Michael Owen is backing Andoni Iraola to make Liverpool title challengers again, but he is also clear about the size of the job. Iraola has signed a two-year deal and replaced Arne Slot as Liverpool head coach. Owen says the Bournemouth version of Iraola's football can travel, yet Liverpool are a different test, with multiple competitions and Champions League pressure waiting at Anfield.
Why Owen likes Iraola's football
Owen's case starts with the style. He says Iraola's football is not too dissimilar to Jurgen Klopp's, with Liverpool looking to press high, win the ball back and then play positively. He also says Iraola has the credentials to do really well at Liverpool. That is the bullish part of the argument, and it is not a wild one given what Bournemouth did under him.
Bournemouth finished sixth with 56 points. They scored 57 league goals and conceded 53, which is the kind of front-foot trade-off Owen is pointing to. Their last five league results under Iraola were DWWDW, including a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace and a 1-0 win at Fulham.
Owen goes further and says there is no reason Liverpool can't challenge for the title next season. That view has some weight because Iraola has already shown he can get a smaller club into the European conversation.
Why Anfield is a different job
The caveat is obvious enough. Owen says it is a big step up, because Bournemouth only had the Premier League to deal with and players had time to recover between games. At Liverpool, he says, it is multiple competitions, including the Champions League, and a whole new level of pressure.
That pressure is coming after a poor end to the Slot era. Owen said fan unrest had grown towards the end of the season, with many supporters no longer believing Slot was the right man to take the club football forward. Liverpool finished fifth with 59 points, 17 wins, 8 draws and 12 defeats, and the season also ended with 20 defeats across all competitions in the source material. An end-of-season review on May 30, led by sporting director Richard Hughes, came before Slot's dismissal.
Liverpool are also still short in the market. Owen says they need to strengthen on the right side of attack, at centre-back and in centre-midfield cover, and he specifically likes the option of Jarrod Bowen at West Ham. The rebuild matters because Iraola is being asked to raise the level quickly, not gradually.
If Owen is right, the style should translate. If he is wrong, it will be because Liverpool demand the same front-foot football and far more besides, with no room for the kind of settling-in period Bournemouth gave Iraola.
FAQ
Can Andoni Iraola turn Liverpool into title challengers?
Michael Owen thinks he can. Owen says Iraola's style is not too dissimilar to Jurgen Klopp's and believes Liverpool can challenge for the title next season. He also warns that Anfield is a bigger job than Bournemouth because Liverpool face multiple competitions, including the Champions League, and a much higher level of pressure.
Why does Michael Owen think Iraola suits Liverpool?
Owen likes Iraola's front-foot football. He says the style is not too dissimilar to Klopp's, with Liverpool expected to press high, win the ball back and play positively. Owen also points to Iraola's Premier League experience and says he has the credentials to do really well at Liverpool.
What pressure will Iraola face at Liverpool compared with Bournemouth?
Owen says it is a big step up from Bournemouth. At Bournemouth, Iraola only had the Premier League to manage, with time to recover between games. At Liverpool, Owen says, there are multiple competitions, including the Champions League, and a whole new level of pressure.
Why did Liverpool move on from Arne Slot?
Owen says the end of the season brought clear fan unrest, and that some supporters did not believe Slot was the right man to take the club football forward. Liverpool finished fifth with 59 points, had 12 Premier League defeats and were beaten 20 times across all competitions in the source material.
Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →