’t had difficult fixtures.
“Really, Liverpool should probably have 10 points. When you look at those fixtures at the start of the season, with a new manager, give everybody a lift because everyone was a bit down on Arne Slot, and it’s been really poor.
“But no Liverpool supporter will be looking at the manager, or questioning the manager. The normal cycle for any club is if we’re going to blame the manager last season - which they did, which I thought was over the top - this season, we’ve got the players.
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“So for me, and I think most Liverpool supporters, we’ll be looking at those players and think ‘you’ve got to do an awful lot more’.”
Iraola has urged patience as he gets to grip with his new squad, with the Liverpool boss determined to find a way to get his team firing.
“We have very good players and a good squad,” Iraola said. “We need to find the balance and the right combinations so everyone can look even better than the player he is.
"If we are not well drilled, the timings are not there, then everyone looks worse. Everyone has to add a little bit."