Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
The first international break of the season is often a good time for supporters to take stock of how the campaign has started, and what kind of tone has been set for the months ahead.
For Liverpool, this means an early appraisal of Andoni Iraola‘s time at Anfield after taking over from Arne Slot this summer.
Iraola has had a decent start with the Reds, and is so far unbeaten across seven matches in all competitions. However, when Rousing The Kop asked fans on TalkingPoints to grade the Basque so far, many suggested that they had been left underwhelmed by what they’d seen from his Liverpool team so far. Iraola deserves much more credit, though, with the Reds improving across just about every area of the pitch.
Liverpool have been better than fans think under Iraola
The general feeling from fans on TalkingPoints has been that Iraola deserves a B or a C grade for his opening seven matches at Liverpool. Though it is possible to see where those fans are coming from, that probably does not reflect the reality.
The two games really holding Iraola back are the home draws against Nottingham Forest and Fulham, and it is disappointing that the Reds are yet to win a Premier League home game under their new boss, especially given the level of their two opponents.
Nevertheless, it was always clear that Iraola’s philosophy would take some time to implement, and there were always going to be a few small bumps in the road. The win over Bournemouth on Sunday suggested that Liverpool are getting over some of those obstacles, and that they are managing to do so while remaining unbeaten is a real positive.
The Reds twice came from behind against Forest – as well as against Newcastle on the opening day – and that should also be seen favourably. Far too often Liverpool could not claw themselves back into matches under Slot, and Iraola has already instilled a change there. If you can’t win, then don’t lose, and as the manager with the longest current unbeaten run in the Premier League, Iraola rarely loses these days. Neither do Liverpool.
Part of the reason for that is their new-found defensive solidity, and having kept three consecutive Premier League clean sheets, the Reds are looking far better at the back. A big part of that has been Iraola’s decision to take Jeremie Frimpong out and replace him with Ronald Araujo. That looks like an easy decision now, but it was not quite so straightforward initially, and the head coach deserves praise for spotting the issue with Frimpong and moving quickly to rectify it. Only Leeds and Everton have conceded fewer than the Reds’ four goals so far this season.
Iraola has done the same in midfield, where Ryan Gravenberch has made way for Alexis Mac Allister, and after watching Slot fail to make these kinds of decision throughout last season, it has been hugely refreshing to watch the new man step up in that regard.
Things do still need work, including finding the balance in the forward line, but the former Bournemouth boss already looks to be getting more out of Isak, which was one of his biggest remits when arriving, and though Florian Wirtz has been heavily criticised, the German has also shown some flashes of becoming better under Iraola.
Once all of this clicks into place, there is reason to believe that Liverpool will be a fearsome opponent once again. Already the signs are there, and having taken on what was a really difficult challenge, Iraola has quietly steered the Reds on a good path again.
Changing the mood amongst a fanbase which had become extremely toxic is critical for him to succeed, and he has done that so far. The players look fitter, the football is by and large more attractive, and the results are starting to follow. That was not a given, and especially after being slightly hamstrung by the summer recruitment, Iraola deserves huge credit for navigating a tough start so far.
More difficult games are to come, and some on TalkingPoints have been concerned that Liverpool have not yet played anybody of note. But the games against these ‘lesser’ teams are acting as proofing ground for Iraola, and once matches against the big boys do arrive, they should be far more ready to attack them as a cohesive, well-functioning team. Iraola deserves credit, and while nobody has been blown away by his start, it has still been one which points to a much brighter future.