Andoni Iraola, who replaced Arne Slot as Liverpool head coach, is beginning to implement his distinctive style, which many believe aligns with the 'heavy metal' football previously seen under Jurgen Klopp. In their pre-season fixtures, Liverpool have secured victories against Sunderland and Wrexham. However, they also suffered defeats to Leeds and Monaco, having relinquished two-goal leads in both matches.
The Reds have averaged 60.6% possession during these early games, marking a significant 12.9% increase compared to Iraola's average possession with Bournemouth in the league last season. This shift presents a new challenge for Iraola, as teams are more likely to defend deep against Liverpool.
Iraola's tactical approach often mirrors that of his former coach, Marcelo Bielsa. He has acknowledged Bielsa's influence, stating in 2023 that he uses many exercises learned from him, especially with the ball. Liverpool's attacking play under Iraola is already showing a busy, dynamic nature, with players frequently changing positions. This includes wide pairings or trios, particularly on the left flank, where full-backs, wingers like Rio Ngumoha or Cody Gakpo, and Florian Wirtz as the number 10, rotate to create attacking options.
While this attacking style can be exciting, it often leaves Liverpool vulnerable to counter-attacks, with only two centre-backs and one holding midfielder behind the ball. Iraola has spoken about the need for more control while maintaining his team's effective attacking chaos. Following the loss to Monaco, Iraola noted his side "can't sustain the level we want, we have work to do," attributing dropped leads to a lack of depth, a drop in physicality, and an unperfected press.