Andoni Iraola says Liverpool must accept that there will be “ups and downs” as his side adapts to his style, but he remains convinced the performances against Ipswich Town and Atlético Madrid show the level the team can reach. The Liverpool head coach’s message after Saturday’s 0–0 Premier League draw with Fulham was clear: the team’s intended identity is visible, but it must now reproduce that standard consistently.
Liverpool’s draw at Anfield came after encouraging wins over Ipswich and Atlético Madrid, making the flat performance against Fulham more frustrating for supporters and staff alike. Iraola acknowledged that the display represented a step backward after those earlier signs of progress, but insisted inconsistency is an expected feature of a team still learning a new approach.
“I understand the frustration the other day because we were also frustrated,” Iraola said. “We were coming from two good games and we were considering it a step forward, Ipswich was a step forward and Atlético Madrid, and we wanted it to be another step forward. But no, it was a step backwards.”
The Spaniard stressed that Liverpool’s target is not to merely avoid defeat, but to make the proactive, high-intensity football seen against Ipswich and Atlético their regular level. “We have to accept that there are going to be ups and downs in the process,” he said. “But we are clear where we want to go is more towards where we’ve been—Atlético Madrid, Ipswich—that’s more the style of football that we want. I think now the key is the consistency to perform like this.”
Liverpool remain unbeaten in the Premier League, but the Fulham result left Iraola with one win and three draws from his opening four league matches. The draw also extended his wait for a first Premier League victory at Anfield.
Iraola attributed part of the Fulham performance to a demanding turnaround after the midweek Atlético match. Liverpool had fewer than three days—roughly 60 hours—to recover from a high-intensity European fixture, and he said the squad’s lack of freshness was evident. He rejected the idea that fatigue could serve as an excuse, however, noting that similar scheduling pressures will recur across the season.
“We cannot hide it,” Iraola said of the physical strain. “This is the worst turnaround in terms of 60-something hours after a very big game the other day. But this is going to happen in the season and we have to adapt.”
Against Fulham, Liverpool struggled most in the attacking third. Iraola said it was the first match in which the side had genuine difficulty creating chances and finding a decisive attacking moment. The team also arrived late to its pressing actions in the first half, allowing Fulham more time and space to move the ball. Liverpool improved structurally after the interval and controlled more of the game, but could not turn that improvement into a winning goal.
The manager’s immediate challenge is to balance tactical continuity with rotation. Liverpool face a congested schedule, including a Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur, and Iraola said he is still learning which players can maintain their performance level every two or three days and which need recovery time.
“There are players who play every three days, they have no issues, they are very robust,” Iraola said. “And there are other players where the risk is bigger, the performances are different. I have to learn who is ready to play three, four games in a row every two, three days and who needs a rest so the performance level doesn’t get affected.”
The Fulham draw did not change Liverpool’s broader aim, but it did sharpen the task ahead. Iraola has identified the model he wants—aggressive pressing, better control and a more consistent attacking threat. The next step is ensuring that the standard displayed against Ipswich and Atlético Madrid becomes Liverpool’s baseline rather than an occasional peak.
