Andoni Iraola has taken over as Liverpool head coach following Arne Slot’s departure, and the Spanish manager’s early tactical approach is becoming evident through preseason competition. Liverpool have recorded victories against Sunderland and Wrexham while suffering defeats to Leeds and Monaco, the latter marked by surrendered two-goal leads.
Iraola’s possession-based style represents a notable shift from his Bournemouth tenure, where Liverpool averaged 60.6% possession across preseason matches—a 12.9% increase from Bournemouth’s league average last season. The Reds’ build-up play involves short passes from goalkeeper and defenders through central midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Trey Nyoni, designed to draw opposing pressure before transitioning into forward play. This approach reflects tactical principles Iraola learned from his time under Marcelo Bielsa at Athletic Club, whom Iraola has cited as a significant managerial influence.
Liverpool’s attacking structure emphasizes fluid positioning and role rotation, particularly in wide areas where full-backs combine with wingers in two-versus-two or three-versus-three scenarios. Florian Wirtz, deployed as the number 10, has drifted across attacking zones to provide additional passing options. This dynamic movement aims to create numerical advantages in isolated areas while generating crossing opportunities from advanced positions near goal.
Defensively, Liverpool have operated in a 4-4-2 diamond press, typically encouraging short passes before escalating pressure to win the ball back centrally. Szoboszlai’s secondary midfielder role proves crucial in this system, as his physical attributes enable effective coverage when the press is triggered. The approach maintains a spare defender against opposition attacks, compensating for reduced attacking numbers through intensity and intelligent positioning.
Iraola acknowledged challenges ahead, noting after the Monaco loss that his side “can’t sustain the level we want, we have work to do,” referencing issues with depth and physicality in later stages. The manager must balance his trademark attacking chaos with defensive solidity as the season progresses, a task complicated by the squad’s current composition and expectations for ball dominance at Anfield.
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