Andoni Iraola bellowed "Faster, faster" throughout Liverpool's open training session in Chicago on Friday, as his first pre-season tour in charge reaches its conclusion. The new head coach leads his side into a friendly against Leeds at Soldier Field on Sunday, with the Premier League season due to begin in three weeks.
Iraola was at the centre of every drill at Chicago Fire's Endeavor Health Performance Center, Liverpool's base for the past two weeks. Three teams of seven worked on the pressing game, and he repeated the same instruction when the squad moved to a different pitch recently vacated by Robert Lewandowski and his new Chicago Fire teammates for set-piece work. Sprints were demanded after every rondo.
Defensive crisis deepens
Urgency surrounds Iraola's preparations beyond his style of play. Post-World Cup holidays have deprived him of eight first-team players so far, while injuries have accounted for a further six. After Friday's session, many invited fans headed to the gym, where Jérémy Jacquet, Liverpool's £60m recruit from Rennes, was working on his recovery from a shoulder problem.
Alongside him, Giovanni Leoni is rehabilitating from an ACL rupture and appears to have doubled in chest size since sustaining the injury on his Liverpool debut in September. Joe Gomez pulled up with a muscle injury eight minutes into the first friendly of the tour. All are central defenders; all are out.
The concentration of problems in one area was a recurring theme under Arne Slot last season and has not eased. Two 18-year-olds, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, have impressed in their absence, but Liverpool are looking to loan out the latter next season after failing to secure a work permit.
Wirtz and Isak set for first appearances
Mike Gordon, president of Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group, was among the observers on Friday and has returned to a more hands-on role following the departure of Michael Edwards as FSG's chief executive of football. Gordon is expected at Soldier Field on Sunday when Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak should feature for the first time in pre-season. FSG will not be alone at Liverpool in seeking a return on their combined £241m investment in the pair.
"We need a very good version of Florian," Iraola admitted this week, confirming he intends to play the Germany international "in that position behind the striker" rather than off the left, where he operated without reward at the World Cup, or in the variety of roles Slot tried without success. Wirtz supplying Isak and/or Hugo Ekitiké was always the intended plan of attack last season; the trio ultimately played only 119 minutes together as injuries struck. That stat was never lost on Slot as he was ushered to the exit following a turbulent and toxic campaign.
Isak also needs to deliver a very good version of himself. The excuse of playing catch-up after missing pre-season, or almost four months of the season with a fractured ankle and fibula, no longer washes for a striker who featured in all four games of Sweden's World Cup. Isak has looked sharp in pre-season training and must sustain that sharpness next season while convincing he is a suitable fit for this Liverpool team.
Transfer gaps remain
Iraola's options and vision will improve as senior names return, but he undoubtedly needs more help through the transfer market. Work is under way on a move for Bradley Barcola, who is open to leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Anfield, but a deal for a winger valued by the European champions at £145m has yet to be struck. A lack of defensive cover cost Liverpool last season and remains a glaring issue, with doubts over the futures of Curtis Jones, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott among others.
Iraola has admitted he "hates this month of August" because of the uncertainty surrounding players while the season gets under way. "It's difficult to build a proper team with a lot of question marks," he added. Between Soldier Field on Sunday and St James' Park on 23 August, the building work must accelerate.
