Liverpool travel to Ipswich Town on Friday night with the Premier League table still waiting for Andoni Iraola’s first victory as head coach. Two games, two 2-2 draws, four goals scored, four conceded. There have been flashes of quality, plenty of warning signs and rather too much chaos.
Portman Road does not immediately feel like the ideal location for restoring order.
Ipswich Town will sense an opportunity. Liverpool have conceded first against both Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, they have allowed opponents too much space in transition and their midfield structure remains a work in progress.
This is where Iraola needs to see progress.
Liverpool’s biggest problem so far has been relatively straightforward. They have made matches unnecessarily difficult.
Falling behind repeatedly forces the game into increasingly frantic territory. Liverpool possess enough attacking quality to recover from difficult situations, but relying on individual talent to repair structural problems is hardly sustainable.
Ipswich Town will know that.
The hosts have already demonstrated a willingness to attack Premier League opponents rather than retreat into their penalty area. That could actually suit Liverpool, providing Iraola’s side deal properly with the opening exchanges.
Liverpool need aggression, energy and composure from the first whistle. There can be no assumption that superior individuals will eventually decide matters.
Ipswich will have the crowd behind them and will surely look towards the spaces Liverpool have surrendered during their opening two league matches. Those gaps have been particularly noticeable through midfield.
Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister therefore have enormous responsibility. Florian Wirtz should operate ahead of them, where his creativity can influence proceedings around the Ipswich penalty area.
Wirtz drifting too deep creates another problem. Alexander Isak can become isolated and Liverpool lose one of their most dangerous players from the areas where he can cause maximum damage.
Getting that balance right feels central to this game.
Bradley Barcola Decision Gives Iraola a Dilemma
Then comes the exciting question.
Does Bradley Barcola start?
Liverpool’s £123 million signing from Paris Saint-Germain has reportedly travelled with the squad and could make his debut at Portman Road. His lack of substantial pre-season minutes provides Iraola with a legitimate reason for caution.
Still, there is something hugely tempting about unleashing him immediately.
Liverpool have spent extraordinary money on Barcola because he offers precisely the qualities this attack needs. Pace, direct running and the ability to attack defenders one against one can change the geometry of a match.
Ipswich would rather see him sitting on the bench when the teams emerge.
There is also an argument that his introduction after an hour could prove devastating. Tired defenders facing a fresh Barcola is hardly an appealing prospect.
My preference would be patience.
Cody Gakpo has started the season positively and deserves his place. Victor Munoz offers directness from the opposite flank, while Isak needs another opportunity through the middle. That gives Liverpool a powerful attacking trio and leaves Barcola available to transform the game later.
There will be plenty of opportunities for the Frenchman. Liverpool do not need to force the first one.
Defensive Vulnerability Remains Iraola’s Biggest Concern
Liverpool’s defensive situation makes controlling possession even more important.
Joe Gomez is approaching his return but this game arrives too soon. Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley remain unavailable, while Hugo Ekitike is another long-term absentee. Their inclusion in Liverpool’s Champions League squad at least suggests the club expects them to contribute during the coming months.
For now, Iraola has limited room for manoeuvre.
Jeremy Jacquet should continue alongside Virgil van Dijk. Jacquet has shown enough already to justify Iraola maintaining that partnership, particularly while Ronald Araujo continues building towards full match sharpness.
Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back remains an unconventional solution, although his athleticism and technical ability make the experiment understandable. Milos Kerkez should continue on the opposite side.
The absence of Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa from Liverpool’s Champions League squad also provides a fairly clear indication of their current standing. Neither appears central to Iraola’s plans.
Squad depth could become an increasingly uncomfortable subject once the European schedule begins. For Friday night, Liverpool still have considerably more talent available than Ipswich Town.
They need to demonstrate it.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson, Szoboszlai, Jacquet, Van Dijk (C), Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Gakpo, Munoz, Isak.
Final Thoughts
There are reasons to be wary about this trip.
Liverpool supporters will remember Portman Road fondly from the 2-0 victory that opened the 2024/25 campaign. That afternoon became the first chapter of a journey which ended with Liverpool lifting their 20th league title under Arne Slot.
Circumstances are very different now.
Iraola is trying to construct his own Liverpool. His football demands intensity, courage and aggression, and the early stages of that transition were always likely to produce awkward moments. There are players still learning their responsibilities and a squad that does not look perfectly balanced.
That cannot become an excuse for failing to beat Ipswich.
Liverpool need their first Premier League victory of the season. More importantly, they need to produce a performance that feels less dependent upon rescuing themselves from problems of their own creation.
Control midfield, start aggressively, keep Wirtz close enough to Isak and make Ipswich defend towards their own goal.
Then, if the match needs something extra, Iraola can look towards his bench and introduce a £123 million French winger with a point to prove.
That sounds like a rather useful option.
Prediction: Ipswich Town 1-2 Liverpool