Andoni Iraola Explains Benching Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola

• Andoni Iraola left Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola on the bench for Liverpool’s Champions League tie with Villarreal, making six changes from the side that beat Brentford.
• Iraola said it was the fourth game in 10 days and that Wirtz and Barcola “have played almost every minute”.
• Jamie Carragher says Liverpool need Isak’s goals, with only nine scored in seven Premier League games.

Iraola Says the Three Were Rested, Not Dropped

Andoni Iraola picked a Liverpool side for Tuesday’s Champions League tie at home to Villarreal that left three attackers on the bench. Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola were all among the substitutes, and Milos Kerkez dropped out of the team too.

The Liverpool head coach made six changes from the team that beat Brentford 2-1 on Saturday. He gave the reason in plain terms. “Different circumstances. It is the fourth game in 10 days. Florian and Bradley have played almost every minute,” Iraola said.

On Isak, Iraola said the club has to manage his minutes. “We have to be sensible,” he said. The head coach added that the three are not out of the game: “They are ready to go in the second half.”

Dominik Szoboszlai missed out through injury and Victor Munoz was not named in the match-day squad.

Why Isak’s Minutes Matter to Liverpool

Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports News, made the case that Liverpool cannot afford to lose Isak’s goals. He called Isak’s form “massively important” and said Liverpool “are not a great goalscoring team right now”. “They have only scored nine goals in seven games in the Premier League and besides him, who else is going to score the goals?” he said.

Munoz has scored a couple, Carragher noted, but Isak has five in six games. The numbers are a sharp contrast to last season, when injury kept the striker out. Carragher still thinks the best is to come. “We’ve still not probably seen the full version of Isak that we saw at Newcastle, but I think that will come with more games, repetition of training sessions with Andoni Iraola,” he said.

Ten Games In, Iraola Says He Has No Time to Think

Iraola is only 10 matches into his Liverpool tenure, and he said the pace leaves little room to reflect. “I don’t even have time to think. It’s already 10 matches,” he said. As soon as Liverpool finished at Brentford, he said, he was on the bus looking at the Villarreal report.

“We are learning through the process and we adapt to the circumstances,” Iraola said. He compared the start with his first 10 games as Bournemouth manager, a spell in which his side failed to win. “I think the results were better at Liverpool,” he said.

He also pointed to what the early games have taught him about the squad. “You learn going through those difficulties,” Iraola said, citing moments such as asking Munoz to play in a position he had never played and having to adapt at half-time. Those situations, he said, show “character of the players”.

Araujo and Ngumoha Add to the Squad Debate

Ronald Araujo, on loan from Barcelona, has become first-choice right-back though he prefers to play centrally. Liverpool hold a £47 million option to buy the Uruguay international, who turns 28 in March. After 10 appearances, Araujo said he is not thinking about his future. “It’s very early to talk about these things. I’m just trying to enjoy every day,” he said.

Iraola described the first conversation with Araujo as “quite encouraging”. “You see a hungry, experienced player, played at a top club, willing to show his level,” the head coach said. “I asked him straight away, maybe we will need you playing as a right back. He was ready for everything.”

Iraola also confirmed two injury absences. Szoboszlai has aggravated a problem picked up on international duty, though Iraola said “it hasn’t worsened the injury”. Jeremie Frimpong has a new “massive” injury and is likely to be out until after next month’s international break.

Carragher also urged Liverpool to tie down young player Rio Ngumoha to a new contract. “He made a huge difference when he came on against Brentford,” Carragher said, adding that Ngumoha has said he is close to signing.

WRITTEN BY

Jarrod

Jarrod Partridge is the Founder of Futbol Chronicle and an accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every match report, player profile, and tactical analysis he writes.

More articles by Jarrod →