“He will deliver” – Andoni Iraola heaps praise on in-form Liverpool star

“He will deliver” – Andoni Iraola heaps praise on in-form Liverpool star Andoni Iraola Backs Alexander Isak as Liverpool’s Reliable Goal Threat Alexander Isak has started the season doing what elite strikers are paid to do, score goals. Seven already, the latest coming off the bench in the Champions League defeat to Fenerbahce, and Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola sounds like a man who knows exactly what he has. His verdict was direct. “Alex is a top goalscorer,” said Iraola. “If we can put him in the position to score, he will deliver. It’s not a guarantee but it’s the closest thing to a guarantee almost.” That tells you plenty. Liverpool do not need Isak to be everything at once. They need him where it matters, in the right areas, finishing moves. Alexander Isak giving Liverpool clarity in attack Iraola’s comments also showed what Liverpool are trying to build around the Sweden international. He praised the striker’s movement and technical quality, saying: “Like every player, he can add more things to his game. We want to use the things that he has, he is very good also attacking the spaces, attacking the channels, coming to receive [the ball]. I think he is technically clean also. “We are trying to use him in the best way.” Photo: IMAGO That is sensible coaching. Isak’s game is not limited to penalty-box finishing. He can stretch defences, run the channels and link play cleanly. For Liverpool, that matters because it gives the front line more variety and makes him harder to mark. Bradley Barcola role offers Iraola another option Iraola was also asked about Bradley Barcola, who operated through the middle in Turkiye rather than from his usual wide role. The answer was clear enough. “Bradley is a winger. “Mostly he has played as a left winger, sometimes as a right winger, but he also has played in PSG as a striker. “It’s something that I wanted to try. I thought against their centre-backs he could be a threat, especially in behind. “But he is a winger and he will be mostly, 90 per cent of the time, used as a winger. But it’s alternatives that I sometimes want to try. I tried with Cody [Gakpo] against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup. “Not maybe from the beginning but it’s true that during the game, I think it’s options that we can use when Alex is tired and we need another type of striker. “We can use other strikers that we have but also wingers can do a job there.” Liverpool attack built around options and efficiency That is the bigger point. Iraola has a first-choice striker in Alexander Isak and he knows it. He also wants flexible attacking cover when matches shift. Barcola through the middle is an option, not a change of identity. Liverpool’s attack still revolves around getting Isak the ball in decisive spaces. On current form, that remains the smartest plan available.