Liverpool fans lined the streets outside Anfield to welcome Andoni Iraola and his squad for his first home match in charge. It was a sell-out crowd, creating a palpable sense of excitement for the start of a new era under the manager. However, for the second consecutive match, Iraola’s side squandered a two-goal lead after a series of substitutions, highlighting a recurring problem regarding the team’s quality squad depth.
Reflecting on the defeat to Monaco, Iraola told LFC TV that the game felt quite similar to their previous outing against Leeds. He noted, “We played a good first half, especially a good 30 minutes. Right now we probably don’t have much more, in terms of the levels required to play like this. They deserved to turn around the game.”
The manager expressed frustration with the team’s consistency, stating, “We won the first two pre-season games, but the last two we cannot sustain the level we want for all of the game. As soon as we made some changes, players start to get tired and we cannot sustain that level. So, we have work to do.”
Iraola has two pre-season fixtures remaining—a double-header against Como on 16 August—before the Premier League season commences. With the top-flight campaign beginning at Newcastle in two weeks, questions persist regarding who will partner Virgil van Dijk at centre-back. Van Dijk returned against Monaco alongside Alisson and Cody Gakpo following an extended post-World Cup break.
Van Dijk started the match with 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe, a promising talent who is expected to go on loan this season due to work permit issues. The depth concerns were underscored by the fact that Liverpool finished the match with Luke Chambers and Wataru Endo in the centre-back positions.
In terms of recruitment, Ronald Araujo, 27, completed his medical on Sunday as his season-long loan from Barcelona, which includes an option to buy for approximately £47.2m, nears completion. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Jeremy Jacquet is yet to participate in full training following his move from Rennes. Jacquet has been managing a shoulder injury from February and a minor knee issue, though the club remains optimistic he could feature against Como.
Regarding the decision to exclude Jacquet, Iraola explained, “Jeremy Jacquet, we were in doubt whether to put him in. We decided not to, but he should be fine for the next one. It’s taking a bit more time than we were expecting.”
Despite the defeat, the performances of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, who cost a combined £225m last summer, provide optimism. The pair combined effectively, with Wirtz operating behind Isak in the number 10 role. Isak scored the opening goal with a precise right-footed finish.
Wirtz was arguably Liverpool’s standout player. While it appeared he scored the second goal, Isak admitted post-match he was unsure who applied the final touch. “I think we agreed that me and Flo, we both got a touch on the ball, but honestly I don’t know who got the first one or the last one,” Isak told LFC TV.
Reflecting on his experience under the new manager, Isak added, “Really good. I feel like the spirit is good in the group and we’re all working hard to make things work. We’re going to make sure that we’re ready for the start.”
