In a press conference ahead of Liverpool's Premier League encounter with Nottingham Forest, manager Andoni Iraola addressed a range of pressing issues, including the club's transfer ambitions and the potential signing of Bradley Barcola.
Iraola also provided updates on Cody Gakpo's future, squad depth, Federico Chiesa's injury status, the team's defensive performance, and his upcoming first match at Anfield as head coach.
On the potential acquisition of Bradley Barcola and strengthening the attacking wings:
As you know, we are looking to bolster this position. However, we cannot discuss players who are not yet ours.
Clearly, we are striving to enhance this area, as we are short on players. I hope there will be good news soon, but as of now, we haven't reached an agreement.
On Cody Gakpo's future:
I can reiterate what I mentioned last week. Judging by his performance in the first match, he's been playing excellently for us. Since returning from the World Cup and his break, he's shown a fantastic attitude, and I hope he can maintain this level as he has a significant impact on our game.
When the transfer window is open, and you have nearly 30 players, there's no guarantee for anyone. You never know who might arrive. I wish I could know what our squad will look like post-window, but I can't guarantee anything about any of our players.
On the necessary balance for the Nottingham Forest match:
Balance is key. You are correct to stress that — we don’t want to lose our attacking impetus, freedom in play, and the ability to push forward in numbers, but we were punished for that in the last match, especially with the first goal. I believe we didn't adequately support the attack.
We are certainly working on this. It’s not something new we’ve just started this week. We constantly want to control this aspect. Balance is crucial.
If we do not get enough players forward, our game becomes overly static, and we need to be able to read game situations correctly.
On how many new signings he would like:
I am unsure what will happen. All of us, myself included, need to be patient for another four to five days, and then we will have clarity.
I will feel relieved on September 2, when we can confirm the squad and our options.
Right now, we don’t know. I have an idea of what I want in my mind. We’ve been discussing this with the club from the start, and they understand our wishes. Now it’s a question of getting the deals done.
On his upcoming first match at Anfield:
This is certainly a special moment for me to play a Premier League match at Anfield as Liverpool's manager.
I felt this during pre-season. Once the official match starts, I'll focus on the game and what needs to be done. However, it will be an emotional moment, and that's how it should be. It’s a special place, and I’ve been through a lot to reach here. I hope everything goes well, and I can enjoy the match.
On what to expect from Nottingham Forest:
I believe Oliver Glasner has achieved great things. We know him from the Premier League and have played against his teams many times. Their structure of play is evident. They don’t allow opponents to create many chances.
Their game against Leeds was very tight, with few chances. Leeds won with a late free-kick goal, but before that, Forest probably had more opportunities.
We will have to earn each moment. They don’t give anything away easily. We need to work the ball well and exhibit patience, as they are very solid defensively.
Controlling transitional phases will also be crucial, as they can be very dangerous on the counter-attack.
On the midfielders' responsibilities in defence:
Clearly, we cannot attack with the entire team; balance is also necessary here.
I don’t want to tell Ryan Gravenberch to hold back with the ball and avoid going into the box. We scored against Monaco after a play involving Gravenberch pushing forward, with Szoboszlai assisting Alex Isak, who scored. At that moment, nobody questioned why Gravenberch and Szoboszlai were so high up. Everyone was praising the excellent goal. Here, balance is required.
On improving game control:
I think we did quite well controlling the game in the last match. Yes, we allowed the opponent to execute fast breaks, that is true. But I believe our ball possession was substantive.
I felt we played fairly direct in our attacking play.
Yes, we didn’t win and finished 2-2. That cannot be changed. However, I feel we did many good things in the first match.
On Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott:
These are two different situations. Federico is unavailable. He felt discomfort in the match against Como, suffering a slight muscle injury, so he cannot play right now.
Regarding Harvey, Chambers, and some other players, I decided not to include them in the squad because I can only select 20 players. It’s about finding the right balance on the bench.
If we talk about Harvey, he is trying hard. He is improving weekly, but at this moment, I prefer other options.
A new week begins, which means fresh opportunities for everyone. We need to maintain that mindset.
On other positions he would ideally like to strengthen:
"Ideally" are key words here. Ultimately, there are things we can do and things we don’t know whether we can accomplish. Our priority has been to strengthen the wings.
We have four to five days left. I’m sure if there’s a chance to enhance other positions, we will do so. But I don’t know how the transfer window will end, so I can’t say anything specific.
I’m also waiting just like you. I want to know, believe me. It’s very uncomfortable for me as I’m constantly dealing with uncertainty.
But we must wait another four to five days. After that, we’ll understand which players we have and can outline our full plans.
On the reaction to the draw against Newcastle:
I’m not surprised. I anticipated this when I arrived here. Everything will be perceived on a larger scale - both the good and the bad. I think I’m beginning to understand everything that’s happening around the club.
This was just one match in which we did many good things. Even the midfielders, in my opinion, had quite a few good moments.
There are definitely aspects we can improve, such as the goals we conceded. But I have no doubts about the quality of these players. They are all of the highest level. Now, my job, the coaching staff's, and the players’ task is to understand how to maximise our potential.
On Liverpool's new playing system:
This is football. Ultimately, it always comes down to goals. When you concede twice after quick transitions from defence to attack, it’s understandable why everyone will discuss our play in these scenarios.
I think we improved as the match progressed. In the second half, we performed much better regarding how many players we left behind and our positioning during our attacking phases.
On squad depth:
Everything will depend on the other positions, on who comes and who leaves. We need to view the situation holistically.
It’s not just about one position or another. We have known from the start which areas need bolstering.
Complicated situations arose due to players with long-term injuries, so we likely lack one player in some positions. This was one of our main issues. If we can strengthen other areas, we will.
On Jeremy Doku:
Considering that it was his first match, he played very well. To be honest, he tired towards the end, which is why we had to substitute him; I could see that his energy was fading.
He is very confident with the ball and plays well without it.
He’s very young, just joined the team, and of course, he will make mistakes. We must accept that. But right now, he’s showing a very good level.
