Iraola names the Liverpool teenager wowing him behind the scenes with his attitude
Liverpool travel to Bournemouth this weekend for Andoni Iraola’s first return to the club he left in the summer.
The Spaniard admitted it would be difficult facing the Cherries given their familiarity with his system, revealing he spoke with new manager Marco Rose during the summer.
“It’s going to be a tricky one because they obviously know very well what we try to do, on the ball and without the ball. But I also have this advantage – I know their strengths, their weaknesses,” he said, conceding it will be “strange” going against a side he was gladly supporting in their Europa League win against Real Sociedad on Thursday.
Ahead of the trip to the south coast, the Liverpool boss also reserved special praise for Ronald Araujo, highlighting the Uruguayan’s physical durability and his willingness to fill in across multiple positions since arriving at Anfield.
“I think he needed this kind of change. (He) has come with humility, is coming from also a big club, experienced player,” Iraola said. “We need you right-back, we need you centre-back, if we need him in every other position, I think he’s ready to do it.
“Physically also, he’s played probably more minutes than we expected, being so early in the season, and he’s showing (he is) robust. It is still early but he’s finishing the games in a good place physically – he’s not cramping.
“Especially when you are a centre-back and you have to play wide as a right-back, the demands physically are different. Probably is more demanding and he’s assuming these efforts well.”
That versatility will be music to the ears of Liverpool supporters, given how thin the right side of the pitch has looked since Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, compounded a year later by Mohamed Salah’s exit.
Araujo covering that flank is one thing, but Iraola may already have found a long-term successor to Salah’s attacking threat as well, and it isn’t a marquee summer signing.
Iraola full of praise for Ngumoha after England call-up
Rio Ngumoha was the subject of glowing praise from his head coach, who pointed to the teenager’s response after a difficult opening spell against Tottenham as proof of his growing maturity – particularly as he featured on his less favoured right side.
“The other day, for example, against Spurs he probably didn’t have his best start to the game but I like how he came back from that,” Iraola said.
“He lost a couple of duels at the beginning. Udogie is a very strong player. But after, he did his job. In the first two goals, he appears. Everything comes from the situations he goes one v one and he takes good decisions.
“The play finishes on the other side but he is part of that build up for the goal and that is what we are trying to put into him. He has to still adapt to the rhythm of the league because he is still very young, he has just turned 18. But has the quality to be involved in those kind of plays and I’m liking especially his attitude, because he’s not like: ‘I prefer to play here.’ He’s ready to do what we need. I’m very happy also because they’ve called him for the national team.”
Ngumoha burst onto the scene last season, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history with a stoppage-time winner at Newcastle, and went on to make 29 appearances in his breakout campaign. He was rewarded with a place in Thomas Tuchel’s pre-World Cup training camp before earning a senior England debut against New Zealand in June.
|
Ngumoha’s international career |
Caps |
Goals |
|---|---|---|
|
England |
1 |
0 |
|
England U19 |
11 |
1 |
|
England U17 |
12 |
2 |
|
England U16 |
9 |
2 |
|
England U15 |
4 |
2 |
Now the winger looks set for his second England cap, with the Liverpool boss delighted by the youngster’s call-up ahead of the Three Lions’ games against Spain, Czechia and Croatia.
Thomas Tuchel’s side play four Nations League games in the space of 11 days, with Czechia on the agenda twice, so rotation will be crucial and the 18 year-old will almost certainly get his chance to impress.
