There are plenty of new faces in the various Premier League dugouts this season – nine to be precise. From Xabi Alonso to Matthias Jaissle to Gary O’Neil each new manager will be gunning to instil their philosophy which they perceive as the right one to bring their new team success.
What exactly that is can vary drastically. Enzo Maresca will prioritise wing play, whereas Oliver Glasner will employ his trademark three-at-the-back system which saw him thrive at Crystal Palace, leading them to back-to-back trophies.
For Andoni Iraola, his playstyle is, of course, unique to him. The Basque manager’s has seen him successful wherever he has been: Mirandés, Rayo Vallecano, and most recently Bournemouth. But with Liverpool only having two managers before him in the last 10 years, comparisons between him Arne Slot and Jurgen Klopp will always be made.
In an interview with Steven Gerrard on TNT Sports, the new Liverpool boss talks about what style he resonates most with.
“I’m probably closer to Jurgen [Klopp], I would say. But I loved a lot of the things that the team had with Arne [Slot] also,” he said. “There has to be a balance.
“Things are going to evolve differently because in the first game we played [versus Newcastle], we had 60-61% possession straight away because the natural tendency of the players is towards that side.
“I need to adapt also towards that side but we also need keep being vertical, keep attacking, keep taking some risks sometimes but I wouldn't like to lose the good things that our players have also.”
Iraola’s tactics are built on high pressure, high intensity and high work rate This is reflected in the numbers as Bournemouth were rated highest in the league for those metrics.
Predecessor Arne Slot’s system was a stark contrast, a style built on building from the back and maintaining possession. Someone who flourished in that system was Ryan Gravenberch. In the deeper-lying midfield role, the Dutchman’s ability to progress the ball forwards came to the fore and was integral to the Reds’ title charge in Slot’s first season.
However, this now creates an complicated juxtaposition. Iraola has inherited Slot’s team, but that team is not built for his style of play. The Spaniard, though, has faith he can replicate the style which has given him success in the past.
“There are a lot of things, and I think naturally they will arrive. We are going to recover balls high, we are trying to finish if we can recover high.
"I read somewhere that we had the second-lowest running stats in the first game or something like that. We didn't run a lot.
"I would say my Bournemouth team, even in Spain, we were not like the teams running more, we were like middle of the table, we were very good at sprinting, high-speed running, at making the difference there, and with Liverpool I feel it's going to be similar.
"I think we have players who can make these high-quality runs, but I always say, if I can win the games running less, it's much better for us. It's a balance there."
With the differing playstyles, it begs the question of personnel – especially with the transfer window still open. An agreement to sign Bradley Barcola within the last few days, but a complete overhaul is unlikely before transfer deadline day on Tuesday.
“I think we’re working straight away and improving in terms of the market and the team, but everything is not going to be done straight away in this market.
“I am confident because I value the players I already have a lot. There are high-quality players that we can work with, and now it’s a matter of how we can use them in the best positions, in the spots where they can make the difference.
“I go to training every day and I see things that are very expansive, and now it’s a matter of how we can use those things effectively, so we can be a very good team.”
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