Gomez Leads Positive Start to Iraola’s Liverpool Pre-Season

Overview

• Joe Gomez returned to the AXA Training Centre and spoke publicly on July 18 that the squad are “hungry,” focused and treating pre‑season as a chance to build a fitness and tactical foundation.
• Players have responded well to new head coach Andoni Iraola’s high‑intensity methods, with senior figures at camp adopting leadership roles and emphasising hard work over slogans.
• The club has only made a couple of early signings so far, leaving the squad unsettled and increasing pressure to accelerate recruitment to replace outgoing players.
• Long‑term injuries to some players and staggered returns because of World Cup timing complicate preparations and raise the need for careful squad management during the compressed pre‑season.
• Liverpool will take the work to a US tour after July 20 to test tactics and assess players in match conditions, and the next week of fixtures will be an early measure of Iraola’s changes.