Liverpool’s opening-day draw at Newcastle threw up some ugly problems that Andoni Iraola will have to address.
Chiefly, the Spaniard will have to make his new side play in a way that suits both his football and the players available to him.
Iraola’s Bournemouth sides in his three years at the club were built around intensity, aggressive pressing and a high level of understanding that allowed players to anticipate each other’s movements.
Liverpool showed little of that at St James’ Park. Their performance exposed a lack of coordination all over the pitch. Of course this is unsurprising, as it is still early days for Iraola. His task over the next three to four months will be to address the weaknesses.
The biggest concern is the space between Liverpool’s midfield and defence. Iraola typically wants his two midfielders to play aggressively and support attacks, but it can leave the team vulnerable when possession is lost. Newcastle immediately spotted the flaw.
Anthony Elanga’s early goal came after Ryan Gravenberch’s pass was intercepted near the Liverpool penalty area. Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool’s two central midfielders, were both in the Newcastle box when possession changed hands. The resulting transition left the defence exposed.
Watch the highlights from our 2-2 draw with Newcastle United in our 2026/27 #PL opener 🎥🔴 pic.twitter.com/6FusUEFVNv
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 24, 2026
The same weakness appeared later. Even when Liverpool had enough players behind the ball, they struggled to contain Newcastle’s counter-attacks. Yoane Wissa in particular was able to carry the ball forward despite pressure from Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz before the second goal.
It makes the midfield an awkward issue for Iraola. Liverpool do not appear to have a natural defensive-minded midfielder who can provide the security his system may require. Gravenberch has played this role since Klopp’s departure, but he has weaknesses in his own game.
After the game, Iraola ruled out transfers as the solution and suggested he would have to tweak the system. Liverpool’s success under him may depend on how successful he is with that. But it is certainly an area opponents will test again.
