Iraola before the Arsenal clash: this is what gives us a big advantage over our rivals
An early message from Iraola regarding the title
Andoni Iraola has insisted it is far too early to talk about topping the table or weighing up Liverpool's title chances, warning of the difficulty awaiting his side when they host Arsenal next Sunday at Anfield in the ninth round of Premier League fixtures.
Liverpool sit fourth on 15 points. Title holders Arsenal lie second on 21, behind leaders Manchester City on goal difference.
At his pre-match press conference today, Friday, the Spaniard spoke about the top of the table and the Arsenal clash, as reported by "Sky Sports": "It is far too early to start looking at the table. We have to prepare ourselves for an extremely difficult match. We know Arsenal and how good they are, they have outstanding players who work very hard. We have to be ready for this challenge, and I trust our players and ourselves. The atmosphere on Sunday will be wonderful and I hope we can be at the required level".
Jamie Carragher had called Liverpool Arsenal's closest rival for the title. Iraola responded: "I have said it before, we are still in October and we have to take each match on its own. I always say that the first real reference point usually comes after we have all played each other once by the middle of the season, and then you can start looking at the table. Right now we are in a position that obliges us to improve and keep developing".
Facing his friend Mikel Arteta is nothing new of late. "Last week it was Xabi Alonso, and now Mikel. There have been a lot of old friends on the opposition benches recently. I think it is a good thing to spend 5 to 10 minutes with them after the match, but I know he will make the task very difficult for us, so we will have to give our very best. It is good that the fans have expectations and believe in our ability to win, but if you ask me, we are still at a very early stage of the season".
Could his previous superiority over Arsenal at Bournemouth help? Iraola was unconvinced: "It is true that we achieved good results against Arsenal with Bournemouth, but that does not mean much. This is a completely different team, a different group of players and different moments. We cannot use the same tools we used before, we must use different tools and make the best possible use of our players while trusting them".
He went on to lay out the keys to the match: "In the end, it is about winning the individual battles, running more than them, excelling in the aerial balls, the set pieces and the small details. Arsenal are the champions and currently top the league and have lost only one match this season, so they are in an excellent position and it will certainly be a wonderful challenge for us".
Gone, too, is the underdog tag he carried at Bournemouth. "Of course this changes, but I knew from my first day here that this would happen regardless of the opponent or the competition. We accept it and it is a good thing, people expect a lot from your team. In the end, the matter is about how to create more chances than the opponent. We know Arsenal are very strong defensively, and we as a team are also in a good position defensively, so every chance we create is very valuable, and what happens inside the penalty area will be decisive".
Praise for the Anfield support followed: "It is not only about winning. At Anfield everyone feels, when the team gives everything it has, that the crowd backs us enormously even when we have fallen behind in some recent matches. At our stadium we have a big edge over our opponents, and the atmosphere we can create here is magical and exceptional".
Ryan Gravenberch's recent dip also drew a question. "He has produced good matches and others that were less good this season, and recently he has played a large number of minutes. We trust him and we know what he can offer, and just as we do with the rest of the players when they are not playing well, we try to help him develop the aspects he needs, and when he is in good form we try to keep him there".
The manager closed by addressing fixture congestion and rotation: "It is true that I did not have much coaching experience in Europe apart from the Europa League, but I played many matches as a player and got used to these stadiums and arriving at three in the morning. Our players are very used to this double rhythm, and we resort to constant changes from one match to another and I think this approach is working well. There must always be a higher level to reach and we have to improve in different areas, and we are well aware of that".
