When you look closely at Liverpool’s numbers so far this season, a stark reality hits you.
Before the international break, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo had scored five of the Reds' seven Premier League goals. Isak led the way with four in five starts already eclipsing his league tally from last term while Gakpo provided two goals and four assists, three of those setting up Isak directly.
When the duo clicked, as they did during September's 2-0 win at Ipswich or Isak’s winner at Bournemouth, Andoni Iraola’s frontline looked sharp, fluid, and deadly.
Then came the international break. Isak withdrew from Sweden duty with a thigh problem, while Gakpo injured his ankle in the Netherlands’ 2-1 win over Serbia.
Add Dominik Szoboszlai’s hamstring overload and Hugo Ekitike’s ongoing Achilles rehabilitation, and Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City exposed a glaring void at the heart of Liverpool's attack.
With the Reds sitting ninth in the Premier League after six games and preparing for Wednesday's Champions League trip to LASK, eyes have naturally turned to two summer marquee arrivals who now carry the full weight of expectation: Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola.
Iraola’s Verdict: “Don’t Focus Too Much on the Numbers”
Barcola, who arrived for £123m from Paris Saint-Germain to take on the monumental task of replacing Mohamed Salah on the wing, is yet to register a goal contribution in six appearances. Wirtz, too, has faced mounting scrutiny after a quiet afternoon against City.
Together, the pair represent a combined investment pushing £240m.
Yet Iraola was steadfast when addressing the criticism surrounding his high-profile attackers, insisting that judging them purely on immediate output misses the bigger picture.
"It’s true Cody, Alex and Dom are the top scorers in our system. We don’t have them, we didn’t have them against City and we need those players to give us those numbers. We trust the players we have now to play in those positions."
"Bradley and Florian, I think they’ve had good games, bad games this season like everyone else but are two players that we know their level and will give us good performances for sure. Sometimes we are focused too much on the numbers. I was happy with a lot of things from Bradley the other day against Man City, he had good situations, we didn’t finish them, but him and Florian are players that I trust, 100%."
Regarding Wirtz specifically, Iraola urged for a collective perspective rather than singling out individual displays following the City defeat.
"When you are in this club like we are, if you don’t have a good performance and I think he probably didn’t have his best game, but has had good games this season with us. Everyone is looking for answers. I think he had some good performances in the national team and he will have better games but I would like to look at it more collectively to play well and get results."
Adapting from Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga to the relentless physical demands of English football is rarely seamless.
Barcola himself recently admitted that the Premier League is "very intense" and "very different from Ligue 1," adding that "the games are end-to-end. I find it is less tactical than it is in Ligue 1."
For Liverpool supporters, the anxiety is understandable. Nobody wants a repeat of past situations where top-class talents become burdened by price tags and media pressure.
Both Barcola and Wirtz have repeatedly proven their pedigree at the highest level in the Champions League Barcola helping PSG win the trophy against Arsenal earlier this year, and Wirtz starring for Bayer Leverkusen. Their continental class is undeniable.
Timeline for the returning stars
For those wondering when Isak, Gakpo, and Szoboszlai might return to ease the burden, Iraola offered a pragmatic update, taking things day by day.
"They are not bad but it’s difficult to tell right now when they will be back. We are taking it day to day. Really the three of them, I don’t know if it’s going to be Brentford or Villarreal."
"Injuries with national teams will happen to all the teams. It’s a matter of adapting to circumstances."
With young Lewis Koumas getting his first Premier League start on Sunday and Ryan Gravenberch set to serve a domestic ban against Brentford following his red card against City, the stage in Linz on Wednesday night is set for Wirtz and Barcola to step up.
European nights have often been the catalyst for Liverpool's foreign arrivals to truly ignite their Anfield careers and there would be no better time for the duo to show their quality.
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