Pre-season tours are a way for managers look for patterns and for supporters look for signs. For 45 minutes at Soldier Field on Sunday in the 4-2 defeat to Leeds United, Andoni Iraola’s emerging Liverpool blueprint appeared remarkably sharp.
The combination play was fluid, the pressing intense, and goals from Luke Chambers and Florian Wirtz reflected a side adapting quickly to new tactical demands giving the Reds a 2-0 lead going into the half time break.
Then came the second half. Four unanswered Leeds United goals later, Liverpool were heading back across the Atlantic on the end of a 4-2 defeat a stark reminder of the defensive vulnerabilities Iraola must resolve before the Premier League season begins at Newcastle United on August 23.
The contrast between the two halves captured the central tension of Liverpool’s summer transition. Under Iraola, the side’s attacking structure has shown immediate promise, including a 4-2 win over Sunderland in Nashville and a 1-0 victory against Wrexham at Yankee Stadium featuring a winning goal from teenager Rio Ngumoha.
Yet the collapse in Illinois exposed weaknesses particularly when defending set-pieces and long throw-ins.
Dominik Szoboszlai, speaking after the final whistle in Chicago to the club official channels, offered a frank assessment of the team’s defensive lapse while emphasising the need for perspective.
"You always have to look on the positive side, even if it’s negative a little bit," Szoboszlai said. "I know today wasn’t the best game we played since the manager came. Obviously, we have played only three games. In the first half we controlled the whole game, leading 2-0. At the end, losing 4-2 we just move on."
The primary tactical issue facing Iraola is clear: dead-ball organisation. Leeds repeatedly exposed the Reds lack of height and authority inside the 18-yard box during second-half rotations, a vulnerability Szoboszlai identified as an urgent priority for video analysis at the AXA Training Centre in Kirkby.
"We know we conceded two goals from set-pieces," Szoboszlai noted. "We have to take care more at them. Last season was a season where everything started to be really important—corners, long throw-ins so we really have to take care of it."
For Szoboszlai personally, the summer has provided an unusually long period of rest following Hungary’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
While several teammates were involved in tournament football, the 25-year-old midfielder benefited from an extended recovery period, arriving in pre-season physically refreshed.
His role under Iraola remains adaptable. While naturally suited to a central midfield role, Szoboszlai’s willingness to fill alternative positions gives Iraola valuable tactical flexibility as he settles on his preferred system.
"Last season I managed to play a lot of positions," Szoboszlai said. "Hopefully he will put me in the midfield, but if he needs me at right-back, happy to do that."
The context of Liverpool’s second-half display in Chicago includes significant personnel omissions. The squad traveled across North America without key senior leaders due to post-World Cup leave.
The imminent return of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, and Victor Munoz will restore vital experience, physical presence, and authority to the backline.
With upcoming friendlies against Monaco and Como scheduled before the trip to St James' Park, Iraola has immediate opportunities to integrate his returning international players and refine Liverpool’s defensive set-piece structures.
Pre-season results rarely serve as definitive indicators for competitive campaigns, but the defeat in Illinois provided a clear operational checklist for Iraola’s coaching staff.
If the tactical lessons from Chicago are addressed before August 23, the setback may prove to be a timely rather than a lingering concern.
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