It has been no secret during Liverpool's pre-season campaign that the tactics under new boss Andoni Iraola are drastically different to what fans saw under Arne Slot last season. Bringing the same philosophy he used at Bournemouth, aggressiveness out of possession and fast in transition is the standard if you want to start under the Spanish manager.
Milos Kerkez is in a small minority from the players in this squad who may find the transition in play style an easy adjustment, playing under Iraola during his time at the Cherries, the Hungarian left back will know exactly what the manager expects from his team.
Arne Slot was much more controlled in his build up on the ball, which may have limited his fullbacks biggest strengths. Kerkez alongside Jeremie Frimpong on the opposite flank are that their best when they can overlap the winger and get crosses into the box. Those opportunities were less frequent under the Dutchman, but now under Iraola those chances to break into space with pace may come along more frequently:
"You can see I have more freedom to fly up and down. I’m really running more, with more freedom, putting more balls into the box. So, the manager gave me confidence when I was in Bournemouth… [and] we all have to do what he tells us to do: play aggressive, front-foot, so we need to continue"
A pattern that has been displayed throughout pre-season has shown this Liverpool team can blow teams away in the first 45 minutes in a game, but the intensity levels drop in the second half, This theme had seen the Reds blow a two-goal lead twice against Leeds United and AS Monaco, leaving fans concerned about the fitness levels of the current squad.
In the final game agaisnt Como 1907 however, Iraola's side managed to hold onto to their two-goal advantage and keep a clean sheet. Marking an improvement in the sides fitness levels and showing that they are getting used to the demands of playing under the new manager:
"Yeah, everyone hopes so. It’s a big difference, obviously we play really aggressive [and] we need to run a lot more. It is tough but if you want to compete at the top, you need to do that in the Champions League, in the Premier League. So, we are more ready, everyone can’t wait until the season starts next week"
With players returning to pre-season duties at different times this season, it has meant the fitness levels of the players in the squad are at different stages. Victor Munoz and Alexis Mac Allister joining up with the team much later on, alongside Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo playing their first minutes under Iraola for the first time last weekend.
This can make preparing the squad for the opening game of the season very difficult, especially for a new manager who is trying to understand his new crop of players. Players like Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai who were with the squad from the start of pre-season are going to be relayed on to set the tone in the opening weeks of the season:
"Yeah, I feel ready. [This] is the first time I played 90 minutes [this summer], I felt a bit [my] legs at I would say 70-something [minutes], but it’s good to get the whole 90 minutes. I had a lot [of time] to recharge [after last season] but honestly I started to train after, I will say, two or three weeks. I missed training, so it’s good to be back [and] recharged"
With the entrie squad back together now, it is a great chance for them all to get equiped to the new playstyle and be preapared for the openng game of the season on Sunday. Liverpool travel to Newcastle this weekend, a very tough test for Andoni Iraola in his first Premier League game as Liverpool manager.
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