Former Liverpool midfielder on why Andoni Iraola will need time and patience to get it right at Anfield
Andoni Iraola manager of Liverpool applauds the fans after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Fulham
Andoni Iraola is unbeaten as Liverpool boss but has only won one of his first four Premier League games in charge(Image: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)
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Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has stressed the need for time and patience for Andoni Iraola at Anfield.
And 2001 treble-winner believes the Reds' attacking options means they will be "a joy to watch" at times this campaign as the unbeaten Iraola looks to sign off for the international break with a win at his former club Bournemouth on Sunday.
The new boss has yet to lose in his six games in charge, but draws against Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Fulham in the Premier League have impacted progress, despite encouraging homer victories over Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League and Carabao Cup respectively.
Murphy says it will take time for Iraola to properly implement a more front-footed and aggressive style of football but believes there are more than enough positives to take from the early weeks of the Basque coach's tenure.
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"I think it always takes a bit of time," Murphy told Snabbare. "Especially if a manager has a way of playing that's different and needs to impart messages on the training pitch day in, day out, especially when you add new players and players coming back late from the World Cup.
"The whole pre-season wasn't spent with the group, so there's going to be a little bit of time and patience needed to see the impact of what he's trying to do, for sure.
"I do think they have struggled a bit defensively at times already this season, which will happen when you're trying to be a more positive, front-foot team because you're leaving more space and vulnerability.
"So the fans will have to accept that for a little while, because the fans were the ones who primarily got frustrated with (Arne) Slot being a bit more pragmatic last season and not playing the type of football they want to watch. So you have to give him time to implement that style and let mistakes happen."
Murphy added: "I'm a little bit concerned, though, there's good and bad. Although they don't have a perfect, orthodox right-sided player, they've got lots of brilliant forward players who are going to be a joy to watch.
"A lot of players can create, dribble, score goals, and make goals. I think they've got enough talent and intelligence in those forward players for somebody like (Victor) Munoz or (Cody) Gakpo to play on the right side. I think (Bradley) Barcola will probably primarily be the main left-sider because he's the best one out of the lot of them.
"But the other two areas of concern would be the central midfield area. When you play (Florian) Wirtz as a 10, the two central midfielders behind get a little bit exposed, rather than playing three midfielders or two midfielders and (Dominik) Szoboszlai as a No.10, which was what happened a lot when they won the league under Slot.
"How does that conundrum solve itself? Is it stifling the urge of the Liverpool central midfielders to go forward and making them more disciplined? That's probably the only way for now."