Jamie Carragher has claimed that Andoni Iraola and his coaching staff might ‘privately’ feel that the job they’ve taken on at Liverpool is more difficult than they first envisaged.
The Basque will have a few positives to take from his first seven games in charge of the Reds heading into the extended international break, with his team unbeaten thus far and getting off to a winning start in the Champions League and Carabao Cup.
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A return of nine points from a possible 15 in the Premier League is slightly disappointing considering the fixtures we’ve had (including two draws at home), but victory at Bournemouth on Sunday at least ensures there’s upward momentum as the season pauses.
(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
Carragher: Bigger challenges still to come for Liverpool
Speaking on the Jamie Carragher Podcast made by Sky Sports, the ex-Liverpool defender warned that, while Iraola hasn’t yet tasted defeat in his new role and the team has tightened up defensively, there are much sterner challenges to come after the international window.
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The pundit said: “I think now he’s in at Liverpool and he’s had his pre-season. He’s now had seven or eight games with Liverpool with the cup games.
“I think when he looks at the make-up of the squad and what he’s got, privately, when he’s talking to his staff over the next three weeks, when they’ve had a bit of time off and they’ll reflect, they’re probably thinking, ‘I thought there would be more quality in the building. I thought this might be a lot easier.’
“That’s because of the nature of the opposition as well. Liverpool haven’t really played a giant so far or one of their rivals. That’s going to come in the next few weeks with Manchester City, Arsenal, Brighton and Brentford. [Then] we’ll really see where Liverpool are at right now.
“What he’ll be really pleased with is three clean sheets in the Premier League in a row. Liverpool had a horrendous record last season defensively. I said in the game today that Jacquet is an improvement on Konaté, and that bodes well going forward.
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“Right now, with the attacking talent they’ve got and three £100m players on the pitch, it’s still not firing. When that’s not firing, you need to make sure you keep the back door closed. Three clean sheets, two of those away from home, is not to be sniffed at.”
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Positives for Liverpool, but also plenty of room for improvement
This pause to the club season offers Iraola a chance to take stock of his first few games in charge of Liverpool, which have seen some much-needed improvement defensively but also an impotency in attack which could prove costly against opposition of a higher calibre.
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Carragher’s point about the fixtures we’ve had so far is a pertinent one. At present, Newcastle (ninth) are the only top-half team we’ve faced under Iraola, and the next four league games are against each of the current top four in the table.
There have been some good performances of late (Ipswich, Atletico Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur) but none which’d make people stop in their tracks and think, ‘Whoa, this Liverpool side could be serious contenders this season’.
There are players in Iraola’s squad who are capable of delivering so much more than what they’ve done so far this term, and privately the head coach might be disappointed in what he’s seen from a few of them.
The Reds aren’t in a bad place as of now, but as Carragher hinted, we’ll find out a lot more about them in that three-week period after the international window when Man City and Arsenal come to Anfield and they face two other high fliers in Brentford (away) and Brighton.
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