What must Iraola improve after Liverpool's draw?
Robbie Earle and Robbie Mustoe unpack Liverpool's disappointing 2-2 draw in their home opener against Nottingham Forest and what areas the Reds and Andoni Iraola must improve if they want to compete for titles.
Video Transcript
Let's, go to Anfield, my friend.
It was the first home game for Andoni Iraola as Liverpool manager.
They were facing Nottingham Forest and Nottingham Forest who, I think, beaten Liverpool the last two times they've played at Anfield, so the tricky trees, as they call them, or, or a tricky opposition for, for Liverpool.
It ended up 2-2, Rob.
Wasn't quite the excitement, didn't get quite to the levels maybe that Iraola and the Liverpool fans would've liked.
That's two draws now in similar vein for, for Liverpool in the first two games.
What's your, what's your take on, on Liverpool and Andoni Iraola at this stage?
Well, I, I think this one, it, his is kinda working out so far as, as what I mi- as what I've expected, Rob.
I thought Liverpool were gonna struggle.
Watching them in pre-season, watching all the business that they've done or haven't done with players, re- replacing certain star players at this football club.
The fullbacks look like they're They struggle.
Yeah.
Virgil van Dijk, again, is 35 years of age.
It, it, it's, it's, the games are looking like what I might have expected.
This isn't, this isn't very good, mate.
And we lo- we, we- know Iraola's a big favorite of ours.
We've spoke to him.
Very impressed with what he's done in previous- Yeah work, but this is a big job, and the squad doesn't look good.
The right side doesn't look very good.
Now, it looks like Brennan Baku is gonna- Yeah sign for the club, which is great.
Another very, very, very expensive one, Rob, and, and Liverpool, over recent seasons, have gone down this road of, of really trying to buy almost finished, really great- Yeah players to come into this team.
Now, with Isak and Wirtz, that we'll get onto a little bit, Rob, it's been a struggle.
Yeah.
And they, they can't afford another very expensive player not to look the part from day one.
Yeah.
And I know that's not easy to do, and we say that, and certain players need time to, to bed in, but they can't, and Mitch Hughes can't have another extremely expensive player that doesn't look quite right.
I'm not saying He, I, you know, I think he's gonna do well.
Yeah.
Super, super quick.
Yeah, yeah.
Great under transition- running in behind.
A little less sure in, in tight spaces and, and an end product in tight spaces.
Yeah.
But this is a big move.
You know, it looks like Cody Gakpo, Rob, could be leaving- Could be leaving, yeah which I still, like- really?
Like- Yeah a consistent, steady performer is gonna be allowed to leave the club, and you're, you're left with Victor Muoz, who scored a brilliant goal and, and, Ngomo that looks a great talent.
Yeah.
But I, I am If I was a Liverpool fan, I'd be really worried- Yeah about my sort of threat on the title, which- I don't think is gonna be there- Yeah or even the top four.
I'd be worried about that.
But let's see how it shakes out with his new- Yeah with his new deals and stuff, but I think the squad, Rob, is still short.
Yeah.
It's, it's, it's interesting, isn't it?
They spend this, the kind of money they've spent, and you say the squad's short.
And, and isn't part of the problem that obviously the Isak and Wirtz situ- situation continues.
I mean, Wirtz has a, a goal disallowed for the offside.
Isak does get a goal, but isn't quite the player.
And, and Rob, it's almost like how long do, how long do we wait for, for, for these players to hit into form?
You know, Isak a couple of times got played down the side, and doesn't quite look like he's running at full pace.
I don't know if he's holding himself, if he's got a bit of an injury, if he's protecting something.
It just doesn't quite look the, the same player that we had.
Now, add that to some of the issues with the team setup, with the defensive situation.
Yeah.
You know, Andoni, Andoni Iraola's gotta figure some things out quickly, hasn't he?
Because, 'cause, you know, things can, will, will turn, I, I think, i- if he doesn't.
There were some pretty I thought there were some pretty uninspiring- Yeah football in the first half.
Flat, yeah.
I thought Anfield is quiet.
Anfield- needs to, wants to jump.
Yeah.
Needs to be lively.
Now, to be fair, they were better in the second half- Rob, but I'm watching the first half and I'm thinking, "Gosh, this is way off it."
Yeah.
You know, when you think about the best team in the league- Yeah, yeah and Arsenal, how far off, Liverpool are- right now.
We're only a couple of years ago, they're blooming champions, Rob.
Yeah.
And this goes back to the director of football and what we always say about this game, that recruitment is- Yeah.
Big time, yeah is so important part of it.
Big decisions were made.
Players were allowed to leave.
Others were bought for huge money.
It hasn't- really worked out.
I would say is Florian Wirtz was better, Rob, I thought.
Yeah.
Thought he was better, yeah.
And I think we're always quick to jump on if, if, we think he's not having an impact, which has happened too many times for me- But- but he was livelier.
He's be- Livelier in the football.
He's being livelier, going in the right direction.
Well- He's being livelier, us being not as harsh.
I mean, Rob, we, we, we At some point we've gotta talk.
You, you don't spend that money for, you know, he was a bit better.
You send, you spend that money for someone to run a game, to dictate a game, to create things.
And I know he's not going He's in a bad patch, but are we dumbing down where, where we are with Florian Wirtz?
Because- I, I, I don't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't dumb it.
I won't, I won't dumb it down with him because I'm all over him.
Like, from day one, you know, we, of course we're looking very close- Yeah, yeah at these players, and we see how We saw him in the, we've seen him live in the flesh now a couple of times, and it's, and it's like, has he got the physicality to hand- Yeah handle this intensity in this league?
I just thought he was better.
That's all I'm saying.
Yeah, yeah.
I think it's very- Yeah you know, it's easy to pile on a little bit- Yeah even though it's, like, game one, game two.
Yeah.
But I think, we've gotta see a few more games under this new manager and see if he can be that guy you're talking about.
Yeah.
Same with Alexander Isak.
Yeah.
I mean, Isak gets his goal, Rob.
He's in the right place at the right time.
I still worry about his, his durability for, for playing at this level, but we will see.
Right now he seems fit, and like, I- Yeah I don't disagree with what you're saying about the way that he's running, but I thought those two were a little better.
Yeah.
The wider areas concerns me.
Victor Muoz was, was pretty ineffective until he scores a brilliant goal, by the way.
Yeah, it was a great finish.
Brilliant goal.
Yeah.
A really- Good finish lovely alternative- Yeah smashed it into the top of the goal.
So that was brilliant from him.
Trimpong, Trimpong by the way, is a problem, mate.
No, he's not good enough.
Trimpong's a problem.
Not good enough.
Yeah.
As, as, as I said, I think I said to you thi- this week, he, he attacks like a defender and defends like an attacker.
I mean- Yeah Andoni's on, on the right on that goal.
He's not even in the shot, Rob, at right back.
The left side of play- Yeah, it was a terrible goal.
I don't know.
I think they got switched over.
Cody Gakpo- Yeah was over there, I think, Rob.
So that, that What a bad goal to concede that was- Yeah.
Oh from a long ball from the defenders back there.
So one long ball over the top and they, and they don't defend it.
No.
So plenty of work to, to, to do- Yeah, lots of work on the training ground for, for Iraola and Liverpool, and obviously he needs Wirtz, and he needs Isak, and he needs Baku in and, and Far in if things are to go well
