Liverpool’s new head coach Andoni Iraola will use the World Cup as a fact finding mission on the players he inherits, as well as scouting those he could add to reinvigorate a squad that suffered a miserable defence of their Premier League title last season.
As the Spaniard settles in after succeeding sacked Arne Slot, Iraola will have had an intriguing day gathering intelligence, with an interest in all games on day four of the tournament.
So what will have caught Iraola’s eye as he formulates his plans to revive Liverpool after arriving from Bournemouth?
Can Iraola release the real Wirtz?
Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen last summer amid great fanfare in a then British record £116m deal but remained an enigma as he fell far short of expectations.
Liverpool still have huge hopes for a gifted forward who has only just turned 23. One of Iraola’s main tasks is to find a settled position for the German to release the talent he demonstrated before moving to Anfield.
This is why Iraola will have been intrigued by what he saw from Wirtz in Germany’s 7-1 win against Curacao in their opening World Cup game. The context must be that this was against a side ranked 82nd in the world, but in the colours of his country and in favourable conditions, Wirtz showed some golden touches.
In his first campaign at Anfield, Wirtz too often appeared a square peg in a round hole, playing in behind the strikers as well as on the flanks, but never flourishing. In Houston, Wirtz played on the left, perhaps giving Iraola food for thought, especially as Cody Gakpo had a poor season in that position.
Wirtz created Germany’s opening goal for Felix Nmecha with the sort of delicate touch and quick thinking that eluded him for much of last term. He had 39 touches in the final third, instrumental as Germany ran riot.
Former England striker Chris Sutton, in Houston for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “The mitigation must be that this was Curacao, but the Liverpool fans who watched the game, especially in the first half, would be wondering if it was the same Florian Wirtz who played for them last season.
“He looked happy in a German jersey, at ease and playing with freedom. He was sharp off the left, drifting inside to play quick, incisive passes. He was creative and cunning. He looked unburdened.”
Iraola will hope to lift the weight off Wirtz’s shoulders at Liverpool.
Mixed fortunes for Iraola’s Dutch trio
Virgil van Dijk will remain one of the main pillars of Iraola’s new Liverpool era. This impression was only confirmed by his performance for the Netherlands in their 2-2 draw with Japan in Dallas.
The result was a disappointment for Ronald Koeman’s side, who lost the lead twice, but Van Dijk was voted man of the match. The 35 year old scored a goal and was the main barrier of resistance in a Dutch defence that occasionally looked uncertain.
Ryan Gravenberch, who Iraola will hope can return to the majestic form he displayed as a holding midfielder when Liverpool won the Premier League in Slot’s first season, was solid and created Van Dijk’s opening goal with an inviting cross.
In a statistical quirk, Gravenberch’s delivery for Van Dijk is only the second ever World Cup goal scored and assisted by a Liverpool player, after Ian Callaghan set up Roger Hunt for England against France in 1966.
Iraola, however, may have wanted to see more from the third member of Liverpool’s Dutch contingent. Cody Gakpo had a subdued match. His game descended into predictability in Liverpool’s struggles last season, too often resorting to simply cutting inside, a ploy easily detected by opponents.
Gakpo also falls into the category of a player Iraola will hope to revive after a dramatic drop in standards last season.
Diomande shows Iraola what the fuss is about
The task of filling the huge vacancy left by Mohamed Salah will be right at the top of Iraola’s to do list. And the name of RB Leipzig’s 19 year old Yan Diomande has been on the lips of many as the target to take the place of the Egyptian King.
He is one of Europe’s hottest properties and showed exactly why Liverpool are being heavily touted, along with Champions League holders Paris Saint Germain as his next destination with a man of the match performance rich in promise in Ivory Coast’s 1-0 win against Ecuador.
Diomande operated on the right flank in the first half, where he would play if he arrived at Liverpool to fill Salah’s old role, then on the left after the break, creating five chances in total.
He troubled Arsenal’s Piero Hincapie with one electrifying run that left the Ecuador defender trailing. Diomande also showed power and sleight of foot to escape when Ecuador doubled up on him in an attempt to snuff out his threat.
There are, understandably at only 19, elements of rawness and wastefulness about Diomande’s game. But there was enough evidence here to see why he will be on Liverpool’s radar.
And given Iraola’s track record of moulding younger players at Bournemouth such as 19 year old Junior Kroupi and Brazilian teenager Rayan, Diomande looks right up his street.
Isak masterclass will excite Iraola
Alexander Isak’s record £125m move to Liverpool from Newcastle United became a nightmare of lost form and injuries in a disappointing campaign, scoring only four goals in 22 appearances.
Iraola will have been thrilled to see Isak showing scintillating form of old as he was instrumental in Sweden’s 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia in Monterrey.
Isak may have been the beneficiary of a goalkeeping error for his first half goal, but the manner in which he ran at the Tunisian defence then showed the confidence to shoot will have heartened Iraola.
He demonstrated strength and awareness to rob Tunisia captain Ellyes Skhiri and set up a goal for strike partner Viktor Gyokeres. It made Isak and Gyokeres only the second pair of Sweden teammates to each record a goal and an assist in a World Cup match since 1966.
Isak looked fit and in form, being named man of the match before going off in the closing seconds. With fellow striker Hugo Ekitike out until next year with an Achilles injury, Iraola will want Isak in peak condition next season.
The bottom line
Wirtz rediscovering his joy. Van Dijk being Van Dijk. Gravenberch pulling the strings. Gakpo needing a lift. Diomande announcing himself. Isak back to his best.
One day. Four games. Six Liverpool players under the microscope.
Iraola will have learned plenty. Wirtz can flourish on the left. Diomande is the real deal. Isak is fit and firing. Gakpo needs work.
The World Cup is a shop window and a laboratory. For Liverpool’s new head coach, it’s both.
The rebuild is coming. And Iraola is taking notes.
