Klopp took the inhalers with him? Bummer.
Andoni Iraola | Liverpool manager
- Thread starter JB08
- Start date
Klopp took the inhalers with him? Bummer.
Sacking him so soon after winning the league would've been absolutely ridiculous
This was always going to be the hurdle that any new Ireola side was going to have to overcome.
Have this Liverpool squad got the legs to play to Ireola’s intensity level? I’m not sure the current United squad would.
Plus, is there the depth at Liverpool to play Ireola’s style when it’s two games a week?
Agreed but no one expects us / him to win the league this season anyway. I'm almost at the point where I consider this season a trial to see which players can cope with his system and adapt, then assess after the season. If it gradually improves over the course of the season (performances and results, but they usually go hand in hand) I'm happy with Iraola. In that sense it's "good" we didn't splurge this offseason and might have more money available next summer to identify the glaring issues (coping hard here I know
).There were already rumors last season that the players were surprised how easy they had it in training. Actually makes me wonder if Slot was tactically able enough for the league but just couldn't have his team perform at the right intensity. In that regard it makes a ton of sense we won the league in his first season when they were still fit and used to Klopp. And, hopefully, also why the likes of Wirtz and Kerkez struggled.
The current coach has never navigated Europe with the Premier League. If his approach is to run into the ground, its not sustainable irrespective of who you have.
Klopp somehow managed it
He had experience with it.
Bournemouth conceded the second most goals in the top 10 teams last season and drew 18(!) games which was comfortably the most out of any team.
Hes exciting but he carries a material risk in performing a style that can leave a team exposed on transition, whilst also causing injuries in a packed schedule.
Klopp was more nuanced, was a better coach and most importantly, had protection from insanely good recruitment. Do I see Ireola being backed with recruits as good as VVD, Wjinaldum, Salah, Fabinbo? I find it very unlikely. Fabinbo particularly being the conductor to allow the team to press the way they did. Ireola pretty much has no one like this.
I swear to God every new manager must do this when they come into a club: claim that the players aren't fit enough from the previous manager!
It's just a ruse to buy them a bit of time in case results are poor in their first couple of months.
Anyway, a team doesn't finish 5th in the Premier League by being unfit!
Slot's first move was to declare that he'd like the team to run less.
Little did we know how much less.
And we absolutely finished 5th being unfit. Did you not watch us play? We were almost certainly the least fit team in the league.
Hughes probably didn't even see it on the training ground since he spent most of his time still living in Bournemouth (apparently).
The thing I find truly baffling is that they seem to be going into the season expecting an increasingly creaking Van Dijk to hold the whole defence together and play every game. He’s 35. It’s the age you need to start picking your games, and there’s nothing in his performances over the last year or so that suggest he’s an exception to that.
I think we're betting on the Slot factor accounting for most of his previous season. Like everyone else in the squad really.
So this investment from the consortium is why they haven't signed any center backs?
If you watch how the team played in 2019 amd 2020 onwards there was definitely a shift away from the way they pressed across the pitch and things where much more calculated that his first couple of seasons. He evolved without losing his identity but they definitely played smarter and less harder.
?
They just got Araujo on loan, signed a super expensive young french kid and have the other young defender coming back as well.
Lets not give liverpool a pass, they’ve spent plenty of money at CB. No excuses, only a league title will justify the amounts they have spent the last few windows.
Araujo has been absolutely dreadful for a couple of years. He’s behind Eric Garcia at Barca and Eric Garcia is shite,
As for their other options, both the young lads are coming off pretty serious injuries and both are wildly inexperienced. They might be great, but it’s a massive punt.
Have you got a time machine? He’s 35. With every passing month, it’s less likely he recaptures his form of old. Ferdinand, Terry, Campbell, Vidic; all were down to being bit part players at the same age. Bar the odd Thiago Silva here and there, mid 30s is when it goes. Doesn’t come back.
I am not saying it's wise. But if someone is likely to do it, it's virgil.
But yes we've basically stacked central defence with lots of talented wild cards. Not wise at all really.
Would explain last games and collapsing in second halves. You were out outran in most of the games last season so it'll take bit of time to take care of that.
If Liverpool get Barcola for £130m, the front four of Ekitike, Wirtz, Isak and Barcola will have cost a combined £450m. I'm guessing that will be the most expensive front four ever assembled.
I guess that would still be PSG around 2018 or so, when Neymar and Mbappe alone cost something like £380m and they had guys like Di Maria and Cavani around.
They definitely need a wide player, selling their main wide threat to Bayern and getting giddy stockpiling expensive central players was stupid.
Getting a good wide player is likely to immediately improve them.
Getting a good wide player is likely to immediately improve them.
The funny thing is, I’ve thought for a while that there was a lot of parallels between the Slot title winning side and Fergie’s last in 2013. A functional side sweeping to victory over a fairly poor league, propelled by the goals of a veteran forward having their last great season.
The funny part is, you’ve made the exact same mistake we did post title. We had Rio and Vidic ageing out and fairly young, inexperienced ones in Smalling, Jones and Evans. First thing on our 13/14 shopping list should’ve been a plug in and play 25-29yo centre half to anchor the defence. We didn’t do it and we’ve not really had a proper defensive unit since. I sincerely hope the same fate befalls you.
My thoughts exactly. Next season they're going to be completely reliant on VVD. Personally, whilst I think he has declined, he was/is an elite CB. Elite CB's can normally operate at a high level until 35-40 depending on several things, for instance Silva and Maldini where still top class up to around 39-40. The problem however, is that they were put in systems/teams that controlled possession and had decent options beside them, not having to guide some kids through as they adapt to the PL, additionally they didn't have a manager who played high press counter attack that leaves them exposed if there is a turnover in the middle of the park.
For me, next season Liverpool need two of the following things to happen:
1) VVD improves his performances from last season and still has a 50+ game season in his legs.
2) One of the young CB's hit the ground running and need little assistance from VVD in transition.
3) Araujo is able to stay fit and go back to his form from 2-3 years ago and instantly adapt to the PL.
That is also before we get to RB where they have to hope Bradley gets fit quickly and needs little time to work his way to fitness.
It is very questionable enough of the above will fall into place.
I’m looking forward to seeing him lashing out at his teammates on a weekly basis again whenever they concede a goal. Which is, of course, brilliant leadership.
A personal highlight of mine was when he booted the ball at Kerkez's face and then shouted at him for standing there
For feck sakeA personal highlight of mine was when he booted the ball at Kerkez's face and then shouted at him for standing there
He’s such a divaI am interested to see how he does, at Bournemouth, most games there was no pressure on them to perform. He earnt a reputation of being a top manager from how his teams played against the top sides.
The thing I have always found is when smaller clubs go against bigger clubs who come out at them, the high pressing game and vertical play works really well, as those teams have more players forward.
Liverpool is different, teams will sit back against them, its how he manages to break blocks down, playing 2 times a week with that intensity.
The thing I have always found is when smaller clubs go against bigger clubs who come out at them, the high pressing game and vertical play works really well, as those teams have more players forward.
Liverpool is different, teams will sit back against them, its how he manages to break blocks down, playing 2 times a week with that intensity.
Kerkez continually got it in the neck with VVD last season.
Yes. The question will be how well his playstyle works in the role of the favorite. But he's a Bielsa disciple and in his press conferences for Liverpool he said that he likes to have lots of the ball. For most possession oriented coaches, possession isn't a means in itself but a result of opponents not offering the space required for vertical passes by parking the bus. If a possession oriented coach takes over an underdog, his football is usually much more vertical because the opponents offer more space inbehind.
Does that apply to Iraola as well? Nobody can tell with certainty. He might be one of those one dimensional pressing obsessed coaches who have no plan B or he might be an example of the aforementioned dynamic. I guess we'll find out.
Exactly, which is why Bielsa did so well for those sort of clubs. I know its different but a bit like how alot of United fans rated Thomad Frank for good football, he went to Spurs and struggled, this was because fans watch those games against bigger teams, so a well drilled team looks good against better opposition.
So it will be interesting to see how Iraola gets on, nothing to say that he wont do well, I am just intrigued to see how he adapts. Obviously, better players will help him.
TBH, as has been mentioned by some already, I think Liverpool may struggle because of their defense.
You've got an aging VDV who may be better than last season, but won't be near as good as his prime. Then you've got a couple of highly rated youngsters, who even at the best of times will be inconsistent (if they get over their injuries well), and a dude on loan who's been poor for the last couple of seasons.
Kerkez may turn out great this season, but I thought he was really poor last season. And do you guys even have a stable RB? And added to that an aging and increasingly injury-prone GK!
I think the CMs may pick up form again, and Isak and Writz may come good. But it'll be difficult if you guys leak a lot of goals defensively.
You've got an aging VDV who may be better than last season, but won't be near as good as his prime. Then you've got a couple of highly rated youngsters, who even at the best of times will be inconsistent (if they get over their injuries well), and a dude on loan who's been poor for the last couple of seasons.
Kerkez may turn out great this season, but I thought he was really poor last season. And do you guys even have a stable RB? And added to that an aging and increasingly injury-prone GK!
I think the CMs may pick up form again, and Isak and Writz may come good. But it'll be difficult if you guys leak a lot of goals defensively.
He's never navigated Europe with the Premier League.
He's never managed a behemoth club like Liverpool.
He's never had to deal with the super-egos of elite players.
He's never won a trophy of any kind (except some Mickey Mouse thing in Cyprus).
He had no previous connection to Liverpool so he knows nothing about the details of the club.
And he's not a former top class/extremely successful player - not that this makes you a good manager, far from it. But it is a factor that has helped some formerly inexperienced guys who went on to do great things at big clubs, such as Zidane, Pep, and Enrique. Those 3 also had a strong connection with the superclubs they initally managed without much of a resume,
Iraola has no such connection with Liverpool. The club is a completely alien entity to him at present and far beyond anything he has dealt with as a player or a coach in his career.
It's a tremendously risky appointment that I think will end in disaster. But who knows? Maybe he will defy the odds.
I think the reason Bielsa did so well for those kind of clubs but never for a top team has less to do with his system but rather his personality. Guardiola himself named Bielsa as one of his most important inspirations and his brand of football works outstandingly well for favorites. Alonso and Arteta who have a similar background to Iraola have been playing very dominant football for the majority of their coaching careers as well. So there are quite a lot of reasons to believe that Iraola's football will look very different if he goes into most matches as the favorite. But you can obviously never be sure.
My impression from what I've seen so far is that Liverpool's movement in the final third has already improved a lot. The lack of runs inbehind and a very risk-averse box occupation was one of the main issues Liverpool had under Slot, IMO. I expect Liverpool to be a much more exciting team this season but they'll probably struggle in terms of a) defending and b) squad depth.
Will he have anyone in defence
Sounding like Gakpo to Spurs will happen which makes me think we’re further along with Barcola.
If Jones goes we need to look at midfield. I can’t believe we haven’t gone in for Wharton. He’d be perfect for us. I could see Trey Nyoni getting the push as another option. He’s played a lot in pre season and Iraola might want to work with more of the academy players.
Still think we’ll end up 6th as things stand.
If Jones goes we need to look at midfield. I can’t believe we haven’t gone in for Wharton. He’d be perfect for us. I could see Trey Nyoni getting the push as another option. He’s played a lot in pre season and Iraola might want to work with more of the academy players.
Still think we’ll end up 6th as things stand.
Not sure how this’ll impact Iraola’s tenure:
I think Iraola is going to be keen to play with someone who "gets" what he's trying to do. That could probably find you some unorthodox solutions, based on who's knocking about your squad. Christie was a winger/AM prior to Iraola.
Personally I hope you.keep both Jones and Gakpo, as I think they're toilet. Do you think some of this Bezos stuff may have slowed down the transfers? I feel like you've been pretty stagnant, which seems odd.
Dippers problem is that they blew their load last Summer and don't have many sellable assets to reset their PSR (or whatever it's called now) accounts. Personally, I do not see them getting Barcola. He is a minimum £130m and will demand insane wages as he is winding down his contract. Dippers to pull that off will need to raise some serious cash.
Maybe. It would explain why we've been so quiet at a time when we really need reinforcements. I think Barcola happens next week based on PSG's recent transfer activity.
I'd sell Gakpo and Jones too. Both infuriating players to watch.