Andoni Iraola opened up about the physical demands of his pressing system, noting that some athletes can comfortably handle a match every two or three days without a noticeable dip in form, while others are more vulnerable to fatigue and injury. He explained that part of his job now is to identify which squad members can sustain that intense rhythm and which need a longer recovery period to keep their performance levels high.
"I have to learn who is ready to play every two or three days and who is ready to rest so their performance level doesn't drop," he said, adding that the learning curve is steep because several of his players have not been accustomed to such a congested schedule. The issue became evident on Saturday at Anfield when Liverpool were held to a lacklustre draw by Fulham, a side that had lost its first three league games. The mid‑week Europa League clash against Atletico Madrid seemed to have taken its toll, leaving the Reds visibly short of freshness.
After the match, Iraola admitted, "A lack of freshness, definitely. We cannot hide it." He described the situation as "the worst turnaround" under Premier League fixture rules, but also stressed that the club must adapt quickly because such scenarios will recur throughout the campaign.
A quick glance at Liverpool's upcoming calendar underscores the challenge. Following the international break, the team faces Manchester City at home, then travels to Austria for a Champions League tie against LASK Linz, and within 72 hours is back on the road to meet Brentford. The October schedule continues with a home showdown against Arsenal, a mid‑week trip to Fenerbahçe, and an away game at Crystal Palace. In November, a visit to Club Brugge is sandwiched between fixtures against Manchester United and Everton.
This relentless sequence of high‑stakes matches leaves little room for recovery and puts Iraola’s rotation policy to the test. The core of Iraola’s philosophy is a high‑intensity, hard‑running style that demands players press aggressively, especially when out of possession. He told the press during pre‑season, "I am asking them to do things that are a little bit different, especially without the ball, and I think they are trying to get it." Alexander Isak echoed this sentiment after the friendly against Monaco, saying, "We are all working hard to make things work." The Fulham game was the first real litmus test of how the team copes when the Champions League exertion meets a domestic fixture.
Liverpool had to come from behind to win the European tie, then immediately needed to dictate the tempo against a motivated Fulham side. Iraola was candid in his post‑match analysis, pointing out that the team arrived late to the presses in the first half. Although tactical tweaks were introduced at halftime, the issue persisted, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining a coordinated press when players are not fully recovered.
Liverpool’s typical pattern of a compact defence paired with a high‑pressing front line was disrupted against Fulham. When the press broke down, Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno found space to distribute the ball easily, pulling several Liverpool attackers out of the action.
Despite the setback, Iraola is unlikely to abandon the pressing ethos; he believes it is integral to the identity he wants to instill. Statistically, Liverpool’s Pressures Per Defensive Action (PPDA) sits at an impressive 8.6 this season—lower than any full season under Jürgen Klopp—but it rose slightly against Fulham, suggesting the team was not operating at its usual intensity. Nevertheless, the Reds have logged the most sprints and rank 12th overall for total distance covered, confirming that they are indeed running more, sprinting more, and pressing more than most of their rivals.
To manage the workload, Iraola has begun rotating his wide players, giving minutes to Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, while still relying heavily on the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz. Both Szoboszlai and Wirtz were tasked with the pressing duties against Fulham, but they did not match the sharpness they displayed three days earlier. Wirtz, in particular, appeared careless with the ball, drawing criticism from supporters who are growing impatient with a player who arrived with high expectations.
Yet his work‑rate remains noteworthy—he ranks second in the league for high‑speed distance covered—so his physical contribution could still be a valuable asset when Iraola is determining who can handle a three‑day turnaround. Iraola acknowledged the risk of over‑using the same core group, saying, "You can put the same players in every game, but the problem is there will be a moment they are very tired and there is more risk of injury." With key forwards like Hugo Ekitike sidelined, Liverpool cannot afford to lose a player like Isak to fatigue or injury, especially if his natural game does not align with a relentless press. Similar questions arise for the midfield: should the team trust the experience of Wataru Endo, or give more minutes to younger options like Trey Nyoni?
Ultimately, Iraola admits that this is a learning process. He is navigating uncharted territory, trying to balance a demanding pressing system with the realities of a congested Premier League and European schedule. The central query remains: can Liverpool sustain a three‑games‑in‑a‑week rhythm without compromising performance or increasing injury risk? The answer will shape Iraola’s tenure and determine whether his high‑press blueprint can become a lasting hallmark of Liverpool football.