There’s no denying Liverpool look somewhat sluggish in attack under Andoni Iraola, but at the start of a new era, after the most troubling of years, Liverpool have stretched to seven games unbeaten under their new manager, who proved over three years with Bournemouth that patience and trust can pay off handsomely when watching his system develop.
It will splutter and stop without improved investment over the coming years, though. Richard Hughes’ time as Sporting Director at Anfield is up, and it was a multi-year stint which left a lot to be desired.
Now, Julian Ward is back in the role he held during the 2022/23 season, instrumental in signing players such as Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz, putting in a lot of groundwork for the latter duo’s later arrivals.
He knows FSG and he knows the club, and it could bear dividends across the park for Iraola’s side.
How Ward will improve Liverpool’s defence
Liverpool have been revived in the Premier League. Well, sort of. Defensively, the unit looks far more secure and fluent, with loanee from Barcelona Ronald Araujo and £60m arrival from Rennes, Jeremy Jacquet, revelations alongside Virgil van Dijk.
This is ostensibly Van Dijk’s final year on Merseyside, and he will be grateful for a stronger backline than he has been forced to command over the past several years. Ward will not have too much to do on this front, with Giovanni Leoni almost ready to return from injury, the exciting Ifeanyi Ndukwe, 18, also out on loan with Levante in Spain.
However, the sporting director has to consider Liverpool’s flanks. Both Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have been abject as the Reds’ starting full-backs so far this season, with Araujo drafted out right over the past three games to improve solidity. He is limited on the ball, but Liverpool have kept three clean sheets in a row in the Premier League.
Givairo Read of Feyenoord has emerged as an exciting option to strengthen the club at right-back. The 20-year-old has been on Liverpool’s radar for a while now, and with Arsenal and Manchester City also surging into the race for the £20m-rated star, FSG and Ward will need to show the kind of rapidity that used to define Liverpool’s strategising.
How Ward will improve Liverpool’s midfield
Liverpool’s stuttering midfield will present Ward with the biggest conundrum of them all. How to make things tick again? Well, the 45-year-old showed in the past an ability to identify the kind of player Liverpool crave right now, signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion for just £35m.
What a bargain. The Argentina international may not have been the flavour of the month under Arne Slot last year, but by and large, he has been a sensational signing for the club, starting to edge toward his former level with Iraola, who demands greater levels of intensity, this season.
But something is still missing. Combative and creativity and culturedness on the ball. Ward could use Iraola’s connection with Bournemouth to sign Alex Scott, who seems destined for a big-money move to one of England’s powerhouses.
Scott, 23, attracted any number of suitors this summer, with Chelsea in particular looking to strike a deal. Bournemouth stood firm and placed an £85m valuation on the silky, multi-functional midfielder, but Liverpool could now begin work on signing him next summer.
Ward indeed laid groundwork for Diaz and Nunez, who Jurgen Klopp was the driving force behind signing, and his patience and care in winning top targets over may pay dividends in winning the race for Scott.
How Ward will improve Liverpool’s attack
Up top, Liverpool already have some incredible quality. Wirtz is joined by Alexander Isak and recent signing Bradley Barcola in making up an expensive frontline. All three players commanded nine-figure fees to bring to Anfield since last summer.
However, Mohamed Salah still hasn’t been directly replaced on the right wing, and it would be little surprise to see Ward return for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh after Hughes’ failed attempts this summer.
|
Yankuba Minteh in the Premier League |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (* per 90) |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|
Matches (starts) |
32 (20) |
34 (26) |
|
Goals + Assists |
6 + 4 |
3 + 4 |
|
Shots (on target)* |
1.1 (0.5) |
1.2 (0.3) |
|
Big chances missed |
8 |
4 |
|
Accurate passes* |
9.5 (69%) |
12.6 (68%) |
|
Big chances created |
8 |
11 |
|
Key passes* |
0.9 |
1.4 |
|
Succ. dribbles* |
1.4 |
1.9 |
|
Recoveries* |
2.7 |
2.8 |
|
Def. contributions* |
2.7 |
2.6 |
|
Duels won* |
3.8 |
4.8 |
Hailed as a rising star who “can reach Sadio Mane[‘s] level” in the Premier League by one scout, the Gambian attacker has all the attributes to thrive for a club like Liverpool, direct and dangerous and combative too.
His numbers could improve, to be sure, but Ward has shown in the past a shrewdness in identifying untapped potential, and though Minteh would command a fee in excess of the £70m the Seagulls priced him at this summer, it could be worthwhile for a manager in Iraola who knows a thing or two about developing raw quality.
Liverpool are one of the most talented (and most expensive) teams in world football, but Ward is going to have his work cut out over the coming period, ironing out the many tactical balances which, frankly, will impede Iraola in his fight for Premier League and Champions League titles this season.
All told, Ward could lead another Reds spending spree, with the aforementioned trio sure to cost Liverpool at least £175m, but it’s clear that there are numerous missing parts at Anfield right now, and it needs sorting.