Andoni Iraola Prepares for Liverpool's Anfield Test Against Nottingham Forest
Andoni Iraola has barely had time to catch his breath. A chaotic late rescue at Newcastle, a £100m-plus agreement for Bradley Barcola, a Champions League draw to digest – and now a first Premier League game at Anfield with a club still arguing about its midfield.
The new Liverpool head coach faced the media at the AXA Training Centre on Thursday, trying to steady the noise around transfers while sharpening focus on Nottingham Forest’s visit on Saturday lunchtime.
Forest have been a problem for Liverpool. A real one.
Under Arne Slot, the Midlanders walked into Anfield twice and walked out with two wins, 1-0 and 3-0, without conceding a goal. An aggregate score of 4-0, and a lingering sense of embarrassment. Iraola knows he cannot allow that story to repeat.
Barcola, wide options and a restless market
Liverpool have reached an outline agreement with Paris Saint-Germain for France international winger Bradley Barcola, in a deal that would see a guaranteed fee of just over £100m and could rise towards £120m with add-ons based on individual and team success.
The structure is in place, the broad figures are known, but there is still work to do before the transfer is completed.
Iraola, though, stayed firmly within the lines when asked about the 21-year-old.
“As you know, we are trying to sign in that position,” he said. “We can’t talk about players who right now aren’t ours. But we are trying to improve and fill that position as we don’t have the numbers. I hope we have good news soon but we are still not there.”
The need for wide players has been a constant theme in his conversations with the club.
“There are certain things we can but it’s true we need players in the wide areas,” he admitted. “I’m sure if we can improve other areas we will but I don’t know how the market is going to finish. I have to be patient as well as you. It’s very uncomfortable for me as you are dealing with uncertainties all the time. In four or five days we will know what we have and then we can make proper plans.”
He stressed that the plan has not changed since he walked through the door, but long-term injuries have left Liverpool “down a player in some positions,” shaping their priorities.
The uncertainty stretches across the squad. Cody Gakpo’s excellent start under Iraola has not silenced speculation about outgoings, especially with Liverpool prepared to spend heavily again.
“After the performance he had in the first game I say the same, he’s playing very well for us,” Iraola said of Gakpo. “He’s been very good since he’s been back from World Cup. The right attitude and I hope we can keep him at that level. He can be very influential on us.
“When the market is open and we bring in expensive players I cannot guarantee anything. But I don’t know. Our players, I cannot guarantee anything about how many we are going to sign or whatever. Experience tells us that if there’s an opportunity the last day you can do something.”
For now, Iraola is waiting for September 2.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. Even myself I have to be patient. Then we get to September 2, this is who we have and the options we have then we can start thinking. For now we don’t know. I have in my head what I want, we’ve been talking since the beginning with the club, they know what we want. It’s about closing the deals.”
Midfield debate and defensive balance
If Barcola is the headline, the midfield is the argument.
Iraola’s first league game in charge, the draw at Newcastle, sparked fierce discussion about Liverpool’s defensive transitions and the protection in front of the back line. The Basque coach knew it was coming.
“Not surprised, I expected when I came here that everything would be magnified,” he said. “I’m starting to understand. But it’s just one game where we did a lot of very good things, even the players in midfield did, but there are definitely things we need to improve.
“Now it’s a matter of myself and coaching staff and players. It’s football. You go to the goals always. If you make exactly the same mistake then it’s normal and I understand we have to talk about the defensive transitions.”
He pointed to in-game progress at St James’ Park.
“I thought we improved during the game in that aspect, were much much better getting the numbers. I think the first goal is more to blame than the second in terms of how we positioned when we lost the ball. We will (soon) be talking about something else.”
He refuses to blunt his midfielders just to tidy up the analysis. Ryan Gravenberch, for instance, remains encouraged to drive forward.
“We can’t attack with everyone,” Iraola said. “I don’t want to tell Ryan Gravenberch don’t carry the ball as he scored against Monaco it came from his pass to Alex. But there is a balance, recognising the situation how we can balance those numbers in those positions.
“Sometimes you have to accept (the players go forward), it isn’t always one stays back and one goes forward. If the opposition are defending deep maybe both can go forward.”
That theme of balance runs through his early work.
“We don’t want to lose the offensive side, the fluidity, the arrival of numbers, but we were punished the other day. We have been intently working on it. It’s nothing new, we always want to control that.
“But there is a balance, we can’t go from one way where we send a lot of people forward to putting everyone back and it looks stale. It’s a matter of identifying the situation. The players who are very good they smell whether they can take the risk of going or staying, it’s the quality of the player who takes those decisions.”
Early impressions: control at Newcastle, Jacquet’s debut
Amid the noise, Iraola was quietly satisfied with large parts of Liverpool’s display in the 1-1 draw at Newcastle, where Dominik Szoboszlai’s late equaliser salvaged a point.
“I thought we controlled the game quite well, I felt we had meaningful possession, were quite direct in attack,” he said. “I was feeling good in the game, I felt we were closer to scoring than Newcastle in most part of the games. I felt good things in the first game.”
One of those positives was the performance of young defender Jacquet, thrown in for his first competitive appearance.
“He played very well considering it was his first game,” Iraola said. “It’s true he was tired, we had to sub him as you could feel he was tired in the last five minutes. He is very confident on the ball and good without the ball. Very young, we have to accept he will make mistakes.”
Selection calls: Chiesa, Elliott and squad squeeze
Team news brought a mix of frustration and hard choices.
Fede Chiesa will not feature after feeling an issue in his back during the game against Como.
“Fede is not available, in the game against Como he felt something in his back,” Iraola confirmed.
Harvey Elliott, meanwhile, again finds himself on the edge of the matchday squad.
“With Harvey and some of the players I can only choose 20,” Iraola explained. “Harvey is trying and improving every week but I still prefer other options, about the balance on the bench. That’s why James McConnell was in the squad, but it’s now another new week and new chances for everyone. They have to keep that mentality.”
Forest, Glasner and an Anfield first
Nottingham Forest arrive under Oliver Glasner with a clear identity and recent memories of Anfield success. Iraola’s respect for his opposite number is obvious.
“He has been very successful. You can see straight away the shape,” he said. “They don’t concede many chances, against Leeds it was a very tight game which was won with a free-kick in the last minute. We will have to earn every chance, win our duels, nothing is for free.
“We have to be good on the ball and patient because defensively they are very solid and good and have very good players. In transitions they are good threats on the counter.”
For Liverpool’s new boss, this is more than just another league fixture. It is his first Premier League match at Anfield, his first real taste of the stadium in full competitive voice.
“It’s going to be a special moment for me to have first PL game at Anfield,” he said. “I already felt it in pre-season. I will be thinking of the game but it’s also going to be emotional, it has to be like this as it’s a special place. I hope everything goes well and I enjoy the game.”
Forest have spoiled the mood here twice in a row. With Barcola closing in, transfer questions swirling and a fanbase demanding both control and chaos, Iraola now has to show whether his Liverpool can finally slam that door shut.
