Although Liverpool have won a disappointing 6 points from the opening 4 matches, the performances had largely been better than the results and much better than the dross we were forced to watch last season under Arne Slot. However, those generally positive feelings and exciting attacking play ran into a brick wall yesterday, resulting in a drab 0-0 draw.
After the match, new gaffer Andoni Iraola pointed to the Champions League hangover as a likely reason for the lack of sharpness for The Reds.
“I think
there is a lack of freshness, definitely – we cannot hide it,” Iraola explained after the match.
“I think it’s the worst turnaround in terms of 60-something hours between the games, after a very big game the other day. But this is going to happen more times. Maybe with one more day but sometimes it’s going to be the same way during the season. We have to adapt to these circumstances.”
Iraola is correct, this is something Liverpool will have to get used to (and indeed, the team full of senior, experienced international players already should be). Given the near impossibility of a team like Liverpool to be eliminated early from the Champions League, The Reds will have to contend with a league match after Europe at least 9 more times this season, to say nothing of the short rest from League Cup and FA Cup matches.
“And it’s these kind of games that you need to win sometimes with a set-play, sometimes with the shot from the edge, sometimes from a moment of brilliance from the offensive players, and we haven’t had that today. We’ve been clearly not as good offensively as we’ve been [in] other days.”
A 0-0 draw is not the end of the world. Even Klopp had a fair few of them, including in his first match roaming the sidelines versus Tottenham.
In general, Liverpool’s attack has looked much better under Iraola, and had scored two goals in each of the previous 4 matches. Sometimes, you just run into “one of those” where you spurn your biggest chances, hit the woodwork, etc.
However, if The Reds are fatigued after just four matches—and their first midweek match—it does not bode well for the season. It also points to a failutre that we could all see coming: Liverpool failing to provide the new boss with a deep enough squad in order to compete on multiple fronts.
It is also worth noting that this is Iraola’s first experience in balancing the pressures of European football and the Premier League. Even the best, deepest squads have to sometimes sacrifice the odds of winning one match in order to put out their best available side in the other. It’s a learning curve for the new boss, but one he needs to come to terms with quickly if he wants to succeed at Liverpool
