Iraola’s Anfield Imperfect: Tactical Friction, Contract Irony, and Liverpool’s Reset

Hello and welcome to the Athletic FC podcast with me, Emma Payton. Liverpool saw our spurs on Tuesday night to make it two wins from two in the Cup competitions, but with just one at Premier League victory so far, other squads adapting to Eriola. Well here with me in the studio, Keri's Jones is back. Welcome back. Hello, thank you very much. Good to see you as always. On the line, we have the Athletics Liverpool correspondent James Pierce, James, great to see you. Hi, Emma. Yeah, good to see you too. And we've also got the author of Data Game, the story of Liverpool FC's analytics revolution. Josh Williams. Josh, welcome. Yeah. Thanks for the invite. You've always got this. It's an open invite. All right. Let's get straight into it then. Guys, Liverpool have just won win in their opening four Premier League games, but it has been a better story in the Cup competitions, beating Athletic Home of Dread last week, of course, and then seeing off spurs on Tuesday night. I mean, first of all, a word for Dominic's applause lies go, wow, what a strike. I mean, I know there's been kind of question marks over that midfield and the structure of that midfield and where's the Bose Life Fits, where everyone fits for a goal like that is just the sort of moments that he has that are just superb. Yeah, we'll get on to the structure of that midfield in a little bit, James, how do you look at last night, because you've, of course, watched every single minute of Liverpool this season so far, are we seeing signs of improvement under Eriola? Yeah. We are. Yeah, I think it was probably unrealistic for anyone to think that with so much wrong when he got the job that there was going to be some kind of magic wand that would just fix everything. And I think, you know, there's been some bumps in the road so far, but yeah, Tuesday night amfield was thoroughly enjoyable. I think the, you know, the disappointment of last week ending its full on was it was just so flat and, you know, just they look lethargic and fatigued and, you know, he responded by making 10 changes and that injected real energy and freshness into the team, fans will love it as well when you give youngsters opportunities in the carabell cup, even more so when they grasp those chances and kumas and yoni, mcconnell and ungamoa certainly did that. So, yeah, just just the sight of Liverpool winning the ball back more frequently, higher up the pitch, that kind of better tempo, better pace to it, better intensity in the end, they were worthy winners and it was a, you know, it was a night full of positives for Eriola. Yeah. It did feel like they had a real intensity and energy last night. Josh, how much can we read into that game then given, of course, it was a cup game, both teams rotated players and I guess in a way it was against a spurside who, as we know, have been struggling since the start of the season. Yeah, probably not too much. I think there's some little tactical lessons in there maybe when it comes to players getting on with each other, players clashing, that sort of thing, I think. Gravenberg, when he comes on, for example, is, I think it's insistent that he comes on with suboslive. I can't seem to get away from suboslive the moment, because every time he played together, these scenes of clash, these scenes of conflict, I think they both want to do the same things. I thought, in the only showcase there, a level that was very insistent to me in terms of his composure and was used to the ball. I think he's morning clan to let the ball do the work for him, and I think he'd actually soup playing alongside one of suboslive or Gravenberg. So you've got him and McAllister in one group and suboslive and Gravenberg in the other group, like a passing group and a carrying group almost. I think Louis Krumas was really, really intense. You know, there's been comparisons with him to add them online and online, and I can absolutely say that. You know, we just run himself into the ground. I think he's going to really showcase the intense side of Eriel's game, and I think if you need to pop pressure on the opposition high up the pitch with like 20 minutes to go or whatever, I think he's going to be ideal for you. So yeah, I think we'll end bits and pieces, but it's only the car ball cup, and I think a lot of Liverpool stars just didn't feature, so I don't want to get too carried away. I want to get back on to some of those young players in just a moment. Obviously, our focus today is Liverpool, but a word on Spurs. I just wonder what you made of them last night. We actually focused on Spurs on this podcast yesterday, and of course, their glaring issue is the lack of goals at the moment. Last night, they did get a goal against Premier League opposition at the fifth time of asking. They had other opportunities last night as well that they just couldn't take, but do you feel like they're sprinklings of reasons to be encouraged? Yeah. So they scored a goal, so let's, you know, we'll take that. That's a tick, even though it's still in the cup composition, they still haven't scored in the Premier League. I think it's just sort of like, it's hard to draw loads from a game where both sides kind of rotated so heavily about kind of the conclusions you take from that into the Premier League. They look more creative to me. I think the concern is just, and you can bring it back to this kind of crisis of confidence that we have talked about over and over again, is there lacking, like, I mean, takes obviously as goal, right? An amazing strike, sort of one to strike, but like a match-winning moment, I'm not looking at Spurs and seeing who provides them and who is kind of like clinical, who is giving that finishing touch that you need. Like they're creating more, they have clearly a lot of talent in that front line, but I think because the forwards in particular are sort of shiny and new and cost so much money, the lack of cutting edge then turns to huge amounts of frustration. So that's the concern at the moment is just that the frustration building about the lack of kind of output from the attack and whether that then sort of feeds into this vicious cycle of kind of lacking confidence that they have, that's the hurdle that they really need to get over as they need to get one of those forwards, one or two of those forwards properly firing and playing with some consistent output. Yeah. Villa next for them on the weekend, which if it was like a big game, doesn't it already? Yes, yes, yes, we could call it that. Well, Josh has already talked about the midfield, but James, I want to get your thoughts on it because like Josh said, it's almost like we've got this kind of pairing of Subosline Graven Birch and then we've got McAllister and now maybe Neonie, let's start with Neonie then because you obviously called for him to start after the full-on game. I think that was a lot of fountains we're calling for as well, how impressed were you with him last night? Yeah, very. I love watching Trayon Yoni plays. He's kicked on massively. I was over in the States on the preseason tour in July when of course there's a lot of senior players missing kind of post-world cup and he was the pick of all the young players for me. I could see why when Liverpool sold Curtis Jones to Inter Milan that they kind of decided well, Trayon Yoni is that replacement because they felt he was ready to take on a bigger role and the signs are incredibly promising. He's yet to start a Premier League game for Liverpool but I think that is a genuine topic at the back ahead of the Bournemouth game this Sunday because he was that good and he's been that good when he's come on in games so far this season. I think he gives balance to a midfield, this lacked balance from so much of this season so far when you've got Vert's as part of a three-man midfield. I think the big thing with him, he wants to defend, he is a awareness to danger is so good. He actually, he's the reason why Liverpool score the second goal through a gap but he wins the ball back, snapping into the tackle and three, four passes later it's in the back of Tottenham's net so yeah I think with Ryan Gravenberg really struggling for form, there's a real opportunity there for Trayon Yoni now to really kick on. And Josh, the fact that he was subbed off when they were 2-0 up, then you've got some buzzline, Gravenberg coming on and it felt like after that the game became stretch, of course they went on to concede as well, do we feel like that's a coincidence? Yeah, it's funny actually it does play into the net but yeah I just think it's too similar. I think they're very, very similar, they're both in clans of carry the ball, they both want to get ahead of the ball as well which is a bit of a problem in this system when you're playing in a midfield too, you have to have a lot of it for me as the nature in possession and what they want to do in possession, they won't just stand still and pass it, they'll just deal, they want a carry and I think we've got the full sub-boss line experience in this game where across the Premier League he's widely viewed as you know an absolute wealthy among supporters but I think within Liverpool, sometimes he can be a little bit frustrating, like there's obviously tons of insentancy with depression, he wants to lead, the pressure he wants to close down on Harry and things like that but a lot of the time he just runs past the ball and never actually wins it and sometimes he can be a bit non-chillant all amongst with the ball where he you know a bit of a careless pass and just into space he did that in this game but then he's also capable of serious moments and we obviously saw that so I saw it online after the game people look at the size of them and then 10 seconds later he goes and scores and falls he adds so he's that kind of player he's absolutely brilliant obviously and he's always in the team and I think that's part of Gravenberg's problem as I said before he can't really get away from him but I think it's early days he's obviously trying to play with that balance. I guess a question for both of you then James I'll start with you how do we expect that midfield to look against Bournemouth on the weekend? Oh do you know what it's really tricky to second guess my personal preference would be I would love him to go with a new knee, McAllister and probably Zabazlias the number 10 and maybe have votes on the bench because I think votes you know has been very inconsistent so far this season I don't I think he probably won't go with that I think the most likely thing is the votes does come back in and then I imagine it will be Zabazli and McAllister together and maybe Trey will miss out I think Gravenberg missing out is almost you know nailed on with you know unfortunately just he's one of the ones that I think the club will have looked at and thought well you know a new manager a new era you know that all that all refreshing and getting back to the levels he was out when when Liverpool won the title under on a slot but it just hasn't happened for him so far which is a problem for Liverpool because they committed fast resources to renewing his contract new six-year deal back in March and they did likewise with Zabazli in July with a new five-year deal so there is a rewemphasis on Eriola to to get the best out of both of those players and of course the the irony being that they didn't renew McAllister's deal he's been very outspoken about the fact that he was hurt by that yet on current form McAllister is is by far and away Liverpool's most informed effective midfielder and certainly it's unthinkable at the minute that he would start a Bournemouth without McAllister because he's really got his swagger back yeah Josh how do you say it yeah I agree with James really I think what we'll see is probably Zabazli in McAllister with Veit just ahead and it's a real shame Zabazli has been so public with this lack of desire to play right back because if I think if you play the grab them they would look a lot better next time McAllister and then you can keep Veit in the 10 but as James says one of the weird very weird quirks about Liverpool at the moment is you have a hundred and sixteen million pound number 10 and two midfielder that you've just given new contacts to don't really get on on the pitch so it feels like there has to be a lose somewhere because Zabazli is not willing to play right back so it inevitably is going to result in someone on the bench and it's it's been grabbing back to start the season but it feels like because of how much he's in in a Liverpool and how he's kind of being painted as the future of the team really in midfielder at least it kind of feels like that can only be temporary he has to come back into the team eventually otherwise you know we what do you do we can have that amount of finance sat on the bench every week I see you're nodding along yeah I think the fullback situation is is really interesting because ideally if Zabazli was willing to fill in at right back I think it would be really positive for them is that their situation there is so interesting I thought last summer they signed too really promising really kind of athletic attacking minded but also defensively able fullbacks in Jeremy Fringpong on the right and me love Kirk has on the left and they both just still need that back up and I think that's what what Robertson Andy Robertson who we obviously saw back at Anfield last night provided on the left last season for Kirk has and now Fringpong he sort of got he's he's a funny one sometimes I see like his pace his speed his dynamism and that there's a clearly already talented player in there but I think the defensive discipline still needs to be worked on a little bit as well and sort of balancing the the desire to get forward with how you then protect that space in behind so it would be positive if there was someone else who was willing to fill in at right back like Dominic Silverslide who did a job there at times last season instead it seems to be Ronald Araho but that's a lone player a temporary solution arguably more of a centre back so that's another department where I find the recruitment really interesting so I think they've recruited two players there who could be potentially great long-term solutions on the left and right of defence but because you don't want to put any obstacles in their pathway who do you have as their backups and I think that's a really kind of weird conundrum and it's not exclusive to Liverpool but it's a it's a bit of a one for them to figure out it's interesting because it feels like they don't have real sort of solid consistency in those areas at the moment I mean you mentioned Addy Robertson of course we saw last night after nine years on a mercy side he returned to Anfield with Spurs got a lot of love as well from his former teammates and from Liverpool supporters you know arguably one of Liverpool's greatest ever fallbacks properly owned that left-back position for so many seasons but was a real consistent present wasn't here at fallback is that one of their big issues at the moment yeah maybe I think you know Kirk is clearly the the favoured starter though we saw Costa Simicast come in against I think against Fulham and really didn't kind of impress I think it's fair to say it as sort of cover yeah I'm trying to be kind he was he was not he did not really make any sort of case for for taking that spot and I think you can see that from the fact that that he didn't come in for the Cup game as well but I just think the the consistency is interesting but also the fact that they're being asked to play such intense athletic attacking football two or three times a week you can't just have Kirk as unjust have Frimpong as sort of your your go-to's there you need to have real confidence in the backups as well and at the minute I think it's quite clear that Kirk is the first choice on the left I think Frimpong the first choice on the right potentially a little bit more in question I'll kind of defer to Josh and James on that but it feels like an area where there are still a couple of question marks but also over how equipped the options in that department are for the style of footballer Iola wants to play at the frequency he wants to to play that football in terms of kind of multiple game weeks yeah yeah I think that's that's a fair assessment I mean the the fallback both positions have have been areas of weakness for Liverpool so far this season you know there's this the ongoing issue where you know of course post Trent Alexander Arnold that the the succession plan the club felt was clear with Connor Bradley you know they had great belief in him gave him you know a new long-term contract and then he suffered that horrendous knee injury at Arsenal back in January he's still a couple of months away from from playing again and that that influence what they did in the summer because they didn't want to commit big resources to buy in another right back when it's like well we've got Connor Bradley to come back so the emphasis was on Iriola to try and improve Frimpong who had a very very average first year at the club that hasn't happened so far you know Frimpong has struggled to the point where you know a Rauho has come in and he has played there you know he played I think Arthur doesn't games for Barcelona there last season but he is a specialist center back who can do a job at right back so he gives you solidity in terms of adding into your back line but what you don't have is a fallback who's going to you know burst down the line beat a man or whip a decent crossing you know it's it's limited in terms of what he's going to give you going forward which is fine in certain games but not in others when you absolutely going to dominate you know 65 70% of the ball and you need creativity from those areas on the left probably even a big headache for Iriola that minute because Kirk has been so erratic and you know he he gives simicasa chance last weekend asked to bring him off at half time because he was so poor you know and I thought there was promising signs from both Kirk as I'm Frimpong you know against top them with the caveat that it was a much changed top them team and top them in a mess themselves at the moment but yeah with you know they they committed you know 40 million pounds of Kirk is so it's you know that that isn't that is an area where you know yes on the right they've got kind of Bradley to come back in a couple of months to ease the burden on a ralho but you know he really really does need to get a tune out of Kirk is because you know he does show signs Kirk is but he he just he can go from one extreme to another very very quickly I think it goes back to him to what Kettish mentioned earlier you know with recruitment so I think it's a it's a really weird makeup of obviously like when when Liverpool sign Kirk is in Frimpong that they're both in isolation really exciting players really offensive you know there's lots to like in there lots to get excited about getting off your seats but at the time of signing those players you already knew at the time that your midfield department consisted of McAllister and suppose Lai and Grabembech who of all at different stages of their career players number 10s so what you'd sense of find as if you go back to clubs OG Liverpool team you had flying full backs in Robertson and trends but you had a midfield department that would that would sit a really disciplined you know dog would midfield department so you'd get the balance there one of the issues I've got with Liverpool's current fallback departments is if you play those two guys with that midfield department everyone just kind of goes a bit nuts and everyone's running ahead of the ball and everyone's trying things taking too many risks if you look at Arsenal for example in the most recent Premier League game in their two midfield spots and two full backspots they had Califiori white rice and Lewis Kelly that they just that they will offer you so much security on the ball strong ball winning when you lose the ball it's a proper safety net where as would Liverpool if just feels like everybody is a risk taker everybody is an offensive threat and that's not a bad thing but we've seen at times when you when you're playing away from home or when you couple out with a really offensive coach in a real it's just it's too much so I think the recipe really needs to be balanced and I bling the recruitment for a lot of it personally just before we move on from focusing on fallback situation James just because we I mentioned a minute ago about Andy Robertson coming back do you feel like Liverpool have enough characters like you know that the Robertsons that they had in the past it is a worry definitely and I think it kind of characters leadership it kind of all kind of feeds in together really because they lost a hell of a lot of experience at the back end of the last season you know not just Robertson but of course Mo Salah moving on Ibrahim a canal table is another big personality in the dressing room Curtis Jones as well so you know Iriola is as a pointed three vice captains to kind of support Van Dyke in his work as a skipper this season in Zabazly Gomez and Alison you know different types really Alison is the kind of he's more someone who doesn't say much but when he does speak people tend to listen because he's got a bit of an aura around him and commands respect Gomez I think you know is is widely you know kind of respected in the dressing room clubs longest serving player and then you've got Zabazly who you know the hope is that he can kind of iron out some of the kind of rough edges that wind people up sometimes and could potentially be you know the successor to Van Dyke who of course is inside the the final year of his contract so it is a it is a concern but I think also there's that feeling of sometimes big personalities moving on creates a space for others to grow in that in that kind of environment and take on more responsibility and that's what they'll hope to see from you know especially some of those players who came in 12 months ago because I think it was a very difficult dressing room back then to kind of really put your mark on because you know not least everyone was grieving the loss of of one of their best friends so I think it's been straightforward in terms of that dynamic in there over probably the past 12 14 months but yeah there's no doubt that having lost all that experience you need others to step up and I think you know McAllister would be an example of that this season so you wonder whether not getting that new contract is kind of lit a fire under him a little bit and it's amazing what it can do for a player when you're suddenly playing to prove people wrong and playing for your future so yeah Liverpool need people like that to really step up and embrace more responsibility having lost you know those iconic names now back when and only irola was appointed one point that really seemed to be mentioned a fair bit was about his you know the slow slow start to the season that he had when he first arrived down on the south coast they felt to win any of their opening nine Premier League games I think they lost six drew three of those and James for Liverpool with one winning in four so far in the Premier League are you confident I suppose that irola has has a squad that can adapt to his ideals yeah I'm pretty optimistic I still there's two the two worries that I share in terms of the the squad depth and been able to adapt to what they that he's going to demand you know probably the same that a lot of fans share in terms of the fallback areas you know it is is there actually the the talent there and also you know are they going to regret not bringing in another midfielder in the summer just to give them another another option in that department because we know that irola's brand of football is demanding it is intense and we kind of saw you know last weekend was the perfect example of that where they put in a really you know top performance against that letico at a fight really hard to get over the line yet you know I think he only made what two or three changes yet they they look like a different team against full them you know they were you know that there was just it was just so incredibly flat and that is the that's the challenge facing irola that i think he is going to have to rotate if you want to if you want to maintain the kind of levels that he needs Liverpool to do he was you know it was interesting at the start of the week at the pre top and press conference him talking about how despite there's a been a big focus on the midfield and the balance of it and the personnel and therefore he said you know that the biggest issue he felt against full and was the at the very top end of the pitch you know they didn't press well enough and he said you know that has a knock on effect in terms of other departments of the team making it harder for everyone else so you know and you've got you know barcola is clearly still finding his feet i think that was inevitable i don't think it was realistic he was ever going to come in and set the world a light straight away he hadn't played any football at all since the third and fourth place playoff in in the world cup and then of course esac we you know i think we'll come on to talk about him but you know it's there's been some real good signs from him yet you know he's still getting back to where you exactly want him to be so the only the only real at the top end of the pitch attacker you'd say has been absolutely bang on it so far is Cody gagpo and it's been some turn around for him because it was only what two and a half weeks ago he was he was keen on joining Manchester City and it looked like his Liverpool career was over and and then on Tuesday night his name's been chanted by the cop turn around yeah I mean in a way it feels like Cody gagpo has sort of been their best player so far in the attacking terms i think definitely yeah like he's been the the kind of finishing touch that they need the power that he can show in his finishing i think really impresses me a lot of the time but they can't be that reliant on him i mean i i know that we talk a lot about kind of the manner in which Alex under isac arrived at Liverpool and kind of the expectations that his price tag put on him but he does need to start justifying it right i think i know it's a point that's been made a lot but i think it's still it's still a fair one to continue i think similarly with with floy and birds there's there's structural issues that we've talked about in depth in that midfield and how well he fits with the people around him but those are two players who were brought in with with really really high expectations and were brought in as sort of the characters who could be trusted to deliver on those there's been injuries and there's been obviously kind of mitigating factors and this isn't as a means of sticking the boot in on either of them it's just a case that you know you bring in players of that quality you need them to start kind of justifying their price tags with with impact it can't just be gapo yeah yeah Josh how would you sort of look at Alexander isac start the season because it felt like it was really positive but then maybe a step back against fuller me he was a little bit disappointing yeah i think it's been i think it's been okay it's been better than last season although that bar was quite low but he's i think he showcased at times moments of real quality where you just look remind is where you think to yourself that player is still in there and we saw it mulch here hip switch but even just little you know his face touch here in there and the way links would say and plays and things like that i think the game against tips switch where he scores a brace i think is interesting because i think i offered an insight into like the kind of goals he was scoring at Newcastle in that when he's fed early and it's like a transition kind of goal i don't think he's ever been in like the mold of harland where you're facing a low block to send behind a ball and he's waiting for it to happen obviously he can score those goals but i think he is much better when he's heavily involved with such as when he's maybe dropping a little bit deeper sometimes maybe there's is in as well a little bit he didn't play with another tenant at Newcastle but yeah i would encourage Liverpools of freedom early and and that will probably come through Liverpool was saking a lead maybe and then the space opens up because the opposition are over committing to get back in the game and and that's all the thing but i have i don't really have too many doubts about he's actually he's played a fair few minutes so far this season which is good you know he's playing 90 minutes fairly often and getting that sharpener's back and stuff so he's actually i have a lot of concerns with Liverpool at the moment as you can probably tell but he's actually is is is fairly fairly far down that list no you do and i know you you've got a youtube video after the film game that was titled walking through Liverpool's 99 problems which is very jazzy coded to be honest with you but how much of the actual problem for your iola is that he's got so many different issues at the moment yeah that's it that's it and a lot of it's you know a hangover from the previous era and not just when it comes to the to anisla but also when it comes to did the squad these inherited and things like that there's just tons to solve and i've tried to stress on lots of different shows that is this system is very demanding is it is like it's hard to comprehend and he's notoriously a slow starter at each of his clubs because it's it's difficult to get to grips with what he's after you know there's this intense pressure but there's also like sometimes he wants his players to be man-oriented sometimes he wants them to occupy his zones and spacing things like that and being on the same wavelength as your team mate is really integral when it comes to where he always pressing and that takes time to install so you've got to do that but then at the same time he's figuring out the midfiel balance he's figuring out the fallback balance he's saying it unlocks reds he's saying i get easing back to full fitness so you know there's just tons to work on but at the very least it might my job interesting James just want to go back quickly on on kody getpo and i was saying that you know in terms of attacking players at the moment it feels like he's he's probably impressed the most out of all of Liverpool's options it's really tough i know you've spoken about it at length just obviously a lot of their players are you know on that left hand side and of course you've got Bradley Barcola in there now as well who they've spent a hell of a lot of money on so you know who who's starting for them at the moment well it's funny when this has come up in conversation with iiola he's he said a number of times that he said as far as i'm concerned there aren't any left wingers or right wingers he said my wingers but they have to learn to play both sides which i think is fine and theory although i think we all know in practice players are pretty dead set on having a preference and i think you know real and gamo will be a good example where kind of it feels like when he plays off the left everything comes naturally to to him and when you've seen him off the right this season you can see he's almost like doubting himself at times because it's new when he's it is it is different gagpo has probably shown kind of versatility so far i think i think he's done well on the right and i think when you pay the amount of money Liverpool have done for barcola and you kind of know that that is where he has been most effective in doing you know damage for psg and for and for the France national team i think it's inevitable he's going to be spending a lot of time in that in that left sided role so but sometimes in when it comes to recruitment you know the best laid plans kind of come to fruition other times you need you need luck and you think you know i just think from Liverpool's perspective they were very lucky that Brighton ended up rejecting those 50 and 60 million pound bids for Minty because if they had accepted them then then gagpo would have gone to Manchester City you know bearing in mind that for a start Minty was was out injured i think till what is it October time that that would have been you know a disastrous decision and you know and and quite quite understandably gagpo hasn't felt anything remotely like a kind of a backlash from the fans despite the fact that as we reported he told Liverpool yes i'd like to join Man City because i think the context behind that is really important because it was he only wanted to join Man City because he knew Liverpool were prepared to sell him and were looking to bring in and bring in another winger that would mean that they'd have to generate money in terms of bringing in cash so yeah i think it worked out for the best you know i wrote at the time that i thought it would have been a really really bad decision to sell gagpo because although you know he had he was in that bracket you know with kind of Salah Kanate McAllister who had a really poor year last season but there was loads and loads of factors for that and i think he was written off so quickly as is often the way now in modern football where people forgot just how influential he was when Liverpool won the league the year before and an issue last season was you could tell his confidence was shot to bits he was having 10 touches when two would do and over complicating things but yeah having him back to his best is a massive asset for a viola and just on that then because obviously James has been talking there about i guess how some of the players were off the pace last season and not performing maybe to the levels that they are now certainly when it comes to the likes of Cody gagpo Josh how would you assess Liverpool's performances this season so far compared to those last season under I think there's been there's been subtle differences here and there I think Liverpool's press is attempting to make it within I think sometimes the players like that I think the first game that we've just seen made week where we Liverpool playing the Champions League and then after face full on I think he was quite clearly a hangover from that I think he was fitting his issues and then on the back of that you don't really press as intensely as you want to so that's going to take time to make it within I think the footballer's answer restored the risk that was obviously a natural part of the football game in in game club time in charge and then for Anna Schlott's first year but then second year sluss almost grew fearful of taking a risk on the ball because of how often the footballer getting done going the other way once they lost it so I think iriolistan and I get that back as well but it's it's just going to be along along process where it's unfortunately it's a transition year I think and it's probably going to be another season before Liverpool get back through a point where we can actually sort of go challenging for the big ones this season because of the unbalanced nature of the team and all of those issues have listed on 99 of them yeah you got too many too many concerns I think it's a juggler once yeah I feel like a transition season I think there is just the wider point that we've touched on of just the sheer physical demands of his system as well and of the way that even if the players are understanding it that the physical toll that it will take to do that in multiple competitions a week I think that is the main reason for me why this season would would end up being a transition season even if the players were to pick up the principles really quickly and I think they are showing signs of adapting but still need time in that sense just the sheer physical toll but I think that if he's given the time and the patience then it can be a really kind of exciting project there and you sort of agree with Josh in a way that after this season from next season they'll be back challenging for the biggest honours that's really kind of hard pinpoint because there are so many clubs who I think are viewing this year is maybe a little bit of a transition yeah like I mean we can talk about kind of Chelsea under under Javier Lonzo how that's starting to change but perhaps all the pieces aren't there yet so it looks like maybe you know give it a year and they'd be in a position to challenge mereska's city obviously have got off to kind of a smoother start than a lot of the other teams who've had managerial changes Manchester United we won't even like begin to harp on like the hope was maybe that they could build a platform to challenge for the title there's obviously been early stumbling blocks in that's there are so many teams that would hope next year would would be their year to try and go for it but are in this phase of transition we're not sure how it's going to pan out so I think that's a really kind of exciting thing to watch over the next year and Liverpool up there in those teams that I would expect to be kind of going through this season with one eye on next I suppose don't worry I won't ask you for your thoughts in United it's all about Liverpool this one don't worry guys let's finish off then by talking about this weekend because Sunday of course we'll see and Doni Eriola return to the vitality stadium as his Liverpool side take on Bournemouth who well I guess they've had a frustrating start really to the new season a new life under Marco Rosa James it's always funny isn't it when you're returning to your old club do you feel like there's there's even more of a spotlight on Eriola and Liverpool this weekend yeah there will be yeah but I think it'll probably help Eriola the fact that he he knows going back there he's going to get a fantastic reception you know there was no there was no hint of bad feeling was there when he called time on his three years down there and you know he did a magnificent job I know you know people said it was a gamble when Liverpool appointed him and it was in a way because you know he hasn't managed at Champions League level he haven't managed a club a Liverpool stature I think you know it is only trophies one in his coaching career so far you know there's the Cypriot super cup I think it was so those things were kind of used as as kind of reasons why you know there's a question mark here but when when you actually just look at his body a work at Bournemouth you know the constant progress he oversaw especially in the context of losing so many top players and all the money that generated for the club during during that period the fact he left them with what was it an 18 game unbeaten Premier League run the record points tally for them in the Premier League European football for the first time in their history so yeah I don't think it's going to be a particularly kind of intimidating return for him because he'll deserve all the all the applause that that comes his way and yeah he's the way he is I really like him from the dealings I've had with him so far you know he's very kind of he wants the attention to be on the players rather than him so I don't think that will sit particularly great with him the fact that he knows you know the cameras are going to be on him aren't they in terms of Sunday you know he I remember we did an interview with him in America on the preseason tour and he kind of said I see myself as an assistant to the players he said you know we're not you know he said that when he when he took came to Bournemouth he said he was amazed that and it was a thing that the managers go and clap the fans and all the rest of it because he was like for me said you know you just want to stay out the way and it's about the players taking the spotlight yeah he's the way he's gone about it Liverpool so far has been has been impressive as Josh said you know there's lots of issues that he's got to be got to wrestle with but he want to know that you know the only reason the job came up in the summer was because Liverpool were in a mess and they felt they had to make a change and there was no quick fix especially during a summer when he had what you know Arthur doesn't play as coming back late due to the World Cup so yeah time and patience is definitely required but yeah I like what I've seen from him so far just lastly then Josh of course this game comes before a three week international break and I think we all feel it as fans of anything that the last thing you want is a negative result leading to to such a long time without your team playing yeah I mean got the opposing the content well to have a full three weeks of a updates base I'm sure you'll find something you'll find something yeah hopefully hopefully but yeah obviously you want to go into that on a positive nose Liverpool have have not won too many games yes but we were really holding onto that idea that was still on beat so going into the three week break with a win would be would be very nice and then within that period you could almost have like a little mini preseason would have would like to barge or maybe and things like that and then really really fired and the awesome and stuff so yeah hopefully you have a hopefully Liverpool pickable good results hopefully it all gets gets well received I'm sure you will and hopefully Liverpool can peak more and more as the season goes on guys thank you so much for your company this morning been brilliant chatting to you all thank you to you for watching or listening as well remember to keep across the athletic for all the latest Kate Mason will be with you tomorrow or catch a scene