Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola don tok say e dey learn which players fit play every three days and which ones need rest so their performance no drop. E explain say some players fit play every three days without issues and their performance no dey change too much. Other players, e say, risk bigger and performance dey different.
Iraola tok say e get idea about some of them but for others e new because dem never play plenty games and dem dey learn. Answer come on Saturday afternoon for Anfield when Liverpool play goalless draw against Fulham, team wey don lose their first three matches. Midweek game against Atletico Madrid for Europe clearly affect them.
After the game, Iraola insist say ‘A lack of freshness, definitely. We cannot hide it.’ E tok say na ‘the worst turnaround’ in terms of hours wey Premier League rules allow, but e accept say Liverpool must learn to handle am. E add say e go happen more times, maybe with one more day, but sometimes e go happen same way during season.
Look at fixture list, concerns dey. Immediately after international break, Iraola side go host Manchester City for one demanding game before dem travel go Austria to play LASK Linz for Champions League. Inside 72 hours, dem go play Brentford away. Following month, another big home match against Arsenal, then midweek trip to Fenerbahce, before Liverpool return to play Crystal Palace away. Later November, visit to Club Brugge dey between Manchester United and Everton.
Na reality of demands at top team. Unknown for Iraola na how players go respond to hard-running style wey be fundamental to im approach while dem still maintain high standards. For pre-season, e tok say, ‘I am asking them to do things that are a little bit different, especially without the ball and I think they are trying to get it.’ Alexander Isak mention am after friendly against Monaco, say ‘We are all working hard to make things work.’
But Fulham game na first real test of wetin happen when two worlds collide. One draining Champions League night for Anfield where Liverpool come from behind to win, follow by fixture where dem had to force pace. Iraola lucid in im analysis, identify problem for press conference after game: ‘Especially in first half, we were arriving late to the presses.’ Tactical corrections happen for half time but issue no fully resolve.
Liverpool tendency to become split team—defence retreat while attackers press—don show. Against Fulham, times dey when Josh King and others enjoy surprising space for gaps wey open. E be problem when press fail and Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno find easy pass out, take multiple Liverpool forwards out of game.
No ideal, but Iraola no likely discourage players from committing to pressing. Passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA) na popular way to calculate pressing habits. Liverpool PPDA currently just 8.6 this season. Season still early but that even lower than any full season under Jurgen Klopp. E higher than average against Fulham, maybe sign say players dey small off usual pace.
Still, Liverpool don make most sprints for Premier League this season and dem up 12 places for total distance covered. Dem dey run more, sprint more and press more. One reason why dem bring Iraola. Demand dey to return to this brand of football. Now task na to make sure Liverpool fit do am effectively every time. That harder.
Iraola don try freshen things. Plan seem to be rotate wingers, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister too. But Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz asked to go again against Fulham and neither hit levels of three days earlier. Wirtz especially sloppy with ball and some supporters no too keen to keep making excuses for player wey come with big reputation.
Work-rate na mitigating factor? Wirtz rank second for league for distance covered at high speeds. E fit be one of those Iraola talk about when e yan say e dey find out who fit play every three days. On Monday e concede say, ‘You can put the same players in every game. The problem is there will be a moment they are very tired and there is more risk of injury.’ With Hugo Ekitike unavailable, Liverpool no fit afford that happen to Isak, for example. Is Swedish striker even natural pressing forward? Same fit talk for Iraola midfielders. Time to trust Trey Nyoni? Role for experienced Wataru Endo? As Iraola point out, this na learning process and e dey uncharted territory.
