Can Iraola Lead Liverpool Back to the Premier League Top?

Iraola arrives at Liverpool with a clear question: can he take them back to the top?

Liverpool’s appointment of Andoni Iraola immediately raised the central question for this season: can Liverpool get back to the top under Iraola in a brutally competitive Premier League. The Basque coach arrived with a clear identity from his time at Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano, centred on intensity, pressing and structured chaos. The challenge at Anfield is to translate those principles into a squad conditioned for years by a different but equally demanding model.

Pre season offered the first clues. Liverpool already looked more aggressive out of possession and more direct in transition, yet there were clear growing pains as players adapted to new instructions in both defensive and attacking phases. The campaign that followed revealed both the potential ceiling of Iraola’s ideas and the structural issues that still need solving if Liverpool are to return to title winning form.

Fixing Liverpool’s out of possession control

PedTalks research indicates Liverpool’s hierarchy were particularly concerned with the team’s declining out of possession control in the final Klopp seasons. The high press had lost bite, the midfield often stretched, and opponents increasingly played through or over pressure, exposing a high defensive line.

Iraola’s track record offered a specific answer. His Bournemouth side built survival on an organised, high energy press that hunted the ball in defined zones rather than pressing for its own sake. At Liverpool he applied similar principles, adjusted to the quality and profile of the squad.

Out of possession, Liverpool shifted toward a more ball oriented press. The trigger was often a backward or square pass from the opposition full back or pivot. Once activated, the nearest forward curved their run to screen the lane into midfield, the ball side winger jumped to the full back, and the number eight pushed high to close the nearby pivot. Behind them, the holding midfielder stepped onto the second midfielder and the line of confrontation compressed quickly toward the ball.

This compactness reduced the open space that had frequently appeared between midfield and defence. The back line held a high position but stepped up together behind the press. When it functioned well, Liverpool forced rushed clearances and regained possession in the opposition half more often than in the previous campaign.

The approach carried a clear trade off. The press required every unit to move in unison. Any delay from a wide player, or a misjudged step from a centre back, opened corridors for opponents. Early in the season some teams lured Liverpool forward then played first time vertical passes into the channels. This underlined a core question for Iraola: could he improve control without sacrificing the front foot aggression that defines his style.

Tactical evolution with and without the ball

In possession under Klopp, Liverpool had become more focused on patient circulation and territory, especially after the departure of prime era legs in midfield. Under Iraola the emphasis shifted back toward verticality and dynamic occupation of space.

Build up often began with the goalkeeper inviting pressure before clipping passes into full backs in narrower positions, almost as auxiliary midfielders. From there Liverpool looked to progress quickly into the feet of the dropping forward or advancing number eight. The wide players held very high starting positions, stretching the last line and creating space for third man runs through the middle.

A key solution to the control problem involved rest defence. Whenever the ball reached the final third, the holding midfielder stayed close to the centre backs instead of pushing to the edge of the box. The far side full back tucked in, forming a protective triangle behind the ball. When attacks broke down Liverpool were better placed to counter press or at least delay opposition transitions.

The trade off came in the final third. With more players positioned to guard against counters, Liverpool sometimes lacked an extra body between the lines. Responsibility to create fell heavily on the wingers and the advanced number eight. At times the attacking patterns became predictable, relying on individual dribbling or cut backs rather than varied combinations.

Against deep, compact blocks Liverpool sometimes struggled to break through, especially when early crosses were defended well. Against stronger sides prepared to engage higher, they found more joy, using the space in behind to turn games into transitional battles that suited Iraola’s tempo driven approach.

Player adaptation and squad fit

A defined style depends heavily on squad suitability. At Liverpool, certain players appeared naturally aligned with Iraola’s demands. Younger midfielders thrived in the high pressing, high running framework and several forwards showed renewed sharpness when attacking space after earlier, more direct passes.

Full back roles required a bigger adjustment. Under Klopp, one full back often attacked aggressively while the other balanced, but both contributed heavily in the final third. Under Iraola, one or both full backs more often remained conservative, prioritising defensive stability. This limited counter attacks but also reduced some of Liverpool’s trademark width and creative crossing.

Squad depth became a concern. Sustaining such intense out of possession work across a full season required rotation and like for like replacements in key pressing roles. Where Liverpool lacked alternatives, intensity dipped later in matches or during congested periods. PedTalks sources suggest recruitment staff view this as a key area for future windows, targeting players comfortable in high tempo, high duels systems.

Can Liverpool return to the summit under Iraola

Out of possession, Liverpool now press with more cohesion and regain the ball higher than in the last pre Iraola season. In possession, they play more vertically, commit early passes into advanced areas and protect themselves better against counters through a more considered rest defence.

The remaining gap lies in consistent control across all game states. To win the Premier League or Champions League Liverpool must dominate not only wild, transitional matches but also slower contests in which opponents deny space and force them to construct patiently. Iraola’s next step is to add more positional fluidity and combination play without diluting the aggression that makes his approach effective.

Liverpool under Iraola already look like a difficult opponent. Whether they become a title winning one will depend on how quickly the squad internalises his principles, how cleverly the club supports him in the market, and how successfully he balances intensity with control over an entire campaign. The foundations are in place, but the climb back to the top still demands refinement and evolution.