Liverpool begin 2026-27 under another new head coach after Andoni Iraola replaced Arne Slot, whose two-year spell ended following a disappointing campaign. A fifth-place Premier League finish, 19 defeats across all competitions and a perceived loss of attacking purpose prompted the change at Anfield.
Iraola arrives with a reputation for front-foot football developed at Bournemouth, Rayo Vallecano, Mirandes and AEK Larnaca. Reports portray his teams as aggressive without the ball, willing to defend high and quick to attack through wide areas. Those traits have encouraged hopes that Liverpool can recover some of the intensity and emotional connection associated with Jürgen Klopp’s best sides.
The task, however, is much broader than changing the style of play. Liverpool are entering a significant squad transition after the departures of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konaté, while the wider group has also been reshaped heavily since the title-winning side of little more than a year ago.
A change in direction, not just in coach
Slot’s Liverpool were criticised in the source reporting for slow possession and too many flat starts. They conceded first in 14 league matches last season, a pattern that left Anfield audiences waiting for momentum rather than helping to create it.
Iraola’s approach could address that issue directly. His Bournemouth side often pressed high, forced hurried decisions and tried to turn regains into rapid attacks. At a club where supporters expect initiative, that may be as important as the eventual league position in his first year.
Yet a more forceful approach brings its own risks. Liverpool and Bournemouth reportedly had the two poorest records in the division for goals conceded from set pieces last season, with 20 and 18 respectively. If Iraola pushes the defensive line higher and commits numbers forward, Liverpool will need much better organisation in dead-ball situations to avoid exchanging one problem for another.
The key question is whether the new manager can bring intensity without leaving a changing squad exposed. His football depends on coordinated pressing rather than individual effort alone. That makes pre-season adaptation, fitness and clear roles particularly important after a year in which Liverpool appeared uncertain at both ends of the pitch.
Iraola’s record suggests patience may matter
Multiple outlets have highlighted a recurring feature of Iraola’s managerial career: his teams can be highly variable over the course of a season. There were difficult early spells at Larnaca and Bournemouth, while Mirandes and Rayo Vallecano also experienced pronounced swings in form.
His Bournemouth start is the clearest Premier League example. The club went nine league matches without a victory in 2023, but the underlying performances were viewed more positively than the results, particularly given a demanding opening run and injuries. Bournemouth then won eight of their next 10 league games.
That history should shape expectations around Liverpool’s reset. A short-term downturn would not automatically mean that Iraola’s methods are failing, especially while the squad adjusts to a more demanding game model. Equally, Liverpool’s scale means the tolerance for a prolonged poor run will be far lower than it was on the south coast.
The decisive factor may be depth. Iraola’s high-energy football has been associated with impressive attacking sequences but also with periods when its physical demands caught up with his teams. Liverpool’s resources should offer more protection, but their current personnel questions mean that advantage cannot simply be assumed.
Leadership and goals are the immediate concerns
Virgil van Dijk remains central to the project. At 35, he played every league minute in 2025-26 before travelling to the World Cup, according to the reports. With Konaté gone and younger options Giovanni Leoni and Jérémy Jacquet still developing, Liverpool need the captain’s authority as well as his defending.
The succession issue is equally clear in attack. Hugo Ekitike led the club’s scoring last season with 17 goals in all competitions, well below the totals Salah regularly delivered during his Liverpool career. Reports also indicate Ekitike is unlikely to return from injury until 2027, creating an immediate burden for the remaining forwards and attacking midfielders.
Florian Wirtz is another player who requires a settled platform. One lesson identified from the previous campaign was the need to establish his strongest role rather than repeatedly moving him around the side. Iraola’s transition-based game could suit Wirtz’s ability to receive between lines and play quickly, but it will require runners around him and protection behind him.
Szoboszlai embodies the opportunity
Dominik Szoboszlai enters the season as an increasingly important figure. After being named Liverpool’s player of the year last term, the midfielder has said the group is motivated to respond to its underachievement and that places in Iraola’s team are open to competition.
Szoboszlai captained the side during the United States tour and has expressed pride at the possibility of taking on further responsibility, although reports indicate no decision has been made on the vice-captaincy vacancies. His energy, pressing capacity and willingness to arrive in attacking areas make him a natural fit for Iraola’s principles.
He has also acknowledged the squad may have to produce an exceptional collective effort if further recruitment does not materialise. That is a measured assessment of Liverpool’s position. The club have added Jacquet and Victor Muñoz, while reports say they remain interested in Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, but the exits of Salah, Robertson and Konaté have left substantial experience to replace.
Liverpool’s first objective is therefore to become recognisable again: proactive, cohesive and resilient when matches become chaotic. Iraola has the tactical profile to restore that identity, but the quality of the rebuild will be judged by whether Liverpool can sustain it through injuries, defensive pressure and the long stretches of a Premier League season.