New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola is facing a familiar pattern of slow starts, a challenge he has encountered at previous clubs due to his physically demanding training regime and tactical system. At his former club Bournemouth, Iraola's tenure began with scrutiny after a winless streak of nine league games. However, the club maintained faith, and the team's fortunes eventually turned, securing seven wins in the subsequent nine matches.
This trend of a sluggish initial period has been observed in Iraola's prior roles. At AEK Larnaca in Cyprus, he was dismissed by mid-January. His time at Spanish second-division club Mirandes saw him win only one of his first ten fixtures, with five draws and four losses. While his spell at Rayo Vallecano was somewhat more successful, his record of five wins in the first 11 games was considered unremarkable given the club's aspirations.
Pre-season performances for Liverpool have echoed these early struggles. Following a 3-2 defeat to Monaco, Iraola noted that his players could only maintain his high-intensity style for approximately 30 minutes. This followed a similar match against Leeds, where Liverpool established an early lead but ultimately conceded and lost.
While pre-season results are not definitive, and a full squad is still being assembled post-World Cup, the pattern suggests a period of adaptation is necessary. Iraola's system is characterized by its extreme physical demands, with intensity being a key focus in training. Players have reported feeling unwell after particularly gruelling sessions, a testament to the regime's rigor. For instance, players who lose training drills are subjected to a sprint punishment.
Bournemouth, under Iraola, led the Premier League in direct attacks and high turnovers last season. Sports science experts highlight that the ability to repeatedly sprint at high intensity, without diminishing explosiveness, is crucial and can take four to eight weeks to rebuild. Iraola's system emphasizes this repeated, unit-based running at near-full sprint intensity, a metric where Bournemouth averaged significantly more per game than Liverpool did last season.
Beyond the physical demands, players also need time to adjust tactically. Former Bournemouth players, such as Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo, have spoken about the initial difficulty in understanding Iraola's methods and structured weeks, which sometimes involved a lack of days off. While Iraola has downplayed the absence of rest days, the current pre-season at Liverpool has been notably demanding.
Historically, Liverpool has often started seasons strongly. In Jurgen Klopp's final campaign, the team won five of their first six league games. In the preceding season, the team secured 11 wins in their first 13 matches. Last term, they began with five consecutive wins. Iraola, however, acknowledges the marathon nature of the league but also the necessity of securing early points even when the team is not at peak physical or tactical capacity.
An interesting aspect of Liverpool's upcoming fixtures is that every manager they will face until mid-October is also new to their role. Iraola himself stated that while he wishes for immediate perfection, it is unlikely, and the team will need to adapt as quickly as possible. The challenge for Liverpool will be to overcome this typical slow start and integrate Iraola's demanding style effectively throughout the season.