Reds' Front Line Under Pressure! Iraola Champions High-Press System to Offload Midfield Burden

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has recently issued clear instructions to his front three, hoping they can provide more substantial support to both the back line and the midfield. Previously, the team's midfield duo had been heavily scrutinized by the media due to their poor form. In last Saturday's match at Anfield against Fulham, Liverpool ultimately ended the game 0-0, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch becoming the focal points of external criticism—in that match, the two men collectively faced 14 physical duels at home, winning only 3. However, Iraola firmly denied this was merely a midfield issue, emphasizing that the team's overall operation requires effort from the entire squad. "We must regain possession as early as possible in the first half, which can significantly simplify the workload of building attacks," Liverpool's manager explained in the post-match press conference, "This way, we can create one-on-one breaking space for the front line." Iraola further pointed out that when the team's collective performance level is at a high, midfield players' performances naturally rise with it, and opportunities to win the ball will increase accordingly. "We are working hard to create better dueling conditions for our midfield players. As long as the forwards can efficiently execute tactical tasks, the midfield players' performance will also improve accordingly. Conversely, if we lack aggression in defense, allowing opponents to carry out one-on-one defensive play at their leisure, our defenders will also find themselves in a passive position. When the players in front can fulfill their roles, the midfield can naturally play more freely. This is fundamentally a collective issue, and it is also the key way we support our defenders and midfielders—enabling them to demonstrate better competitive form and tactical intelligence, occupying more advantageous positions on the pitch." Notably, after the draw with Fulham, Iraola admitted that the team "lacked vitality." According to media reports, Liverpool players' post-match ratings showed that Barkkola, Wirtz, and Gravenberch all had rather struggling matches at Anfield. Next up, Liverpool will face Tottenham Hotspur at home in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday evening local time, striving to quickly recover from the weekend's disappointment. This will be the Reds' third official match in seven days, and Iraola has confirmed he will field his full squad to take on the Spurs led by Roberto De Zerbi. "I am quite satisfied with the current player pool," Iraola added, "I truly cherish every player in the squad. When we win, the entire lineup looks quite outstanding; but once we lose, various problems are exposed. Some players who have not made appearances yet will get opportunities to play in tomorrow's match, and I am very much looking forward to their performance. They are fully capable of contributing to the team; they just have not received the corresponding opportunities so far."