Liverpool Faces Worst Scenario Under Iraola: Cup Clash with Tottenham

Andoni Iraola did not bother dressing it up. Liverpool, unbeaten but unconvincing, are already living through what he calls the “worst scenario” of their season.

Rotation, risk and a big call in goal

Four league games, three draws, one goalless stalemate at Anfield against Fulham that sucked the energy out of the place. Now Tottenham arrive in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, and Iraola knows he cannot simply roll out the same names again and hope for the best.

So he is changing things. And he is starting in the most scrutinised position on the pitch.

Alisson Becker remains untouchable as Liverpool’s No.1, but he will step aside for this one. Giorgi Mamardashvili, the highly rated backup, will get his chance.

“Yes. Alisson is proven, there are little doubts, he is playing very well,” Iraola told reporters, making clear this is rotation, not a demotion.

“I rate Giorgi very highly, I know him from his years also in Spain. We told him we tried to sign him for Bournemouth before I came here, he is a very good ‘keeper. He is going to start tomorrow.”

It is a bold move, but a calculated one. Iraola needs to see who he can trust when the games pile up. The cup tie against Spurs is as much an audition as it is a knockout fixture.

Mixed news at the back

The team sheet will not just change in goal. At the back, there is a blend of encouragement and frustration.

Joe Gomez is back in the frame.

“Joe is training with the team and is available for tomorrow. It’s a matter of deciding how much he can play, or what the best thing is for him,” Iraola said.

That gives Liverpool an experienced, versatile option in defence at a time when the calendar is already stretching the squad.

The situation is far less positive on the flanks.

On Conor Bradley, Iraola’s update underlined how long the road still is.

“He is not close to training with the team. He is training alone, but he has started touching the ball. Definitely I want him back as soon as possible.

“Leoni is a little bit ahead of him and it is going to take some time for sure.”

Two young full-backs at different stages of recovery, both needed, neither ready to ease the burden just yet. For a coach obsessed with intensity, that matters.

Living through the “worst scenario”

The real weight on Iraola’s shoulders, though, is the schedule. Liverpool are only at the start of the campaign, but the pattern is already clear: play, recover, play again. Barely a breath in between.

“It’s the third game, it’s the worst scenario in terms of schedule, we haven’t been lucky,” he admitted.

This Tottenham tie drops right in the middle of a demanding run. Short turnarounds, limited preparation, tired legs. He has already seen the difference when his players are given room to breathe.

“After this one we have a little bit more before we play Bournemouth, also we had a little bit more between Ipswich and Atletico and Atletico and Fulham and you noticed. Five days in comparison to two to three days is a massive difference.”

That is the reality he is working in. No excuses, but no illusions either.

“It is what it is. After the international break we have four games in ten days, so we have to get used to it.”

The message is blunt: adapt or break.

Who can handle every three days?

This is where Iraola’s Liverpool project really starts. Not on the tactics board, but in the grind between matches.

“You can put the same players in every game. The problem is there will be a moment they are very tired and there is more risk of injury,” he said.

He knows some players thrive on rhythm. Others burn out. The margins are thin, and he cannot afford to guess for long.

“But there are players who play every three days and have no issues, they can accept it and performances don’t change too much. Then there are other players where the risk is bigger and the performances are different.”

That is the puzzle he is trying to solve in real time, with points and progress on the line.

“And I am in a position where I have to learn who is ready to play every two or three days and who is ready to rest so their performance level doesn’t drop. I had an idea with some of them, but for some of them it is new as they haven’t played as many games and we are learning.”

Unbeaten, yet unsatisfied. Rotating, yet still searching. Tottenham in the cup will not just test Liverpool’s depth – it will reveal how quickly Iraola can turn this “worst scenario” into a platform for something far more dangerous.