Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has stated that his team currently lacks the ability to sustain their desired performance level throughout an entire match. This assessment follows a 3-2 pre-season loss to Monaco at Anfield, where Liverpool surrendered a two-goal lead.
The match, which marked Iraola’s first home game in charge, saw a sell-out crowd and a palpable sense of excitement for the new era. However, for the second consecutive pre-season fixture, Liverpool allowed their opponents to overturn a two-goal advantage, a situation Iraola attributed to issues with squad depth and player fatigue after substitutions.
Squad Depth and Defensive Concerns
Iraola noted the similarity to a previous game against Leeds, where the team played a strong first half but could not maintain the intensity. He commented, “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.”
A key concern for the upcoming Premier League season is the centre-back pairing alongside Virgil van Dijk. Van Dijk, along with Alisson and Cody Gakpo, returned to action against Monaco after an extended post-World Cup break. He started the game with 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who is expected to go out on loan due to work permit issues. The match concluded with Luke Chambers and Wataru Endo playing in central defence, highlighting the team’s current situation.
Ronald Araujo, 27, underwent a medical on Sunday as his season-long loan move from Barcelona, with an option to buy for around £47.2m, is nearing completion. Additionally, Jeremy Jacquet, 21, who joined from Rennes, has not yet participated in full training due to a recent minor knee problem and a shoulder injury sustained in February. Iraola is optimistic that Jacquet could be available for the next pre-season fixture.
Lewis Koumas, 20, and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, 18, both started against Monaco after impressing during the United States tour. Koumas, who played on the right wing and later moved to the number nine position, is expected to remain with Liverpool for the next few weeks before a decision is made on his future. Ndukwe, despite a composed performance alongside Van Dijk, faces work permit issues that will prevent him from playing for Liverpool this season.
Isak and Wirtz Partnership Shows Promise
Despite the defeat, the performances of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak offered a glimpse of their potential. The pair, who were acquired for a combined fee of £225m last summer, displayed good chemistry, with Wirtz operating in the number 10 role behind Isak.
Isak opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a right-footed finish, and Wirtz scored the second goal from close range after a goalmouth scramble. Both players were substituted just before the hour mark. Iraola had expressed in his programme notes his desire to build a team that fans could identify with and be proud of, and the partnership between Isak and Wirtz appears to be a significant step in that direction.
Victor Munoz, a summer signing, made his first appearance at Anfield against Monaco. The 23-year-old forward, who was part of the Spain squad that won the World Cup, joined the team at the start of the week. He played on the left wing and showed promising moments, including using his speed to deliver a cross. Liverpool is reportedly still looking to strengthen their attack before the transfer window closes on September 1, with interest in Paris Saint-Germain’s winger Bradley Barcola.
Liverpool has two remaining pre-season matches, a double-header against Como on 16 August, before their Premier League season begins.
Source: bbc.co.uk