Liverpool made plenty of changes as it knocked Tottenham out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, with Andoni Iraola proven right about one star he gave a starting chance to
Andoni Iraola after Liverpool knocked Tottenham out of the Carabao Cup.
Andoni Iraola after Liverpool knocked Tottenham out of the Carabao Cup.(Image: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
If there is one word that sums up the kind of soccer that Andoni Iraola wants to play, it is probably "intensity" — and one man provided that in spades as the Reds progressed in the Carabao Cup.
The opportunity to collect domestic silverware should not be passed up by Liverpool this season, with the Premier League and the Champions League almost certainly out of reach. But even with wholesale changes to their starting XI, the Reds eliminated Tottenham at Anfield with a much more energetic showing than the tepid display against Fulham a few days earlier.
In addition to going through in the tie, it was also vital for Liverpool that some key men got a rest. Florian Wirtz, who was in attendance but only in a watching brief, was one; Alexander Isak, who got a late cameo, another.
James McConnell, filling in for Wirtz at number 10, looked like a youth prospect stepping up, and, in fairness, that isn't his best role, but at number nine, Lewis Koumas left much more of a mark.
It must be stated that if Isak were to pick up an injury for a month, it is too soon to expect the young Welshman to fill in.
Realistically, in that scenario, Cody Gakpo moving centrally would be the best solution, not least with an abundance of other options down the left flank.
But Koumas made another really positive contribution that suggests his recent cameos are only likely to grow in size. Not everything he did clicked, but his relentless running and pressing set the tone for the rest to follow.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: Lewis Koumas of Liverpool shoots during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on September 15, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Lewis Koumas shoots during the Carabao Cup match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
"The first week I was here, I already told the club that (Koumas) was staying all the season — I had very few doubts," Iraola had said last Friday.
"He is someone who covers us on the No. 7, No. 9, No. 10, No. 11. He trains very well, good attitude, good player, scores goals.
"He needs to add more things obviously, like every young player, but he already has a good amount of experience playing in the Championship at a high level.
"I see him ready to help us. I like what he gives us. When we’ve been losing, like Newcastle away, and the other day when we were winning, I think he helps us in both scenarios. I’m very happy to have him."
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Iraola was just as effusive after this performance, and rightly so, with his faith in the versatile forward paying off.
"The energy he shows is contagious for the rest," the Spaniard said. "When you see the runs up front, giving everything, you are kind of forced to go behind and use the same intensity levels. I am very happy for him."
Goals from Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai sealed the victory, but it was Koumas who led from the front.
"I think we've been good," Iraola added. "I felt the team during good phases today, it felt like energy and everyone pushing. It was close to the version we want."
Koumas, certainly, displayed plenty of the traits that Iraola requires. In terms of effort and endeavor, he was faultless, and he should find that more chances are forthcoming as a result.