Just two matches into the 2026/27 season, it is too early to jump to any conclusions, but there have so far been more concerning signs than encouraging ones for Liverpool fans. The Reds have to date endured a pair of 2-2 draws, and no Kopite in attendance at Anfield on Saturday will have been impressed.
The home side twice came from behind to earn a share of the spoils against Oliver Glasner's Nottingham Forest. Alexander Isak first equalised on the hour mark, tapping home an exquisite Cody Gakpo low-cross, before Víctor Muñoz, on his home debut, lashed home late on.
Munoz, take a bow! 🤯👏
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 29, 2026
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Well, it wasn't just supporters who headed home disgruntled by the team's performance. The same can certainly be said of head coach
Andoni Iraola. As a Premier League manager, the Basque head coach does numerous interviews to countless outlets after the game, and reiterated the same message each time.
Speaking to UK rights holder TNT Sports after the match, Iraola had this to say:
"Two very different halves... we've been very poor in the first half. We've been much, much better in the second. I think the intensity was different... a lot more intense, a lot more threatening... we don't defend well... not good enough. "Andoni Iraola
“I think we were very poor in the first half.” 😤
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 29, 2026
Andoni Iraola gives his assessment of Liverpool’s performance against Nottingham Forest.
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Meantime, while not blaming the fourth official, Iraola was very frustrated over the delay when he wanted to introduce Ryan Gravenberch, Rio Ngumoha and Kostas Tsimikas.
"It cannot take a professional fourth official I don't know three minutes. We've already given like two or three minutes before. I was already angry because in the previous stop we could not make it. Before the throw in I think, ok we can do it now, but I don't know... it has taken ages to prepare two boards. "Andoni Iraola
“A professional fourth official cannot take three minutes.” 😳
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 29, 2026
Andoni Iraola was not happy with the time taken to get the substitutes’ board ready.
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Former Premier League referee Graham Scott took to Twitter to defend his former colleague Tim Robinson, stating that the "subs boards are not fit for purpose", explaining that "each number has to be entered manually, and they only count up one at a time".
Setting that aside, Iraola primarily wanted to focus on his own team's performance, pulling no punches during his press conference on Saturday afternoon:
"I think we have to blame the first half... I'm frustrated because we want to win... It's not a good result to draw at home... I like what we've done in the second half, but we haven't been able to complete the comeback... in the first half we were being passive without the ball. "Andoni Iraola
The statistics support both the eye test and what Iraola asserted. The Reds racked up 62 sprints in the first half and then 71 after the interval. On top of this, Liverpool also accumulated 17 ball recoveries in the first 45, a number that exponentially increased to 29 in the second half.
So, how do Liverpool improve? Well, Bradley Barcola is on his way, hoping to debut at Portman Road against Ipswich next Friday night. Setting aside any new recruits, what Iraola needs is time on the training ground but, with the Champions League set to return, time is a precious commodity he does not have.
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