Thomas Frank predicts whether Andoni Iraola will be a success at Liverpool

Thomas Frank predicts whether Andoni Iraola will be a success at Liverpool Andoni Iraola Faces Early Liverpool Questions After Flat Fulham Draw Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Fulham was a reminder that new ideas mean very little unless they show up consistently on the pitch. Four days after a lively win over Atletico Madrid hinted at the direction Andoni Iraola wants to take this side, this was a relapse. The tempo dropped, the aggression disappeared and Fulham found it far too easy to move through midfield and avoid sustained pressure. That is the issue. Nobody expected perfection in September, but there has to be a visible thread. Against Fulham, it was hard to see one. This looked laboured and familiar, a team short on sharpness and conviction, with Anfield left waiting for something that never arrived. Liverpool performance raises familiar concerns What will bother Iraola most is that the game ran away from his preferred identity. His teams are built on pressure, regains and quick attacks. Liverpool produced too little of that. The draw with Nottingham Forest had already raised an eyebrow. Failing to beat Fulham at home adds another layer to the early noise around this Liverpool start. That does not mean panic. It means context. A new manager inherits habits, limitations and a schedule that leaves little room for coaching. It also means supporters are entitled to ask why the intensity has been patchy from one match to the next. Thomas Frank was asked about the situation on BBC’s Match of the Day, and he said: “I’m not in doubt that he wants even more from his team, and I know Iraola, I really respect him, I think he’s an excellent coach and I’m not in doubt that he’ll have a successful time with Liverpool,” said the Dane. Photo: IMAGO High turnovers remain key to Iraola system That backing matters because it goes to the heart of what Iraola is trying to build. The numbers tell the story better than the aesthetics. “We found some stats in what I know he wanted to look a little bit more into, so for example if you look at the high turnovers in the championship winning season for Liverpool and the shots after high turnovers and the direct attacks, that’s the intensity, that’s what Iraola wants, so I’m not in doubt that they looked at that,” he said. That is the blueprint. Liverpool were at their best when they hunted in packs, won the ball high and attacked before opponents could reset. Against Fulham, too many moves became slow and predictable. Too many duels were second best. Too many attacks started from static positions. The same point was pushed further. “You look at Bournemouth’s numbers, the high numbers they created under Iraola and it’s gone down, it’s had a little bit of a dip this season. But that will take time for Iraola to get it into the players. “They’re playing every third day, there’s still a few new players, but he’s a good coach and I’m sure he will get that because it’s very important for him.” Slow starts can happen under a new manager There is also precedent. “If you remember they didn’t really get the way he wanted to play, it took a while and then they hit the ground running,” Williams said. He added, “When a new manager comes in with a different style, sometimes that just happens.” Fair enough. Systems take repetition, and repetition is hard to find when matches arrive every three days. Still, Liverpool are not judged on theory. They are judged on output, especially at Anfield. Anfield patience depends on visible progress Iraola has already avoided one problem by getting an early win on the board, but he is still waiting for a first home league victory. That matters. Anfield buys into intensity, commitment and front foot football faster than anything else. Against Fulham, the crowd saw too little of all three. So this is where Liverpool stand. It is early, there is time, and the coach has credit in the bank from his previous work. But the jury is out because the evidence is mixed. One bright result against Atletico Madrid does not settle the argument, and one stale 0-0 against Fulham does not finish it either. What matters now is whether Liverpool start looking more like an Iraola team, and soon.