It would be easy to come away from Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Fulham feeling frustrated.
I certainly am.
But I don’t think this is the time to start questioning Andoni Iraola or demanding instant success.
If anything, today’s game showed us exactly why we need to be patient with this Liverpool team.
Just 65 hours after the huge Champions League victory over Atlético Madrid, Liverpool simply didn’t have the same energy, intensity or sharpness that we saw on Wednesday night.
And that’s understandable.
We can’t expect perfection immediately
Wednesday night was everything we want to see from this Liverpool side.
The pressing, the intensity, the belief and the atmosphere at Anfield were outstanding.
Then, less than three days later, the same team looked flat against Fulham.
That’s football.
Iraola is trying to build a new Liverpool team with new players, new ideas and different combinations.
There will be good performances.
There will be poor performances.
There will be games where everything clicks, and there will be afternoons like today where Liverpool look completely out of rhythm.
That doesn’t suddenly make Iraola the wrong manager.
This is a project
I think Liverpool supporters need to accept that this is going to take time.
Iraola has inherited a squad with plenty of quality, but he’s still working out his best XI, his best midfield combination and how his attacking players fit together.
We’ve already seen encouraging signs.
The wins over Ipswich and Atlético Madrid showed what this team can potentially become, while the defensive structure has also looked more promising at times.
But today’s game was a reminder that we aren’t the finished article.
And that’s okay.
I’m not expecting a Premier League title challenge
If I’m being completely honest, I don’t think we should have Premier League title ambitions this season.
That might sound negative, but I actually think it could be liberating.
Liverpool have made significant changes and are learning under a new manager.
Rather than putting enormous pressure on Iraola to immediately win the league, I’d much rather see him build something that can genuinely challenge for the biggest prizes in the seasons ahead.
There are too many variables this season.
The squad needs to develop.
The new signings need time to settle.
The manager needs time to establish his methods.
And Liverpool need to learn how to cope with playing twice a week.
Today’s performance was a perfect example of that challenge.
The cups should be a priority
For me, the domestic cups and Champions League qualification should be the priority this season.
I’d love Liverpool to have a serious run in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
These competitions give Iraola the opportunity to develop his squad, give younger players minutes and potentially put a trophy in the cabinet while the team continues to evolve.
And we absolutely have to make sure we’re back in the Champions League next season.
That should be the minimum league objective.
If Liverpool can finish in the Champions League places while progressing in the cup competitions, I’d consider that a successful first season for Iraola.
Anything more would be a fantastic bonus.
Don’t forget what we saw on Wednesday
This is the important part.
We shouldn’t allow one poor performance to erase what we saw against Atlético Madrid.
That was a Liverpool team showing genuine signs of what Iraola is trying to create.
Today’s performance was poor.
But it came after a massive Champions League game, with less than three days to recover.
Even Iraola acknowledged before the match that the turnaround required a balance between recovery and preparation because of the physical effort against Atlético.
Liverpool didn’t have the same intensity today.
They looked tired.
They looked disjointed.
And they deservedly dropped two points.
But that doesn’t mean the project is failing.
Patience is the key
Liverpool supporters have become accustomed to success.
That’s understandable.
But sometimes you have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
Iraola needs time.
Time to work with the players.
Time to develop his system.
Time to find his best combinations.
Time to improve the squad.
And most importantly, time to build a team that can compete for the Premier League and Champions League over several seasons rather than expecting everything to happen immediately.
Today’s 0-0 draw was disappointing.
There’s no point pretending otherwise.
But I’m not going to judge Iraola’s Liverpool after four league games.
Let’s give the man time.
Get back into the Champions League.
Have a proper go at the cups.
Build the foundations.
And then, hopefully, we can start talking seriously about challenging for the Premier League again.
Patience now could pay off massively later.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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