New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has introduced a physically demanding training regime following pre-season friendly defeats against Monaco and Leeds. The Basque boss faces scrutiny over his history of slow starts at former clubs as Liverpool prepare for their Premier League opener.
Liverpool suffered a 4-2 loss to Leeds in Chicago before losing 3-2 against Monaco at home last Sunday. Both friendlies saw Liverpool build a two-goal lead before conceding repeatedly in the second half when Iraola substituted his main players.
Following the defeat to Monaco, Iraola admitted that his team played well for the opening 30 minutes but stated that they do not have much more in terms of the levels required to play in his style. Liverpool open their Premier League season away at Newcastle on August 23, with several players still regaining full fitness after the summer World Cup.
Pre-season results and player fitness
Slow starts have characterized Iraola's transition periods across his previous managerial roles. In his first job at AEK Larnaca in Cyprus, he was sacked by mid-January after failing to maintain early results.
At Spanish second-division side Mirandes, Iraola won just one of his first ten fixtures alongside five draws and four losses. He later took charge of Rayo Vallecano, winning five of his opening 11 matches despite expectations of a promotion challenge. Rayo went on to finish as Conference League runners-up last season.
While smaller clubs accommodated initial setbacks, Iraola faces much higher expectations at Anfield. Previous Liverpool managers enjoyed strong starts, with Jurgen Klopp winning five of his first six league games in his final season and Arne Slot claiming 11 wins in his first 13 matches.
Demanding training sessions and repeated sprints
Iraola's tactical approach demands relentless physical effort, making intensity the central theme of Liverpool's pre-season preparation. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai insisted that the intensity we have been missing is back under the new manager.
The grueling nature of the sessions has left players feeling sick at the end of training. Iraola imposes immediate punishments on players who lose training drills, forcing them to perform full-pitch sprints while team members report having no legs left.
The new regime contrasts with criticisms directed at former manager Arne Slot regarding a perceived drop in intensity. Although supporters worried about excessive rest, squad records confirmed players worked identical hours compared to their league-winning campaign.
Sports science expert Simon Brundish highlighted that Iraola's system requires synchronized, high-intensity running just below a full sprint. Brundish noted that Bournemouth averaged 4.1 kilometres of high-intensity running per match last season compared to 1.4 kilometres for Liverpool.
According to Brundish, the ability to repeat explosive sprints declines rapidly during the close season and typically takes four to eight weeks of targeted work to rebuild fully.
Pattern of slow starts at previous clubs
Bournemouth experienced a similar adjustment period after appointing Iraola to succeed Gary O'Neil. Bournemouth failed to win any of their first nine Premier League fixtures, recording six losses and three draws, before securing a first win on October 28.
Despite a subsequent 6-1 defeat at Manchester City, Bournemouth executives dismissed rumors of Iraola's dismissal. Their patience was rewarded as Bournemouth won seven of their next nine league matches, losing just once, and eventually secured qualification for this season's Europa League.
Under Iraola, Bournemouth finished first in the Premier League for direct attacks last season and ranked third for high turnovers inside 40 metres of the opponent's goal.
Tactical transition and player feedback
Former Bournemouth players confirmed that adapting to Iraola's methodology required significant patience. Forward Justin Kluivert explained: "It took everyone a while to understand. He had a rough start with a lot of losses but the club believed in him, we believed in him, and that is paying off now. He has improved my game significantly... he played me in a different role so I thank Andoni for that... he had a good vision!"
Midfielder Antoine Semenyo noted on the In The Mixer podcast: "I didn't see it at the start. When he came in, he had his way of playing and it was very new to us, the way he structured the weeks. We didn't really have any days off, so it's very hard for a team to go from having Wednesday and Sunday off to having no days off. It was very different at the start. The results weren't going our way and the fans were saying he needs to be sacked. Everyone slowly got used to the system and it just went up from there."
Iraola disputed Semenyo's claim regarding zero days off, though Liverpool's pre-season schedule has remained demanding. Upon returning from their tour of the United States on Monday, Liverpool players received Tuesday off before resuming training on Wednesday.
Upcoming Premier League fixtures
Iraola faces a novel scenario in his opening months, as every manager he encounters until mid-October is also new to their position. His first six league matches feature fixtures against Matthias Jaissle, Oliver Glasner, Gary O'Neil, Alvaro Arbeloa, Marco Rose, and Enzo Maresca.
Liverpool hope for swift contributions from Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz as both players enter their second seasons at the club. Iraola admitted: "I would like to say on the first day, we are going to be perfect, everyone will be in place, but probably it is not going to be like this. We will have to do this as quickly as possible."
