MRP Soerianatanegara

🚨 Can Andoni Iraola win major titles at Liverpool? That's the million dollar question. We got a strong glimpse into that against Arsenal for the first 60 minutes until Iraola took Nyoni off and Liverpool's balance fell off of a cliff. Why? Because Nyoni made 54 passes in 58 minutes at a completion rate of 96% (which is truly elite). He came off because Iraola (understandably) wanted to force the issue. But then each of Liverpool's midfield 3 played excessively vertically and were too attack-minded, thus resulting in one too many turnovers which prevented the team from sustaining reliable pressure as the game wore on, especially with two high-flying fullbacks in Kerkez/Tsimikas + Munoz on the pitch. Klopp's Liverpool never had this imbalance because the midfield 3 was always the balancing act between the front 3 and high-flying fullbacks, even with Ox, Szoboszlai, or Henderson being attack-minded. Andoni Iraola faces the same fate as Michael Carrick at Manchester United in the sense that his game-model can absolutely work but only IF the balance is right on the pitch (like we saw last season). This applies to every coach. The game-model is irrelevant without basic balance (like we see this season). But the reason I make the comparison is because Iraola's system may not be completely bulletproof with and without the ball (even if he is a way better coach than Carrick) but that's okay if there is balance and elite players because the tactics are still good. Similar to the Arne Slot model, except better because there are more ways to press and it is aligned with Liverpool philosophically. So, Iraola can absolutely win major titles at Liverpool IF he finds the necessary balance and maintains elite quality in the team. We saw glimpses of that for the first 60 minutes against Arsenal. That is an elite level of performance. No doubts. And we have to acknowledge that Liverpool's attack has WOW potential. Gakpo, Isak, Barcola, Ekitike, Rio Ngumoha, and although Munoz is not on the same level qualitatively he is a great squad player to have because of his work ethic and mentality. But it's important that the balance remains in the team and that the quality remains otherwise success won't occur. This is also why people who say he will definitely succeed or that he will definitely fail don't know what they're talking about because it depends on variables that we can only assess over time. The same was true for Carrick. Was it a complete fluke that he maintained a title-winning pace for half a season, even if his tactics were not perfect? Or what about Slot's first season at Liverpool where he quite literally won the title and then in his second season it fell off of a cliff? The details are what matters, guys, and we must always continuously assess them.