Andoni Iraola's New Attack Plan for Liverpool After Mohamed Salah
Andoni Iraola, Liverpool's manager, is reshaping the team's offensive strategy following the departure of Mohamed Salah. Instead of seeking a direct replacement for Salah on the right wing, Liverpool is shifting their main attacking focus to the left side, entrusting new signing Bradley Barcola with the responsibility.
Transitioning After a Legend
It has been just over two months since Salah left Anfield, and the club is still adapting. Iraola is introducing a fresh tactical approach aimed at filling the huge gap left by the Egyptian forward. Rather than replacing Salah with a left-footed player on the right, Liverpool invested heavily in Barcola, making him one of their most costly signings ever. Barcola joins from Paris Saint-Germain, where he notched 13 goals and 7 assists last season. Although right-footed, Barcola excels when cutting inside from the left flank, effectively mirroring the role Salah once played but on the opposite side.
Tackling Right Wing Challenges
With Barcola dominating the left, Liverpool faces a challenge on the right wing, as they currently have no natural right wingers after the summer transfer window closed. The squad includes four left wingers but lacks specialists on the right.
- Rio Ngumoha, a teenage prospect, struggled playing on the right against Newcastle.
- Cody Gakpo showed slight improvement in the same position during the match versus Nottingham Forest.
Iraola sees promise in new signing Víctor Munoz, who could be the ideal solution on the right wing. "Víctor has played mostly on the left but may actually perform better on the right," Iraola said ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League game against Ipswich Town.
Developing Young Talent
Although Munoz looks ready for the role, Iraola wants to continue developing Ngumoha's abilities on the right side. The manager remains confident that experience will help Ngumoha adapt despite early struggles.
"We know Rio can play on the left and has shown his qualities. He needs to develop on the right to have more options. He is very young. Just because he wasn't great in his first right-wing game doesn't mean he'll never play there again," Iraola stated.
Preparing the Attack Around Alexander Isak
Liverpool will test this new setup against Ipswich Town in the Premier League soon. Iraola must quickly find the right balance to keep the offense sharp. A more traditional right winger would benefit striker Alexander Isak, who excels as a penalty-area forward and relies on direct service to maximize his goal threat.
Cody Gakpo remains an important squad member after late transfer interest from Manchester City and Tottenham. He will continue competing for playing time as Liverpool explores this new attacking style.
- Upcoming Match: Ipswich Town vs Liverpool
- Date: 4 September 2026
- Kickoff: 21:00
