The opening month of a Premier League season is often dismissed.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
“There are still plenty of games left.”
Those phrases are repeated every August.
For Liverpool this season, though, I don’t think they apply.
If Andoni Iraola is going to succeed at Anfield, Liverpool simply have to start well.
First Impressions Matter
Every new manager needs time.
New ideas.
New tactics.
New relationships.
Supporters understand that.
What they also understand is how quickly confidence can disappear if results don’t follow.
Liverpool have experienced difficult starts before, and recovering from them is never easy.
A positive opening few weeks could create momentum that carries the team into autumn.
A poor start could immediately increase the pressure.
The Fixture List Is Important
Liverpool cannot afford to give their rivals a head start.
Manchester City, Arsenal and others will all be targeting fast starts.
If Liverpool find themselves chasing from the opening month, every dropped point becomes magnified.
That is why pre-season preparation has been so important.
Iraola needs his ideas embedded before the first whistle of the campaign.
A New Style Needs Confidence
Iraola’s football is built around intensity.
Pressing.
Aggression.
Quick transitions.
Those principles require absolute commitment from every player.
The easiest way to build belief in a demanding system is to win football matches.
Nothing convinces players faster than seeing a new approach deliver results.
The Anfield Crowd Can Make the Difference
There is no atmosphere quite like Anfield when the team is playing with confidence.
Supporters feed off energy.
Aggressive pressing.
Fast attacks.
Commitment.
If Liverpool produce those qualities early in the season, the crowd will respond.
And once Anfield gets behind a team, it becomes one of the most difficult stadiums in world football for visiting sides.
New Players Need Time Too
This also applies to any new signings.
Whether Liverpool add one player or several before the transfer window closes, the quicker those players settle, the stronger the team will become.
Winning early helps everyone adapt.
Losing creates doubt.
The Bigger Picture
Nobody will win the Premier League in August.
But teams can certainly make the task much harder for themselves.
Liverpool’s objective should be simple:
Start fast.
Build confidence.
Create momentum.
Allow Iraola’s ideas to grow naturally instead of under constant scrutiny.
An Opportunity to Set the Tone
This feels like the beginning of a completely new chapter for Liverpool.
Supporters are excited.
Players have had a full pre-season under the new manager.
Expectations are rising.
Now comes the most important part.
Turning that optimism into performances.
If Liverpool can hit the ground running, this could become the foundation for a very exciting season.
And if they do, people may look back at those opening weeks as the moment Andoni Iraola truly began building his Liverpool.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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