New head coach Andoni Iraola, 44, laid out the immediate challenges at Anfield and warned that time is limited to reshape the squad. Iraola said, ‘You have to improve the team. You have to find the best positions for every player, the good combinations for the team and that is what we are now [running out of time to do],’ according to ESPN.
The Reds spent two weeks on a U.S. preseason tour that included friendlies in Nashville, New York and Chicago as Iraola assessed his players. With less than a month to go until Liverpool begin their Premier League campaign against Newcastle United, the coach has been attempting to implement his intense training regime and work through positional questions, according to ESPN.
The tour offered encouraging signs for some youngsters. In the absence of several senior players, midfielder Trey Nyoni and central defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe took advantage of opportunities to impress, according to ESPN. Iraola alternated single and double training sessions and took a hands-on approach, coaching every player closely in an effort to raise fitness and cohesion.
At the same time, the trip underlined Liverpool’s need for reinforcements and the scale of the task ahead. ESPN reported that the club is losing time to position itself as a genuine challenger to reclaim the Premier League title it surrendered to Arsenal last season.
Chicago served as the team’s base at the Park Hyatt, where supporters gathered regularly and striker Hugo Ekitike, who traveled while rehabilitating an Achilles injury, paused to meet a young fan in the hotel lobby, according to ESPN. Most training took place at the Endeavour Health Performance Centre, home of MLS side Chicago Fire, and players were seen exploring the Gold Coast shops, walking Oak Street Beach and visiting the Chicago Bulls’ arena. An open session featured Chicago Fire’s new signing Robert Lewandowski before Liverpool completed passing drills and a nine-a-side match, according to ESPN.
